My thoughts and prayers are with you, ericthecleric. Good luck with your depression.
Edit - WooT!!! Top of the page! ~looks around~ Does this mean that I can now threadjack this page? ~grins~ j/k! I will behave!
I haven't found an SRI that makes me feel "better". I used Effexor, but that increasingly made me more tired (to the point where I was sleeping for 11 hours on average). Then, when I upped the dosage, I developed hives. After doing some internet research, knowing full-well that the internet isn't the best place to do this, and discovering that other people had developed hives, I went to the prescribing doctor who wouldn't even consider the possibility.
The doctor I'm seeing now has prescribed Provigil and Deplin, which I've been taking for a year. They seem to work pretty well in that I have energy to do things, and the depression isn't as bad. I may have to consider Wellbutrin or something like that for the rest of the season, because I have had "bad" days with the onset of winter.
Like Matthew, I'm more self-destructive than anything else. All my anger gets directed inwardly.
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If you’ve had depression for a long time, have some “friends” blanked you out (and how did you deal with that)? Have you not contacted some old friends/acquaintances because you didn’t want to be the “pain-in-the-butt” friend or other reasons? If you have stopped contacting some old friends, have you got in touch with them again, even if you’ve not seen or spoken with them for say 15 years?
Hey ericthecleric
I am dealing daily with a bipolar loved one (with a huge deterioration over the last 10 years). They have done nothing to help themselves and everything to hurt those around them.
As I am on the otherside looking over, here are some observations (I understand you are dealing with something different, but I hope these may help):
You took the biggest step, you reached out and got help. That was the most important thing you could do.
Be proactive and involved with your counselors(doctors/nurses/ psychs/whatever). The more you communicate with them the better they can help. (If they are any good. If you don't like them or the treatment, don't give up, find someone else. Don't ever give up)
If "friends", loved ones and aquantences drop out of your life or reject you, DO NOT take it personally. It's not your fault.
(On the other hand, folks are only equiped to deal with so much and you don't know what else is going on in their lives. I am not excusing them. Just offering perspective. Some folks can't handle what they don't understand. Or they have their own issues.)
Stay involved with hobbies/activities you did enjoy. You will meet new folks and friends that way. (BTW, Gamers are about the MOST accepting group of folks I ever met. You have good people here.)
Yes diet needs to be paid attention to. You have no idea how food allergies can mess you up physically and mentally.
Avoid the self medication route. Alchohol and controlled substances are not your friend. And you don't know how they will interact with your prescribed meds. (Don't forget to pay attention to any over the counter stuff you may use. Mention it to your doctor as well)
Don't EVER give up.
I haven't found an SRI that makes me feel "better". I used Effexor, but that increasingly made me more tired (to the point where I was sleeping for 11 hours on average). Then, when I upped the dosage, I developed hives. After doing some internet research, knowing full-well that the internet isn't the best place to do this, and discovering that other people had developed hives, I went to the prescribing doctor who wouldn't even consider the possibility.
The doctor I'm seeing now has prescribed Provigil and Deplin, which I've been taking for a year. They seem to work pretty well in that I have energy to do things, and the depression isn't as bad. I may have to consider Wellbutrin or something like that for the rest of the season, because I have had "bad" days with the onset of winter.
Like Matthew, I'm more self-destructive than anything else. All my anger gets directed inwardly.
Glad to hear of someone doing well with provigil. I've got members who ask me about it all the time because they are falling asleep at 6 PM and waking up, fully rested, at 2 AM.
SSRIs are...well...SSRIs. They don't really make you feel better, but they do wrestle the symptoms down until they become manageable. Usually. I wouldn't knock the internet when it comes to doing reasearch on mental health and medications TOO much. There are a lot of GREAT communities that do a wonderful job of supporting each other as well as reasearch on the medications they take that would put a grad student to shame, but still, this IS the internet. I would take anything said with a pinch of salt, not a single grain. There was a paper written SEVERAL years back detailing how and why the internet is so popular among people with Axis I and/or II diagnosises, but I can't find it right now.
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Thanks for all the latter comments; I hope people find them useful.
Question: I'll have my meds with me if I go to Paizo Con. Do I need a doctor's note or anything like that when visiting the states?
I'm no expert, but I recall you used to be able to travel with up to a three months supply of any drug you had a prescription for. I would suggest you carry them in the original bottle and have a copy of the doctors script incase they are lost/stolen/questioned by the ever eratic TSA folks at the airport.
Better to check with your travel agent or consulate perhaps though.
A week last Saturday, just to get out of the house two days before the exam, I went to my LGS. I failed my Will save and caught up on the missing PF AP books. About Legacy of Fire, what can I say? I really, really like it! PF 19 is the first RPG book I've been able to read for months and months. I'm not sure I'll be able to purchase future AP books (lack of funds) yet, but I'm looking forward to reading the parts I do have. Kudos to Paizo and the freelancers for a very cool AP! :-)
It's even inspired me to write an adventure! (I’m still not interested in playing or DMing though.) Wintergreen has kindly offered to help, so if we can complete it before mid-July, then it will debut at Paizocon UK.
Interesting post - up the thread you mentioned selling your RPG stuff. Don't ever do that because you seem to move between states where RPGs interest you and then don't interest you. If you sell everything there is a fair probability that you will eventually really regret that decision. Instead just box the stuff up. If 10 years goes buy and you have no interest then sell the stuff - as a side bonus RPGs are things people collect so sticking material in a box will probably make some of it much more valuable. Hence a win-win, no sellers regret if your wrong about wanting to get out of RPGs permanently and you make more money in the long run anyway.