[chelshope]

I've been in and out of hospitals because i've tried to kill myself several times. I am currently having another episode and this time i really don't want to go to the hospital. I want to be better but it's really hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel even if I've seen it before. I was wondering if anyone has gone through Depression and Anxiety Disorders. And if they had some tips, advice, support group websites I could visit or anything at all. Maybe someone can just let me know if they go through somewhat of what I'm going through. My symptoms are sadness all the time, crying, anxiety, feeling on edge, insomnia non stop, not wanting to be with anyone, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, i am currently experiencing a lot of guilt this time around. I feel guilty for having these disorders and hurting my family by having them and my friends because i am pushing them away because they just don't understand. I don't really think anyone understands. I just now joined this website and I thought maybe I could become connected with a group of people who go through the same things. I dont know. Maybe this was stupid but here's a chance.

[whimsygirl]

Hi chelshope....welcome. Glad you're here. Sounds like you're going through so much, and it's good that you've decided to reach out. While it certainly sounds like you're quite possibly experiencing depression, nothing can take the place of consulting with caring professionals who know more about these things. If you have a primary doctor who you feel comfortable with then that's often a good place to start. If not, then you might try to get a referral through your county's Health and Human Services Department. Because you don't give any indication of your age in your post I don't know if you might be in school, but if by chance you are, almost every high school and college has counselors on staff, so that would also be a way to get started. Plus if you call the Suicide Prevention line, they might be able to provide you with some resources. Bottom line, though, from your words it seems clear that things have been pretty intense with you at times, and the first step should be to try and get the most accurate diagnosis possible. There are many options out there to treat depression and anxiety, but in order to access them you need to connect with professionals who can get you started on the road to feeling better. Warm wishes, and I hope you'll keep posting.....

[Rohag]

Hello & Welcome, Chelshope!

You are definitely not alone. Although you probably have your own unique way of experiencing depression, every one of the symptoms you mention are reflected in a multitude of posts here.

Consider what Whimsygirl has said, and make yourself at home here.

[chelshope]

Originally Posted by whimsygirl

Hi chelshope....welcome. Glad you're here. Sounds like you're going through so much, and it's good that you've decided to reach out. While it certainly sounds like you're quite possibly experiencing depression, nothing can take the place of consulting with caring professionals who know more about these things. If you have a primary doctor who you feel comfortable with then that's often a good place to start. If not, then you might try to get a referral through your county's Health and Human Services Department. Because you don't give any indication of your age in your post I don't know if you might be in school, but if by chance you are, almost every high school and college has counselors on staff, so that would also be a way to get started. Plus if you call the Suicide Prevention line, they might be able to provide you with some resources. Bottom line, though, from your words it seems clear that things have been pretty intense with you at times, and the first step should be to try and get the most accurate diagnosis possible. There are many options out there to treat depression and anxiety, but in order to access them you need to connect with professionals who can get you started on the road to feeling better. Warm wishes, and I hope you'll keep posting.....

Thanks for the support, I am 20 years old and have been dealing with depression and anxiety for four years now. I have been going to regular weekly therapy appointments and it just seems like im being a test rat for medicines that wont work. For example I have been struggling with insomnia for as i can remember and my psych prescribed me generic ambien 10 mg and it does nothing for me. Do you have any medicines I should suggest to my doc for when I see him next? I would love to hear your story. Thank you again for replying to my post.

[regretful]

Hi, if you are not getting what you want out of therapy, be more directive in telling the therapist exactly what you need. As a psychologist who has provided a lot of therapy to depressed folks, I always appreciated it when the patient took the initiative to tell me what was not working for them. As for the insomnia, you might try going to bed at exactly the same time every night; taking a shower or bath before bed helps to calm the nerves; also simple remedies like chamomile tea can help induce sleeping too.

If you are on a lot of medication, you might ask the psychiatrist about med administration times. I know that simply changing the time meds are taken can help. As for sleep meds, I have heard, anecdotally, that trazadone works well for people who are having trouble sleeping.

Good luck. This is a supportive place. Keep coming back, and please keep us posted on your progress. Never give up!