If you or someone you know suffers from depression. PLEASE don't ignore it.

Bamabuzzard · Nov 20, 2013

Yesterday evening I received some bad news. A lady in our Sunday School Class uncle committed suicide. He suffered from depression and never sought help. His family knew he probably had depression issues but for whatever reason never addressed it with him or advised him to seek help. Someone dying at anytime is horrible. But someone committing suicide this close to the holidays seems to bring even more sorrow for the family.

I don't know if any of you know much about depression or have ever gone through it. But it is a real thing. I was diagnosed with depression/anxiety when I was 21 years old. I had no clue what was happening to my body. I was constantly fatigued, struggled to find energy to even get out of bed. I lost interest in a lot of the things I loved. My mind wanted to get up and live life but my body kept telling me I was tired and sleepy. These type feelings of fatigue turns into a vicious cycle of anxiety to depression back to anxiety back to depression and so forth. One feeds off the other. So many people have a misconception of what depression is. Many think that it is because of something bad happening on the external making one sad or unhappy. When in many cases that has nothing to do with it. External factors can make depression and anxiety worse but in many cases it doesn't cause it. But many times it is from the chemicals in one's body simply (for whatever reason) getting out of "whack". Many in the medical field believe it is hereditary and in many cases if you find someone who has depression you can trace back through their family and find a string of people with their family who's suffered from it.

But if gone untreated it can lead to devastating consequences such as suicide. Now, I never reached that point. I got help pretty quick and was told my body wasn't producing enough dopamine and/or serotonine causing my body to feel the way it did. I went through a series of testing of anti-depressants before finding a mild one that worked. Implemented more exercise into my lifestyle and I'm good to go bro.

But it is nothing to mess with. It is also nothing to be ashamed of. I'd rather someone think that I'm a nutjob and get it fixed than try to hide it and suffer through life. Get help or help someone else get help.

jps1983 · Nov 20, 2013

Agreed. Mental health issues are scoffed or looked down upon in our culture; people with issues rarely seek help and unfortunately, I think a lot of parents try to placate children with the issue or refuse to accept the issues that are there (I hear "my child is just special/different/energetic/ etc.).

Bamabuzzard · Nov 20, 2013

Oh yeah. No doubt they are looked down upon and once people find that out about you more times than not you can tell how they view you changes. Like they lose respect for you. I lost a lot of "friends" when I was going through it. I can count on three fingers the number of friends who stuck beside me and encouraged me through it. The rest of my "friends" distanced themselves from me and some completely cut me off. Which is fine. Many times it takes a trial in life to separate the wheat from the chaff. That definitely did the trick.

But at the ripe old age of 21 I still had a lot of life to live. I was still in college and pulled myself up off the canvas, graduated college, have been an accountant for roughly 16 years, married, have four beautiful children, a side business and enjoying life. Not bad for a nutjob. :biggrin2:

OreBama · Nov 20, 2013

It is a horrible thing to have depression. About 12 years ago, I had a terrible bout of depression and panic disorder. I had to take Zoloft for years. When I told my own father about it, you'd think I told him I was gay.

I don't hate him for it. I feel sorry for him. Depression runs in the family and he should probably be treated himself. Instead, he smokes an ounce a week of pot instead of taking those "mind controlling pills".

bamachile · Nov 20, 2013

BB, I've lost count of the friends and acquaintances I've lost to suicide; about half of them suffered from depression, diagnosed or not. You and a few others know about the last suicide I was close to, so I know it's hard to deal with.

Couldn't agree more. If you know someone who suffers from depression, talk with them. If you suffer from constant depression yourself, get help. Please.

Bamabuzzard · Nov 20, 2013

OreBama said:
It is a horrible thing to have depression. About 12 years ago, I had a terrible bout of depression and panic disorder. I had to take Zoloft for years. When I told my own father about it, you'd think I told him I was gay.

I don't hate him for it. I feel sorry for him. Depression runs in the family and he should probably be treated himself. Instead, he smokes an ounce a week of pot instead of taking those "mind controlling pills".

You should have told him you had to take Zoloft because you were gay. :biggrin2:

But in all seriousness, there's no telling how many millions of people in this country suffer with depression and never get treated.

G-VilleTider · Nov 20, 2013

Bamabuzzard said:
But at the ripe old age of 21 I still had a lot of life to live. I was still in college and pulled myself up off the canvas, graduated college, have been an accountant for roughly 16 years, married, have four beautiful children, a side business and enjoying life. Not bad for a nutjob. :biggrin2:

So you were depressed at 21 while in college, but not after this being "an accountant for roughly 16 years, married, have four beautiful children, a side business". They didn't just give you antidepressants, they gave you miracle pills my friend

It is much easier to suffer in silence than admit you need help. It sounds like you kicked its butt. Congrats.

Bamabuzzard · Nov 20, 2013

G-VilleTider said:
So you were depressed at 21 while in college, but not after this being "an accountant for roughly 16 years, married, have four beautiful children, a side business". They didn't just give you antidepressants, they gave you miracle pills my friend

It is much easier to suffer in silence than admit you need help. It sounds like you kicked its butt. Congrats.

Thank you. It was the toughest battle of my life. At first I was a bit ashamed until my parents disclosed to me it was a family illness dating all the way back to my grandfather on my dad's side of the family. My dad AND his brother (my uncle of course) suffered with depression. So once I learned that it was much easier for me to seek help. My parents supported me because they knew what was going on.

GreatDanish · Nov 20, 2013

I was actually thinking about making a similar post sometime.
I have dealt with anxiety and depression over the last five years. Didn't really know it until a little over a year ago - I figured all of my negative thoughts were a realistic picture and my intense fatigue, I thought, was a natural consequence of having young children (which it is, but mine was greater than it should have been). When I had two panic attacks in a short span of time - legs shaking involuntarily, heart racing, and fear that I was about to die - I realized something was wrong.
People recommended medication and counseling - I haven't done either one, although I have thought about a counselor. I have changed my lifestyle and it has made a huge difference.
My anxiety is primarily health-related - unrealistic fears about having a heart attack at any moment or having an aneurysm. Or, dying before my kids are grown. Exercise, relaxation, and taking time to do things that are enjoyable has almost eliminated much of my anxiety and depression, but I still battle the anxiety, especially in down times like the weekends. I think those times allow my mind to wander. I don't ever notice any depression anymore.

But, I had a friend from HS who had battled depression for a long time who committed suicide, I think three years ago this coming Thanksgiving. She was your All-American girl - homecoming queen, everyone loved her, came from a great family, etc. She was 30 years old, married with three kids and seemingly happy. A lot of her close friends knew she battled depression but no one ever imagined that SHE would take her own life. It's still numbing to think about.

crimsonaudio · Nov 20, 2013

Timely thread, I just found out another friend of mine suffering from depression committed suicide late least night - that's the second one in less than four months.

It can be pretty crushing.

This industry has a way of destroying lives.

Bamabuzzard · Nov 20, 2013

GreatDanish said:
People recommended medication and counseling - I haven't done either one, although I have thought about a counselor. I have changed my lifestyle and it has made a huge difference.
My anxiety is primarily health-related - unrealistic fears about having a heart attack at any moment or having an aneurysm. Or, dying before my kids are grown. Exercise, relaxation, and taking time to do things that are enjoyable has almost eliminated much of my anxiety and depression, but I still battle the anxiety, especially in down times like the weekends. I think those times allow my mind to wander. I don't ever notice any depression anymore.

Good job. I to control mine with exercise. I've also found that diet helps about as much as exercise. When I eat a lot of what I call "overly processed" foods it gets worse. When I eat more whole foods AND exercise I feel like Seebell at an Obama rally. :biggrin2:

Bodhisattva · Nov 20, 2013

Lost my youngest brother (age 19) to depression. A few years later I lost my second youngest brother as well. Suicide is devasting for the loss it causes. It also torments me because I'll never know what my brothers were thinking when they made their decisions. Were they at peace? Were they in pain? Did they know they were loved?

It's a terrible situation with which to endure.

GreatDanish · Nov 20, 2013

Bamabuzzard said:
Good job. I to control mine with exercise. I've also found that diet helps about as much as exercise. When I eat a lot of what I call "overly processed" foods it gets worse. When I eat more whole foods AND exercise I feel like Seebell at an Obama rally. :biggrin2:

If you went gluten free, you'd have no problems at all.

I tried healthier diet, but I think that made things worse for me. Maybe partly because there was a fine line between eating better for health and eating better because I was afraid a hamburger would cause an immediate heart attack. I eat healthfully but I will also have a hamburger or an ice cream or a beer on occasion and it actually seems to help.
There is another activity that seems to help. When that is occurring regularly, it helps.
A 30 minute jog or bike ride in the great outdoors is probably the best thing in the world for my mental health.

alabama mike1 · Nov 20, 2013

This is a great topic and many have added some very insightful information. Depression is very real and hard to explain to someone that has not gone through it. What may work for one person may not work for another but the main thing is recognize you have a problem and seek help.

bamanut_aj · Nov 20, 2013

GreatDanish said:
I was actually thinking about making a similar post sometime.
I have dealt with anxiety and depression over the last five years. Didn't really know it until a little over a year ago - I figured all of my negative thoughts were a realistic picture and my intense fatigue, I thought, was a natural consequence of having young children (which it is, but mine was greater than it should have been). When I had two panic attacks in a short span of time - legs shaking involuntarily, heart racing, and fear that I was about to die - I realized something was wrong.
People recommended medication and counseling - I haven't done either one, although I have thought about a counselor. I have changed my lifestyle and it has made a huge difference.
My anxiety is primarily health-related - unrealistic fears about having a heart attack at any moment or having an aneurysm. Or, dying before my kids are grown. Exercise, relaxation, and taking time to do things that are enjoyable has almost eliminated much of my anxiety and depression, but I still battle the anxiety, especially in down times like the weekends. I think those times allow my mind to wander. I don't ever notice any depression anymore.

But, I had a friend from HS who had battled depression for a long time who committed suicide, I think three years ago this coming Thanksgiving. She was your All-American girl - homecoming queen, everyone loved her, came from a great family, etc. She was 30 years old, married with three kids and seemingly happy. A lot of her close friends knew she battled depression but no one ever imagined that SHE would take her own life. It's still numbing to think about.

She, and another female friend of mine committed suicide at about the same time. When the girl you're talking about did it, well, I still can't believe it.

I don't know all the ins and outs, but I do believe I 'went through' 'a depression', if that's possible, over the last couple of years use to a personal life-changing issue. Also had an anxiety issue treated medicinally, with the help of a psychologist and at the recommendation of a therapist. I feel like the fog has lifted. But, knowing what that felt like, I'll keep my guard up.

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NationalTitles18 · Nov 20, 2013

Probably the biggest obstacles to someone getting help for mental illness are social stigma and the notion or attitude that mental illness= weakness. Both are huge barriers to not only medical treatment, but other therapies and even getting help from friends. It's sad that it's this way for many people. I would urge anyone and everyone to not just try to get help for yourself or encourage someone else to seek help if needed, but to let your daily attitude reflect your concern for people suffering like this so that they are more likely to seek help in the first place. Put another way, if we remove the social stigma and the idea that mental illness means weakness then folks are more likely to seek treatment when they need it. Everyone can make a difference, even passively.

GrayTide · Nov 20, 2013

Thanks for the thread BB. My son deals with this and it has been a struggle for most of his life, he is now married and seems to be better with medication, but it is something that can change in a heartbeat. I appreciate your candor and all of the other posters' comments.

crimson fan man · Nov 20, 2013

Lost my Nephew a couple of months ago and it is a real problem. He is a veteran and was one of the kindest people that you would ever meet. Took his life one morning with a gun and my Sister found him. I have Prayed for my Sister because of what She is going to face for years to come. God bless Her.

TideMan09 · Nov 20, 2013

I'll be honest with y'all..Ever since my heart went bad, and I was put on disability, I've become depressed, and at times really really bad..I've never told anyone, not even any of the many different doctors I've seen here in Anniston & at UAB..Going through all this, and going from making a descent living, to being on disability, it truly does affect the mind & strong ego I once had..I have two girls, and don't think I could ever commit suicide, I have never wanted to kill myself, but do get tired of trying sometimes(if that makes sense)..

I'm on 16 different daily meds & really dont want to take any more, but, I guess I really need to sit down with my family doctor, and talk to him about it at the end of the month when I go, and let him decide if I need treatment or what kind of treatment I can receive with my heart condition..Cause the fatigue part, and absolutely having no energy, I deal with that every minute, while most of it is due to my heart condition that causes my fatigue, I'm absolutely sure depression accounts for a good bit of it as well..

Thank you for starting this thread cause I've never told anyone about this & it actually feels kinda good to admit that I'm depressed..

Bazza · Nov 20, 2013

Bodhisattva said:
Lost my youngest brother (age 19) to depression. A few years later I lost my second youngest brother as well. Suicide is devastating for the loss it causes. It also torments me because I'll never know what my brothers were thinking when they made their decisions. Were they at peace? Were they in pain? Did they know they were loved?

It's a terrible situation with which to endure.

Very sorry for your loss, Bod. Sometimes there is just no way of knowing about this until it is too late....

If you or someone you know suffers from depression. PLEASE don't ignore it.

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