Depression

Post Reply New Topic

Don't go away!

I wanted to post earlier but I couldn't think of anything good, so I waited and thought a while.

I recently got diagnosed with depression, so I'm going through similar difficulties.

What I found really helped me was just getting out of the house and walking somewhere. It's like exercise that's fun. Just set aside a few hours, and go walking - wander, with no specific destination, and see what you see and where you end up. And while your walking use your details focus to look at the trees and colours etc around you, and really soak it all up.

The combination of fresh air, exercise, light, and lack of committment = relaxation (a.k.a. you don't have to run at a certain speed/work your muscles) and you might feel a bit better. And when you just walk you end up in all kinds of different places, and see things, and have many experiences.

^ great advice, sunshower.
I agree. I know when the depression is really bad there is almost a catatonia and an inability to move or click the cogs int eh brain into the next gear of some kind of action. But if you can just somehow manage to get up and go for a walk - sunshower is so right.
we reconnect with the glory of nature, the beauty of the trees and leaves, the small bird on the fence, the skink with it bronze scales glinting like a fish on a path. These are miraculous things. sometimes they are all we have.

good luck.
stay around.
keep writing and posting.
the contact with others will help to short circuit the depression and hopefully you will get enough impetus to get up and walk.

Yes when my alarm goes which is my stereo so loud that it wakes up the other people I just lie there and do nothing, then my brother comes in tells me to turn it off, sometimes it went through the whole CD lastet 70 minutes at high volume and I only remember the first 5 minutes or so. Today I have skipped work. When I was getting into my car it was catatonia redardation as well, I just sit in my seat to angry to turn the car on. I am like that at work I just sit at my desk and cry.
Yes I agree but I have tried get to see a psychiatrist that knows Aspergers for months years, there is no in western Sydney, I don't know what a neurologist is, the sleeping habits anyway are my fault, because I don't go to bed when I should because I am very angry at God. Yes once when I was at Pialla Admissions the doctor there had never heard of Aspergers , and he quizzed me on it, as if I was making the whole thing up just to get into Pialla. Then the security guards threw me outside the hospital I was on the concrete from about 6 am to 9 am then they called my mum.
I have told my dad many times not to contact me and he often does, I just hang up. He is a dangerous person, he has no friends, he gets into trouble with police often
Those names ring a bell but I'll ask about them
Yes but given how I can't get up with that stereo I don't know how it would work but might as well try it
Yes I have heard of SAD, I don't have it, I am happier in the winter if anything summer is too hotYes I continue to do it

Yes that name rings a bell, I could mention it, my GP would be frustrated because I say to him often to try this med or that, and he is unhappy that the psych disagreed with his choice of meds
Yes I should try it. Some definitions of Holistic vary greatly, but if you mean I shouldn't eat too much and should exercise, yesI pray regularly informally, but my prayers are pesimistic, and honest, everyone else at church prays like their girlfriend is listening, and they don't have Aspergers so they don't recognise the difference. For Aspergers prayer functions alone only. I have also found out prayer does not affect the likelyhood of a given outcome of an event. This fact God meant for non-Aspergers Christians to be ignorant of, and rightly so, because they have happy families, lives, fulfiling callings in life, etc

Yes I used to walk regularly, I was better, now often I walk to church or Bible study, but recently there has been terrential rain, and another occasion I was very agitated. But to be effective needs to walk more often than that. You're right I should jog and walk, but like Saja said I don't want to get betterYes I need to get motivated to do it but thats my fault

Yes I had catatonia this morning, retardation, and once when I was about 16 I was in the back seat of the car, my mum's cop boyfriend was driving and she in the passenger seat, he asked directions from a stranger described my mum as his "wife", and I was angry I did not move for about an hour it seemed, my mouth and throat were very hard
Yes contact with you all with Aspergers and depression, so I know that I am not alone. But often said that "God helps those who help themselves" and I have to "choose to get better". And maybe, I don't want to get better, I just want to come here whinge, and then die. But to this point I haven't said anything. Because I am sure that in the terms and conditions of this web site you can not encourage or describe an act. And I wouldn't anyway because last time I was intercepted

Yes I need to get motivated to do it but thats my fault

It's not your fault. Don't ever think that. You're not going through this because you're lazy, or not trying hard enough, or don't want to get better. The fact that you've made a topic asking for help well and truly contradicts that.

Depression is a serious illness and it clouds your mind so that you're not logical about things. It's NOT YOUR FAULT that you're not motivated, that's what depression does; it demotivates you until you feel like there's no point to anything.

Try starting with something really simple, like taking a 1/2 hour-hour walk at least once a week. Don't feel like you've failed because you haven't been doing it, or you suddenly have to be walking for an hour twice a day. The depression is messing with your mind, and you have to try and fight it - but remember that it's not *you* who is unmotivated, or doesn't care, it's the *depression* speaking.

It's hard, and you're doing well already asking for advice. Just take it one step at a time. And maybe look into some medication? (I know you've said it doesn't help, but you might need a boost to help pull yourself out).

Sunshower puts it extremely well. Reread above post multiple times . All your negative feelings are depression-induced...the terrible things they tell you about yourself aren't true.

And for the record, I don't think I said you don't want to get better....I said you have to try to figure out why you feel this way in order to know what to do to get better. Coming here and posting is an excellent start, and knowing how you feel now, it's a Herculean effort to help yourself that I greatly admire. It's you working against the catatonia and feeling of futility.

Yes that's like what I have been told all my life the fact that I'm telling people that I want to die indicates that part of me doesn't want to die
It's not my fault, I agree, what can I do to get rid of depression, well I am seeing the other psychologist on 17 June, I don't think seeing my GP will do any good, I should exercise
Normally I walk to church and back twice a week, Sunday night church and Wednesday Live (Bible study) but sometimes it's raining or I am too angry, but that is just the depression speakingOK I will ask the new psychologist about other medication Zyprexa etc

Yes another way of putting it sometimes at church is dualism, that is, if there is a thought in my mind then I am happy, or makes me do something good, like that I think I am a worthy person or should give money to the poor or church, then that is God speaking to me. But if it's a thought about wanting to die, then that's the devil speaking to me. Further to minor things, like if I find a $50 note in the street, then that is God's blessing upon me, but if I get booked for speeding, then that is because of the devil. This is rubbish of course, but still remains in my thinking this way because I have heard it so many times, and it still remains in a few people's minds at church despite a strong effort by our previous pastor to get rid of this heresy. Fortunately most of the people that believe it have now left our church to go to the father's house cult.I can work out my feelings here that is good, you didn't say that I don't want to get better but that is a summary of what many people have told me over many years - that I believe that "getting better" means going to heaven and until then it is not possible to get better. Nor is there any point, anything to be achieved, by God or by me, by remaining here. You say I must not expect a relationship. That is probably best

By posting this thread, replying and taking into account all responses, and arranging to see a psychologist about the depression you are doing really well. You *are* doing something about it; and never think otherwise. Even if you don't walk every single week, the fact that you are walking at times is good - it's a very good start. Are you a nature person/do you find being in nature makes you feel better? Maybe try to schedule in a walk once a week to your local park and walk through there. I often find walking places that are busy or varied (in the city) and also nature - a combination of both - makes me feel happier and interested in life again.

Anyway, I think going to see a psychologist and looking into medication (even if only temporary) is a really good idea - because often you can just take the medication long enough to clear your mind (because the depression causes the catatonia), then from there work on your routine to change things without needing the medication.

Sorry - I know I'm probably repeating the same ideas, but I think these are good things to do, and I also wanted to reinforce what I said earlier - that you are doing something about your depression and it's admirable. It's like you're starting to lift a monstrous weight that is crushing you to the ground. If I come up with anything more I will post it.

It's good that I can post here. See how it goes with the new psych. Didn't go to work today. I'm not an outdoor person. Thank for your help

mosto, I'll agree with the others here as, when it comes to Depression medications it tends to be very difficult to find the right medication that tends to work for you overall..I,myself have had Depression for 22yrs now and I've used Paxil,Remeron, & Lexapro(currently).I'll admit that depression does tend to be different in people with Aspergers in various ways however, I feel that as long as there are people whom have a very good understanding of Aspergers and how it inter-relates with depression then possibly the treatment options might tend to be better.. Personally, I've never been found of being treated like I was Godzilla stomping through Tokyo(as some people tend to refer to me when I'm in a depressed state of mind) Though, I don't give up on mysenf nor others simply try to find means by which I'm able to have a more serene life as best as possible...

ProfessorX

What doctor you go to, they have a good understanding of Aspergers, you have been depressed for 22 years, about the same as me I guess. I don't want to get better only my mum will be sad if I go

Saja, for me at least this is spot-on. The phrase of yours which I italicized is exactly what I discovered was the trigger for all the depressive bouts I've been through in my life. The standards weren't even mine, they were other people's which I'd internalized in order to try and fit in. Not fitting in seems to be suiting me and my moods one heck of a lot better.

Mosto, you may well find that this is the case for you, but perhaps talking with the psychologist will help you work that out, and work out what to do about it from here. You're doing something, and that's a start.

Also, repeating what others have said I think but, psych meds - while they can help, or at least get you far enough out of the fog to start dealing with the other stuff - are tricky things and having to try a bunch of different ones is not uncommon. Very, very important to be careful when changing over from one to another, and when taking more than one - some doctors (though they should know better) forget to check the interactions. My husband had trouble with this. Anyway, hope you can get something sorted.

Hey that red haired girl, see you on the 14th

I think I'm going to sink back into it soon. My current girlfriend thinks we are moving too fast so I told her I wouldn't speak to her for a week or two to give her chance to clear her mind & think about our siduation. But I have a good feeling she's going to say that we've reached the end of the road when I ask her what does she want to do about us.

I wish I had a girlfriend to break up with. If I suspected she would break up I would act first and make the most of it

I would advise early nights or at least plenty of sleep - healthy eating - plenty of fruit and veg - cut back on the junk food.
Try and exercise every day or at least every other day - maybe a 2 or 3 mile slow run would be good for starters - and time yourself each time just to see the progression .

Finally listen to MUSIC as much as possible -happy uplifting songs obviously !

I use Spotify a music site that is one of THE most popular in the World !
It is a database of hundreds of thousands of tracks - all perfect quality and FREE to LISTEN to - can't be downloaded .
JUst type in the name of a group of Genre or even a song name !
http://www.spotify.com/en/

ENJOY ! !!


California Dreaming and Monday Monday by the Mamas & Papas etc etc that type of thing - Much of the Beach Boys stuff is good too .

I was diagnosed with Depression at the beginning of this year, after several months of difficultly. Although I don't think my family are willing to accept it.

Try eating healthy, with a bit of chocolate or something tasty on the side, doing exercise, doing some of the things you love and pretty much just working to keep your mind focused on something other than how depressed you feel

I have my ups and downs, but I just try to keep busy.