Depression, Anxiety

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Responding to a greeting:

Sorry if this has been asked/covered before.

How do you respond to "Hi, how are you?" or one of the variants?

Do you straight out lie and say you are "okay"?
This will avoid an unwanted discussion.

Cheers

It depends on the context, if you and a friend are buying coffee in a cafe and about to sit down for a chat, then they'll be ready for the long answer.
If the console operator at the servo says it, then it's all "fine thanks".
And don't feel bad for "lying" with your answer, the " fine thanks" is more of a formality when you connect with an unknown person in a civilised society.
One of my answers is
" it's been one of those days"
It avoids the illusion of perfection, but allows the other person to empathise, as we all have those days.

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

It depends on the context, if you and a friend are buying coffee in a cafe and about to sit down for a chat, then they'll be ready for the long answer.
If the console operator at the servo says it, then it's all "fine thanks".
And don't feel bad for "lying" with your answer, the " fine thanks" is more of a formality when you connect with an unknown person in a civilised society.
One of my answers is
" it's been one of those days"
It avoids the illusion of perfection, but allows the other person to empathise, as we all have those days.

I mean in the work place, it's an office too so swearing isn't always appropriate!

[sneaky]

I work in an office as well, but mostly dudes due to the industry, so swearing is ok. There are about 50 of us in the office plus another 150 field staff that I know. There are a few people who I am closer to that I will give an honest answer to if they are seriously asking, stopping to ask, asking in a quiet corner/room/car not in the open office - as opposed to the general greeting as they walk by. People who don't know my full story or I'm not close to just get a "fine" type response.

My circumstances might be different though as I have worked in the company for 13 years and have known a lot of the people for 10+ years. Started as an apprentice, worked as tradie, not in the office planning works.

A few guys here have been through divorce and all the **** I went through and have been really good checking in on me, asking where things are up to in life/divorce/sale of house/seeing kids/feelings and offering personal/financial/legal advice.

It might seem a bit strange to some but there are people at work that know more of my story than my parents/brother do, and i'm back living with my parents.

So in summing up - I give the "fine" response unless they are seriously asking and if time/situation permits going into detail.

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

I mean in the work place, it's an office too so swearing isn't always appropriate!

I have my standard responses pending on what was asked or said and the time of day. The mid five seem to occur between 7:30am and about 9:30am.

Morning
Tired
OK
*Grunt*
Meh
Yeah
Doing fine

Usually get better after 9:30 though, become a bit more alive and social. Yes, I said that 6 letter word starting with s.

Only one thing that gets me down at the moment and that's thinking of the ex but that's getting better. Starting to feel like the pre-married me again.

[Tui2]

Hi All
1stly, Sneaky, I go to every Last Round of the V8 Supercars for many reasons, drivers are more relaxed and easily approachable which helps my anxiety in avoiding confrontation ie: if they give me attitude all because i want a final signature to complete the team shirt im wearing then my day..week..months of joy are over. you can punch the living shyte out of me and I'll have a beer with ya afterwards... but give me a words of disrespect/ire in judgement (or even a look of) and dissociative disorder picks me up out of harms way while i watch in disgrace and shame as this unstoppable force supposedly is defending my ego. NOT GOOD AND STILL MY MAIN HURDLE. sorry got off track there with a bit release therapy. ah..oh yes! and being the last round things are more available like the signed tyre i have as a coffee table etc and as to what day you go.. not relevant.. if you want to watch the race then stay home.. if you want to absorb the bio ethanol and simply the greatest sound to stain ya pants (or that could be just me) then record the race and go. the first Homebush race i had gold grandstand tickets and at the end of the day had a sore bum.. the next year i bought a general admin with pit/paddock pass and at the end of the day i had sore feet and a Cheshire Cat smile as my shirt.. caps.. model cars and my son all had signatures from my heros on them. when you are in the paddock next to the Transporters and cars as crew members franticslly prepare for the race and then are asked to step aside as the 20 + V8s near roll over ya feet on their way to the pits.. well that my friends, im not ashamed to say, made me tear up and even though i now knew the end results... sitting at home watching the race afterwards was even better.
2ndly. i too enjoyed the tv series' you speak of and are not ashamed to say that i too binge watch as it shows that no matter how graphic or too close to home the show maybe... you obviously enjoyed it.
3rdly. in my news. im on the home stretch with the estate settlement and on the table for the final agreement if we are to keep out of court.. which is now between the trustee (mum's solicitor) me and my solicitor and my deceased stepfather's two step daughters, that came out of the wood work to contest the Will and demanded 30% each and their solicitor.
where I and my mother have agreed that i get 50% . mum gets 30% ( as she is in a nursing home this is for her to leave something for my 2 sisters) and out of the kindness of our hearts have offered the step daughters 10% each. if they contest that then the solicitors win firstly, and my solicitor on advising me my rights will then submit my claim to 100% of the estate. This claim i could of (and greed says should of) submitted at the start, instead im putting faith in that my appreciation for years of care to my parents is rewarded as stated in the will and that the others be grateful for the gifts and not use my stepfathers death as a means to pay for solicitors wages. stay tuned.
keep up the good fight

[Grega]

not been in this thread for a long time. i hope those of you who are still with us are well.
i've endured the last couple of years and have seemingly been 'well' until late, where, i'm pretty much back to where i started.
visited a psych yesterday who told me i have a narcissistic trait (not to others) but as a defence mechanism to protect myself from being hurt - i shut everyone out ; irony ; i'm one of the most giving people you'll ever meet.

i've been put back onto anti dep meds because my brain is ****ed and doesn't work normally ie: you don't fit into the system and are broken which for me is the death knell ringing i worked so hard to get off them the last time and endured the zaps for months until i got right again, but, my life just goes round and round in circles. now i am a member of the walking dead dizzy, feint and almost incoherent, but sane enough to keep up an appeareance to make everything look fine.

the apathy has taken control, work is just a blur, it came to me that we really don't have lives per se ; we have existential existences which are called lives. like the wachowski brothers said ; we're not batteries per se to keep the machine alive but we are consumers of the system to keep the system alive. however the system is failing and so are the components of it (me) as society falls to bits alongside.

i'm an IT contracting scumbag who, hardly ever gets time off and when i do am made to feel guilty that i'm not getting paid so, is it any wonder i have great big ****ing walls up to protect myself. i'm tired, burned out and i've got nothing left to give. i want to work on my cars but the apathy has me tied down, am not excited by anything or anyone anymore and just want leaving alone.

like alot of you here, i'm fine, good, well thanks. i've changed my tune and ask people which answer they want when they ask. anyway, it doesn't matter too much as its only words and niceties that we go through.

@sneaky - yeah i watched that too. it really hit home. i could have done without the graphic bit but, can understand why it was done. hannah is my hero.

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

So a question.....

How do you distinguish anxiety / depression with just everyday stress and "life stuff"?? At what point does one cross over? Is there a tipping point?

When your thoughts, behaviour or actions start affecting you or others negatively. By tipping point, do you mean breaking point? If anybody has any doubts, get some help and be honest with yourself. Most behaviour is learnt or copied of somebody else. It is easier than you would think to correct attitudes towards people and their actions. When things are put into perspective, rarely are they as big as first thought, more commonly there is little needed for concern.

I've got a long mental history dating back to severe bullying in primary school which lead to a mental breakdown 3 months into year 7 freshman year which left me scared as **** and screaming at my parents as I hid underneath my bed.

My father was also a **** too who always teased me and bullied me whenever I woke up of a morning. And threatened to regularly call the police on me for supposedly beating him up (I've never thrown a punch at someone in my entire life.)

When I was 12 my dad also demanded that I put a washing machine into the back of the old XF wagon, turned out to be one of those european ones that were about 150kg and I ****ed my back up from it. Dad didn't bother taking me to the hospital.

From all of this I've got a lifetime of Depression and PTSD to deal with and no job prospects. ever.

As a result of this and because of the recent Liberal government changes to the centerlink pensions. my back went out again and now I spend 15-20 hours a day in bed. But I still manage to occasionally go for a walk down the street which keeps me positive.

I also think about the end of the world all of the time. Which isn't healthy. I hope to get back into Counselling to get this sorted out.

But despite all of this,
You guys wouldn't believe what mental changes being on a Gluten Free diet can do to you.

I was super hyper aggressive and quick to anger and full of anxiety. Basically full on going mad psychotic.

Started on a Gluten FREE diet and now I can't go near the **** or else I'll end up crying my eyes out for days and accusing people of doing **** that they didn't do.

Before I started on the Gluten Free diet I was having really insane nightmares too, things to do with blood and satanic stuff. having dreams that people being really nasty to me. I think that the nightmares were so severe that they have scarred me for life. I used to wake up nearly every night nearly screaming my head off and wondering why the **** I was having these nightmares for.

Its really **** easy to get onto a gluten free diet. Just look into Sunrice prepackaged meals, those are gluten free. Also look into making stir-frys. Those are gluten free too. Any raw meats, Roast chicken, Steaks, Sausages, and veggies. ALl of that is gluten free. Oh yeah you can get pre-mix pancakes that are gluten free too. So is ice cream but make sure it doesn't contain wheat.

I'm also on Lexapro and Seroquel. 2 years ago I was using Seroquel to keep me calm and stop me from having these nightmares and from being violent (verbally). Now I don't need it for that but I just use it to make me go to sleep at night and to deal with the depression and mild anxiety that I still have.

The Lexapro helps heaps with depression too but I still occasionally think about suicide, but if you find that you cannot get an orgasm try it combined with Seroquel. I take 100-200mg of Seroquel at night and 20mg of Lexapro in the mornings.

Recently I'm going back into counselling to try and get things sorted again. I've been away from counselling for 5 years. Being stuck in this room is really crushing my spirit and I can't keep on watching Star Trek...Rick and Morty is a ray of sunshine though!

I've recently gotten back into aquarium keeping amongst a hundred other hobbies to keep me entertained. I've got a really wicked 2ft freshwater setup with ADA Amano Amazon soil and I'm breeding and selling Guppies. What I really need is a place to go once a week like a church but Christianity isn't working out for me, I'm thinking of getting into Buddhism but the local Buddhist 'church' is in town. Thats what I hope to fix this time.

I also think about the end of the world all of the time. Which isn't healthy. I hope to get back into Counselling to get this sorted out.

Good luck everyone who still have issues dealing with the crap of our modern day worlds.

[Tui2]

Originally Posted by moneypit

I've got a long mental history dating back to severe bullying in primary school which lead to a mental breakdown 3 months into year 7 freshman year which left me scared as **** and screaming at my parents as I hid underneath my bed.

My father was also a **** too who always teased me and bullied me whenever I woke up of a morning. And threatened to regularly call the police on me for supposedly beating him up (I've never thrown a punch at someone in my entire life.)

When I was 12 my dad also demanded that I put a washing machine into the back of the old XF wagon, turned out to be one of those european ones that were about 150kg and I ****ed my back up from it. Dad didn't bother taking me to the hospital.

From all of this I've got a lifetime of Depression and PTSD to deal with and no job prospects. ever.

As a result of this and because of the recent Liberal government changes to the centerlink pensions. my back went out again and now I spend 15-20 hours a day in bed. But I still manage to occasionally go for a walk down the street which keeps me positive.

I also think about the end of the world all of the time. Which isn't healthy. I hope to get back into Counselling to get this sorted out.

But despite all of this,
You guys wouldn't believe what mental changes being on a Gluten Free diet can do to you.

I was super hyper aggressive and quick to anger and full of anxiety. Basically full on going mad psychotic.

Started on a Gluten FREE diet and now I can't go near the **** or else I'll end up crying my eyes out for days and accusing people of doing **** that they didn't do.

Before I started on the Gluten Free diet I was having really insane nightmares too, things to do with blood and satanic stuff. having dreams that people being really nasty to me. I think that the nightmares were so severe that they have scarred me for life. I used to wake up nearly every night nearly screaming my head off and wondering why the **** I was having these nightmares for.

Its really **** easy to get onto a gluten free diet. Just look into Sunrice prepackaged meals, those are gluten free. Also look into making stir-frys. Those are gluten free too. Any raw meats, Roast chicken, Steaks, Sausages, and veggies. ALl of that is gluten free. Oh yeah you can get pre-mix pancakes that are gluten free too. So is ice cream but make sure it doesn't contain wheat.

I'm also on Lexapro and Seroquel. 2 years ago I was using Seroquel to keep me calm and stop me from having these nightmares and from being violent (verbally). Now I don't need it for that but I just use it to make me go to sleep at night and to deal with the depression and mild anxiety that I still have.

The Lexapro helps heaps with depression too but I still occasionally think about suicide, but if you find that you cannot get an orgasm try it combined with Seroquel. I take 100-200mg of Seroquel at night and 20mg of Lexapro in the mornings.

Recently I'm going back into counselling to try and get things sorted again. I've been away from counselling for 5 years. Being stuck in this room is really crushing my spirit and I can't keep on watching Star Trek...Rick and Morty is a ray of sunshine though!

I've recently gotten back into aquarium keeping amongst a hundred other hobbies to keep me entertained. I've got a really wicked 2ft freshwater setup with ADA Amano Amazon soil and I'm breeding and selling Guppies. What I really need is a place to go once a week like a church but Christianity isn't working out for me, I'm thinking of getting into Buddhism but the local Buddhist 'church' is in town. Thats what I hope to fix this time.

I also think about the end of the world all of the time. Which isn't healthy. I hope to get back into Counselling to get this sorted out.

Good luck everyone who still have issues dealing with the crap of our modern day worlds.

I'm pretty sure i recall most of actions in whatever defence personality(mood) i may be in.. so I'm pretty sure (though the similarities are abundant) that the above quote was not me posting as guest. I therefore give gratitude to FF as once again this thread has given me some comfort in knowing I'm not alone in my thoughts and actions. if there is others who TOO want to get out once a week/Fortnight with the understanding of like disorders and the steps to take to assist in avoiding and understanding individual triggers.. maybe we can do this.

[Tui2]

And so we keep quiet.. bottle up our emotions acting like cavemen. Hello to all. I've been .. tried and then tried again to get someone local... just one person... to assist in me finding a way to deal with my BPD whilst the TRAUMA and ANXIETY continues to accumulate, adding another layer to the 50years prior, from having my stepfather die (sad) .. my mother put into a nursing home by my sisters (grateful) and having my family home for the last 25 years (12 of them i spent caring for my invalid parents, whilst still going undiagnosed/misdiagnosed myself) sold out from under me by cockroaches who waited fir scraps.. during 14 of the last 24 months that i have had to be diagnosed.. accepting of.. fighting for the therapist or some therapy that will give my quality of life a step forward.. only to be more disappointed in myself and fellow human. I now truly hold the belief that this rock is what mythology has labelled HELL. I SURE HOPE I BEHAVE IN MY SOUL'S NEXT VESSEL.. DON'T WANT TO COME BACK HERE EH.

[nuthin' fancy]

We've all been quiet here Trejo.

You can allow yourself to be happy. Sometimes it has to be a conscious decision.

We all go spare judging others by our own standards.

[BENT_8]

Hi guys, I've been through a bad patch of late.
Whilst in Sydney a few weeks ago my happy pills ran out, I didn't notice any change in the first couple of days probably due to being preoccupied with the trip but once I got home and things settled down, boy did it bite me in the ****.

The first thing I noticed was my tolerance levels began to drop and I became irritable, then the negative thoughts came flooding back.
I knew I had to do something when I started pre-empting situations which hadn't and probably never would eventuate.

I went back to the Doc on Thursday and he gave me a grilling over it, gave me an ECG because I was suffering terrible heart palpitations and wrote me a script.
I didn't sleep from Monday to Thursday so when I took my first pill it knocked me on my **** within an hour and I slept like a baby until Friday morning.
I'm feeling better but things are still not good with the family.

I am terrible with timing as I had my last consultation with my Psych during this episode and so I've got to wait until next year to unload everything that's happened.
I asked her what she thought of my situation and she has diagnosed me as having Complex PTSD which in basic terms is a borderline personality disorder brought on by prolonged exposure to physical and emotional abuse throughout my childhood.
Problem is, Complex PTSD isn't recognised by the WHO yet, although it is meant to be included in the next update in 2018 so there may be more help once that is considered.

[Tui2]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Hi guys, I've been through a bad patch of late.
Whilst in Sydney a few weeks ago my happy pills ran out, I didn't notice any change in the first couple of days probably due to being preoccupied with the trip but once I got home and things settled down, boy did it bite me in the ****.

The first thing I noticed was my tolerance levels began to drop and I became irritable, then the negative thoughts came flooding back.
I knew I had to do something when I started pre-empting situations which hadn't and probably never would eventuate.

I went back to the Doc on Thursday and he gave me a grilling over it, gave me an ECG because I was suffering terrible heart palpitations and wrote me a script.
I didn't sleep from Monday to Thursday so when I took my first pill it knocked me on my **** within an hour and I slept like a baby until Friday morning.
I'm feeling better but things are still not good with the family.

I am terrible with timing as I had my last consultation with my Psych during this episode and so I've got to wait until next year to unload everything that's happened.
I asked her what she thought of my situation and she has diagnosed me as having Complex PTSD which in basic terms is a borderline personality disorder brought on by prolonged exposure to physical and emotional abuse throughout my childhood.
Problem is, Complex PTSD isn't recognised by the WHO yet, although it is meant to be included in the next update in 2018 so there may be more help once that is considered.

Well there you go, Trejo.
I should be surprised.. but am not .. as I've always have had a spritual connection to lifes 'coincidences'. Something said check the forum just now.. and here you are, Bent, saying exactly what a new psych has broadened my BPD diagnoses with, Complex PTSD through the added trauma over the years of being undiagnosed piled on top off my childhood physical and (especially for me) emmotional abuse. I gave up meds because i couldn't handle the fact that i was trying harder to do right.. and the public and professionals just won't cut 'us' the slack that physically disabled are given. So I'm working hard at (and with my share of the estate, hope to make a difference) bringing more attention to educating the public bit by bit.

[BLUEYBA]

Hi

Been a major struggle for the last few months. I don't know whats happening with me. Got a couple of appointments tomorrow. I think the medication is giving me some side effects

[Tui2]

Originally Posted by BLUEYBA

Hi

Been a major struggle for the last few months. I don't know whats happening with me. Got a couple of appointments tomorrow. I think the medication is giving me some side effects

Yes I've decided against medication.. at least until i get my share of mu parents estate and pay to stay at this one certain health retreat that has psychiatric and clinical psychology 'professionals' that truly make it a caring and comfortable atmosphere a long with all the activities that begin to give one a sense of self. ( only ever stayed a week once before and couldn't get what was needed for a recovery plan.)

[Syndrome]

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Great video with an excellent message. Remember our dogs & cats need us to look after them. Please consider a rescue pet before buying a pet. Don't support backyard breeding & dob in any neglectful act you see or know of.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Roostercam

Great video with an excellent message. Remember our dogs & cats need us to look after them. Please consider a rescue pet before buying a pet. Don't support backyard breeding & dob in any neglectful act you see or know of.

I purchased a kitten from the Australian Animal Protection Society which is an animal shelter run by volunteers. A pet is a great companion.

[AndrewR_AUII]

Originally Posted by nuthin' fancy

We've all been quiet here Trejo.
You can allow yourself to be happy. Sometimes it has to be a conscious decision.
We all go spare judging others by our own standards.

No can about it...you have very right to be happy, you don't need 'permission'... it is for you to exercise that right. We may have obstacles such as circumstances or medical reasons*...but it up to us to all to seek out ways for us to be happy.

I also suffer from depression. I have found that I am best living alone, but with two dogs as company. Solitude is how I recover.

*By 'Medical reasons' I include depression. Depression is a legitimate medical condition.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by AndrewR_AUII

No can about it...you have very right to be happy, you don't need 'permission'... it is for you to exercise that right. We may have obstacles such as circumstances or medical reasons*...but it up to us to all to seek out ways for us to be happy.

I also suffer from depression. I have found that I am best living alone, but with two dogs as company. Solitude is how I recover.

*By 'Medical reasons' I include depression. Depression is a legitimate medical condition.

This is something that I have only properly discovered this year. Finding, then doing things that make me happy has done me a world of good. Life is too short not to. It gives me something to look forward to, helping me to pull through the crappy moments.

I can also echo the importance of pets. Their love is uncomplicated, unconditional and non-judgemental. Knowing my best mate is waiting to greet me at home at the end of the day gets me through the tuff stuff.

[Tui2]

The face behind the name Trejo

[Syndrome]

This month marks 12 years since my anxiety disorder percolated to the surface. It is still present but I have learnt that everybody will have a cross to bear in life and this is my cross.

[Tui2]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

This month marks 12 years since my anxiety disorder percolated to the surface. It is still present but I have learnt that everybody will have a cross to bear in life and this is my cross.

12 years in January for me too.. first week back from their xmas holidays and
Representative for Centrelink human resources or this new psychological science person??. Councillor... any way apparently i had been performing erratically since.. forever.. which was apparently affecting my work and therefore thode employers/employees from the last 10 jobs. Now centrelink gets calls frim ne askinh nme fo some.. sorry guyd eyses atrec meds jeel welk

[AndrewR_AUII]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

This month marks 12 years since my anxiety disorder percolated to the surface. It is still present but I have learnt that everybody will have a cross to bear in life and this is my cross.

Originally Posted by Tui2

12 years in January for me too.. first week back from their xmas holidays and
Representative for Centrelink human resources or this new psychological science person??. Councillor... any way apparently i had been performing erratically since.. forever.. which was apparently affecting my work and therefore thode employers/employees from the last 10 jobs. Now centrelink gets calls frim ne askinh nme fo some.. sorry guyd eyses atrec meds jeel welk

Which makes you both survivors.

[danzvtil]

Just checking in guys......2017 for me was an ok year career and family wise, towards the end I was physically and mentally knackered from missing a break earlier.
In November I was grumpy and snapping at everyone and would flip out at any small challenge to come my way, so reading the signs, I took 2 weeks off and drove to Uluru.
I'm the type of guy to like being in control, this trip I took my 14yo Magna, my anxiety about it stranding me I thought "feck it", what ever will be will be.
It took me 2 days of driving to come down from my grumpiness, got to Uluru and felt amazing, like I was in the right place at the right time.
All up, I did 4500km, it didn't strand me, and I returned refreshed, ready to push on for another day ��

[Tui2]

yeah we do survive. but no thanks yet.. to the government in educating the ignorant and emotionless that got it made.

[solarite_guy]

This young 14 yr old who committed suicide really has me bothered. I am just beside myself ****ed off.

Whenever something like this happens, there is always a lot of activity in in the news about how bullying is going to be addressed.

No, NOTHING IS EVER DONE. NOTHING.

Decades passed it happened at school, or on the way to school or on the way home. You could at least fight. You can't fight now.

If a kid fights back now, they are held to a higher level of responsibility than the thugs(s). Then it follows kids where ever they go. In internet, texting, everywhere.

"Oh, things are going to change now". No they are not. Nothing will change.

[Trump]

Originally Posted by solarite_guy

This young 14 yr old who committed suicide really has me bothered. I am just beside myself ****ed off.

Whenever something like this happens, there is always a lot of activity in in the news about how bullying is going to be addressed.

No, NOTHING IS EVER DONE. NOTHING.

Decades passed it happened at school, or on the way to school or on the way home. You could at least fight. You can't fight now.

If a kid fights back now, they are held to a higher level of responsibility than the thugs(s). Then it follows kids where ever they go. In internet, texting, everywhere.

"Oh, things are going to change now". No they are not. Nothing will change.

There is one way of fixing this modern version of bullying:

DELETE YOUR BLOODY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS!!!

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by Trump

DELETE YOUR BLOODY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS!!!

Never had one. Neither did my daughter.

[Tui2]

i too wish i could see and retaliate on behalf of all oppressed by those who are simply more misguided than their parents were and so on and so on.. educate the meat heads and bootcamp the brainiacs and punish those who give up on parental responsibilities that give every child a fighting chNce to be themselves and excell in whatever theur art may be.