Depression

[RH33]

59 minutes ago, Richey Edwards said:

I stopped taking my antidepressants (Sertraline) a number of months ago because I no longer wished to take them. 

They were beneficial in general, but had some unwanted side-effects that I did not want to experience. 

Stopping taking them was not the most responsible thing to do. I have gradually slid downhill. Suicidal ideation, anxiety and intrusive thoughts returned.

Today I have started taking the antidepressants again. 

I can't shift weight when on the dose I'm on. Mother was giving it you need loose a bit..........fat or dead mother which do you want for your child.

 

Take care, I know the side effects can be hard to deal with but sometimes we need take the medication away before we realise they're the least worst option.

[Richey Edwards]

8 minutes ago, RH33 said:

I can't shift weight when on the dose I'm on. Mother was giving it you need loose a bit..........fat or dead mother which do you want for your child.

 

Take care, I know the side effects can be hard to deal with but sometimes we need take the medication away before we realise they're the least worst option.

My weight has absolutely ballooned since I started on them a few years ago. I've gone from 13st to 16st.

My mum also drops hints into conversations that I should start going to the gym. I used to go to the gym most days and that was good for combating weight gain. I stopped going during lockdown and haven't been back.

I don't have any motivation to start going back. 

I'd rather live with the side effects of Sertraline than have the suicidal ideation, intrusive thoughts and anxiety.

I am at university and this month is important for progression into next year. I cannot afford to not give a f**k about it.

[scottsdad]

2 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

I am at university and this month is important for progression into next year. I cannot afford to not give a f**k about it.

Do not ever feel the need to "power through" or similar for an exam/coursework/placement if you are facing mental health issues. Your university should have a wellbeing service that can offer help, and there will be some kind of mitigating circumstances policy in the event you cannot do whatever is on your plate this month.

You will in no way be disadvantaged by using these services. 

I'm not sure if your uni offers you a personal mentor or similar but of so, that person can be a key point of contact and could refer you (though most students refer themselves). Believe me, whatever you are going through, folk at the uni will have seen it before. 

Happy to discuss further - just PM me if you like. 

[Richey Edwards]

53 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

Do not ever feel the need to "power through" or similar for an exam/coursework/placement if you are facing mental health issues. Your university should have a wellbeing service that can offer help, and there will be some kind of mitigating circumstances policy in the event you cannot do whatever is on your plate this month.

You will in no way be disadvantaged by using these services. 

I'm not sure if your uni offers you a personal mentor or similar but of so, that person can be a key point of contact and could refer you (though most students refer themselves). Believe me, whatever you are going through, folk at the uni will have seen it before. 

Happy to discuss further - just PM me if you like. 

Yeah I have a Personal Tutor who I can email, and there are such services for students at my uni.

I actually feel okay today though shouldn't have re-started the antidepressants on a day I am meant to be in placement. 

I felt quite bad last night, and for most of the last few months so at least I've done something to help stop it. 

[Richey Edwards]

I have made an appointment with the Student Welfare department and have a meeting with them on Monday.

[Richey Edwards]

I have my meeting this afternoon.

The antidepressants are doing their job well - the side effects aside, but I will live with them. I am better than I was during the previous two months anyway.

I do not feel the same hopelessness, despair and sense that there is no point in anything. The intrusive thoughts are not occurring anywhere near as often and are nowhere near as "loud". One entered my head yesterday and I was able to put it straight back out again.

This is positive because I have always found the intrusive thoughts to be the most distressing symptom of mental illness. 

Despite feeling better, I am still going to have this meeting because I am still not "well" and want to see what support I can get.

 

[Richey Edwards]

I had the meeting.

I felt that it was positive because I had the opportunity to discuss the way I have been feeling over the past two months. 

It was recommended that I inform my Personal Tutor of my mental health as well in case it becomes an issue, so I have sent them an email.

I will have another meeting in a few weeks time.

[Loonytoons]

I had the meeting.
I felt that it was positive because I had the opportunity to discuss the way I have been feeling over the past two months. 
It was recommended that I inform my Personal Tutor of my mental health as well in case it becomes an issue, so I have sent them an email.
I will have another meeting in a few weeks time.

Thanks for being so open and informative.
I'm sure these posts will help some and enable others to see what mental issues can cause.

[Richey Edwards]

I had a meeting with my Personal Tutor earlier.

It was very positive, and he informed me of all available options that are there to support students with their mental health. It is reassuring to know that such things are there.

I am feeling much better though am knackered today.  I am waiting for a sensible time to go to sleep.

[Shandon Par]

On 25/07/2022 at 17:00, Richey Edwards said:

I had the meeting.

I felt that it was positive because I had the opportunity to discuss the way I have been feeling over the past two months. 

It was recommended that I inform my Personal Tutor of my mental health as well in case it becomes an issue, so I have sent them an email.

I will have another meeting in a few weeks time.

Well done Richey. Just at the start of my final year my dad died suddenly. We’d been a bit distant in my teens but living apart we appreciated each other more and would write to each other about the football etc so it was like losing a best friend as well as seeing the rest of the family shattered. I couldn’t sleep and the whole thing felt so daunting. It made such a difference speaking to the department head and just knowing how sympathetic she was and that she’d let the tutors know etc. Ended up being a much-improved year grades-wise after starting it thinking I wouldn’t cope. 
 

Getting the sleep in check makes a big difference too. Good luck and keep being kind to yourself. It’s brave of you to talk about that stuff with them but it helps everyone. 

[scottsdad]

This could go in the uni thread I guess... But for any student suffering from depression, all places have personal tutors and excellent wellbeing services. Students are often reluctant to use these but they really should. 

This is the part of my job I rarely discuss here. But academics have seen and dealt with pretty much everything, including some utterly horrific stuff.

Since the pandemic hit the most common issue by far is student mental health. It has exploded in terms of numbers, so unis have loads of experience dealing with and helping students. Not just navigating academic processes but actually helping their wellbeing also. 

In short, reach out. 

[Richey Edwards]

Hello,

I am writing to you from my nightshift uni placement. I got an A for my final essay of the year, so have managed to get through the year with three As and two Bs which is better than I ever thought I would do.

My mental health has improved and I am feeling much better and more relaxed and optimistic. 

[johnnydun]

12 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

Hello,

I am writing to you from my nightshift uni placement. I got an A for my final essay of the year, so have managed to get through the year with three As and two Bs which is better than I ever thought I would do.

My mental health has improved and I am feeling much better and more relaxed and optimistic. 

Nice one Richey!

[Genuine Hibs Fan]

Haven't been on much recently and have been catching up on this thread. Thoughts going out to everyone who's been sharing their problems and, as with everyone else, am always available for a PM if anyone needs a vent or someone to listen.

Got a google photos reminder yesterday of a walking trip I took this time last year when I was signed off for a few weeks, seems like a long time ago. I ended up getting the piss ripped out with EAP counselling through work and then getting some private therapy for a while which I gave up in April or so as I couldn't justify it with saving for a wedding etc. Things have been going largely well, had a lot more of a support network since moving up to Perth and getting out of Covid restrictions which has been a big help, and while I struggle to do it all at the same time consistently I am getting rid of some bad habits that helped to drag me down and building some better ones, especially around booze, exercise etc. So in a much better place now, given I was struggling to motivate myself to do anything outside of work really and having panic attacks a few times a week this time last year. 

Big problem now is still my work. Been trying to get away seriously for about 6 months now, had 4 interviews which went pretty well but haven't worked out and a lot of rejected at application level ones. I'm keeping my head up on that as I know something better will come around but it's really hard to keep going at my current work. Had a very quiet spring and now struggling to deal with things going mental busy again, and just piling up work to the point of getting a bit overwhelmed again. I genuinely detest what I do, the firm I work for, the clients we work for, and pretty much all the management I am aware of. Most of the folk I got on with have left as conditions are just getting worse and worse, and I'm starting to get the anxiety levels and a feeling of I'll be stuck here forever again. I honestly just wish I could hand in my notice tomorrow and say f**k it, find something through an agency or in retail or something to pay the bills until I got one of the roles I've been applying for recently and get this monkey off my back. But if it didn't work out and I started wiring into my savings as COL is spiralling out of control I'd be completely fucked, so I'm stuck feeling trapped which is just a bit shite really. 

[Richey Edwards]

I very much feel like a disaster has been averted by me seeking help and taking positive steps. It would have been a lot worse if there wasn't people there to help me. And that includes you lovely people.

If you're struggling, reach out. You are not alone.

[Aufc]

To reiterate what has been said above. A young guy in my woro committed suicide on Tuesday. 31 years old with a 14 months old daughter and 13 year old son and wife. Good job and popular. No sign of anything. If you are struggling then please reach out

[scottsdad]

1 hour ago, Aufc said:

To reiterate what has been said above. A young guy in my woro committed suicide on Tuesday. 31 years old with a 14 months old daughter and 13 year old son and wife. Good job and popular. No sign of anything. If you are struggling then please reach out

Can't agree more. 

It's a bit of a myth that people who are heading towards suicide always exhibit certain behaviours, largely perpetrated by TV shows. They don't always start off by lashing out; they don't always make various attempts first; they don't always leave clues lying about for people to find and act upon. And so on and so on. 

The idea that someone can "spot" a person about to attempt suicide really needs put to bed. 

And please, reach out. Often doesn't matter who to - it can be anonymous folk on a Scottish football internet forum, it can be a friend, or a person in authority. 

[V.Aye.R]

14 hours ago, scottsdad said:

Can't agree more. 

It's a bit of a myth that people who are heading towards suicide always exhibit certain behaviours, largely perpetrated by TV shows. They don't always start off by lashing out; they don't always make various attempts first; they don't always leave clues lying about for people to find and act upon. And so on and so on. 

The idea that someone can "spot" a person about to attempt suicide really needs put to bed. 

And please, reach out. Often doesn't matter who to - it can be anonymous folk on a Scottish football internet forum, it can be a friend, or a person in authority. 

The 'stealth' of something like that freaks me out. Needs to be repeatedly mentioned such as posts like this. Thanks. 

[Mark Connolly]

I don't often post in this thread, but am a regular reader, and the discussion over the last few days is absolutely spot on.

Last night, it was announced that the Australian rugby captain Michael Hooper had withdrawn from their squad to play Argentina tonight, saying (his words) "My whole career I've looked to put the team first and I don't feel I am able to fulfil my responsibilities at the moment in my current mindset."

This quote from his coach Dave Rennie sums up the fact that mental health issues can be totally hidden from everyone around.

Quote

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said “nothing that was evident” to the group that Hooper was struggling with any mental health concerns until the long-serving captain approached the team doctor Sharron Flahive on Thursday (local time).

“How he trained and how he contributed around, around the team, around leadership, was excellent,” Rennie said.

“But clearly he’s been struggling a bit and masking that pretty well.

“That came to a head last night and he was brave enough to call Sharron and have a chat with her, which then involved (manager) Chris Webb and myself to get an understanding of where he’s at.

“The concern is all around his wellbeing. It was an easy decision to let him go home, and he’ll get plenty of support around.”

For anyone who isn't a rugby fan, Hooper has 121 caps for Australia, (3rd= overall), with 68 as captain, which is the most of any Australian player. He has also been widely regarded as one of the best players in the world for the majority of his career, and his team mates have always regarded him as the guy to go to if they have any problems.

Obviously, the prime concern here is that Hooper is OK in the short and long term, but it is an absolutely prime example of someone who "seems perfectly fine" having issues that are bubbling away under the surface.

If you don't feel right, please tell someone, no matter how big or how trivial you think the issue is.

[DiegoDiego]

Got some grim news this morning.

A relative of mine had a bad stroke back in January. For the first few days she was paralysed and couldn't talk. Things started to improve, she got some movement back and could say a few words. Unfortunately the recovery plateaued after a few months and she slipped into a depression. Last week she took an overdose and was put on life support in Edinburgh. With no recovery likely they were advised to end things, unfortunately the biological father (with whom she has had no contact for years) decided to challenge this in court. She died yesterday.

She was 24 years old, recently graduated with a first in law from Edinburgh University and was engaged to be married. Tragic.