never thought i'd go back to ...

[Corblimeyguv]

Re:

I've been on stress management and mindfullness courses and I found that it helped me a great deal. I'm sure they're available online too so i'd encourage anyone who's finding it difficult to seek them out.
Depression can sneak up on you, it can happen quickly or as I found, over many years. I've had serious health issues over the last 3yrs or so and one of my ways of coping was to offer my spare stuff up for Karma, in the hope it was give a little respite to someone during a dark moment.
I call my anxiety my 'Grey Dog' and my depression my 'Black Dog'. If you do a mindfulness course you'll understand why.
If anyone needs to talk or share their thoughts then reach out, it's tough to do but worth it. If I hadn't gone to see my GP last year I wouldn't be typing this message.
Stay safe, stay strong, dig in if needed.

 

[unkleGsif]

I've read silently this thread since it started, with little to add that hasn't already been said by others..... However...

3weeks ago, one of my very best friends, someone who I lived with for 6 amazing years in my 30's, succumbed to the depression that had gripped him for the past few years. I think that the current situation, plus the rift that his condition had caused in his marriage, finally sent him over the edge and he was found one morning having taken his own life.
The tragedy of this is that his at the time of getting together with his wife, he took on and lovingly raised her 2 kids 3 and 5 at the time) who had recently been bereaved of their father following a short illness.
Together, they then went on to have another 2, and the whole family of 6 was the most loving, wildly funny and raucous, fun household I have ever know - all qualities directly attributable to him. That is what he was. Now she is widowed twice with 4 kids

The reason I am sharing this is to highlight just how precarious all our lives are, and just because we may be the brightest light in the room, this may not always be the case.
To think how far he had fallen, from such high heights, has been a lesson for me and all who knew and loved him

My heart goes out to anyone who has either posted on this thread with first hand experience, or those that have read it and understood or shared those feelings.... I know I have
Take care of yourselves, get out and ride, but more importantly, TALK.
Love and light
G

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

^^^

I had a major episode a few years ago, thankfully I came through okay - many men, and for now I do mean men, do not. Mental health is the biggest killer of men our age, and we need to get rid of the stigma. Talk guys, let it out, be open, tell your loved ones. Tell someone.

Gals, you're obviously welcome to post here too!!!

Times are tough for all of us right now, so if you're finding yourself abnormally short tempered, not wanting to do the things that normally make you happy, not sleeping, sleeping too much or generally just feeling 'down' let it out. It won't start to get better until you accept that you're not alone in this and it WILL improve.

If you've read this thread and wanted to post but haven't; put something up here. If you had a broken ankle you wouldn't just walk it off*. Say Hi. A rant will do you good.

Peace to all.

Steve

*Okay, my mate Greg did once after skateboarding; We walked into town, had a full night out at Southampton's Finest nighttime venue (The Nexus) and then walked home. three days later he went to the doctors because of the ridiculous swelling and bruising - they were amazed that he could walk at all, and shipped him straight to A&E. Hero.

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re:

Just come in from what I call my 'Sanity Walk', and sat down with a cup of tea and some jaffa cakes, and saw this. I've started to type a comment on threads like this before, but then never actually hit post. I guess this time, I just have to say this 'out loud', these strange times we are in are pushing so many of us closer to the edge than we ever have been, but perhaps also helping us to justify admitting we have mental health issues, and perhaps need some assistance of some form to get us feeling stronger again.

LGF is right, without the fairly decent weather, who knows what could have become of some of us! I am lucky to live in a very remote rural area, which has only seemed like a plus point until this lock down; now the isolation is starting to become part of the problem. I have been walking A LOT and that has improved my fitness, and also managing to keep well away from alcohol, for the most part, although I did have a bit of a session last night, and straight away this morning realised what a bad idea that was... (depressant, not stimulant, etc, etc) And I miss my parents terribly, and my friends, all now a long way away and inaccessible anyway in current conditions. Sure it's the same for most people.

Unfortunately, the one person who should be able to support me and understand me, having suffered themselves for years, is the one person I am now isolated with, and who is making my issues much worse, having practically told me to 'pull myself together' this morning. Added to the horrible worldwide traumas at the moment, and their inevitable effect on anyone with a heart, I have had to come to terms with a debilitating illness, and an unrelated massive change in lifestyle, since the end of last year. I had already had to give up a job I adored, because of my health, and as I was self employed, I couldn't have some time off on sick pay, but instead had to spend months on £74 a week and jumping through all sorts of hoops, while the DWP faffed about deciding if I could claim the full rate of ESA. Which is hardly a lot more, to be honest. They just came to a decision as all this with the virus hit. I am now trying to get them to properly back date it, but my voice isn't getting heard due to the system being (inevitably) snowed under...

So, I've had a good rant Just need to know I am not going totally mad for no reason, and that it is alright to feel overwhelmed in the present circumstances. Thanks for reading, if you got this far.

Good luck to everyone, and I hope we can all find some things to balance out the bad without resorting to too many pills.

 

[Corblimeyguv]

Re:

The one thing that I've changed recently in my lifestyle is going tee-total. "Don't drink, dont smoke, what do you do?" is a lyric that makes me chuckle cos I own my own home (with food in the cupboard) car and have my friends, family, hobbies and my health and wellbeing is slowly improving. Therefore the answer is: I'm a millionaire thanks.
Add to that in the last 2.5 years both my parents (divorced) have both had cancer and survived it. Plus one of my best mates is having radiotherapy at the moment, so i'm trying to keep his mood up too.
I wouldn't have it any other way
If you need to 'air your troubles and strife' now is the time, just do it.