how to deal with depression

[Celerina]

^normally its 2thou for initial consultation, then 1thou for succeeding.

[ElegantSis]

Ma

[ElegantSis]

They say, psychiatrists are paid to tell you what you already know. Parang hingahan ng sama ng loob.

[eeekar]

psychiatrist ba yung nagpre-prescribe ng meds or is that psychologist?
what's the difference anyway?
Would it be better if I just go to counselling instead?
Or halos same lang yun rate?
Sensya na. Daming questions...

[eeekar]

Thanks for the info ^_^

[Cocoyow]

I had a depression when i started taking pills because i had ovarian cyst.. Anyway tingin ko yun ang pinaka cause ng depression ko.. I didnt have my mother to help me because shes working abroad.. What i did is i always go out with friends (it really is helpful to have people aRound you). I watch movies specially pag na ddown nanaman ako, of course hindi drama. I eat healthy foods, kasi may malaking factor din sakin yung feeling mataba kaya inayos ko diet ko that time.. Chocolate also helped me

[kinkytinch]

Mga sis/ bros do you experience waking up every morning with the 1st thought in you mind that you want to die?

[Cocoyow]

^i experienced that already. nangyari sakin yan pag sobra depression, like when iniwan ako ng first bf ko.kala ko end of the world na. And when i had family problem. pero sa totoo lang i learned a lot from that experience. I always think, everything will pass and magiging maayos din lahat. You just need to help yourself. Get up from bed, think what you can do productive. Writing your feelings on the notebook also helps

[kinkytinch]

I might try sis meimei's suggestion to seek the help of a psychiatrist..
Mga sis/ bros, baka may kakilala naman kayo na magaling pero di mahal ang fee? Sana malapit lang sa manila/makati area

[agape]

Vitamin B3 - Niacin, helps with depression.
Also, sometimes me chemical imbalance sa brain kaya nagkakaroon ng depression.
Try vits and mins first before any other drugs.

[oracLe]

A healthy mind starts with a healthy body. And to have a healthy body, dapat healthy din ang intake! And surround yourself with good people. Let go of the people na nakakadrag down pa ng emotions mo. Talk to someone you trust. Go to church, talk to a priest or a nun. Kung di catholic, sa pastor nyo o kung ano man organization leader man meron kayo. Minsan kailangan lang natin ng outlet, siguraduhin lang na tamang outlet ang paglalabasan mo. Kasi minsan pag kung sino lang, maling payo pa maibibigay sayo. O majudge ka pa.

[bluedanube]

sometimes meds can help alleviate the symptoms of depression in order for you to function.  sa US, there's no stigma anymore if somebody is taking an anti-anxiety medication.  pero siempre, kailangan muna ng full evaluation by a competent physician.   

[cest.la.vie]

mga sis, may kilala ba kayong doctor na maayos, reliable, yung kilala na, na pwede mag-assess ng depression?

dito sa pinas hindi tine-take ng seryoso ang depression. ang tingin lang sa mga dumadaan sa ganito, nag-iinarte, nagddrama, or simpleng problemado lang. sometimes, immature pa. or childish. etcetera. kaya most di na-didiagnose ng ayos. some don't even know they're going through depression na.

di kagaya sa ibang bansa, big deal ang depression. and they do something about it right away.

[piatos]

isipin na lang natin ang problema andyan lang hindi naman yan mawawala kahit magpakadepress ka natutunan ko sa friend ko yan.  Kasi talaga sobrang nadepressed ako nung wala ako ng work tapos nahihirapan na ako magapply napapansin na rin ako sa bahay kasi wala ka ng maitulong tapos hindi rin ako nakapasa ng civil service todo iyak talaga ako nyan.  Ang masakit pa puro sakit lumabas sakin delay na menstruation ko 3 mos na tapos may goiter ako toxic pa and nagkacyst pa ako diba puro sakit na lang? haha!

[kaice]

i think i need to go back to my doctor. it has been almost 17 months since i stopped taking medications because i got preggy and now i am breastfeeding. but positivism seems not to help me anymore. i badly need to seek consult, i have been diagnosed to severe depression and had trauma experience due to accident after a month.

[lunaria]

how is everyone doing? i hope all of you sisses are coping up well..or at least getting better..share ko lang yung depression ko..i've actually had 3 episodes of depression since 2008 (more if isasama pa yung hs days ko)..i was diagnosed with Clinical Depression back in 2008..i had medications til 2009..my third depressive stage (which is very recent) is quite different since may halong Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) & Stages of Grief..

i lost my dream job of working in the fashion industry for an international retail company,despite all my effort..out of the country din kasi yung work,although for a short time lang,then home-based kami pag nasa manila..

medyo traumatic lahat-from some of the people i worked with (foreign big boss),the cultural differences (& discrimination on women),demanding working hours (meetings up to 3am),non-corporate setting,illegal documents for visa,safety issues between our country & that country at that time, etc..hinandle ko lahat yun,and tried my best to excel kahit di related sa course ko yung fashion..it was my dream job afterall,& what are the odds na makakapasok ako sa international retail company,so challenge accepted..pagbalik ng pilipinas,& after the worst weeks of my life abroad,i immediately got terminated..i don't even know  the reason why..i'm guessing it's because graphic & web design talaga yung background ko not fashion/i did not agree to the boss' demand na magextend pa ko for almost a month (but my other pinoy colleague extended for another month) since talagang mahirap din yung situation dun & my hyperacidity got so bad to the point na sumusuka ko ng dugo due to the stress,strict policies on meal times & types of food we usually eat..i think it was absolutely unfair since ang naka state sa contract namin is regular employment..when they terminated me,pinalabas na freelance/contractual lang yung deal..

anyway,grabe ang effect sa kin. para talaga kong namatayan-even my psychologist said na i had to undergo through a grieving process,similar to losing a relationship/death of a loved one..i take my job so seriously like it's the only thing that defines my life..

when i got to the anger stage of grieving, talagang super bad..feeling ko psycho na ko kasi pati windows & lamps ko binasag ko sa sobrang galit sa sarili ko,sa mundo,to the people around me for not understanding what i was going through/been through..i even had frequent thoughts of suicide and burning down my room..hindi ko din maexplain bakit ganung level of thinking na that time..final blow na yata yun,kasi since 2011,i've been having lots of failures na (family business,partnerships,small businesses,etc)

the depression stage was extreme.i really lost my will to live and get over this even if i had a loving boyfriend who continued to fight for me. talagang nawala lahat ng self-confidence ko,self-esteem,self-worth.nawala yung dating ako na masayahin before that business trip..one event suddenly changed my perspective on how i view myself,& life per se..talagang feeling ko,i am nothing,i have nothing,nawala lahat ng na build kong confidence sa sarili,positive thinking,things i learned when i had Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) back in 2010 & all the other belief systems i've worked so hard to achieve..nawala din ang passion,motivation,& dreams ko sa buhay bigla..since andun yung lingering thought na i'm just another disposable person to those who had rejected me..i felt like i got stripped off of everything, since i had to start from 0 for the nth time.

right now,after 5 mos of grieving,finally i can say nasa acceptance stage na ako..ang tagal ko din dumating dito,minamadali ko talaga nung una pero hindi pa pala right time for healing/acceptance,since ayaw ko na yung thoughts na takot na takot akong magfail ulit,ma-reject ulit,di marecognize ang effort ko..pero hindi pala minamadali ang healing - dadating at dadating din yan.

i think of that experience as a learning one,more like a humbling blessing in disguise that taught me a lot about life,about people,about myself..all causes of depression/trauma will eventually lead you to more wisdom and understanding of how you perceive yourself & life..after all the struggles,may lesson talaga yan..there will come a time na finally we can all say that these events have made us better and stronger..there is a reason why we deal with these things - find that reason, conquer it, and learn from it.

the advice from a good friend that got me to the first step of acceptance was "WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?WHAT DRIVES YOU?" at that time hindi ko na alam. nawala na lahat eh..but i focused on that question again & again,& akala ko wala ng pwedeng mag spark ng drive/zest for life ko ulit..and eventually meron pa naman pala - in my case it really wasn't money, having the means to achieve material things, having a good title/position, having my dream job - it was all about having great relationships & having the means to help people in the future..i had the sudden realization na maybe this time,i have to start living for others,not just for me,not just for my own dreams..i had to fight for myself so in the end i can start fighting for others.

other things that helped me again were self-help books. i read John Maxwell's Your Road Map For Success & the chapter on failure pa lang,sobrang ang dami ko ng realizations. i would also like to recomend Francis Kong's Only The Real Matters if you like self-help books na medyo business ang peg..i don't why, but this might help some sisses too,mas ok for me ang mga self-help books compared to CBT ko dati..for my bf's case,he prefers audiobooks..find good books - do not limit yourself to novels/fiction - look for books that can actually spark the healing process & help you gain more wisdom in terms of handling disappointments/events emotionally.

counseling really helps,but i tried the harder path this time,despite having the worst depression/PTSD stage i've encountered in my life so far..i wanted to learn how to handle things on my own..isang beses lang ako nagpacounseling & this time di na CBT,Psychotherapy na..ayokong everytime down ako eh counseling/meds/therapy kaagad..

also, my psychologist suggests na during these times when we're extremely emotionally frail,avoid all the negative people & negativity in your life muna. i had lots of those - family members,friends who really kept putting me down while being incapabable of understanding a single thing i was going through..surround yourself with positive people - people who are real,people who can empathize/sympathize with you while still giving good & solid advice. avoid people who'll push you further down for the meantime.

to conquer my anger, i forced myself to try boxing, do yoga, and do hardcore workouts again..may difference talaga sa rush ng happy hormones when you regularly workout. i really don't like working out before,but i did not want to rely on meds for balanced serotonin levels all the time, so i tried it. may difference talaga during the months na sedentary ako vs. the months/weeks when i'm active..yoga will give you mental clarity & make you feel at peace. if you have some extra time to spare, madaming yoga vids kahit sa youtube lang na 20-30 mins. you can pm me regarding workout and yoga video links if you want to

for the sisses that are fighting the same battle, i'm leaving you all with one of the many things i've learned throughout my ordeal: when we deal with loss,we feel like we have to start from 0. take it as an advantage..you've got nothing to lose, so try and try and try and try again - do not fear failure. many failures will eventually lead to success. never lose your passion.

may we all find ways of conquering depression and find the path to healing. god bless you all sisses! namaste!

[lunaria]

^sis, i really appreciate that you shared with us what you went through. i'm still undergoing my first episode of clinical depression. it's terrible. very terrible. its either i can't sleep at all or i oversleep. my sleep cycle is all messed up. i feel like i can't function anymore. i'm seeing a psychiatrist and i'm taking meds. i just wanna get better.

thank you sis!sis,the first step is to start believing that you will get better i,too,still have some work to do..may mga mood swings pa din talaga since di mawawala ang mga triggers,but controllable na compared before na feeling ko sobrang hopeless ko sa lahat ng bagay..it was really hard for me too,kasi before,i kept on having nightmares about my bad experience while working abroad,& while i was awake all throughout the day,i find myself staring blankly while having flashbacks re the incident

positive self talk lang talaga parati..i surround myself with encouraging words & positive quotes that can counteract those negative thoughts/feelings..you really have to let it out through writing or talking with a friend pag sobrang down mo na talaga..find an outlet for the negative emotions while trying to solve the causes din..pinaka nahihirapan akong i-work on ngayon is the insomnia & weird sleeping patterns. haha. kaya natin to! stay positive always sis

[littlekinselle]

Thank u sis Lunaria for sharing your experience, It enlightens me.  I'm loosing my hope na nga I'm surrounded of negative people even my parents don't want to listen to me and there are times I want to kill myself  how pathetic and sometimes I pull out my own hair then after an hr I noticed na madami na pala ako na bunot then I have a bad thinking na what if lumindol and so on mga bad things ba, mejo OC din ako I  washed my hands several times and thinking I might get a virus and got sick. everywhere, anywhere pag may hahawakan ako that's the first thing will strike in my mind.. adik nga ako sa hand lotions and sanitizers ewan ko ba.. di nman ako baliw ano??? I read a lot din pero di yung mga inspirational books, tambayan ko room ko with my dog palagi ako naka higa reminiscing while listening to music it helps a bit.. I lived here in abroad and I want to change my career then my parents are not agree gusto nila mag focus ako sa pagiging nurse ko.. I really want to visit a Psychologist but of course ayoko malaman ng parents ko.. hayy I really dont know what to do!! But I always pray lalo pag sobrang sad talaga ako. naiiyak na lang ako minsan. I know makakaya ko ito at malalagpasan ko ito..  ang Hirap pala un lang masasabi ko..

[lunaria]

sis littlekinselle, thank you it's really hard sis, the positivity must come from within us talaga..di ko din alam nung una san huhugot ng good vibes during those low times..pati si bf nagsasawa na sa mga drama/rants ko dati, lalo na nung may pinanood lang kaming movie na nakarelate ako tapos mega breakdown na kagad ako after..then sa parents, kahit anong explain ko syempre di nila gets gano kabigat..don't pity yourself for feeling such emotions, sis. di naman natin kasalanan lahat bakit ganito. lalo lang nakakadown pag may mga self-pity moments tayo..

regarding the cleanliness OC problems, meron din ako nyan..hassle na nga e haha. i finish a 250ml bottle of alcohol in just one week, kaka spray ng hands, kaka clean ng lahat ..hindi ko naman naisip itanong sa mga psychologist ko dati since dati di naman ganun kagrabe yung pagiging OC ko sa germs at that time..

tama si sis meimei,important ang help..i wouldn't have understood myself & have lead myself to the path of trying to manage myself on my own, kung di din ako naenlighten ng psychologist..sila lang makakapag explain talaga ng mga questions regarding our condition and how to manage all the negativity..medyo nabawasan yung self pity ko nung inexplain sa kin na it's normal to feel a certain emotion, it's normal to be angry - di porket angry ka crazy/psycho ka na..that was how i labelled myself and dun ako natakot na baka nga psycho na talaga ako..we all experience anger, and we all have different ways of expressing it.

it took me a lot of guts din to admit that i really needed another counseling session to think na ok naman ako since 2010..pero iba eh, ang daming questions na di ko masagot & i couldn't seem to find the first step towards getting better before ako nagpacounseling ulit. during these times, let's stop worrying about how our parents/family/friends will react if we seek treatment..at one point kailangan na talaga natin especially when things become too hard to handle on our own. make yourself your priority this time. para eventually maging better na talaga. just focus on the thought na you're doing this for yourself because you want to be better, and stop worrying about what others will think. ok din kasi ang feeling na finally, merong isang person who understands what we're going through - on a medical perspective pa. sis, baka ok din namang di mo muna sabihin sa parents mo parang si sis meimei.

[maiandra]

^sis lunaria tama ka, malakas maka increase ng good vibes ang exercise and being active. I should try that more often since sedentary lifestyle ko and pag may konting problem super stressful and down na ko talaga.