would like some advice on depression.

Jessica - posted on 09/14/2011

thankyou everyone for your advice. i felt like i was the only one who had these feelings. i'm glad people understand the situation. unfortunently had a little break down at my daughters playgroup this morning but managed to have a chat to the director of the group who said she knows of an amazing counsellor that she will pass my name onto. hopefully everything works out :) feeling a bit better now that i'v had a cry and a chat lol. i hope that you are all doing well

Christina - posted on 09/14/2011

I know how you feel, I have a history of depression in my teens and after I had my son who just turned three this past weekend, I had the baby blues but it was so bad I had it for 7 months. I tried to seperate myself with him because I couldn't take it. He was a colic baby and sever acid reflux and it I knew no one to help me. I hate medication and refused it but I ended up being put on Pristiq, it did help me a lot but I hated that i had to depend on it. When I missed a dose it would really be hard on me so you cannot miss a pill, I also started counciling and it did help there too. It was hard for me to do all of this but I am glad I did for my son so I can get well and take care of him. I took myself off the meds when I knew I was strong enough and well enough to do so. I know you don't like meds like me but if that is what will help you with your child than it is worth it. I promised myself that I would not get like this again because my son needs me, He is three and we butt heads a lot but I try so hard to stay in control, I also put him in Pre-K and this has helped me a great deal since I am 32 weeks pregnant with my second child that is a boy. Good luck and hang in there and it is okay if you need meds and counciling, just remember that you are not alone and that you are not going to be on them forever but it will help you and your daughter.

Julie - posted on 09/14/2011

GOOD FOR YOU! I was put on drugs and told I'd be onthem hte rest of my life... NO WAY!
Get on herbs... and get well! A clerk at any health food store can recommend which ones -
Get help form a pstor - and get your daughter into a good youth group and possibly counseling.
Ask God to show you if you are being too hard on her -
♥ LOVE her!

Tereza - posted on 09/13/2011

maybe you should try to clean your energies with help of bioenergy terapist. or try to relax yourself with meditation and listening to your daughter feelings. I am not sure what is your opinion about my advice but i hope you will atleast think about it. i wish you all the best ♥

Erin - posted on 09/12/2011

You're so welcome, I hope everything works out for you. I agree with the other posters who said you really need someone to talk to. Anyone you can trust. I'm often amazed at how I'm able to talk myself through problems sometimes just by bouncing my thoughts off on someone else. Sometimes we just need to be heard and validated.

Candice - posted on 09/12/2011

how old is your daughter? i have a 10 year old and a 7 year old, both girls and fixing to have birthdays. i'm a mother of three actually, and an army wife. i'm usually not depressed when my husband is home but when he's gone, and i'm alone with all the kids and everything else on my shoulders, it can be more than i can bear. i don't take antidepressants anymore. i took paxil on his second deployment, worst mistake i ever made. i gained so much weight and it made me so sleepy that i would fall asleep while my second child ran around. i couldn't stop it. but i take a xanax every now and again only when in dire need. no more antidepressants. friends are a good support when you're feeling low, counseling is also very wise, but one thing i do with my kids instead of succumbing to withdrawal is TALK TO THEM. never start a conversation with you as it sounds accusing. start with I FEEL... if you cry cause you're emotional, then do it. if you are comfortable enough around your kids and you open up to them about how you feel with them, you'll have a much closer relationship with them. i feel like my oldest has more respect because i talk to her. she talks to me too. my second daughter is harder but i let her know how much it hurts me when she acts out and i'm all alone with no daddy to help me with her or her brother and sister. i think she gets it sometimes. open up to your kids. i hope you feel better...

Jessica - posted on 09/12/2011

thankyou. my daughters are 2 and 5. i think counselling is a good first option. i have struggled with depression before but had support then and managed to switch off all emotions eventually. i have now lost control of that and its very hard to gain that control back... you guys are the most help i have had in a while. thankyou so much for the advice

Melissa - posted on 09/11/2011

have someone to talk to a social worker or psychologist, maybe call a family services place in the area, and see if they can refer you to one that has a play room for your kids that has a video feed to the room, or that offers child care. I have had depression for a long time too counselling helps me. Maybe you may temporarly need medicated to get control of your moods until you find yourself counselling, just so you can keep your family together! Not for permanent, but it does help, but just short term. Getting a good support system helps too, i found a good doctor i ohio, that i love and we still keep in touch, been back in canada for 2 years and we still call and write periodically, if i didn't have him to contact periodically i wouldn't be where i am today!

Kaitlin - posted on 09/11/2011

Agreed, talk to someone professional. Even a real, true depression (chemical) can be helped without medication. There are coping techniques, anger/stess management, talk therapy, just to name a few! You have lots of options, talk to your doctor and they can help with refs. How young are your children? can they wait in the lobby or come in with you (for your first meetings, until something else can be arranged? again, talk to your regular doc, they may be able to help you out there as well)

Danielle - posted on 09/11/2011

hey chick
i feel your pain. i have struggled with depression earlier in life and after i had my first daughter pnd suddenly crept up on me and just like that i was stuck in bed and wanted nothing to do with her. i had no family, was too proud to ask my inlaws for help, had no car and was a 50 minute drive from any facilities, and those ones wouldn't help me because I did not appear to be 'bad' enough. i didn't recieve any help till my midwife rung, asked me how I was going and i told her that if someone didn't come and help me then i would throw my daughter out the window. Needless to say someone was at my house within 40 minutes, i was thrown on anti depressents and referred to counselling. im not sure if the medication helped (it gave me insomnia and i constantly clenched my teeth) but i was counselled for nearly two years right up to the birth of my second daughter. the moral of my story .... TALK! find someone, anyone who will just listen to you rant, cry, sing or scream and pass no judgement. its great that you have put this up here and make sure you find some time for yourself to do your thing, even if it means paying for an hour of extra care a week it will be worth it, remember you can't look after your daughter if you don't look after yourself!!! hope this helps a little

Erin - posted on 09/10/2011

I totally understand where you're coming from. I have had a lifelong battle, on and off, with depression myself. About a month ago, my doctor put me on Paxil, after years of me refusing to go on meds. It is so much easier to deal with my emotions now! The stressors are still there and I still have to feel the emotions, but it's easier to think before I react and prevent panic attacks. Everything about dealing with my depression has been easier. I'm not saying this is the answer for you, that's between you and your doctor. Just that maybe you should at least look into it. A low dose just might do the trick, but again, that's your decision. As for dealing with my stress, I'm learning a lot of helpful things on sparkpeople.com, I highly recommend checking it out. They have a depression support group, health and fitness advice, recipes, everything! I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to. Hugs and good luck!

Ashley - posted on 09/10/2011

Well being a sufferer of depression since I was a teen (childhood issues I rather not get into) sometimes medication is best. Not saying you should. But sometimes depression can even come during the happiest moments in your life. One day you are laughing it up having a good time. Next day you don't want to get out of bed. Mood disorders can also be chemical. One hormone can be produced too much and can cause these problems. I would suggest to see a therapist and just talk to them about whatever it is you need to talk about. But if you let it go onto long then it can get too severe and I don't want that to happen to anyone. Hope you feel better hun!

Jessica - posted on 09/09/2011

i'm glad your hanging in there :) maybe on the days i work i can put the kids in a little earlier than normal and find a counsellor. thankyou

Teresa - posted on 09/09/2011

No clue on anything in your area (and not too much in mine either). I'm also a single mom. My youngest just started preschool 2 days/week, so that's my 'counseling childcare'. ;)

I'm hanging in there.

Jessica - posted on 09/09/2011

hope you are ok

Jessica - posted on 09/09/2011

i have considered counselling but unsure if they would have some sort of help with watching the children at the same time as i am a single mother and the only real help i have with babysitting is when i go to work, they go to childcare. do you know any places like this in the brisbane area?

Teresa - posted on 09/09/2011

Seek counseling. That's the only advice I can think of. I am VERY anti-med as well, but in the past 2 months I've tried 2 different ones. They both screwed me up big time, so now I'm even more apprehensive to try again.....