Struggling with depression

Hi everyone

I’ve been recently diagnosed with depression and sometimes that depression causes me to become anxious and have anxiety attacks. My psychiatrist prescribed duloxetine. So far I’m starting with a low dose and working my way up to 60 mg. Ive only been on them for five days. Naturally I’ve been having side effects. These have been tolerable for the most part. Except I noticed I’m more anxious than usual, this really sucks but it’s apparently normal for the first few weeks.

All this I can tolerate it’s just the uncertainty that’s eating away at me. I’ve struggled with depression for about five years and it’s made life so miserable I couldn’t keep living like that. I’m terrified that I’ll have to live like this forever, that the antidepressants won’t work. I don’t think I would be able to go on.

If possible I would appreciate any encouragement or advice or experiences. I just desperately want to get better even just a little bit. I have been trying mindfulness and meditation but this is just a fear I can’t shake.

Thanks

6 Likes

It’s always terrifying to wonder if you’ll ever be free from the constant doubts and fears and sadness.
Don’t give up okay, it’s hard having to wait for the results, but it’s worth it. There will be something that works for you. There’s so much out there and so many good professionals that will do all they can to help you.
You’ve made it five days, you’re one step closer. One day at a time. Take some time out to relax and do something you enjoy. This isn’t it for you. This is just the beginning to a new path, and sometimes it may take a little while to be able to completely turn off the old one, but you will make it, and we will be right here.

2 Likes

Hi there,

The first thing that I want to say is how incredibly proud of you that I am that you reached out to HeartSupport looking for help through this difficult time. Each of us faces life with different things that we are meant to carry, but we can come alongside each other to help one another carry the weight. I truly believe that we are not meant to go through this life alone. I encourage you to find people in your life that can be there with you through this, maybe find a professional to help you as well, and even continue to lean on those from HeartSupport to help you through this valley.

You are strong. You are valid. You are amazing. You are enough. You are worthy.

2 Likes

From: ᏒᎧᏕᎥᏋ

Hello Patches23 Part of the process of recovery has to do with the right medication (if you need it) and the right connection with a talk therapist. Working together with your therapist, being honest and letting them know everything that is on your heart and going on in your head is the only way you can have a chance at beating this depression. You are loved ~Mystrose

2 Likes

From: twixremix

hey patches,

thank you for posting about how your journey is going and how you were able to be diagnosed. i hope having that solid answer provided you some validation and relief - i know diagnoses do that for me! i hope you can overcome these side effects of the duloxetine and feel the full benefit in a few weeks after your body becomes accustomed to it!

for your concern on living depressed forever, i have to put full trust on your psychiatrist that they’ll work through an answer for you on which medications work best for your mind and body. sure, it takes a few tries to see what can work best. but you will get there, i promise you. trust your psychiatrist, communicate transparently on what you’re feeling on them and what you seek to achieve/feel, and to keep working towards a better tomorrow. you can do this, my friend, i believe in you fully. hold fast!

love,
twix

1 Like

From: eloquentpetrichor

Hey, friend! I’m glad you are getting help with your depression. Just getting to the point of having an official diagnosis and being willing to talk about it and take the medication that doctors think might help is such a huge step and I’m glad you have gotten here. I’m proud of you for continuing to try even though you worry about it never getting better.

In my experience the anxiety of never getting better or of becoming bad again is the worst part of being depressed. So I think you should make sure to let your doctor know you have that fear and to keep them updated on how your medication is doing with you and your side effects in case a different one would help more.

I hope you keep trying and I hope things start feeling a little better for you. Good luck :hrtlegolove:

2 Likes

From: Lisalovesfeathers

Hey Friend Thank you so much for posting. Its always scary when you get prescribed your first lot of antidepressants especially when the side effects start and you really dont know what to expect, it can make you very anxious but im pleasd for you that they have so far not been too bad and they are starting you on a low dose. I do understand that its a worry that they wont work or that you are going to feel this way for ever and to be honest with you this tablet may not work and you may have to try a different one, you may be lucky and the first one could work for you but once you find one that does suit you they will help you and make you feel a lot better, however these are not cures, they help you whilst you make changes in your life to to help you get better, they help with your mood and anxiety. Therapy will also help with this. all these things combined will help to improve your life and it all takes time but there is no reason why you should remain like this, there will always be times when life is a struggle but you will learn the ways to manage those times. I wish you luck and love. Lisa. x

2 Likes

Hey Patches,

So here’s my big thing:

  1. YOU NEED TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. Everyone’s side effects are going to be different, some may not have any at all, some may have more or different ones. Please talk to your doctor about your side effects.

  2. COPING MECHANISMS ARE IMPORTANT. I encourage you to try to find coping mechanisms to help you cope with your anxiety, and your depression. Whether it be reading, singing, dancing, working out, whatever it may be, it’s important to have.

FROM A COMPLETELY NON PROFESSIONAL OPINION: Please read what I said again, FROM A COMPLETELY NON PROFESSIONAL OPINION. Medication is not the fixer all. You need your coping mechanisms, you need therapy, you need people you can reach out to (more than the support wall), to help you overcome these struggles.

I wish you the best in your journey. I would love to hear updates on how your journey is going.

Hold Fast,
Monkey

This topic was automatically closed after 365 days. New replies are no longer allowed.