New to forum.

[petunia0610]

Hi,

I have never been a part of a forum before. Also, I am relatively new to depression.

When I was younger, I had a friend who attempted suicide because of depression and I never understood why. She had everything, was beautiful, smart, funny... Now, I get what she was feeling. It took me a long time to admit I had a problem. Growing up, I was taught sadness is a form of weakness, I never wanted to be seen as weak.

Now, I have recently been suffering panic attacks and depression and I am ready to fight it not hide it.

I would love to hear everyones stories about their methods and trials and also about the struggles faced with depression and anxiety.

-Petunia

[Olive Yew]

Hi, I have never been a part of a forum before. Also, I am relatively new to depression. When I was younger, I had a friend who attempted suicide because of depression and I never understood why. She had everything, was beautiful, smart, funny... Now, I get what she was feeling. It took me a long time to admit I had a problem. Growing up, I was taught sadness is a form of weakness, I never wanted to be seen as weak. Now, I have recently been suffering panic attacks and depression and I am ready to fight it not hide it. I would love to hear everyones stories about their methods and trials and also about the struggles faced with depression and anxiety. -Petunia

Welcome Petunia! I'm sorry that you've fallen into this nasty mind trap but there IS light at the end of the tunnel. The key is to fight and never give up. I've had some real rough days where I just cry and cry and wonder if I should just give up and take medication but on those days, it's good to have a real strong support team who'll support you and remind you of your original goals. They give you the strength to pick back up and keep plodding on.

I'm a 19 year old college student with health anxiety that started up about two months ago. I had panic attacks and just general phobias of things as a child (like dying in my sleep, the house burning down, a world power Nuking us with an atom bomb... You know, COMPLETELY normal kid fears right? [note sarcasm]). I got over those fears one at a time and around 6th grade, managed to start living a normal life. My parents never knew I had anxiety as a kid but not for lack of me complaining! I was just never diagnosed. Now as a barely-adult, I have it again but this time it's chronic and a doctor DID diagnose me with Depression Anxiety, my focus being obsessing over my health. The first month was horrible. Pretty much 24/7 terror that I was dying if heart attack or cancer. I'm approaching month #3 and with counseling, vitamin supplements (B complex, B5, D, Multi vitamin, Calming Herbal mix, Magnesium and... One other one for Serotonin I dont remember the name for off the top of my head), 20 min+ sunshine a day, at least 8 hrs of sleep but no more than 10 hrs a day, a diet change (took out basically all simple carbs, amped up my protein, more fruits and veggies), and a whole slew of relaxation techniques... I've knocked down my anxiety to being mostly at nights or driving long distances and only 1-3 times per week. It's a lot of work keeping up with it all but dang is it worth it.

So don't give up, keep your head up, remind yourself that you can get better (better yet, that you WILL get better), and try to adopt a really stubborn mindset about your treatments. You have to know that something will work eventually. Just gotta give it time and detection.

Me and some of the other bloggers have found that naming your anxiety can really help to manage it too. It makes it so you can sort of make fun of it and yell at it even. When mine comes sniffing around I literally mentally say "Dang it Moon Moon! No one asked you! Get out of here!" And for some crazy reason it helps. Another blogger who had OCD said they gave their mental voice a chipmunk voice so that the more frantic/depressed it got the angrier and higher pitched the chipmunk got which made it funny and easier to ignore. It's just little things like that that can help you cope. Everyone's different, but what works for some can work for others

[tailspin]

Hi Petunia. Welcome to the forum! There is a ton of useful information here and I know you'll meet many friendly people too. I'm really sorry you were brought up to believe that depression is a form of weakness. It's great you've rejected that notion because it definitely isn't true. Well done for deciding to get some help!

[NeverToo...Fear]

Hey Petunia, welcome to the site!

In a way, sorry that you are here, because like most of us here, we all got the bum luck of getting various forms of anxiety and depression (And those two just love to work as a little terror team) But it's good that you've found this place, because there's lots of great people here that offer much support and advice!

I've always been this chronic worrier growing up, but recently developed some health anxiety where I've been worrying about my heart, and now with some depression creeping in, I'm turning into a bit of a mental wreck..the good news is that you do get better! Even if it doesn't seem like so now. God only knows I thought I'd be stuck in a vicious anxiety rut forever, but things have improved for me to where I'm not constantly tip toeing around my anxiety (or Batty as I've named it --yes it greatly helps to just make fun of your anxiety. Even if I'm getting weird stares at the store by muttering out loud to myself, "Batty, go away you nut!" lol)

But yes! You've got the right idea of wanting to fight! I find it helps to have a positive mental outlook and the attitude of wanting to fight and not let anxiety control you. Obviously there are days I have doubts, like when I start getting chest pain or dizzy, but when that happens I try to remain calm.. it's a recovery process, but we can win! Best of luck to you

[Lin]

Hi,

I have never been a part of a forum before. Also, I am relatively new to depression.

When I was younger, I had a friend who attempted suicide because of depression and I never understood why. She had everything, was beautiful, smart, funny... Now, I get what she was feeling. It took me a long time to admit I had a problem. Growing up, I was taught sadness is a form of weakness, I never wanted to be seen as weak.

Now, I have recently been suffering panic attacks and depression and I am ready to fight it not hide it.

I would love to hear everyones stories about their methods and trials and also about the struggles faced with depression and anxiety.

-Petunia

Dear Petunia
Welcome to the Forum I hope that you find it useful and helpful. It is a really good forum with lots of nice people on it who will give you lots of good advice and make friends with you.
I have found that meditation is one of the best ways of dealing with depression and panic attacks. I do buddha meditation and christian meditation - 2 groups - I also practise every day on my own.
I have also recently started hypnotherapy which seems to be working, but I have to practise the CDs she gives me every day to reinforce what she does in the sessions.
It is very hard to do both the meditation and hypnotherapy when my head is really bad and I lose my way really easily and just want out, and I then do some really stupid things.
Best of luck with finding some helpful on the Forum.
Lin