I am at a level of apathy that is begining to worry me , usuually i worry about things and i am very involved in things but since summer began i have become more apathetic towards , well everything . i stopped doing everyday martial arts and i dont even look foreward to band anymore and even GSA doesn't even spark my intrest [ i worked hard to help start it last year ] ...... i am depressed but i have been for years but i think it may be progressing and i cannot go back to inpatient , today i realized when i said i didn't want to do anything and just went to sleep that i wasn't in the best state of mind and i also have already missed 4 of about 9 days of school and if i keep this up i will fail and its my senior year so that isn't a option so what can i do to cheer up . i already lost interest in guys i like at school , already bored of every class and even at home i started sleeping more [ i was at about 12 hours a week for a while then i got sent to inpatient and now i sleep over 100 hours a week .... ] is my depression getting worse or is it getting better ??? i dont feel more suicidal , just the urges are more detailed quicker and plans take no thought to make now ....... i am also never hyper anymore i can drink a energy drink and then go straight to bed ....... i asked my brother if i seemed better or worse and he said " your no fun anymore , not annoying anymore either though "and thinking about that i knew i had to ask somewhere so what should i do ? anyone have tips on things to ??
I could give you the speech about getting more sunlight, exercise etc, but I hate that speech myself. Two things that can help, and I use: One: If you are on medication (anti-depressants), and have a psychiatrist, go for a visit and bring this up. I was on the same dosage of celexa from age 16 to 19, then it stopped working completely, and I had my dosage tripled and another med thrown in - problem mostly solved. Two: Next comes forcing yourself do keep on doing things, even if it's just small tasks -like washing dishes- I usually feel better than if I slept all the time. Sure it is VERY hard at first, but it becomes routine... you feel a bit shit and you immediately go do something. This can help depression from worsening at the very least. (source: 8 years experience on the med-go-round with depression and psychosis)
well i am on meds but i am tapering down off them [ just started to days ago ] , ty for the advice ill see what i can do around the house ...
hey, I would just like to say that i think you are doing the right thing tapering off the meds. I dont know which ones you are on etc but im sure you will know some - if not all can be very addictive and can do more damage than good in the long run. You need to try to find the source of the depression, have you had a long term boyfriend? if you did, did that help in any way? You could try to master one of your interests. For example i love to sing and play guitar so i started to learn to play guitar better etc. Im sure things will pick up if you start to go out more with your friends or try to make new ones. Even opening up to one of your friends and telling them how you feel may help the situation. Good luck
I'm going to do disagree here a bit. I hold no great love for meds, but they're a necessary evil. And their effects are well-enough understood that medical professsionals can prescribe them to have effects for the better in the long run (even if it might take some time to get the type and dosage right). So always do consult with your psychiatrist before making a change. Also, having a boyfriend isn't the right way to fight depression. Having a boyfriend might make you feel better, but in the end, depression is a medical condition, which needs to be treated fundamentally, and not by alleviating the symptoms. I do agree with the rest, though. It might be worthwhile to make a list of things to do on a day. Things that need to be done, and things you used to like. And then keep yourself to that list. try to keep up the martial arts. Force yourself to keep on top of your homework. It's not going to magically solve the depression, but you're keeping busy, and you'll still be out talking to people. Above all, make sure to bring this up when talking to a psychiatrist. the more symptoms he knows, the better he can deal with this. (*hug*)
Matt, Given your situation, as I've said before, tapering off the meds is the best option for the moment. However, no offense to Squall, but there's an enormous difference between the mild feeling down that every teen experiences, and the sort of symptoms you're describing. So the suggestion that you can do without meds and should be off them is, in your case, really bad advice. All of the symptoms you're describing do indicate that you have a severe depression going on. As anyone who's read my posts over time knows, I am not a big fan of medications, I believe that people are grossly overmedicated on average, and I believe that probably 90% of the people who are on psychoactive meds don't really need them, or could use other options that would be as effective or more effective. But in your particular situation, at least for the time being, you seem to be one who does need them. My guess is that the Celexa has never been the right antidepressant for you. We already know that you have a completely incompetent psychiatrist, so finding another one should be a priority so you can try a different antidepressant. The difference can be dramatic, and it's not uncommon to have to try 3 or 4 before you get the right one. And while some types of psychoactive meds, such as anti-anxiety drugs, can be extremely addictive and I don't recommend anyone take them, SSRI-class antidepressants are not really addictive, so you don't have any worries there.
