depression proggresive???

[olly]

hi my names olly.

my question........do you find depression proggresive by that i mean after time do you find the highs higher and the lows lower?

for the last nine years i have lived without meds....my choice after years of chronic alcoholism i wanted to stay away from all chemicals that change my mood......

not everyone would agree with this .........it was just my choice at the time and the periods of depression were managable...and short lived..1/2 weeks.

im 43 now and thoses periods of depression are getting more regular.
ive notice that i have huge highs lasting a months and then crashing out with periods of duvet therapy.......

i guess im saying my depression periods are changing........did you find this?

[flick]

Hi Olly and welcome. Firstly please remember that whatever we share is not medically professional.....

"my" experience/s with depression are many, and there are no highs......bi-polar and borderlines have highs and lows, maybe other disorders also....I am borderline and my moods when not stable can fluctuate within a day, whereas bi-polar folk tend to go for much longer periods of highs and lows.....

I have suffered major depression, post natal and clinical depression, all once 'down there' I have stayed down there until meds were addressed to change it.....I understand your want to not take meds, I am praying that one day, the further I get along in recovery that I no longer will have to either.....I have tried cutting back and suffer for my efforts so for now I take them.

When we get depressed, for whatever reasons it is generally the levels of serotonin begin to be depleted and we are not able on our own to replenish the supply to 'bring us back up to a stable place of being'.

I have spent many years in and out of therapy, with psychologists and psychiatrists, counsellors, in and out of mental health hospitals.....I have a history of abuse, all sorts and obviously it hugely impacted upon my ability to be a healthy functioning human. And of course when using and drinking I made things a whole lot worse!!!!!

My better times with depression have been since I came into recovery, having re-connected with my HP whom I choose to call God. Ironically I was reading another post earlier that lead me to thinking of my c/hood abuse and the reasons behind my mental health issues......and I came to see that the Steps and God have helped me far more than anything else over the past 20 odd years that I have been seeking help.

to answer your ? directly too, again, since recovery began I have found my highs and lows when they do occurr far less extreme than what they used to be. Bordelines are one of the highest risks for suicide and yes have been too close on many many occasions, again, since coming into recovery I have less tendancy to even want to let alone think about it.

"I" would suggest that if you're finding things to be changing and increasing in such a way as you said then seeking professional help would be a good idea.....May I also suggest that if you're not diagnosed with a physiological "disorder" as such then you may well have past issues trying to surface that need your attention.

Hoping you find some answers soon to help you out Olly, meantime I hope you continue to come and share with us. Great to have you on board too!!!

[olly]

real nice to not feel alone and thankyou for replying.

i was prescride medication when i was sixteen....believe it or not that happened alot over here..uk..back then.

my foster mother took me.....i have or had deep issues regard childhood abuse that is inappropriate to share here..........but on the up side i had plenty of therapy and help.

i tumble into alcoholism in my 20s........becoming chronic and homeless for years.

im 9 years sober.....have a firm recovery based on god and the 12 steps.

but rather than the depression periods getting better they have slowly slowly got worse.

i guess its time to get to the docs but they are just pill pushers with no other solutions really...

again thanks for taking the time to reply...........it helps alot.

[janbear]

Hi olly and flick. It is nice to not feel alone. Ya'll sharing helps me not feel alone. I was not diagnosed until a few years into recovery from my addictions. With help from working the 12-steps, going to meetings, doing service work, good sponsors, good psychaiatrist, and good counseling and today i found acceptance that taking my meds. helps me.I am grateful that i dont have to take a narcotic. With my meds and everything else my highs are not so high and my lows are not so low and i dont hear the voices either. Its hard for me to admit about the voices. I am schizoid affective and bipolar. I am grateful that i have a full life inspite of the disorders.
Thinking of you both this morning Olly, and flick.

[janbear]

We Are Not Alone and that is Awesome