Managing Lifelong Mental Health as a Senior

Thanks, Georgette. I've never heard of the bipolar group. The first psychiatrist I saw said that I have depressive bipolar disorder, which means that my highs aren't as high as a regular bipolar.

Kudos to whomever started this site. I can confirm that talking to people with the same symptoms and diagnosis helps because they can relate. I hope to learn different so called "tools" so I can handle my depression and that I can help others with what I've learned through therapy and medications.
I've been suffering with depression for a very long time. I came bout of the so called 'Closet" when my Mom passed away on my 40th birthday. That was 21 years ago. I've been hospitalized a few times because of suicidal ideations. I've read a few of the other posts and can relate to some of them. When I read Georgette's (I think) posts it made me think that we do have a lot in common. I'm a so-called senior (61) and didn't think I would be depressed this long. I kept hoping and praying this feeling I have would go away. Apparently not. I've been in therapy for a very long time and have been on several medications. I've tried several cocktails of meds and some work better than others. It's very difficult to find what works and what doesn't. I've been feeling down in the dumps for awhile now so I thought maybe, just maybe I would get some encouragement here. Depression drove almost all of my friends away because they just didn't understand. I hope that this is. The site for me. Thanks to all that read my book....look forward to hearing from you.

Welcome to Connect, @tallygirl.
Thank you for the lovely comments about our community. I have to concur that we have a strong and supportive group of people sharing here. May I ask how you "stumbled" upon Connect?

Let me start by introducing myself. I'm the Community Director and my job is to introduce you to other members. To that end, I moved your message to the discussion that @georgette12 started called "Managing Life-Long Mental Health as a Senior". I agree that your story has a certain ring of commonality with other members sharing here like @safetyshield @johnjames @jimhd @hopeful33250 @lesbatts @rspaulling @overwhelmed @gailb @martinius.

Here are few other discussions you may appreciate reading and joining in:
- Been treated for major depressive disorder for most of my life http://mayocl.in/2jTNxQI
- Need help! Depression and anxiety http://mayocl.in/2kCbo8q
- I survived suicide attempts http://mayocl.in/2dw4ZJv

Tallygirl, I'm confident that you will get encouragement here. We look forward to getting to know you. Do you live alone?

Thanks Colleen for your letting me join this group of people. I'll have to learn my way around this site.
I do not live alone. I have 3 grown boys who are married to the sweetest young ladies. I could not have picked a better partner for them. Then I have 2 beautiful grand daughters. I live with my husband and we are both retired. He has a part-time job in which I look forward to spending time by myself. I'm alone right now and have been for a few days. I'm babysitting my son's s cats and dogs. Hubby will be here on Wednesday. I've been in bed most of the time. I know it's not good but I can't get up. I take the dog out but come right back to bed. I won't get to my home until Sunday. If I'm not better by them it looks like I'll end up in the hospital. I don't like going because all they do is keep you safe for a few days and then release you. Been there done that. Anyway, I'll check this site out tomorrow whei don't have a headache. Hoping it gets better....Again, thank you for allowing me into this site. Oh, you asked how I stumbled alone this group? I am a patient at the Jacksonville, FL Mayo. Have a great evening!

@tallygirl It sounds like you've been away from home and are pretty depressed. Join the club. It also sounds like you're thinking about getting out of the pain you feel. Do you have a plan for how you want to die? If you don't want to talk about suicide here, you can go to another page that Colleen recommended, http://mayocl.in/2dw4ZJv. I've survived a number of attempts - probably because I don't own a gun. I've overdosed a lot of times - I haven't kept count - been in survivor hospital twice, and should have gone more, but I don't really want to because I know everything they'll say. I've made survival coping plans, thought a lot about reasons to keep living, and worked on making goals to live for.

I look forward to hearing more from you.

Jim

Hi Jim...thanks for your reply. I am very depressed and just want to go home. I'd love to get out of this pain. I dont own a gun and wouldn't by one if i could. I'm not allowed because ive been baker acted once. I dont want to go into the hospital because i too, know what they do. They keep you safe for a few days and then release you saying "good luck". Who wants to hear that again. I'm trying to write down my reasons to live also but it usually turns into a page for my ulogy. SAD TO SAY. I'm taking it a day at a time. I was up the entire night last night which wasn't good. I even took 2 extra sleep pills. Didn't help.
How are you feeling ? Hope well.....or the best that you can. I'm really proud of you for working so hard! Keep it up!
Lynne

Hi Lynn I'm so sorry that you're not feeling well. I too am very depressed and spent most of the day in bed yesterday. I will not let myself do that today. Some of the time I have to take a nap even when I'm feeling good as the handful of pills I take every day makes me so tired. I wish for all of us that they could come up with a magic pill that would take away the depression and anxiety and would work for everyone. In this day and age you would think we would have more effective solutions for our illness. I feel a little better today and even though I live in New England I'm going to try and get out with the dog today. One thing I'm worried about is not feeling better when we go to Florida in three weeks. I will be with people all the time which I don't mind for a while but I also need my alone time.
Jim I hope that you too will begin to feel better. Have you tried changing meds? Have you Lynn? I think I've run the gamut on pills therefore there are few options for me. There are a couple of new antidepressants that have come out in the past few years but I haven't tried any of them yet. I guess that's all I have to say. I'll be thinking of you guys and hoping that you get better.
Take care,
Leslie

Thanks Leslie. I appreciate your thoughts and questions. Not sure if there will ever be a magic pill. It would be a dream come true. Probably not in my lifetime. I've been a recluse since Wednesday when my husband left for NE.. where do you live in NE? I was born and raised there and now live in Florida. I love my bed more than I should. It's been my best friend for a very long time. I do have a question for any of you. If you know or think you need to be in a hospital setting would you go even if you know the outcome. The few times I've been in it was basically to keep you safe for 3 days and then say good luck. Door shut. Have any of you experienced this? Leslie I hope you are up and about. Keep up the great work! Jim, hope you are doing better as well.
Thank you for your thoughts. Let's fight this demon together.
Lynn
Oh Lynn, I think I've been on almost every medication and combinations of meds the docs can think of. I refuse ECT.

Hi Ihatediabetes, i thought I'd check in with you given the trail this conversation has taken. I didn't @mention you in case you unsubscribed from this discussion. But if you're following it, just know that I'm thinking of you.

Where I live they do not even try and keep you the 3 days. There is an extreme shortage of mental health providers and mental health beds. As a result there is little in the way of good mental health hospital care here in Minnesota. Mayo is the only one and of course their small number of beds cannot handle all of the state. I refuse to go back as I see it as a waste of time and money. I just tell myself I have made it through a long life of this so I can make it through the rest. I too have been through all kinds of depression meds and they do work to some extent, but not fully. I still have days I do not want to get out of bed. I believe that life is precious so I try to stay away from thoughts of ending it. I try to think of how I have problems all my life, but so do others and we make it through. I firmly believe that some life is better than no life. We all effect others for good sometime in our life so we would have been missed had we not been here. This is not to denigrate feelings people have of hopelessness, but just to say that it is possible to make it through.