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Long-term depression

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Jan 2, 2019 | Replies (563)

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@tbaxter33

Teresa, thanks for the reply. I have been on various meds for years. Several have been tried. I cannot say that any have made a profound difference. For me, I poured myself into my work in the years following the loss of our son. I worked many hours per week and more than 50% of weekends. I felt like I had that part of my life under control and was proud for once. Then, I got word that I was being moved to a "corporate" position and they were giving my job to a much younger gentleman who I spent a few years training and mentoring. So, I concluded then that I had failed as a father and now failed at my career. Believe me, for two years people have tried to convince me otherwise, but I live it, I know how it works, and I just latch onto the truth. So, no, I don't have a magic solution for finding joy in life. I wish I did. I am blessed in so many ways, for which I have abundant gratitude, but that does not get me over the big mountains. Of course, I am grateful that I am generally able to function daily. Some days it is a struggle. It brings to mind the old saying .. "fake it till you make it!". I believe that originated with a whole different set of issues, but it seems pretty applicable to living with severe depression as well. Make yourself get up and go every day. It is painful, but the alternative is far worse I believe.

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Replies to "Teresa, thanks for the reply. I have been on various meds for years. Several have been..."

@tbaxter33

Faking it until I make it has gotten me into a lot of trouble. I'm extremely grateful for the mental health people who have listened to me and drawn me out of the bubble I had constructed around myself to protect me from my own fears and to avoid being known by others.

You're right about exercising a fair amount of effort to get going some days. I began my day today a few minutes after noon. I decided last night I was just going to sleep until I was done.

I guess you didn't see getting moved to a corporate position as a promotion. I'm sure your training and mentoring your successor was appreciated. That's a valued ability in many circles.

Having to retire from my life vocation because of depression et al certainly made me feel like a total failure. I guess some of that feeling still lingers. Leaning to sort through deserved and undeserved guilt is a slow process for some of us.

Jim