@joy7576
Hello,
First I’m sorry this is so long, sometimes I just can’t shut up.
I suppose my first question is why are you depressed? Sometimes people know other times they don’t.
There are many things you can do to help yourself.
The things that will help the most will probably be the most difficult to accomplish.
I remember getting a letter from a friend of mine in England. She also had severe Epilepsy. She had a seizure and seriously injured her eyes. I was reading the letter to my mom and I started to cry. Although the letter was sad I couldn’t understand why I was crying. Later I watched a movie and started to cry again. I couldn’t figure this out, I have always been in control of my emotions. I went to the doctor and she said I was depressed. Go figure, I disagreed but she was insistent and gave reasons why she felt her diagnosis was correct and I eventually accepted her Cymbalta prescription (not something I normally do) and took it for about a month or so then I got mad and decided this depression was of my own doing and I wasn’t going to live like this any longer. I got angry for allowing myself to get into such a situation. A delivery man brought me a package and we talked. His son was depressed and he told his son he had a choice. He could either be happy or sad. It’s your choice. I decided I wanted to be happy and I threw out my Cymbalta. My Dad was paralyzed from the neck down and I helped took care of him. One friend hung himself another one died of Status Epilepticus (A Seizure complication) another friend died of SUDEP (another seizure complication) she was 17 years old, my then 17 year old girlfriend was in a traffic accident, she went off a cliff and died, my brother was in a horrible accident and I cared for him for a few months and on and on. Tragedies happen, people die, hardships occur, job loses, I had over 13,000 seizures virtually everyday for 44 years, my parents called many times to the hospital when I was in comas from Status being told I wouldn’t survive the night etc etc etc. Bad things happen and will continue to happen but we don’t have a choice but to cope with them. My mom just recently fell and broke her shoulder and and was in rehab for 6 weeks but was discharged without being able to use the bathroom or walk. I am taking care of her. I don’t know what I will have to face in the future but something will probably happen. (Ok so maybe we can’t get rid of all negativity, lol) I stopped doing my regular chores, visiting and calling friends and became withdrawn. I didn’t like the person I had become and I put a stop to it. I went back to the gym which I loath but it did help. I called my friend and asked if she wanted to go to lunch, she did and is very analytical and I put into play everything she suggested and the crying, the feeling sorry for myself stopped and I was happy and enjoying life again. Yes it was hard and it didn’t happen overnight.
I found helping others helped me most. I did volunteer work. I ran a learn to swim program at the YMCA, billed on a hospital, helped in a homeless shelter billed at a Therapy company and worked in the Career Criminal Apprehension Program and Crime Analysis at the Police Dept. Doing for others takes you mind off yourself.
Also get into a routine, visit friends, exercise preferably with a friend, go to the movie, concert, ballet, opera whatever you enjoy. Laughing has definite benefits. You may as well laugh as cry.
Live and eat healthy, I don’t claim to enjoy this but do it because it helps, ok so my doctor ordered me to do it. She called the gym and nutritionist to make sure I was going. Get a hobby listen to music, some hear are talented artists, writers. Go out with friends.
Pets sometimes help
Get plenty of sleep
Appears you may be married, like to dance?
Get plenty of sunshine, there are also light boxes that help some people.
Do you like golf, tennis or other sports?
Remember, the glass is half full not half empty. Get rid of negative thinking (at least try) and try to reduce stress. Look at everything that goes right instead of concentrating on what goes wrong.
You can overcome this but it will require a commitment on your part and may not be quick or easy.
Don’t assume you must have pharmaceuticals to feel and function better. Antidepressants cure nothing. Actually in studies it’s been shown that people on these meds are more likely to relapse and commit suicide. In many studies the people who improved were the ones taking placebos.
One of my favorite sayings is “You get out of life what your willing to put into it” That statement is very true.
I await hearing good news from you.
Good luck,
Jake