Anyone with dystymia?

[heaLsEarch]

I feel like crying today when my new med effexor isn't working as strongly as I wished. I was told I was diagnosed with dystymia about 1 year ago which is still difficult to accept.

If it is a disease, there has to be a drug that cures it. If it is just my personality, then I'm a hopeless whatever who shouldn't have been born.

People hate having me around because of my depression, but how can I earn a living if I'm not given a chance? I have inherited this disease or personality from my parent who committed suicide, and I'm not gonna give in to anyone who is too happy to understand depressions

 

[heaLsEarch]

I felt a little better after some sleep and was able to have a better day. I hope it keeps getting better endlessly.

 

[Press On]

I felt a little better after some sleep and was able to have a better day. I hope it keeps getting better endlessly.

Depression sux; endless cycle of ups and downs. My diagnosis isn't the same as yours, but I can't function well with a chemical imbalance so I take a combination of meds. Effexor was a nightmare for me.

The correct med is a crapshoot; everybody's different. Don't give up. Work closely with your physician & get with them ASAP if your RX isn't working for you.

Bless you and trust you will find the right med or meds for you.

 

[heaLsEarch]

Thank you

I thought someone may have prayed for me. I felt better so fast

endless cycle of ups and downs.

Exactly! I felt really well with former combinations, but was switched to different ones by a new psychiatrist who IS good...

Thank you.. Bless you, too 　

 

[blessedbethyname101]

Good for you! God is with you! Remember Psalm 23:4

Psalm 23:4New International Version (NIV)
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,a]">[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

God will always be there for you even in your darkest moments! Call out to Jesus when you need Him!

God bless!

 

[Tempura]

Sometimes dystymia is just a term to describe a low-medium cycle long depression. Diagnoses aren't sentences in that sense. They're often just...guesses. I can't even remember what my latest diagnosis was. Not to say that your diagnosis isn't right, who knows?

Anyway, you don't have to change as a person just because someone gave you a diagnosis. Therapy often helps, and many depressed people are in need of psychological help, not just chemical help. I'm quitting my depression meds right now, after years and years. Don't be afraid, just do what you can. Sometimes it takes time, a little introspection, starting to see things in a different way and learning to cope with things.

Meds are often a crapshoot. I have never seen a depressed person magically being cured by meds. Sometimes they might have worked, sometimes not. Some people find the right med right away, some people after a long time, some people settle to a drug that's less bad for them than others. I'm not against meds, I've taken them for years, but we shouldn't treat them as the only saviour to our conditions of depression. It's just something to help you along if it works.

Said a little prayer for you. It'll be alright.

 

[heaLsEarch]

blessedbythyname

Thank you Paslm23 is so special although I wasn't raised as a Christian. I know Jesus must be loving me just as I was able to love my difficult cutest dog

Blessings,

Jay


Tempura

Yes, the last time I felt well was when I both took the meds and was surrounded by "happy" people who were probably energizing me

I've started seeing a therapist weekly and I see some fruits, but it took so many sessions and money. It's not me who is paying for it, and I don't want to calculate its exact costs.

I'm not shocked with my diagnosis, it explains so many of my issues. I just find it hard to really believe. I feel like, if I was a better wiser person with a little better surroundings, I would've been better by now. Endless "should've"s and blaming circle in the head.

Thank you so much for your prayer

 

[dysert]

blessedbythyname

Thank you Paslm23 is so special although I wasn't raised as a Christian. I know Jesus must be loving me just as I was able to love my difficult cutest dog

Blessings,

Jay


Tempura

Yes, the last time I felt well was when I both took the meds and was surrounded by "happy" people who were probably energizing me

I've started seeing a therapist weekly and I see some fruits, but it took so many sessions and money. It's not me who is paying for it, and I don't want to calculate its exact costs.

I'm not shocked with my diagnosis, it explains so many of my issues. I just find it hard to really believe. I feel like, if I was a better wiser person with a little better surroundings, I would've been better by now. Endless "should've"s and blaming circle in the head.

Thank you so much for your prayer

Yeah, I *hate* it when your mind gets in a circle and you keep ruminating about the same things over and over and over... That was me for years until, I think, Zoloft (or maybe Effexor). Anyway, there was a drug that broke that circle. I've been on about all of them and even had ECT. I do not recommend you try that! My doc talks about dysthymia, dysphoria, and major depressive disorder as if they're almost the same things. Drugs are a crap shoot. It was probably over a dozen years before I landed on the right cocktail that got me stable. I was in counseling, too. It's hard to find a good counselor. Don't give up. Keep trying stuff until your mind stops circling. I'm on 450mg Effexor and 10mg Abilify every day, and I doubt I'll ever change that. At least I can function now.

 

[Tempura]

I'm not shocked with my diagnosis, it explains so many of my issues. I just find it hard to really believe. I feel like, if I was a better wiser person with a little better surroundings, I would've been better by now. Endless "should've"s and blaming circle in the head.

Thank you so much for your prayer

That's just it, it takes time. It doesn't matter how "good" you are. It of course helps if one doesn't make his/her situation worse with alcohol/drugs or anything else reckless, which of course was the way I tried to do it. Not implying that you are, of course. These things usually involve us slowly building something strong from the parts of us that are weak. There are things you can do, but you can't force it past a certain point. At some point, you will start to see the world, yourself and others in a different way, a better way. You won't feel like you're a slave of depression, and you can most likely cope with it. It took many, many years for me. About 20. Of course I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, so there's that!

It's never easy to allow yourself to...break, in a way, and start slowly building a better foundation. But you'll get there. It's common to feel helpless, common to blame yourself. It does suck, but when you get out of it, nothing will break you. Christ will carry you when needed, as He carried me, even when I thought my prayers weren't answered when I was at a rock bottom and thinking about suicide to end the pain.

I know it's easy to say "have patience", especially when patience is nowhere to be found in these situations. Luckily we'll learn it by just enduring.

 

[Zandy12]

I feel like crying today when my new med effexor isn't working as strongly as I wished. I was told I was diagnosed with dystymia about 1 year ago which is still difficult to accept.

If it is a disease, there has to be a drug that cures it. If it is just my personality, then I'm a hopeless whatever who shouldn't have been born.

People hate having me around because of my depression, but how can I earn a living if I'm not given a chance? I have inherited this disease or personality from my parent who committed suicide, and I'm not gonna give in to anyone who is too happy to understand depressions

It is really unfortunate to hear that one of your parent's have committed suicide, I am sorry to hear that. You've made a right choice to talk about your depression and not keep it all in. That's one thing you need to do more often and that is talk more about how you feel and build a support team. I'll be glad to be a part of it Just know that God is with you and he will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6) no matter what disorder or problem you have or will face. I know it's hard dealing with this constant cycle of ups and downs that just seem to be never ending, I deal with it as well and sometimes it can become a living hell for me. You are not alone and we are all here to support you in your pain. Know this, that even though you may feel hopeless, with God there is ALWAYS hope! Said a prayer for you If you need someone to talk to I will be happy to PM.

 

[heaLsEarch]

I am sorry for a late reply. I realize I'm not a very articulate person. I keep wanting more emoji varieties so that I can express myself through them easily. I'm not sure about others, but it takes hours for me to write a reply with a few paragraphs.

Zandy
Thank you for your caring post. I couldn't really cry when depression was at its worst. I became able to cry (and scream?) later, but I need to learn a host of other emotions to be more healthy.

dysert
I was able to see my thinking was stuck with "should'ves" after months of therapy. I didn't even know regrets themselves were maybe crooked.

I've heard ECT became safer and milder in recent days, but I guess it is still surgical and risky.

My new psychiatrist doesn't really differentiate depressions, either. Maybe I could ask him more about it next week. He's a good doctor who is anti-meds and provides/supports therapists at a relative low cost. If it became hard to convince him to up my effexor dosage, I'll cite your mg as a good example.

Tempura
I belong to one of the 12 steps groups and I guess attending meetings is a highlight of the week. There is this one meeting even a depressed me can attend without any stress.

I'm striving for a stable sobriety and maturity, but I often feel like a low teen when I'm in midlife. It is about time to grow up.

When I was at my physical bottom and suicidal, Christians around me sustained me. Looking back, I became unable to deny God, ever. I've still wandered away from God because of addiction problems, but the fellow addicts showed me where He was. I couldn't believe it was me who left Him, and not vice versa, but now I see.

 

[Tempura]

I am sorry for a late reply. I realize I'm not a very articulate person. I keep wanting more emoji varieties so that I can express myself through them easily. I'm not sure about others, but it takes hours for me to write a reply with a few paragraphs.

Hah, don't worry about it. It's not like we can only understand carefully arranged sentences. The point comes through more often than not.

I belong to one of the 12 steps groups and I guess attending meetings is a highlight of the week. There is this one meeting even a depressed me can attend without any stress.

I'm striving for a stable sobriety and maturity, but I often feel like a low teen when I'm in midlife. It is about time to grow up.

When I was at my physical bottom and suicidal, Christians around me sustained me. Looking back, I became unable to deny God, ever. I've still wandered away from God because of addiction problems, but the fellow addicts showed me where He was. I couldn't believe it was me who left Him, and not vice versa, but now I see.

I don't go to the groups anymore. But I do understand the people who do. Especially if everyone is honest, it's easy to feel that you are no different, that you are no worse or better. There can be a sense of belonging and community. And if someone seems to be either dishonest or in some other ways "fallen to the side of the track" (is that how you say it? not a native english speaker), it's easy for them too to let their pretenses down at some point, when they witness others in their humble state.

You feel like a low teen? I feel like I'm a 7-year old. And not the good kind, but a bratty little bastard! Also, growing up is something else than letting go of your inner child. I know that's not what you meant, I guess I'm just reminding myself. But look at you, didn't you just own up your mistakes? That sounds very grown up to me.

It's comforting to believe that God doesn't abandon you. And once you've been absolutely sure that he does abandon you, when you've had no hope but still found that faith, it's something that sticks. I absolutely love the story of the prodigal son. Sometimes we're the son who gets lost and gets taken in again, sometimes we're the jealous brother. In the end, both have a home, and Christ already did what we cannot.

God bless.