Depression - How do you handle it?

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Hi. Im curious for those of you that have depression or can become easily depressed - in what ways do you deal with your depression? (Spiritually, mentally?)

Since my earliest memory, Ive been a very curious, introspective person. My imagination and fears can take over if Im not mindful. Ive had anxiety, depression & OCD since 5 years old. I wasn’t diagnosed until 2011 & at that time started medication.

At the time of my diagnosis, I started doubting God unfortunately and this made me dig deep within myself to find answers. I discovered that many of my depressed episodes are a result of me listening to every darn negative thought in my head. I’ve finally realized I have a choice what thoughts to listen to and which ones to ignore. Why I didn’t realize this sooner, I dont know?

As a child and young adult, I had always thought God would pull me out of my depression/despair. I often wondered why my prayers weren’t answered in the way I thought they would be? While I know God can heal me, I believe there is a very good reason He hasnt taken away my suffering.

As Ive grown up a little and my faith is growing stronger, I look at my depression as a cross to carry not necessarily something to overcome? I find ways to deal with it (spending time with my kids, cooking, talking to loved ones) I don’t get angry at God anymore for not taking my depression away. Im just curious what others have experienced with your depression & in what ways you deal with it? Thank you 👍
 
I have problems with depression so severe that I need to take an antidepressant. It has helped me a lot.

I also find that prayer helps, as does meeting with a Befriender (trained lay minister) from my church.

I lost a cat to death 2 years ago and recently got another one and having a new young pet to play with has been beneficial.

Although I haven’t been healed in this life (life), I believe we will all get new perfect bodies in heaven. That gives me a lot of hope.
 
I’ve had depression for about 10 years now, everything from mild to so severe that I can’t physically drag myself out of bed 😦 I had cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for 9 months and though I didn’t feel I learnt much at the time, I actually am slowly learning to be kinder to myself. Also, to talk back to the negative voices I hear (both my low self-esteem thoughts and psychotic voices).

Having spent time working with chaplains, I am now working with a Catholic priest who before he got “the call” to priesthood, had been a mental health social worker. He is able to understand the medical side of my problems as well as the religious side to them (due to most of my psychosis occuring in and around chapels, I’m now terrified of religious buildings and they tend to trigger my psychosis), which is great. I am also on antidepressants - the highest dose of Sertraline (not sure what it might be called in the US).

I also try to take pleasure in the little things in life, like getting a positive comment about me at work, or meeting a friend for a cup of tea 🙂
 
I myself have found a good therapist from my parish and visit weekly, Been taking anti depressants and also because I did not sleep due to my mind rambling “what ifs” I also take a Xanax at night to sleep. I also bury myself in prayer. These things have helped me in a almost 180 in the last month or so and after about 15 yrs + life is enjoyable .
It gets better:)
 
kate(name removed by moderator) said:
Hi. Im curious for those of you that have depression or can become easily depressed - in what ways do you deal with your depression? (Spiritually, mentally?)

Since my earliest memory, Ive been a very curious, introspective person. My imagination and fears can take over if Im not mindful. Ive had anxiety, depression & OCD since 5 years old. I wasn’t diagnosed until 2011 & at that time started medication.

At the time of my diagnosis, I started doubting God unfortunately and this made me dig deep within myself to find answers. I discovered that many of my depressed episodes are a result of me listening to every darn negative thought in my head. I’ve finally realized I have a choice what thoughts to listen to and which ones to ignore. Why I didn’t realize this sooner, I dont know?

As a child and young adult, I had always thought God would pull me out of my depression/despair. I often wondered why my prayers weren’t answered in the way I thought they would be? While I know God can heal me, I believe there is a very good reason He hasnt taken away my suffering.

As Ive grown up a little and my faith is growing stronger, I look at my depression as a cross to carry not necessarily something to overcome? I find ways to deal with it (spending time with my kids, cooking, talking to loved ones) I don’t get angry at God anymore for not taking my depression away. Im just curious what others have experienced with your depression & in what ways you deal with it? Thank you 👍
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Recently, my biggest headway is in a firm prayer life that is acted out in love. I remember a couple months ago I had a severe episode when I was out on vacation. Maybe it was home sickness, I’m not sure. I felt very isolated, and my strength started to wane. There was a very large breach of faith for me, because I started to doubt God’s own faithfulness. At the time, I was reading. Fr. Robert Barron’s And Now I See, which was an amazing source of inspiration and really kicked my spiritual life back into gear.

But things really changed when prayer became more frequent, more honest, more disciplined, and more penitential. When you can hear God say “I love you” after you’ve made an examination of conscience and asked for your forgiveness, and then take that love and love him back by doing his will, it makes all the difference. God demands our love because he loves us. Be cognizant of your sins throughout the day, and remedy them with God’s love for the sake of your intimacy with him. He loves you, and never be afraid to remember it.

[BIBLEDRB]Jeremiah 29:11[/BIBLEDRB]
 
I take medication daily. I pray. I try to be grateful for every little aspect of my life, and for my life in general. Especially grateful for my salvation through Jesus. There are times when I am still overwhelmed, and start to panic. I have an as-needed anti-anxiety pill for that. I know it sounds bad to need to rely on these medications. I can’t say that I enjoy taking them. But the alternative is much, much worse.

I am trying to exercise more, even though I greatly dislike exercise for its own sake. If I can force myself to walk the dog every day, that helps my mental state. I can also pray and talk to myself as I walk (in an isolated area!), and work out problems in my head and talking to God. So that’s another positive goal - to walk more.

If I get up in the middle of the night, I am consumed by very dark thoughts, fears and worries and I am completely convinced that is when Satan walks the earth preying on souls. So now, instead of getting up and feeling afraid, I will grab my rosary and start praying, and I usually fall back to sleep in 2-3 decades.

My physicians and psychiatrist have told me that I will be on medications for the rest of my life, since I had a huge traumatic experience at the age of 10 (mother passed away) and was not treated at the time. I know I went in and out of depression for years, used to cut school and just isolate in the house, and the doctors say that during the time one is unmedicated, our brains rewire themselves so that we no longer have the capability to produce or absorb those “happy hormones” of seratonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine. It’s a shame, but no one got any kind of treatment for grief back then. We were just expected to suck it up and go on with our lives, regardless of how bleak our emotional state might have been.

I am grateful for the medications because without them, I would not be here and my soul might be in hell. (I had severe PPD after my 2nd son was born, partly due to stress and partly due to physiological imbalances - thyroid problems). (I’m a very weak vessel!) 😊
 
Lifelong sufferer of depression! It can be debilitating. And now that I’m older, it sets off an auto-immune disorder I have which makes it painful and difficult to move or function.

I had a severe trauma occur that resulted in PTSD and my usual depression worsened. I was on two different anti-depressants which helped, but it got very expensive.

So now I’m doing without. I find that 30-60 minutes of mild cardio (I prefer rowing and swimming, but will walk or run in a pinch) will elevate hormonal levels (endorphins) for a while. But it takes diligence. And when I have to quit for this or that reason, the depression comes bounding back and of course the voice telling me, “what’s the point of exercising to reduce the depression? Its real and you are only scaring it away for this moment.”

But for the most part - exercise, talking with friends and husband and having to be there for my son keeps me functioning most of the time. If I had the money, I think I would stay on meds as well as back-up.
 
Several traumas>PTSD>Panic Attacks>Anxiety>Severe Insomnia>Depression

CBT highly recommended, really desired as I think it would be greatly beneficial, but not affordable at this time.
Meanwhile, doing anything it takes to just keep calm and avoid stress.Tough, because everything is perceived as stressful. Everything.
Meds as needed for Panic attacks and nightmares.
Keeping myself carefully busy, as exertion also exacerbates panic.
13 years later.
I feel as if I have aged as many years as I have been around.

My nightly prayers includes one for those with anxiety and all its effects.
It really, really, stinks.
 
I’ve been on a variety of meds over the last 25 years, currently on a good mix of 3 that are working well together. I’m also in therapy with a social worker, not a Catholic but he supports my faith.

I’ve never blamed God or asked Him why I carry this cross of depression and anxiety. I’ve been depressed all my life and I don’t know any other way to be so maybe I just don’t know any better. It’s just part of who I am.

I see the world through a pair of blue-colored glasses. :cool: At times they’re darker than others but I deal with it, with God’s help. I try to pray through the hard times and the better times but I seldom pray to make the depression go away. I’m not sure why that is. I do pray that I can bear the depression, though. When suicidal thoughts come 'round I pray for mercy and reach out to professionals for more help, too.

Keeping up with my activities helps to keep the darkest of the depression away. Frequent mass attendance, weekly confession, choir and cantoring on weekends and for funerals, pursuing my Carmelite formation, leading Bible and Catechism classes in my parish, and knitting and crocheting baptismal blankets all combine to help keep my mind off my mind and on service to others. That and taking my meds has been keeping me on a more-or-less even keel lately.
 
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