CAPTAINZING2000

While reading another topic on here, it became clear that was a sensitive issue. After I first got sober, I was in a state of depression for a couple of years. Looking back, most of my depression was self inflicted. Gradually, my depression lifted and except for an occasional bit of the blues, everything is running smooth now.

I do know of several people in my home group that, are under medication for depression. I would seek help today if, I had a bout with depression!!

Stayinfree

Lol...I find myself not being able to vote yet again!!

I have been depressed many times in my life. I have been treated for this many times. I stopped taking medication a couple of months ago whilst drinking. This time, sober, I'm not taking anything and don't feel I need to either....and for that I am grateful.

CAPTAINZING2000

Sad thin gthe stigma placed on someone with any type of menatal illness. That has to stop!!!

Bamboozle

Yeah...my depression was well in swing a full year before I started drinking...and dang it...it still hasn't gone away. I tried to get help before I started drinking...but I wasn't really convinced that I had a mental illness. I thought it was for people who had been through some serious ish. Because of that I didn't know how to be an advocate for myself.


I wish depression and other mental illnesses weren't stigmatized. Even after my last relapse it was so hard to admit that drinking wasn't my only problem...and even harder to do what I did to get help.

If only I would have known what I know now...maybe I could have saved myself from about 8 years of hell.

bananagrrrl

I was depressed before and during my drinking. When I stopped, I was diagnosed as bi-polar and prescribed meds to treat it. I took medication while I was drinking, but of course it did not work.

Now that I am on the right medication and sober I am not depressed. Sometimes I get a anxious- and I do have highs and lows, but for the most part I am a very happy person.

CAPTAINZING2000

I'm glad to hear that


I never understood early in recovery what they meant by alcohol being but a symptom of our disease.

yeahgr8

Captain it is a difficult subject indeed and shouldn't be...have i had the symptoms of depression in early sobriety? Yes...have i suffered from depression before and know what it is and the signs? Yes i was on anti depressants end of 08 for 5 months...

I have been sleeping more, especially during the day, lost interest in keeping up regular activities including gym and eating well, happy to go to sleep and not wake up for about a month or so, 'coincidentally' when i found out i had a daughter id never seen though and was talking to her mother and daughter for first time over a period of weeks...and am dealing with new emotions and life itself so i have kind of been thinking that it would change with time...

In my case it has, i do feel better than i did last month, im only 10 months sober so IMO and with the convos that i have had with a lot of old timers this kind of adjustment period is not abnormal and i have discussed this with my CBT counselor and he says the same thing, trust the process!

But i do have friends in AA where it is crippling depression and they have to take meds to have half a chance of staying sober and being able to work the steps in their lives, these friends need the meds...

If next year i am still getting these feelings and issues then maybe i might need to think about treatment for a mental health problem, especially if they get worse.

Its always best to go and see someone, a psychologist or a counselor just to make sure and listen to the advice and experience of a good sound sponsor who has been through all this before and come out the other end...

Just an opinion but if there is no cause for the person to be depressed or bothered then it would be advisable to seek help, you've got your spiritual awakening, work the steps, everything falling into place and you still don't feel right then it's worth just getting some advice or an opinon from a professional for peace of mind...

Carol mentions her situational depression and thats what i had actually too in 08, sometimes its difficult for us and those that are close to us to see the woods for the trees and worth getting a new perspective...its not something to be afraid of there are many, many routes to feeling better and rectifying the problem that don't involve meds, and if someone still, after trying the other ways, needs the meds then take the meds and stay sober and happy as you can, i would!!!!!!

shaun00

Although greatly reduced in depth and frequency.....depression still raises its head from time to time.

As for "treated".....not in the chemical sense although i have sought therapist help once or twice.

i dont take meds and havent since i stopped drinking....thats my personal choice and weighed up the pros and cons at the time.

depression is another illness...and in my case seperate from alcoholism.
i manage depression using various methods......mainly exercise and good diet.
BUT bear in mind...i suffer mild bouts...normally shorted lived..

Ceres

Yes, I got treated right around when I got sober. In my case there is a long hard to ignore family history. So, in my case, I see it as a genetic birth defect. After a year of sobriety, while under my doctors care, we weaned me off the medication to see how I would fare. Not so good! So, I went back on it. There's nothing wrong with being on medication. What's sad to me are people who run like tornado's through their lives and lives of other people not wanting any treatment.

least

I was drinking to medicate my long-standing depression, which started many years ago. Now that I'm sober, my anti depressants work like they should. Still have depression but it's more manageable and not being made worse by drinking.

CAPTAINZING2000

I've a friend I went to school with. Another friend said, they'd slipped angel dust in this guy's drink at a bar. he's not been right since, he goes around talking to himself. I don't think, he's dangerous but, like a street person, everyone walks away when, they see him coming now

LetsGoJets

depression and untreated alcoholism (p.52 of big book) have very similar symptoms.

Zencat

I've come to understand that my depression and addiction are just some of the various symptoms I have with a mental illness. Treating all my symptoms with a mental health recovery regimen has been the best treatment for me. That treatment includes med's, support groups and a personalized recovery program.

Finding the right treatment hasn't been easy, with a lot of trial and error. But finding out first hand as to what works and what doesn't in treatment gave me a lot of experience. Experience I can pass on to others in a hope that will benefit them.

Fandy

I've been treated for reactive depression and major depression, both with psycho-wisdom and meds....my last bout took me 3 years to climb out of the hole wit h twice weekly therapy. I've been on different meds, never really having true success....(probably because I did not stop drinking)...they did wonders for my appetite, which caused weight gain, which made me feel worse.

I currently do not take anything, but stopping drinking has done wonders for my mental outlook.

I can't vote because there isn't a category for me.

CAPTAINZING2000

You tell someone, you have cancer you get hugs, tell someone you have a mental illness the ywant to get away from you like it's contagious !

A good friend of mine in the program confided in me he's not going to tell anyone he's taking medication. They had to lock up his mom in her later years and none of the family or old friends would visit at all

Ceres

It took me forever to find a doctor to see me. It's not like that if I had the flu per se. I literally had to run down the yellow pages, still no luck. I needed help STAT. I was losing it. I ended up in the hospital as a last resort. But, after I undressed and security came in to start going through my things, I appropriately freaked out and hightailed it out of there.

I made dozens of calls before finally finding some guy to see me. Then I could have the luxury of actually researching and choosing one.

This was before recovery and meetings. I just needed someone to talk to!!

WakeUp

Just diagnosed with depression. I have so much work piled on me, and a prescription for meds coming, it's going to make the 12 steps look like a cake walk.

Ceres

^
Nah. ;-)

LifeBlows

I've been depressed for years. Pills don't work when you're drinking.

FuzzyFatSacks

This makes me feel so bad for this person and I don't even know them! Chances are the guy is schizophrenic because I doubt being slipped pcp one time would have a lasting effect like that (although I suppose anything's possible). People are so afraid of things they don't understand