What's new
Cystic Fibrosis Forum (EXP)

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Need someone to talk to

Scarlett81

New member
Hi All,

I'm very reserved about asking people to talk if I need a listening ear or shoulder to cry on. (other than my dog's) That's probably not a good thing. I need to ask more. But, today I'm very very depressed. And have no one to talk to right now. My husband loves me very much, but 1-he doesn't have cf, 2-he hasn't been sexually abused or grown up the way I did, and 3-he's very afraid to talk about things like this. He's been a real trooper so far-coming to therapy with me, talking till 2 am, but I can only go so far with him.
Some of you know I dealt with sexual abuse in my childhood, and the stress of losing both my parents, and adoption, -all that garbage that goes with it. Basically, I was never nurtured. All I ever knew about parents was that they worked to get money to pay for food and clothes for you. No real nurturing love there. I was adopted b/c they were the only relatives left that had the circumstances to take me in. Yes, I'm thankful for that. I don't take that away from them. But, I was unfortunately reminded that I was a guest my whole life.

So here I am now. I miraculously didn't marry a loser, like most men I met in my life. I married an incredible man, with a wonderful big loving family. And they took me in as their own.
After marriage, I started therapy. It has had obvious ups and downs, but I've learned so so much. And I'm doing much better. My psych calls me one of his success stories. When I look at where I was 3 yrs ago, 2 yrs ago, one year ago, I've made so much progress. So I can't complain.
But, I still struggle with depression. Regular old fashioned depression. I say it that way, b/c I was DX with Post traumatic stress disorder, and I know the effects that has. It has very specific characteristics that I deal with sometimes, but mostly I have learned to control. What I feel now is definately chemical. Everything is fine, and I slump. The day will be great and all the sudden I feel so sad. I have little to no interest in anything. Which is where I really suffer, b/c I used to have so many interests. I speak 2 languages, I'm an artist, I've traveled. And I have lost so much of my spirit.
It's sad b/c I look at my life, and if I didn't have cf and you didn't know about my early baggage, you'd think I was a princess. I'm not saying this to brag-believe me! But my hubby has a very good job. He literally trys to do anything that will make me happy. He's taken me to these wonderful trips. I live in a wonderful home, have horses, all these things that generally people work hard to get and sometimes never get. But I always feel a sense of hopelessness and sadness.
I've obviously brought this up to my therapist. This is where the CF comes in. As with most survivors of sexual abuse, they try to go slow so you cover everything you need to. They don't want you have a bad relapse, and try to tlak everything out and take their time. Well, there's the big CF issue-I don't have time. I don't have 10 years to work out my issues. Don't get me wrong-I've worked my butt of in therapy. Done my writings every day-oh man so much work. And its paid off. But-what I'm feeling now seems chemical to me. I'm not having flashbacks of abuse, nightmares, nothing like that.
I'm thinking about medication. I feel like I've gone as far as I can go in therapy. And my therapist agrees to an extent. He said I've dealt with every major issue. Now there's this stigma attached to medication. I hate it, but it's there. And my husband is one of the ones that has the stigma. I've hinted at meds before, and he's said he's not crazy about that. He would have a big problem with that. Im afraid of them too. But-I'm also afraid of living like this forever. I'm ready to live my life and be free of a life filled with pain and unhappiness. I'm done with that. And heaven knows what it's doing to my physical health. If you look at my life on a superficial level right now-it's pretty damn good. I want to enjoy it like I deserve to. I feel trapped.
 

JazzysMom

New member
OH Christian.....I dont know what to say. Let me just say that we have much more in common than CF & our doctors. I am around to vent to. I dont think you have AIM or msn messenger, but if you are comfortable enough to chat on the phone, I have unlimited long distance & would be glad to try & help. If you are or arent interested, throw me a private message!
 

Seana30

New member
Christian,

Your post touched my heart.

You hang in there and know this is a GREAT place to vent!

I did want to say my father and brother are manic depressives and they both take medication. I believe if medication is what will make you feel better, then that is what you need to do!

I was on Zoloft for about 2 years, and life was so much better! I slowly got off of the meds and have not needed them since. That was about 5 years ago.

Take Care!

Seana
 

catboogie

New member
hey girl,

one thing popped into my head when i read your post. you may think it sounds like a dishonest idea, it is just a suggestion though.

when i went on medication for (mild) depression, i didn't tell my boyfriend at first. it wasn't because i was afraid of what he would say. it was because i felt self-conscious of the stigma. i wouldn't have lied about, i just kept it to myself at first. then i brought it up a month or so later, in the context of something i needed to talk to him about.

my other reason for not telling at first, besides my own self-consciousness, was that i didn't want me or him to be hypersensative to what changes might have been happening with me on it. i wanted to try it and see for myself, in an environment where there was no expectation.

my suggestion for you is to try the medication for a month, if you think it might help you. then talk to him once you have decided to stay on it or not. that way he can see that it doesn't change you (well, if you are on the right one it should only help not hinder.) it just seems like if your husband is not pleased about the idea, and you are really aware of this and trying to control your reactions, that the medicine might not be as effective.

oh, and if you have never been on antidepressants before, i recommend telling your doctor to start you out at a small dose then increase after you see how that goes.

good luck!

laura
 

thelizardqueen

New member
Aww Christian. I wish I could come over there and give you a big hug and a kiss. I know that I have no idea what you're going through, but if ever you need to chat I'm there for you. I'm a great listener. You're a very strong individual, and I know that you can get through anything you put your mind to.
 

Scarlett81

New member
Seana, what you said gave me some encouragement. I was happy to hear from someone who was on a med and successfully got off it.
I don't know why-but my hubbys main problem is being on something that you are dependant on. So to hear from anyone who has eventually gotten off a drug and been stable is nice.

What's funny is that-as soon as I finished writing my post, my hubbys showed up at home. He never comes home during the day. I think God's trying to say something to me! Or for all you non-believers-karma...<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">

Anyway-we got into talking about all this. And he gave oall his reasons for my possible depression. And I acknoweledged them, and finally said- or honey-this could be a chemical problem and I need medication.
Of course his response was negative to it. He is mainly concerned about being on another drug, (adding to my long list), and being on something that I'm dependant on. Anyway, we talked for a half hour. And, I just tried to convery to him, that yes-I don't know what I need. But all I know is, I can't live like this anymore. I tried to just get through to him the desperation I feel. And he does see it.
So, we agreed that I should talk to the social worker at my cf center. And he said if I decide that I need meds he will support me fully.
So I feel a litte bit better.
I thank you for all your responses so far. This depression is so ugly. It's like a huge gorilla on my back.
It's so painful to be this young, full person with all these interests. And be passionate about my art, and my job, and future. And then to lose all that passion. I feel like I look in the mirror and don't recognize myself.
 

Seana30

New member
Christian,

I am SO glad to hear he was willing to sit and talk about it!!!

Glad you are feeling a little better!

Please keep us updated!

If you have any questions for me about the meds my e-mail is on my profile.

Seana
 
S

skh

Guest
Christian, I am so glad you are able to be so open with your husband. It sounds like you have an awesome relationship. And this is a great place to vent and you know we support you!

Keep us posted because we care.

Sue
 

Faust

New member
I know alcohol is a depressant, but i've seriously found that having beers with your friends and laughing your hiney off is way better than any antidepressant drug they could give me. I've been on one, it was useless for me.


As for an outlook on things, just realize everything for everyone generally sucks, and we will all die. I haven't been depressed in a pretty long time, but if I ever start to feel that feeling creeping up on me, I just remind myself that ALL of us are screwed.
 

JennifersHope

New member
Christian,

It is totally possible to take meds and then come off of them.. When i was in my early 20s I was diagnoised with Post Traumatic Stress and I needed to take meds.. I Had horrible flashbacks, smelled things that were not there etc.. It was a living nightmare.. I was on effexor and something for sleep.. It worked very well for me while I worked through my issues.. I had a lot of help.. love and support from the ppl from my church and I know without a doubt that helped me to get through...I had to stay on the meds about a year or so.. then I slowly came off of them....PTSD is not something that you live with forever.. It is something you are able to get through.. Really it is mostly processing what was your truamatic stress.... In most cases it is because you stuffed or did disassociated yourself from it.. and it was never really dealt with properly, once dealt with, the signs and symptoms go away ....

It is so good that you got a great husband and a nurturing home to be in.... I got the same thing..minus the husband.. still waiting for that one.. but I felt like it was Gods way of giving back to me the things that I missed as a kid... I got though the new family..

THinking of you, Hope you feel better, and consider the medications..... It is funny I just had to turn in a report today for school on Medication Compliance in ppl with mental health disease.... It was very interesting to research ppls thoughts and views on why they were afriad to take a certain drug...

GOod luck,

Jennifer
 

Scarlett81

New member
SD-

My biological mother that abandoned me when I was little was a raging alcoholic. So-I don't think I'll be trying the "drinking" way of coping any time soon. But thanks, I guess?<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
Whatever works for you!
 

anonymous

New member
Hi Christian,

if you (or your husband) don´t feel comfortable with "chemical" antidepressants, you could possibly try a natural one?
Hypericum perforatum (should be goatweed in english) has -as far as I know- been tested and proven to help against depression.

Wish you all the best!!!

Uli,43,Germany
 

Scarlett81

New member
thanks uli, I'm definately going to look into that.
I tried a 'natural' antidepressant once.
I noticed I slept great at night, but nothing during the day. I think it's been long enough, and I may have to do this. But-I'm open to alternative therapy.
 

Landy

New member
Christian
I thought I would share that my Dad had a period of depression and paranoia and was on some meds for a period of time & then weaned himself off of them gradually and now has not taken them for over a year.
That may be something you want to consider. I hope you get to feeling more chipper soon and feel free to email me or private message me if you want someone to talk to.
 
Top