The moment your brain actually decides to evaluate all of your symptoms and realise that 2 + 2 = depression is a glorious moment. Not only do you realise that no, you didn’t actually turn into a mad man, but you are also able to be cured and not end up in a mental hospital.
For a long while I was suffering with a long list of physical and emotional symptoms and it was getting me seriously down in the dumps. I’m not usually ill in general and for all of my ailments to point to no cure was so frustrating and also worrying. So (eventually) I wrote lists.
The first list was showing all of the things that were on my mind long term, or that were affecting me (mainly making me nervous, stressed or anxious).
- Loss of Nan
- Worry for my Grandad now alone
- Loss of my aunt
- Worry for my Grandad, Mum and all of that side of the family for the losses of Nan and aunt
- Fertility worries
- Polycystic ovary syndrome problems
- Trying to lose weight
- Can’t sleep
- Trying to help cousin with new business
- Guilt and sadness for another aunt on the same side of the family who’d been recently hospitalised
- Mum is exhausted and I’m extremely worried she wouldn’t be ok
- Dad works too much and is too tired and very sad.
- Work stresses – ridiculous work load, pressure to study, pressure to progress, client visits and events, not any/much support. Work approx 10 hours overtime a week for which I don’t get any overtime pay. Scared of having claims made against me for mistakes or not actioning something that a client has sent, if I’ve missed it.
- Friends putting pressure on me to meet up and spend money.
- Flat – just moved out and have loads less money than before
- Just bought a house – contractors, money, bills, labour that I have to do
- Living in my overdraft
- No money to actually enjoy myself.
The second list was a list of every physical symptom I was feeling.
- Headaches
- Grinding teeth day and night
- Bad dreams – loss, death, rejection
- Exhaustion
- Dizziness
- Talking – forgetting words, slurring, mind going blank mid sentence.
- Sensitive (emotionally)
- Chest pain – sharp stabbing pain sometimes and makes it painful to breathe
- The feeling that my head will implode
- Everything in my head is moving too fast for me to process
- Sex drive very low
- Reluctance to get out of bed
- Just want to be alone, asleep, unconscious
- Always panicking about dying
- Ulcers in my mouth sometimes
- Dippy belly a lot of the time or totally constipated
- Biting my nails
- Not worth making an effort with appearance
- Extremely distracted
- Clumsy / accident prone
- Often sweaty even when cold
- Anxiety
Both lists were pretty long to be honest!
Realising what was wrong and getting the help was like getting to the petrol station with an empty tank. Like I’d been running on empty for so long, hoping to survive, and then finally getting to a pit stop with help at hand.
Listen to your body! It tells you when things are wrong and it’s us that choose to ignore these signs!
I can already say that counselling is absolutely changing my life. I can also say that going on antidepressants was the best thing I could have done too. I was diagnosed with depression in March but thought I’d get through it, and have only just started on Sertraline. I wish I’d started them in April!
If you’re going through hard times, talk to someone trusted about it. Go and see your doctor. Write down how you’re feeling. Get help. Turn it around 🙂
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Have I Gone Mad?! 