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Depression and Muscular Dystrophy
Hey Guys, I was wondering if anyone else on this forum experiences bouts of depression associated with or because of their neuromuscular condition?
Flynn
Re: Depression and Muscular DystrophyI have done and still am to a certain extent, I’m currently taking medication to help with it.
Re: Depression and Muscular Dystrophy@flynn117 wrote:
Hey Guys, I was wondering if anyone else on this forum experiences bouts of depression associated with or because of their neuromuscular condition?
FlynnIs the Pope a Catholic ?
Do Bears Shxt in the Woods ?
We keep coming back to this and I think we have worked out it is all part of the rich
tapestry of having an incurable, degenerative, progressive disease.Some miscreant posted this on the forum :-
“I am at the bottom of a very steep hill.
there is a juggernaut heading straight for me
all I have to stop it is a long handled reacher, some adaptive cutlery and a pair of “Yak-Trax”
and I have just recognized the driver.”
As Mr Spock would conclude, depression is the logical thing to do Captain.
"Even if you are not paranoid, it does not mean they are not out to get you!".
Re: Depression and Muscular DystrophyI too have to deal with bouts of depression. mine seems to mainly kick in in winter, when its impossible to get outside.
there’s also times, when I feel angry and frustrated at my self because I can no longer do the simplest of tasks. yet, I could do them 12mth prior. I do however know that a big factor that causes my depression. is the inability to gain weight.
im 42yrs old, 5′ 2″ and weigh 6st 6lbs.
I went to my GP and he put me on citalopram.stefan
Re: Depression and Muscular Dystrophy@taungfox wrote:
@flynn117 wrote:
Hey Guys, I was wondering if anyone else on this forum experiences bouts of depression associated with or because of their neuromuscular condition?
FlynnIs the Pope a Catholic ?
Do Bears Shxt in the Woods ?
Do employers show prejudice towards disabled applicants?
Re: Depression and Muscular Dystrophy@flynn117 wrote:
Hey Guys, I was wondering if anyone else on this forum experiences bouts of depression associated with or because of their neuromuscular condition?
Flynn
I would be interested to hear from any who don’t Flynn.
The thing is, are we right to call “feeling down” depression? I have never really looked into it, but isn’t clinical depression an illness caused by low serotonin levels in the brain? (or something)
Re: Depression and Muscular DystrophyI have times of ‘Oh woe is me’ blues … I have bouts of “$%&*” anger ….. I have periods of “kill me please, you would if I were a dog” ….. I have had episodes of diagnosed ‘reactive depression’ when there were significant changes in my capabilities.
As Ranald hinted, tagging something as ‘depression’ can be quite tricky as it is a word frequently used which has many varient definitions.
Anything that involves continual change, constant struggle and little improvement is going to cause negative effects.
I'm always the animal, my body's the cage
I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com
Re: Depression and Muscular Dystrophy@littlestef wrote:
im 42yrs old, 5′ 2″ and weigh 6st 6lbs.
To us you are a giant among men !
@littlestef wrote:
I too have to deal with bouts of depression. mine seems to mainly kick in in winter, when its impossible to get outside. there’s also times, when I feel angry and frustrated at my self because I can no longer do the simplest of tasks. yet, I could do them 12mth prior. I do however know that a big factor that causes my depression. is the inability to gain weight. im 42yrs old, 5′ 2″ and weigh 6st 6lbs.
I went to my GP and he put me on citalopram.Totally agree with Stef’s points. Winter is so different and so difficult, already starting to worry about it. Especially
when we suddenly have lists of things that you just cannot do anymore due to progression. That is a big factor
as you say.
Always have been a bit underweight and feel there will be a lack of strength issue there too. Had one
week on that horrible Citaprolam stuff. After that I do anything the medicos suggest rather than that."Even if you are not paranoid, it does not mean they are not out to get you!".
Re: Depression and Muscular DystrophyThe thing about depression is that it can’t be tested or measured by doing a blood test, urine test, scan of any kind or any other medical investigation in the way that [e.g.] diabetes, cardiac problems and cancer can be.
I’ve had a number of periods of depression for which I’ve taken prescribed anti-depressants, the first time was at age 25 though I am pretty sure I had spells of it before then. I am currently taking a miniscule dose of Fluoxetine [an SSRI anti-depressant] and see no possibility of coming off it because when I did, I experienced severe withdrawal effects which I am unwilling to go through again .
I don’t know if the depression is a reaction to the dystrophy or because of the dystrophy, or something that I would have had anyway. I was a “born worrier” as my Mum used to say, and tend to be a bit of a perfectionist. These traits could pre-dispose me towards depression. In addition, as Ranald has said, depression is to do with levels of seratonin in the brain, so my view is, if the tablets regulate the brain chemicals and keep me on an even keel then I’d rather take them. They don’t make me “ultra up-beat” but I just feel what I can only describe as “normal”.
Sybylla
Re: Depression and Muscular Dystrophy@ranald wrote:
@flynn117 wrote:
Hey Guys, I was wondering if anyone else on this forum experiences bouts of depression associated with or because of their neuromuscular condition?
Flynn
I would be interested to hear from any who don’t Flynn.
The thing is, are we right to call “feeling down” depression? I have never really looked into it, but isn’t clinical depression an illness caused by low serotonin levels in the brain? (or something)
Hi, I believe it is possible not to be depressed :). I have FSHD and I am 24 yo. So relatively easy form of MD and young age so probably hasn’t progressed much, so I understand that depression may still be coming my way :). But for now I still believe it is possible not to be depressed at all. Perhaps by genuinely accepting a few things:
1. It is a fact and, under the worst circumstances, will not change.
2. It only means that I, rather than someone else, have the capabilities to endure or overcome the disorder.
3. Life is fair.Re: Depression and Muscular DystrophyValid points Salah – however, your youth is showing. Depression can be kept at bay by positivity, but for many self-convincing etc did not work and there have been times when the impact of my progressive deterioration, the loss of family members, the stress of full-time work and just have the endless same struggle endlessly day after day was too much for my positive mental attitude to handle.
In my 20’s I felt I could conquer the things I wanted to, and in some cases I did, but now I would not even contemplate them. Life has moved on and it changes whether we want it to or not, sometimes for the better sometimes not so and sometimes in an unexpected way.
But I am twenty years further down the line than you – I have a different prospective.
I'm always the animal, my body's the cage
I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com
Re: Depression and Muscular DystrophyI am often depressed, have been through several bouts of therapy. I think it’s all part and parcel of being unwell.
hope you are holding up ok now!
Re: Depression and Muscular DystrophyIf you guys are finding it hard. Like I did I tried gaming online on pc. I’m in a gaming clan and we play for fun. If your intrested in it pm me on shazad.h@ntlworld.com. This will be great for you as its hard in winter time and you have something to do. You don’t have to be the best player. We get on comms using Ventrilo and have fun and chat and game into the night. Just something I thought you might be intrested in if you want to try something different. Keeps me from going insane. Oh yeh most of the lads are of around 40 ish so its all good.
Re: Depression and Muscular DystrophyOnline gaming that way is excellent socialising. Thanks for the advice Shazadh
I'm always the animal, my body's the cage
I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com
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