Have you ever been depressed and or in a rut?

If it’s situational depression then I would seek a good therapist. A psychiatrist is great for med work- yet rarely have time to devote to therapy. Research therapies that you think would be helpful.

Make a list of what you want for yourself. Put everything on it. Do you want to climb Everest? Write it down. Do you want to wake up eager to see the sunrise? Write it down. Do you want to be an astronaut who goes to Pluto? Write it down. It will help you see where you want to end up- a very important thing to know on a journey.

Hopefully your pdoc has someone on call, especially during one of the statistically highest times of year for depression. Call the office and let them know how you are feeling. You pay for them- so you might as well use them!

Try to remember it won’t be like this forever. It can, and will, change.

no, not really but i am a sympathiser.

If you feel like you are non-functional and may harm yourself, then you should follow through with your plan to go to the hospital.

If you have a psychiatrist, it sounds like you may have battled this before. Keep in mind, psychiatrists don’t just “go on leave.” They have someone to cover their caseload while they are unavailable. It may take a bit to work up a relationship with the person covering for your regular doctor.

Hang in there. You will find lots of support on Fluther.

@PandoraBoxx thanks pandora, just don’t want to phone locum till I am sure, so confused thx for help bless x

I have probably spent more time like that than not. I had other issues that contributed as well. I tried therapy ($ + meds = 0 results) I ended up going to a 12-step program (you know the one) and it worked wonders; for about $1 a session, and no meds ;) It works whether you have dependencies or not, it is a program for living. You can go as long as you like, and stop whenever. You will meet people that know you better than you do, and make great friends there.

I’m going through this myself. I suppose technically I should be hospitalized too, but I refuse to give up my freedom. Medications are probably your best bet, but you must realize that it takes time to find the right antidepressant and the right dosage. It also takes time for the medication to work, up to two weeks before you feel any results. It takes patience to go through this process, something that depression takes away from you.

As others have said, psychiatists don’t simply“go on leave” without designating a qualified stand-in. The quicker you get on the process of finding the right medication and dosage, the faster you will begin to feel better.

The standard advice is that if you feel that you are a danger to yourself, you should be hospitalized. Depending on where you live, but usually, a court will not commit you to a hospital unless you are a danger to others. My personal choice is that my freedom is more important to me than life itself and my condition is only a danger to myself. The psychiatrist agrees with me in this assessment.

Please get some kind of treatment started ASAP. Not doing anything will only make things worse. There are some therapies that do not involve drugs, but take much longer to work and are a matter of opinion as to effectiveness. There are usually short term edications that will alleviate the worst of the symptoms, Valium (diazepam) being one.

I had a bit of a apathetic phase a few months back that lasted a while, i didnt want to get out of bed. I went out with friends and to do things but just didnt care while i was there. I really just wanted to be home sulking, drinking or smoking. I started to think maybe i should talk to someone about it, going to a therapist and just letting things out to a total stranger really helped. I was worried to tell my friends and family some of the things i felt but talking to a therapist helped get that blanket of depression off.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land How about we don’t dispense pharmaceutical suggestions without knowing what we’re talking about? Valium, which you mentioned, can actually make depression worse.

@Just_Justine There are free clinics where you could get counseling. Also, keep 1–800-SUICIDE in mind if you ever need it.

This season can be especially tough for many people. Good luck!

1. Would you go to hospital to sort out this depression?
If it’s bad enough that you don’t think it will pass, or you start feeling hopeless, then yes. I would.

2. Or, would you try and battle it out at home. Wait for the psychiatrist to get back from leave.
Wait it out until he gets back if you feel safe with yourself. Tell someone in your family about your problems. Just talk to anyone, really. We are all ears here.

And to answer #3, I’m still working on it.

Best of luck, and hang in there.

@dunkin_donutz You are correct. I was just listing what I’m on, which might not apply to another persons situation. @Just_Justine please disregard the pharmaceutical portion of my previous commo. My apologies.

There was a period in my life that I was depressed, but with the support of my doctor, family and friends, I was able to overcome it.

I have been depressed and I am rutting right now.

@rangerr thx everyone I just feel I need to say I am not suicidal at all. So no that is not a worry. I really need to talk that is what I need. I have no family and all my friends are o/seas they left. It’s just tough. thx for all caring

Talk, talk, talk, talk talk!

Use fluther. There are a hundred people who will keep you company. Some will pm you. Some will use private email. If it goes that far, some will talk to you on the phone or over the internet.

When I was depressed, this place was very helpful. I also had meds and a therapist and a support group and a wife who made sure I didn’t go off and kill myself.

Do you have a therapist? If so, go see that person as much as you need while your shrink is out of town. Are there support groups in your area? I don’t know if the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance works in your country, but there is probably something.

Ask question after question. I don’t mind. As long as they pass moderation, no one minds. People will talk to you as much as you want.

I didn’t lose a day of work when going through my worst periods. I think I’m lucky, but if you’re a “high-performing” person, you can, to some degree, see what you’re doing and not let it stop you from fulfilling your responsibilities. For me it was that sense of duty that kept me from quitting my work or my family.

I’m wondering what got you into such an isolated situation anyway.

It depends on the type of depression. If it is severe or chronic depression, the best thing is to find a good psyc, and get on a good combination of meds.
I’m not a fan of therapy, or working out, but that does help.

I think you should look for another psychiatrist just for the time yours is on leave. I agree it’s hard to develop a new doctor-patient relationship with someone else (I know this, ‘cause I hate having to explain everything that I’m feeling to a new psychiatrist) but if you’re desperate, this may help.
I’ve been through that and am better now but sometimes I have crysis where I feel like everyone would be better off if I didn’t even exist in the first place.
But I’m sure you’ll make it through.
Try getting a pet… or volunteer at nursing homes or orphanages or a children’s hospital… it helps you see that there are people with a lot more (and worse) problems than yours.