Depression Awareness

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2006-01-21 09:48:42

Last author: Raiff
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This wiki is to promote Depression Awareness an illness experienced by many but understood by few. Especially when its an illness as serious as if not more so than cancer.
Not sadness or grief, depression is a definable mental disorder with characteristic signs and symptoms. The lastest research shows that about twenty percent of the population experiences some form of depression at some time in their lives. And i think thats a gross underestimation.
Really bad depression, often masked by smiles and the appearance of normality is as common as hell. Its an awful and cruel illness.
I myself have suffered from for a number of years and although i have got gradually better it still wont relinquish its hold on me.

It took me a long time to realise Im not bad or evil or weak or whatever..the depression is seperate to me and any negativity is due to that, not me.

It still remains virtually imcomprehensible to those to have not experienced it in its extreme mode. Were people actually able to describe the sheer horror and phantasmorgoria of what goes on inside them they might actaully be able to depict some of the torment.

Many people experience sadness or a bad day at the office but that doesnt even come close to real depression.
Telling someone to 'snap out it' or 'be happy' is about as useful as a chocolate teapot when if they could snap out of it they would..its hardly like people enjoy being depressed.

Depression is a tricky subject at best especially when it comes to the causes of it.
There are events that can set it off but also so complex are the intermingled factors of abnormal chemistry, genetics and behavior its hard to know where to start.

Depression thrives on secrecy and i think that when you start to put words to the pain its the beginning of liberation.
Cognitive therapy can help..but there are various styles of it and not all of them may be suited to you.
This is going to sound like a contridiction...but only go to therapy if you feel strong enough to otherwise youre wasting money and the therapists time sitting there like a vegetable. Thats not to say youre not important, of course you are and im not trying to dissade you from going to therapy either.
Anti-depressants can help, even just to take the edge off and dull down the darkness and pain inside of you while your internal wiring is being redone.

For me one of the most important things is to listen to it and try to work out what its trying to tell me. This is not an easy path to take.

Anyone who is tempted to read self-help books may feel bewildered at the number of 'tips' and reassurances and '10 step plans' to amazing health all so glib.
But although theese may prove a a good read they are i find fraudulent and the most honest books will underscore the fact that serious depression does not dissapear overnight or on a ten step plan or by taking a few extra vitamins. Depressed people need a thorough assessment of their depression, and a heck of a lot of emotional support.
Never underestimate how much support you can be to a depressed person.Or how much harm you can do.
Dos and Donts

In my darkest hours all i could do was lie in bed, my body paralysed and my mind in anguish. Sometimes i could listen to music and my most favourite bands now are the ones i could just bear to listen to then.
Some of the songs have literaly saved my life.

I dont agree with suicide.Unfotunately for some the pain is just so intense they see no other option than to 'throw the baby out with the bathwater'.

Depressions gifts are very dark but precious. It hurts but it cant harm you..only what you do about it can.

"Our universe is not made up of only beautiful trees but also stunted ones, yet each tree is important"

Depression Awareness Poetry
Some of my favourite poems that have helped me through.

Depression Awareness Books
Some of my favourite books on, about or relating to depression.

Coming Soon! My Own Poetry.
I hope i can offer others hope in their darkest hours.The Lore of Raiff

My New Rant! Depression Awareness Ranting Voice your opinion!!!!

One last thing...go read my diary maybe do the poll if i have one

New wiki Perspective and Depression Diary

2004-08-31 [I Heart Jason]: ok what is the whole depression awarness what is it

2004-09-01 [Raiff]: Well firstly if you read it and then if you can speak comprehensibly we can talk

2004-09-02 [I Heart Jason]: right ok well then i will read it later 'cause i'm to lazt and depressed right now to read it so yea

2004-09-04 [Araglas]: hey

2004-09-04 [Raiff]: hey hey :-)

2004-09-04 [Araglas]: (O.o)

2004-09-04 [I Heart Jason]: wow

2004-09-04 [Araglas]: ?????

2004-09-04 [I Heart Jason]: ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

2004-09-04 [Araglas]: ?

2004-09-04 [I Heart Jason]: *sits in a corner and hides*

2004-09-06 [Alfirin Lindlea]: Wow, it's great to read something, written by someone who actually understands. As opposed to listening to opinions written by people who don't understand the mind numbing pain depression sufferers go through.

2004-09-07 [Raiff]: :-)

2004-09-07 [Araglas]: :-))

2004-09-08 [I Heart Jason]: right

2004-09-08 [Raiff]: Anything youd like me to add, Araglas?

2004-09-08 [I Heart Jason]: ^^

2004-09-10 [Araglas]: not really :-)(

2004-09-10 [I Heart Jason]: wow ^^

2004-09-11 [Raiff]: Ok well..im going to be starting my new medication on monday...brand name 'Cipralex'

2004-09-11 [Araglas]: really

2004-09-13 [I Heart Jason]: cool i think

2004-09-13 [Raiff]: hmmm..just have to wait and see what happens

2004-09-14 [Araglas]: ok..

2004-09-22 [I Heart Jason]: yea well i hope it doesn't well hmmm make you worse or whatever

2004-09-22 [Raiff]: I dont think thats possible

2004-09-22 [Araglas]: ................

2004-09-23 [I Heart Jason]: you never really know

2004-09-24 [Araglas]: ..............

2004-09-25 [I Heart Jason]: whats with the dotz

2004-09-25 [Raiff]: He doesnt know what to say

2004-09-27 [Araglas]: true i dont know what to say

2004-09-30 [I Heart Jason]: about what

2004-09-30 [Raiff]: life, the universe and everything

2004-09-30 [Alfirin Lindlea]: ^^ The answer's 42

2004-09-30 [I Heart Jason]: well hmm i guess that could make sence, and ummm... whats with 42

2004-10-01 [Araglas]: so how is everybody ...

2004-10-01 [Alfirin Lindlea]: (It was a quote from Hitchhiker's). I've just found out that one of my friends is being abused (I've been helping him cope with his depression, and I'm pretty much his counsellor) and I don't know what to do. On the one hand I could call social services, but on the other, I think it's better for him to make the call himself

2004-10-01 [I Heart Jason]: you shoould call the cild abuser people or something

2004-10-04 [Araglas]: i would help him all you can and if it doesn't help i would call social services

2004-10-11 [I Heart Jason]: you need to do that 'cause people should never get that

2004-10-13 [Alfirin Lindlea]: Well here's an update for y'all: I've spoken to him, and he's moving out to live with his mum - thank god. So hopefully this will be an end to it :s

2004-10-13 [I Heart Jason]: yay!! i hope it is and it will be well i want it to be

2004-10-14 [Raiff]: I worry about my medication, im already on nearly the maximum dose and it doesnt feel enough, nowhere near enough. Am i going to spend my life going on and coming off different meds in the hope that one of them might work :-(

2004-10-22 [Raiff]: I dont want to turn into my mother and 'rattle when i walk' :*-(

2004-10-24 [I Heart Jason]: oh please don't feel sad about it its not your fault your the way you are its something that people get and sometimes you can fix it and sometimes you can't but you never know maybe you have something that can't be fixed maybe it can only be controlled slowly but you never know till you find out, please don't worry about it you'll be fine

2004-10-24 [Raiff]: thankyou

2004-10-26 [Raiff]: easier said than done

2004-10-30 [I Heart Jason]: that is very true but you know you can't really choose what happens to you or not other wise everyone could be perfect and perfect is wrong

2004-10-31 [Raiff]: *nods*

2004-11-12 [I Heart Jason]: yep

2005-03-02 [Raiff]: Once again ive barely managed to escape a winter trip into hospital

2005-04-14 [I Heart Jason]: awww i'm sorry what happend

2005-04-14 [Raiff]: I have to go see my doctor today, ive been taking a bit more med than i should which he said wasnt a good idea but would do until i saw him next..ive been taking 40mg of cipralex instaed of 20 and it makes me really drowsy and i have to pee a lot! so i gotta get some different meds

2005-04-14 [Panda-monium]: heylo all. sorry to hear that.

2005-04-14 [Raiff]: Went to the doctor who frowned at me and said well take 30mg and maybe that will stop the drowsiness

2005-04-14 [NuclearHobbit]: Hope things get better for you Raiff.

2005-04-14 [I Heart Jason]: hmmmm what are the meds suppose to do for you

2005-04-15 [Raiff]: gah and i keep getting ill too..this time i have a cold the other day i had a sore throat last week i had a bad stomach

2005-04-15 [I Heart Jason]: damn that sucks i hope you get better, i mean lately i've been getting a sore throught but i thing thats 'cause of the season change, but i hope you get better

2005-04-17 [NuclearHobbit]: Ouch, sounds like a bug of some kind. Get well soon Raiff.

2005-04-20 [Raiff]: Im ok at the moment except for a feeling a bit drowsy

2005-05-23 [NuclearHobbit]: I feel awful. Glad you're better Raiff

2005-05-23 [Raiff]: Better and worse 0_o

2005-05-23 [NuclearHobbit]: Hmm, okay then. Anything you want to talk about?

2005-05-24 [Raiff]: Life the universe and everything ;-)

2005-05-24 [Raiff]: Im waiting for some information from an aqaintance of mine then i shall be doing a new rant

2005-06-23 [Araglas]: Really?

2005-06-24 [Raiff]: Yes, you will find it on Perspective :-)

2005-06-24 [Raiff]: On another note, my medication has been changed to 'Duloxetine', a quite new drug and one i had to order from the chemist 0_0

2005-06-30 [Araglas]: Wow.

2005-07-01 [Raiff]: Why wow? :-)

2005-07-01 [Panda-monium]: Happy Birthday Canada! *dances around*

2005-07-02 [Raiff]: erm..ok...*dances*

2005-07-02 [NuclearHobbit]: *shrugs and also dances* any excuse I guess

2005-07-03 [Raiff]: Ive added some new content

2005-07-05 [Araglas]: Ok..I said wow because how many times has your medication been changed..?

2005-07-06 [Raiff]: 3 times in the last..er..two/three years

2005-07-07 [Araglas]: Why do they keep changing it?

2005-07-07 [Raiff]: To find the 'right' one for me

2005-07-07 [Araglas]: But isnt that dangerous?

2005-07-07 [Raiff]: not if its done carefully and properly :-)

2005-07-07 [Araglas]: I would not be able to do that..*shiver*...stupid air conditioning....its freezing outside yet they have it on

2005-07-07 [Raiff]: well i have to hang on to the fragment of hope i have left..

2005-07-07 [Araglas]: yea never let go of hope for when you do you are already deadf

2005-07-07 [Raiff]: aye thats true

2005-07-07 [Araglas]: yup ^_^&

2005-07-12 [NuclearHobbit]: Good luck with the medication Raiff

2005-09-10 [Araglas]: Well now half my friends are either on prozac or riddelin

2005-09-11 [Raiff]: And how does that strike you?

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