Can anyone explain depression without knowing the cause?

I have been on 40 mg of lexapro four four weeks, well as of this Tuesday anyway and my depression has still not gone away. I had a dream a lucid one where someone told me be happy I was asleep because then I was not awake. I have no idea why I am depressed?

I'm no expert, but I think it's best understood as a physical illness rather than just an emotional state you can snap out of. The key, I think, in addition to taking what medication you need, is to discipline yourself to keep on doing the things that you would otherwise be doing--working, socializing with friends, developing your talents--whether you're in the mood to at any given time or not, a matter of helping the medication do its job. It's a tough struggle in any event, but worth persevering.

Chronic depression is the result of chemical imbalances in the brain particularly the hormone Serotonin.Many of the modern anti depreesants are designed to regulate the levels of this chemical but the dosage varies from person to person and so can be a matter of trial and error to find the correct one. It is normal for a drug to take anything up to 8 weeks before it starts to work and unfortunately they can actually make you feel worse in the mean time but persevere with them as they do have an 80% success rate,.Other things you may condsider is to eat more Tuna ,Turkey any Soya beans as they contain an Amino acid which boosts serotonin levels Avoid alchohol which is a depressant . And if drug treatment is not effective consider Cognitive Behaviour Therapy which is almost as effective as meds for mild to moderate depression. I hope this helps. Hang in there. their is an effective treatment for you out there it may just take some time to find it.

I am really sorry to hear you are still depressed-sad to hear so far the 40mg of Lexipro has not really had an big time full effect yet-still relatively early-remember you saying your psychiatrist said it likely not be in full affect until late mid April. Just try to keep the faith it is only the second week of April still relatively very early. I say if by the end of this month-when you next see your psychiatrist next month-you mention your concern on the Lexipro not really helping treat the depression/fatigue-after taking it for a month-see what he has to say-what else similar he might prescribe or suggest for you to start to take to treat your depression/fatigue-something else similiar to Lexipro help treat your depression.

I would also definitely point out that lately for a month now since early March-since April-for a total now of 2 months when you see him next in May-that physically you barely have had not much energy-no real desire/no drive really motivate you to get out of bed, been depressed-been sleeping a lot-physically barely have energy-been feeling sad and your view on things have been negative and gloomy-usually besides your tendency to worry-generally when you are feeling much better-not depressed-you are pretty positive and try to count and look to your blessings in your life-what goals you wish to achive in the future-and present.

Whereas the difference being from what I understand from what you shared-you are having a really rough time going day to day-don't want to get out of bed-you barely have any energy, you are fatigued and tired almost all the time, your appetite has increased some but not a whole lot-seems times you just wish to stay in bed and sleep-not eat. It is really affecting you-your depression because-sadly you wish to have more time to yourself- need physically-want to sleep not be awake, seems you have trouble thinking positive-also trouble is you worry you will be burdening others-and your friends since you wish time to yourself-in your room- sleep and rest-stay in bed mostly-sorry for long tangent but that is basically the jist. You need to tell your psychiatrist this so he can help you. Along with medicine to help you with the depression/fatigue, you should see about him placing you back on valpuric to help you physically w fatigue, balance, and in generally physically.

I hope this helps but basically I just really miss you friend and I really hope you feel better soon, just know I am here for you-you are never a burden to me. Sending you hugs. and if meds don't help; alone you need to consider maybe pursuing cognitive behavioral therapy-might be helpful.😕🙁🙁

When I was taking antidepressants several years ago it I went through several different ones at different dosage levels before finding something that worked for me. Everyone is different. Keep your doctor informed. Adjustments may be needed, and I would not want to take them long term but some people do. Talking to a trained professional like a psychologist can also help. Good luck with it. I know how tough it is.

Really feel for you on this one. I had depression a couple of years back without realising that's what it was. Woke up one morning BAM! Could not get out of bed. I just wanted to cocoon and cry. Couldn't even make it downstairs to get myself some cereal.
I actually took myself off the pills because feeling like I was unnaturally OK made it feel worse for me. I didn't want to feel OK and not know if I was really OK or if it was the pills. So, I probably made it harder on myself. It took me a long while to get over.
I can suggest exercise. Doing something physical gives you that natural feel good factor as well as making you feel happy because you're doing something about it. Don't drink - sounds obvious, but it's a road I went down on a couple of occasions. Not a good idea.
And talk to people. You'll probably want to shut off. I did. Don't. Be with people. If you can bring yourself to get involved with something worthwhile, that's a good idea too. Charity work, talking to the sick/elderly - anything that takes you out of yourself. Give it time though. It's not an illness that just disappears overnight.
I wish you all the best and you have my deepest sympathy. If you want to ask me anything, PM me by all means.

tickleteasing said:

I have been on 40 mg of lexapro four four weeks, well as of this Tuesday anyway and my depression has still not gone away. I had a dream a lucid one where someone told me be happy I was asleep because then I was not awake. I have no idea why I am depressed?

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I think you should just call me everytime u get sad, so I can make u blush, and you can make fun of the way I laugh on the phone hehehee... I think I am about to call your crazy ass.. wuvs ya Johnnie boy

See the thing is 95 percent of the time I worry about things for stupid reasons. But the sad thing is I worry, I worry about everyone in my life. This can be cripplingly depressing. Last night I had a dream my sister was reading a time magazine that had a mushroom shaped cloud on the cover of it with the words "world war 3, it could happen" I mean it was a very upsetting dream.

I am really sorry to hear you had this disturbing and this terrible dream. That sucks what a horrible dream. Just curious-are you stocked up on your OCD medicine that helps you to cope and deal with the OCD? If not I would suggest telling your psychiatrist about that getting that OCD medicine filled back up-check out about the lexipro see if it will help for the depression and fatigue or not-check out valpuric too. It certainly could not hurt things to get these things checked out-w your psychiatrist. I so feel your pain friend-I sadly believe I have OCD never been diagnosed but I obsess and worry all the time. I worry about my family, my friends, loved ones-people I don't even know many times. I worry about things a lot. Yes sadly many times I worry for silly and stupid reasons myself. More I try not to obsess and dwell the worst it is-

I just obsess that much more. I imagine that terrible nightmare is just your fears creeping in unsubconsciously when you are asleep-see when you are asleep-for you instead of you being able to have pleasant dreams-you have nightmares-likely because during the day imagine you try to stop the obsessing negative thoughts of the nightmares-emotional /mental guard is up-but when you are asleep-all game-no emotional guard/no mental guard up-I mean not a psychiatrist-but that is my hypothetical/wild educated guess based on the psychology classes and the elements I learned about dreams -how thoughts and fears sometimes get incorporated -not pleasant-so nightmares are produced. I am not sure but does that make sense? Like I said not sure-but think that might be why you have had such bad nightmares lately and for a while. I am sure that nightmare you had of your sister w Time magazine-is not ever really going to happen -just a fear you have of seeing your sister-or any your friends or loved ones getting hurt or having bad things in their lives happen to them. You want your friends and loved ones-even strangers to have a good life rich w blessings and joy-not grief and pain-makes all the sense in the world. So in result when you sleep you have nightmares-your fears-those you care about won't realize true joy and blessings. When while yes there will be hard times along w good-sure the good times-blessings/joy for loved ones and your friends will outweight the bad times for them. Hope that makes sense.

I hope soon you feel much better-soon get this figured out-soon your depression leaves you alone for good and your fatigue lifts-can't be fun be tired physically and emotionally stressing so much-obsessing bad. I know-sadly lately I have been obsessing on things I want and need to get done-sadly tend to focus on the negative unfortunately-be honest in some ways I think I am feeling really sad/ bit depressed myself. It is not a fun place to be. I hope soon with the medicine that will help your depression and fatigue-hopefully valpuric too-when next you see your psychiatrist in May-hope the nightmares go away-hopefully you obsessing about everything-people you care about tones down -not so frantic-really not a fun place to be.

I really wish there was something I could say or do to help you but sadly I know there is not. Just know I am here for you-listen be here for you-miss you a lot. Really hoping you will get better soon-feel like yourself-not feel so sad and not be obsessing /worrying about your friends and loved ones having troubles or getting hurt. I am so sorry-really wish I could help take this all away-you are a great person w a great big heart for others-kind and generous-I hate this is upon you. Get better real soon-miss you like crazy.

🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁:

tickleteasing said:

I have been on 40 mg of lexapro four four weeks, well as of this Tuesday anyway and my depression has still not gone away. I had a dream a lucid one where someone told me be happy I was asleep because then I was not awake. I have no idea why I am depressed?

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I never know why!

It's somewhere in the realm of physical, mental, spiritual, depending on the person YOU are. I don't buy into the labeling crap of it's this type of depression or it's that type of depression. AND to further my anti-labeling rant I don't buy into it's definitively Physical, Mental, or Spiritual. It's absolutely amazing how placebos in so many case studies had the same effect on patients as the actual so-called anti-depressant. I am not anti-drug company either, but it's just a fact!... Get a good therapist to help you control your depression and the eventual emphasis will be YOU controlling it. All options are open... Placebos/anti-depressants, self-help, religion or some belief system that works for you, dumping and or finding friends, hobbies, whatever, you have to find what works for you. All reasonable options are open! Eventually you will go from victim to being pro active in fighting it, at least most of the time!

I definitely think there's a strong physiological component to it, and that the physical plays a big part in fueling the negative thoughts and obsessive worries, but at the same time, I think, psychological treatment is still an important part of what you need to bring it under control. As part of that, I would urge you to give full value to keeping your normal life going, including tasks and relationships. I think having appointments to keep and important deadlines to meet is important. Moreover, whatever kind of therapist you have, it must be one who listens to you and respects your viewpoints, not one who is determined to fit you into pre-written categories and treat you with pre-written rituals. And I hope things work out well for you.

Though I've never had depression, I have had friends/family/significant others who have had it. I've learned A LOT about it from my current BF who was on Lexapro and my mother who was also on Lexapro. My boyfriend got help the "right" way... he went to a counselor and groups for talk therapy while taking his meds. As people in previous posts have stated, depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. This imbalance is caused by your own frame of mind though. If you are constantly in a sad, apathetic mood, your brain thinks that's how it's supposed to adjust, and causes the imbalance of important mood-regulating chemicals (Roughly the same thing with soldiers who have killed people, at first it's traumatic, but they "get used to it" and thier brain doesn't release the same chemicals that cause remorse. Also seen in sociopaths, etc). If you take the meds without talk therapy of some sort, you're going to be stuck in that same frame of mind... Lexapro isn't magic; in fact it gave my BF bipolar disorder before it was caught and the type/dosage was corrected. By getting counseling at the same time, it helps retrain your thought processes to make the correct insinuations about how you are supposed to feel about something. My bf decided for himself, that he wanted to stop Lexapro on his own. He still went to therapy for 4 months, but he said he learned how to deal with his emotions correctly and could do it without Lexapro.
In contrast, I hate to throw my mom out there but I believe it's a good example on how to not overcome depression. My mom was also on Lexapro, but she went to counseling for about a month and grew tired of it. She is retired, and sits at home on her laptop pretty much all day, never got dressed, no human interaction. So she had tons of time to sit and brood about her feelings. I'm pretty sure she became bipolar also, because when I come home from college, she can be super nice, but then turn in an instant and be super mean. A few months ago she also decided to stop taking Lexapro. She claims she feels better, which is her trying to be in the correct state of mind, but I can see she still has depression and it kills me that she wont admit that she still needs counseling.

tl;dr: Any mental disorder caused by environment (traumatic events, lifestyle) can be corrected with talk therapy (Except schizophrenia). Meds "help", but they are just training wheels in the process to getting your brain back on track.

So! Hope that gave you some insight. /steps off soap box

teasing, I'm very sorry about how you are feeling.

Someone said it earlier in the thread, but I'll echo it. The fact that you are on antidepressants, and the depression has not gone away, would lead me to believe that perhaps your issue is physiological, and not psychological.

I didnt see you post it, but I have to ask this question: Have you spoken to your doctor? Perhaps you might need an adjustment in dosage of your current medication, or to be placed on a different antidepressant/medication. Sometimes,. one medication or dosage doesn't work, while another one might be the answer.

Good Luck. I hope you can find the answer to your problem, and be feeling in better spirits very soon.

Mitch

DirtySecret said:

Though I've never had depression, I have had friends/family/significant others who have had it. I've learned A LOT about it from my current BF who was on Lexapro and my mother who was also on Lexapro. My boyfriend got help the "right" way... he went to a counselor and groups for talk therapy while taking his meds. As people in previous posts have stated, depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. This imbalance is caused by your own frame of mind though. If you are constantly in a sad, apathetic mood, your brain thinks that's how it's supposed to adjust, and causes the imbalance of important mood-regulating chemicals (Roughly the same thing with soldiers who have killed people, at first it's traumatic, but they "get used to it" and thier brain doesn't release the same chemicals that cause remorse. Also seen in sociopaths, etc). If you take the meds without talk therapy of some sort, you're going to be stuck in that same frame of mind... Lexapro isn't magic; in fact it gave my BF bipolar disorder before it was caught and the type/dosage was corrected. By getting counseling at the same time, it helps retrain your thought processes to make the correct insinuations about how you are supposed to feel about something. My bf decided for himself, that he wanted to stop Lexapro on his own. He still went to therapy for 4 months, but he said he learned how to deal with his emotions correctly and could do it without Lexapro.
In contrast, I hate to throw my mom out there but I believe it's a good example on how to not overcome depression. My mom was also on Lexapro, but she went to counseling for about a month and grew tired of it. She is retired, and sits at home on her laptop pretty much all day, never got dressed, no human interaction. So she had tons of time to sit and brood about her feelings. I'm pretty sure she became bipolar also, because when I come home from college, she can be super nice, but then turn in an instant and be super mean. A few months ago she also decided to stop taking Lexapro. She claims she feels better, which is her trying to be in the correct state of mind, but I can see she still has depression and it kills me that she wont admit that she still needs counseling.

tl;dr: Any mental disorder caused by environment (traumatic events, lifestyle) can be corrected with talk therapy (Except schizophrenia). Meds "help", but they are just training wheels in the process to getting your brain back on track.

So! Hope that gave you some insight. /steps off soap box

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i hope things get better with your mom!.

Here is an update things have not improved, I have tried to take walks every day, and have eaten a tuna fish sandwich today like someone suggested. But for some reason the depression has not slowed down. I have had the kind of depression that makes it scary to show it to others if that makes sense. You do not want to burden them. My father and mother can not make sense of out why I am so down, it makes no sense to me. I feel like I do not want to get out of bed, . Its not that I hate the world or hate anyone, its just I always feel like I do not want to throw my problems on anyone.

I am really sorry to hear that things have not improved so far for you. It is good that you have tried to take walks every day but sorry to hear that is not working either. It is good you tried the tuna but sadly that did not help either. I know you want to wait till May 19th to see your psychiatrist but I think it might be really a good thing-serve as really beneficial to you -try to see your psychiatrist sooner. It is not good you have been feeling down and depressed-barely have energy to get out of bed-really have no drive and have no desire to get out of bed-this has sadly been happening for close to around 2 months now-that is not good-not like you-not healthy. So please if you can-talk to your parents-maybe see if you can not see your psychiatrist bit earlier then May 19th. It might really help-it is not like you are have not-that you are not giving the Lexipro a chance-you have taken it for quite some time now-sadly still no real effect. It is time to try to see your psychiatrist bit sooner if you can.

What do you mean you have the kind of depression that makes it scary to show others? Like I have said to you before-I consider you a great friend one of my best friends-you are not and you are never a burden to me-sure your friends feel the same too-that you are their friend-they care about you-you are not a burden. I get what you mean -saying you don't want to throw your problems on anyone-sure you do not do that. But sharing with your psychiatrist and your close friends how you feel and having also your friends be there for you emotionally-along with seeking help from your psychiatrist is not a crime-it is what you need. How can you think you are tossing your problems on others, your friends-those close to you? Do you realize how sad that sounds? Please understand-I know you can't help how you feel-to you -you feel you are a burden-but that is nonsense-you are not a burden.

Your friends and your close loved ones care a lot about you-love you-they don't see it a burden to be there for you-they should see it a honor and not a chore to be there for you. True friends are not just your pal when the good times happen-no your real true friends-there when the going gets rough and sad times come too. Please don't forget that tickleteasing-I hope that will help you know and show you -who is really your friends-really care there for the long haul no matter what-which ones want to be around just for the happy good times. Just know you have a true friend in me-be here always for you. Just wish and really be nice if you could let me here for you-really also let your friends really be here for you too. You are such a great friend-helped me so many times over the years-helped so many of your friends-only fair that you let your friends be there for you-also help you during your difficult times as well. I hope you keep this in mind. Sending hugs

🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁:

Mitchell said:

teasing, I'm very sorry about how you are feeling.

Someone said it earlier in the thread, but I'll echo it. The fact that you are on antidepressants, and the depression has not gone away, would lead me to believe that perhaps your issue is physiological, and not psychological.

I didnt see you post it, but I have to ask this question: Have you spoken to your doctor? Perhaps you might need an adjustment in dosage of your current medication, or to be placed on a different antidepressant/medication. Sometimes,. one medication or dosage doesn't work, while another one might be the answer.

Good Luck. I hope you can find the answer to your problem, and be feeling in better spirits very soon.

Mitch

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Yes I have spoken to my doctor and I see him again on the 19th I just hate everything being so gloomy

I just really wish you could see him a lot sooner than May 19th, you are seeing him May 19th right, not sooner, not perhaps maybe April 19th? It has to suck to feel so gloomy and feel so sad. I am really starting to get a bit worried. I really hope you feel better real soon. This is not like you, so sad and hurts so much to see you like this. Sending you hugs

::🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁:🙁

I am sorry if people take think I am upset with them by not wanting to talk to them. The thing is depression is a very taxing thing. Its kind of like having the measles you do not want to be bringing the people around you down, staying in bed all day is rough. Whats worse is I have no idea why I am depressed, I walk around feeling like the environment around me is gloomy. I just need to recover, and not burden others with the pain I am having.

Therapy... Then update this... However, you might want to ask your doctor if it's a good idea to post?

obama666 said:

Therapy... Then update this... However, you might want to ask your doctor if it's a good idea to post?

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Can you explain what you mean by that?

tickleteasing said:

I have been on 40 mg of lexapro four four weeks, well as of this Tuesday anyway and my depression has still not gone away. I had a dream a lucid one where someone told me be happy I was asleep because then I was not awake. I have no idea why I am depressed?

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Two Words that will change your life: Have Sex 😉

I am sorry if it seems I might be being harsh -sorry if it seems I might be upset with you. Please know I am not really upset with you tickleteasing.
I am just really getting a bit worried about you feeling so sad and depressed for so long. I know you want to spare me from worrying-but either way-whether we chat or do not chat, I am going to worry. This is just how I am.
I appreciate the updates that at least lets me know what is going on with you. You are a really great friend-want to know how you are doing-because
I care about you -just really want you to get better soon.

Who says you have to recover and get well-emotionally isolate yourself from your friends and loved ones -be alone in bed getting better-without well wishes from those that care about you. I don't want to burden you-just want to let you know I am here for you-just like to chat a little bit w you-don't have to chat real long. I know you are not feeling well. Please talk to me. I really miss you. Even if it is just brief offline messages or quick brief pms on the forum, or a few calls here and there during the week-or when you are feeling a little better. Just please stay in touch w me. You are not a burden to me.