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jacki
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 7th, 2007 |
| Location: | Essex, England, United Kingdom |
| Posts: | 82 |
| First Name: | jacki | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | baptised in the church of england (I am a brit) ... |
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Posted: Sun Nov 18th, 2007 08:16 pm |
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| I HAVE RECENTLEY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH DEPRESSION, I am finding prayer difficult.
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2429 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Nov 18th, 2007 09:23 pm |
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Been there, done that. You have my prayers.
David
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 1448 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Nov 18th, 2007 09:27 pm |
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Jacki, I am glad you have found this forum, but I am certainly sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. Several of my relatives have struggled with depression; I myself experienced some depression after my husband's death.
Since you say you have been diagnosed, I assume you are under the care of a doctor. That is good news. Many patients suffer a long time before getting medical attention. Your doctor probably explained that sometimes antidepressants take up to three weeks to produce good results. Probably you were also informed that sometimes a patient needs to try a second or a third drug, if the first one does not help much. Be patient, be persistent, keep your doctor informed. The improvement you can probably find will more than repay your efforts in that direction.
Physical exercise can help with recovery; one relative almost always felt better after a long, brisk walk outside with an effort to look outward and focus on the environment (rather than being introspective) while walking.
Your difficulty with prayer is understandable. Seek the prayer support of others you know. (And members here will certainly pray for you as well.) I have found comfort in holding the hand of a friend and listening as that friend prayed aloud for me.
Leafing through the Psalms can bring comfort as you discover verses that match your state of mind. Finally, just being dead honest with God is always a good idea. Maybe all you can get out is, "Lord, I can't talk to you now. I'm in too much pain. Help me." Believe me, Jacki, our Lord understands.
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Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials. . .the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life. . . NAB James 1:2-4,12
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 2235 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Evangelical (1977): Diverse Protestant Influences / Catholic in 1990 |
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Posted: Wed Nov 21st, 2007 03:03 pm |
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Hi Jacki,
You'll be in our prayers. I think Becky has given excellent advice. There are many options for antidepressants today so that most cases of clinical depression can be successfully dealt with. This is good news! There have been many advances just in the last 20-30 years.
I once experienced very serious clinical depression for six months straight. My wife Judy suffers from depression (it started with post-partum after our second child). At this point she takes all natural supplements, and has been successful in conquering her own depression (after taking Zoloft for seven years and having undesirable side effects). This won't work for everyone, and not for serious depression, but if yours is relatively mild, perhaps you could be aided by the remedies that my wife utilizes. I wrote about this:
Conquer Depression and Anxiety Naturally
While I'm on the health thing, some women here may, I think, be curious to find how we stopped her hot flashes dead in their tracks with natural supplements also:
Great News For Women Suffering Hot Flashes: Natural Remedies
In case someone didn't notice by now, I am a strong advocate of natural foods, vitamins, herbs, etc. We've been successful in our family, treating many maladies by these relatively inexpensive means.
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I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 2100+ papers & web pages (free) & 17 apologetic books (4 sale: 15 E-Books: $25)
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 220 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Thu Nov 22nd, 2007 11:02 am |
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Dear Jacki,
I know how scary depression can be. I had it after my children were born (also had it a few years before but had beaten it with exercise, diet and counseling.) I also have adult ADD.
I had to use medication this time. I tried Zoloft but it made me very anxious and nauseated. Amytryptiline (Elavil) helped for anxiety but made me sluggish. I am now taking Wellbutrin which is like a miracle for me. I knew it was working in a week's time. Even the first day, I felt like I had been listening to a radio station with a lot of static noise and someone had just taken the static away.
Different meds work for different people. Please don't give up. While I was preparing for Confirmation I took nothing, because I did not want to make that decision "under the influence" -- due to some family and friends who thought my conversion was a sympton of some larger "problem." But I had a lot of support from other friends, so I made it through. I now feel that I would have enjoyed the whole journey a lot more and been less scared if I'd had the medication.
Natural remedies can help too. I used Fish Oil when my 2nd child was born and it was very helpful. I also try to stay on a low-sugar diet and exercise is really important. If I just take the meds and neglect these other aspects, then the meds don't work so well. But without the meds, they are not enough either. So I recommend a balanced approach, for what it's worth.
If you are looking for something helpful to read I would suggest Dr. Daniel Amen's books. (Yes, that's his real name!) They really helped me understand a lot about the brain and ways to help it get better. He has several titles and they are all good.
The holidays are very hard when you have depression, I know. Just do the best you can. It may sound trite, but you only have to get through one day at a time. Remember, we will be praying for you.
Love,
Lisa
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Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
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BodRod
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 840 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Thu Nov 22nd, 2007 02:11 pm |
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I feel the best when I am thinking and doing something "outside of myself" such as when I am helping out in a ministry or by doing something for someone else. If I sit around and start to think about why I need to take all those pills morning and evening, or my wife's stroke(s), or etc., etc. it can be a real bummer!!! So I try to keep busy with projects, hobbies or a little part-time work.
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 220 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Fri Nov 23rd, 2007 04:19 pm |
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| That is so true. If I do something for someone else, even a samll gesture, it lifts my spirits. It puts me back in touch with the One who said, "If you do it for the one of least of these, you have done it for Me."
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Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
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BodRod
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 840 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Sun Nov 25th, 2007 12:07 am |
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heardclarke wrote: That is so true. If I do something for someone else, even a samll gesture, it lifts my spirits."
Same here! It gives us a positive start to the day when we look out the front window and see that the newspaper, for the 86 year old lady across the street, is no longer in her driveway. The strange part of it all is that she does not know we check every morning.
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2429 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Nov 25th, 2007 12:46 am |
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BodRod wrote:The strange part of it all is that she does not know we check every morning.
Not strange at all, Criff. It’s the best part. It shows you do it for the right reasons.
David
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brian
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Chicago South Burbs, Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 893 |
| First Name: | brian | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | methodist, evangelical, anglican, catholic |
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Posted: Sun Nov 25th, 2007 12:56 am |
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Dave Armstrong wrote:
Hi Jacki,
You'll be in our prayers. I think Becky has given excellent advice. There are many options for antidepressants today so that most cases of clinical depression can be successfully dealt with. This is good news! There have been many advances just in the last 20-30 years.
I once experienced very serious clinical depression for six months straight. My wife Judy suffers from depression (it started with post-partum after our second child). At this point she takes all natural supplements, and has been successful in conquering her own depression (after taking Zoloft for seven years and having undesirable side effects). This won't work for everyone, and not for serious depression, but if yours is relatively mild, perhaps you could be aided by the remedies that my wife utilizes. I wrote about this:
Conquer Depression and Anxiety Naturally
While I'm on the health thing, some women here may, I think, be curious to find how we stopped her hot flashes dead in their tracks with natural supplements also:
Great News For Women Suffering Hot Flashes: Natural Remedies
In case someone didn't notice by now, I am a strong advocate of natural foods, vitamins, herbs, etc. We've been successful in our family, treating many maladies by these relatively inexpensive means.
Hey Dave. I found this idea interesting since I am leary of going on medication. Can you give me the idea of where to get this stuff cheap, and was this list a list that a person would take all three of in conjunction or any one would suffice...what is the exact 'perscription'
"tyrosine (the best, if you choose one of these): 1500 mg/day
taurine: 1500 mg/day
GABA: 1500 mg/day"
Brian
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 2235 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Evangelical (1977): Diverse Protestant Influences / Catholic in 1990 |
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Online
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Posted: Mon Nov 26th, 2007 03:35 pm |
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Hi Brian,
Hey Dave. I found this idea interesting since I am leary of going on medication. Can you give me the idea of where to get this stuff cheap,
You can do (Google) searches online to get the best price. We go to Vitamin Shoppe locally. They're prett inexpensive. It sells products online, too:
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/index.jsp?_requestid=437948
You want to look for the store ("house") brand first; it's always the cheapest if it is available.
and was this list a list that a person would take all three of in conjunction or any one would suffice...what is the exact 'perscription'
"tyrosine (the best, if you choose one of these): 1500 mg/day
taurine: 1500 mg/day
GABA: 1500 mg/day"
This varies according to individual. With vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc., the usual approach is to find out what helps what, and to combine them for greater effect (oftentimes they work better together, too), because one may not work as well for a person, whereas the next one does work. And you look at the label, of course, for suggested dosage. Everyone is different in some way. There are many other natural anti-depressants; notably St. John's Wort and SAM-e (widely used, esp. in Europe). Those are usu. more expensive, though.
Once it starts working, you can experiment and remove one or more to see if you are still experiencing improvement (a deductive process of elimination). We did this with my wife's hot flashes. I got her on several supplements. We wiped them out completely, so we let some of the pills run out (to try to save some cost if we could), but she is having a few hot flashes again, so we will have to reintroduce one or more of those. Likewise, with these supplements. I would recommend starting with all, seeing if it is working (give yourself the highest probability of success), and then experimenting to see if you need them all. These supplements have to do with neurons and the part of the brain that deals with mood and felt well-being. Tyrosine and taurine are simply amino acids: they are completely natural. I think GABA is similar (I'm not sure if it is an amino acid, but it's not a drug, in any event).
The amount we used (your figures above, citing me), I determined from reading some info. on the Internet. It has worked for years for my wife, but other people may require less or need more.
Remember, if you have serious clinical depression, this may not be sufficient. It's nothing to mess around with. I'm not a doctor; I simply experiment with herbal treatments. We've been rather successful ("the proof's in the pudding"), but I can only suggest similar treatments for others; not "prescribe" with any authority, etc. There is something to it, and many scientific studies to back up various non-narcotic treatments. You can locate those by searching individual herbs, vitamins, and minerals on the Internet. You'll find plenty of info. online.
Best wishes in finding a remedy that works for you. Let me know if you have any further questions.
____________________
I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 2100+ papers & web pages (free) & 17 apologetic books (4 sale: 15 E-Books: $25)
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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Pani Rose
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Irondale, Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 688 |
| First Name: | Rose | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Ruthenian Byzantine in a Melkite Greek Catholic Parish, raised ... |
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Posted: Mon Nov 26th, 2007 11:55 pm |
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| You have given us grace at this time to offer You a common prayer together and have promised that when two or three are gathered together in Your name and we lift us Jacki to you, that You will grant their requests; fulfill, Lord, the prayers of Your servants, which are for her welfare, grant Your peace, and the knowledge of Your truth in this world and life everlasting in the world to come. Amen.
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