feel so down, sick of feeling like this Options

[greenlanturn]

For a while now I've been feeling quite anxious and down. I keep getting a feeling in my chest where I feel someone is squeezing my chest and my stomach is so tight. This mainly was due to my job and how it just seemed to get me down so much. I would literally sit there and count the minutes until my break or lunch because I couldn't stand it. I spoke to my family about this and they suggested that if this job made me feel so bad that I should resign because no job was worth my health. I resigned on monday but since then the feeling hasn't gone away if anything I feel worse.

I keep thinking to myself that I have no job, the job prospects where I am are quite bleak and that I'm going to have sign on for job seekers, which for some reasons seems awful to me. I've spoken to some friends about it and they've been quite supportive but I can't help but feel that I'm boring them and they're eventually going to stop caring. I just feel so down, and then feel a fraud for feeling so down because I think "i've got my health and I've got my family, I have no reason to feel so down" which makes me feel worse. Its not getting to the point where I have thought that everyone would be much better off without me and that I'm a burden to people and I have considered suicide. The only thing that is stopping me is the fear of committing suicide itself and how my family would take it if I did.

I've spoken to the samaritans but I just don't feel any better after speaking about it - its childish but I wish I could just roll into a ball and forget about everything. I just don't know what to do anymore.

Sorry if this thread seems a mess i just needed to get everything out.

[gay craig]

its ok everyone needs to rant now and then,i feel down all the time too,and i have really good reason,bro and mum died last year and am staying with my sis and hopefully get a flat end of next month,
hope u feel better soon,my friend told me to go talk to the doc,they can help u with pills.mite be a start.

[Ebenezer88]

Hey GL!

Please PM me ....

[ATD]

I've spoken to the samaritans but I just don't feel any better after speaking about it - its childish but I wish I could just roll into a ball and forget about everything. I just don't know what to do anymore.

So far you have replaced one scenario that was causing stress, anxiety and depression with another. What you do next is go to your GP and be totally honest about how you are feeling. They can and will help you get through this.

[YORKSHIRE GUY]

All I can suggest is that you talk to the doc.
I think you need professional advice.

[MOOO]

As others have suggested getting proffesional help is the right thing for you.

Don't be 'ashamed' of why you feel down and it not being a real reason. Depsresion can be caused by various things for various people. There is no right or wrong form.

Myself and some of my friends have been very depressed in the recent past over quite superficial things but you can;t help the way you feel you can only try to do something about it.

[maledreams]

Hi OP.

Im feeling very down lately too. Im in my job nearly 6 yrs and now Im getting closely monitored as I ain't performing to their standard. I am so unhappy and know the job is getting me dow. I feel time is slipping by and even though I acknowledge it, I feel I'm stuck in a rut and don't know what to do.

Im considering counselling. Im quite popular and social. Have no problem chatting to peoplebut when Im on my own, I just wanna either distract myself by going online or watch tv shows or movies.

AZnything to distract myself from improving myself I guess!! Ive put on weight recently and eating a lotta junk since I quit smoking 6 months ago!thats prob the only constructive thing Ive done this year, stayin off da fags!! I smoked for 13 yrs and my chest was getting worse so I made a conscious decision to quit and I did!!
#
Now, if I coud apply that to other aspects in my life.. looking for a job I am passionate for, looking for a fella Im passionate for and lose some weight and cook healthily, then Id be flying it!!

The problem is to do it, to start.

Like the OP I feel Ive no energy and sleep a lot at weekends but usually am hungover after ,drinking too much
downward spiral

[Uninvited]

I felt similar to this a long time ago, and it all boiled down to the feeling that my life was going nowhere. I'm not the kind of person to share my problems with others so I kinda rode it out until I found something I wanted to do. You may find that what you actually want is quite a drastic change, but you have to embrace those things. But don't embrace suicide. That's just silly.

[Roger Mellie]

Depression can often be caused by chemical imbalances, that skew your thinking. I went through a period a few years ago when I was perfectly happy in my work and life in general; then without warning, I found my job a drag, got anxious about things in life and couldn't be usually bubbly self with friends/family-- getting panic attacks too

What had changed? Well, no external circumstances. It was a lack of serotonin in the brain, so I went on a Cipralex to correct it, I was fine after a few months. It was merely the way my brain's neurology was working that was making me see everything bleakly, which made me more depressed and so the spiral continued. The meds helped me see light at the end of the tunnel, it's like a slow-motion jump-start.

Suicide never solves anything; it would far more of a burden on your loved ones' lives, if you did that; imagine how you would you feel, if a close relative or best friend killed him/herself-- would you feel relieved?

Professional help aside (should you choose to take it), there are others things to improve life for you:

1) Take at least 30 mins exercise a day, something that makes you breathe hard. This could be something as simple as a brisk walk around the block. Physically it burns up adrenanline (which cause anixety/p-attacks), and relaxes tense muscles. Mentally it releases endorphins, you body's natural anti-deps.

2) Eight to nine hours a sleep a night: If you're willingly staying up late a night, go to bed early. Perhaps going to bed at between 10 and 11 pm, and rising between 6am and 8am. Nothing makes me feel more anxious/ depressed than not getting sufficient sleep.

3) Find time to laugh; even it's fake, because your body and brain (conscious mind aside) don't know the difference. It instantly raises your mood, releases endorphins and cheers other people up too (same with smiling, to a lesser extent). Laughter is also good exercise, believe it or not. Also endeavouring to see the funny of life, helps you get through the grimmest of things... work for example! Irony is the glory of slaves, as the Czechs say.

4) Breathe abdominally. Mostly we breathe 'shallowly', taking as much air as we need in and out. Unfortunately this exacerbates stress: So find somewhere quiet to lie down or sit up, then breathe using your abs. Push them slowly, taking as much air in as you can without forcing it. Hold for a couple of seconds; then breath out slowly, let your chest sink as far as you can. Hold for a couple of seconds, then back to the beginning. Counting the seconds or thinking something/where relaxing, helps to dispel panicky thoughts.

5) Keep a daily diary. First get all the stuff that's doing your head in, onto paper. It's a good escape valve, and stops stuff whirring about in your mind. After you've got all that out the way, right down everything all the good stuff in the day, or even just the things you're grateful for: Good physical health, a compliment you received on the day, a glorious sunset, a nice turn you did for someone during the day and so on.


The above are just 'basic' things mind; no substitute for professional help. In addition I would also recommend Paul McKenna's self-help books: They are straight-foward, well-researched, practical and come with a CD; WHSmiths often have two-for-one deals for his output.

Best of luck. I'll leave the last word to Morecambe & Wise-- this always gees me up anyway

http://youtu.be/FKN7aWTUrIU

[greenlanturn]

Hi everyone

Thank you all for your advice and support - I've been to my doctor and I've been diagnosed as depressed and suffering with anxiety and I've been described anti - depressants. I hit rock bottom last week where I couldn't cope anymore and ended up going to hospital where I was given support and the help I needed and now hopefully things can only get better.

Thanks again for all the support guys!

[jumpingjellybean]

Glad its all going ok for you, what did they subscribe you? sorry to be nosey but i have been on the same medication for years and I think I have become imune.