What drives people to do this ?

[Fred Elliot]

The brain is a very sophisticated piece of kit that must remain very finely tuned to run properly. The slightest little thing out of sync and the whole thing can bugger up.

WORD

[herthab]

You don't have to have problems in your life to suffer from depression, the two don't go hand in hand. Plenty of people with everything going right for them suffer from it. To put it simply, depression makes you feel sad when there is no reason for you to.

I think you can also suffer from depression when your life is shit and there's lots of reasons for you to feel 'sad'.

[herthab]

The brain is a very sophisticated piece of kit that must remain very finely tuned to run properly. The slightest little thing out of sync and the whole thing can bugger up.

I would imagine drinking bottles of Tia Maria could seriously fuck up the grey cells.

What do you think Fred?

[Fred Elliot]

I think you are right mate


I certainly blame it for my Epilepsy which I can get quite depressed about

[Ardiles]

I lost a friend to depression-related suicide while at university.  The senselessness of it all completely floored me at the time, and 15+ years later I still find myself wondering where/what he would be doing now.  He was exceptionally bright, charismatic, very popular, glittering career prospects several job offers on the table).

My heart goes out to anyone who suffers from this debilitating illness.  On the positive side, it is at last now recognised as such.  'Pull yourself together, man' would often have been the response in the past...which can only have exacerbated things.

[iffy]

Some of the most successful people I know have suffered from serious depression.

From the outside, you'd think they had everything - family, cash, successful career - but depression cuts through all of that. It's an illness.

But most of the time we still think of it as something that can be sorted if someone could just "pull themselves together" or "look on the bright side", which is about as far off the mark as possible.

Trescothick's a good example.

[herthab]

I suffer from the usual depression from time to time, when work's going down the shitter, or my love life is in free-fall, or I think about being in my mid 40's with not much to look forward to!

But then I tell myself I'm a pathetic twat and to pull myself together!

But I suppose that's the difference between depression, clinical depression and suicide.

[Rustle]

Nope. The bit about it clearing up when we split was a joke! It did clear up though, she was given a course of pills that countered the imbalance (Can't remember the name) and after a while she didn't need them anymore.

It's a fucking horrible thing to live with though, for both the sufferer and their family. I must confess I didn't handle it very well. Everything is rosy, but they're suffering from depression? Took me a while to understand it.

I can't really imagine what it was like for you and her family,I have been a bit depressed in the past due to my illness but not to that kind of degree,It really must tear families apart at times to see loved ones in self destruct mode.

Good to hear everything is all ok now.

 

   

[Sippo]

I suffered from clinical depression a few years ago. Not good at all. I felt like a right junkie taking those pills.

[iffy]

I suffer from the usual depression from time to time, when work's going down the shitter, or my love life is in free-fall, or I think about being in my mid 40's with not much to look forward to!

But then I tell myself I'm a pathetic twat and to pull myself together!

But I suppose that's the difference between depression, clinical depression and suicide.

I think it's because we use the same words for two different things. I can have a shit day and sometimes think "I'm depressed", but it never lasts too long and I can, generally, pull myself together.

There's a world of difference between this everyday "i'm having a shit day/week/month" and clinical depression.

[jonny72]

but it's hardly feeling weepy is it ?

It was for me, I used to start crying without warning - when walking round the supermarket for example.

[sonicyouth]

Nope. The bit about it clearing up when we split was a joke! It did clear up though, she was given a course of pills that countered the imbalance (Can't remember the name) and after a while she didn't need them anymore.

probably selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), the best example of which is prozac.

there are so many different types of anti-depressants which work in a variety of ways, SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed anti-depressant, particularly for clinical depression.

there is still a great deal of mystery surrounding mental health and the way to treat it. it's difficult to get the right kind of help. GPs are understandably reluctant to treat depression outside of their scope, which comprises primarily of prescribing the basic dosage of the most appropriate anti-depressant. whilst this treatment is suitable for examples of clinical depression and helps thousands of people, the resources aren't there for those who need more help... in my experience at least.

an individual can be driven to suicide for all manner of reasons, most never move beyond the contemplation of it.

(and for the record, i don't think it's a selfish thing to do in any circumstances)

[Rustle]

I was prescribed Amitriptyline when i bout of depression,the wife said it spaced me out and made me moody and snap at everyone.I was better off without them if im honest,Im sure there was a bit on the news about it a while back saying it was making people worse.

In my case i think it was prescribed for the wrong reason,I could't sleep due to a lot of pain so they prescribed it because it relaxed the muscles and made you get goodnight sleep.  

[Sippo]

(and for the record, i don't think it's a selfish thing to do in any circumstances)

If it doesn't effect other innocent people directly. Ie. Commiting suicide jumping off a bridge onto a busy motorway...

[juddie]

my missus lost a housemate to this. Terrible sad for those left behind. And like Ardiles said, this was naother really bright – and popular – individual.