| Depression. What is it? Why would a normally healthy, | | | | three, really. The first one is that it is critical to have a |
| optomistic person get depressed? If things go wrong, | | | | Doctor that you trust, that knows you, and that |
| don't you just talk yourself out of feeling sorry for | | | | LISTENS to what you are saying. Secondly, since he |
| yourself? So what if your 23 year marriage ends, and | | | | knew about my MS, he told me that Depression was |
| your soon-to-be ex-husband moves in with your best | | | | a frequent secondary symptom of MS. (At that time, I |
| friend; you are left to cope with 2 devestated | | | | hadn't done my MS symptom research yet; the |
| teenagers; you loose your father and father-in-law to | | | | Disabilitykey Workbook, found at is the ultimate result |
| cancer; you have extreme job challenges; and, your | | | | of all of my symptom and system - Long Term |
| new condo, purchased without REALLY knowing | | | | Disability and Social Security Disability Insurance - |
| what to look for (just don't buy a home with a laundry | | | | research for myself.) Third, I learned that no matter |
| room upstairs over the living room!) and you develop a | | | | how strong your personality is, and no matter how |
| roof leak, and a laundry leak into the living room. AND, | | | | positive a person you are, Depression is NOT |
| you are the primary care giver for a very needy | | | | something you can get over by just "thinking positive |
| Mother.You can handle all of this, right? And, when, the | | | | thoughts"; by "keeping a stiff upper lip". If you truely |
| next year, you loose your Mother and Grandmother to | | | | think that you are suffering from Depression, there is |
| cancer too, it doesn't send you over the edge, does it? | | | | nothing wrong from talking to your Doctor, and seeking |
| Particularly when you also have Multiple Sclerosis, | | | | his advice.All that I have discussed so far happened |
| which has been misdiagnosed for over 35 years, and | | | | over a dozen years ago. I am still taking antidepression |
| the worst thing for MS is stress and anxiety. You can | | | | medication, and it does help. I have searched high and |
| handle everything, right?Well, I found that I couldn't. | | | | low for the original test that my Doctor used on me, |
| Consider the following list of symptoms that one | | | | and finally found one at one of my favorite resources, |
| should review if you think that you might be suffering | | | | called the "Institute for Algorithmic Medicine" (that's |
| from depression. OR, if you, like me, are convinced that | | | | academic talk for medical condition tests). The test is |
| you CAN HANDLE IT, if the rain would just stop; or, if | | | | "The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale". As you read |
| the roof would just stop leaking (I've already tried to | | | | the following questions, ask yourself where the |
| get it fixed 2 times, and it hasn't yet worked; I now | | | | statement ranks on the following scale:1) A little of the |
| have a gallon bucket sitting in the front hallway to | | | | time for me. |
| catch the water leaking from the hole in the roof); or, if | | | | 2) Some of the time for me. |
| the kids would just stop being "normal" teenagers, | | | | 3) A good part of the time for me. |
| when you no longer have a husband to help you in the | | | | 4) Most of the time for me.I fell down-hearted and |
| day-to-day coping with teenagers.Here is a checklist of | | | | blue. |
| symptoms of depressive illness:1) Loss of energy and | | | | Morning is when I feel the best. |
| interest. | | | | I have crying spells or feel like it. |
| 2) Diminished ability to enjoy oneself. | | | | I have trouble sleeping at night. |
| 3) Decreased -- or increased -- sleeping or appetite. | | | | I eat as much as I used to. |
| 4) Difficulty in concentrating; indecisiveness; slowed or | | | | I still enjoy sex. |
| fuzzy thinking. | | | | I notice that I am losing weight. |
| 5) Exaggerated feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or | | | | I have trouble with constipation. |
| anxiety. | | | | My heart beats faster than usual. |
| 6) Feelings of worthlessness. | | | | I get tired for no reason. |
| 7) Recurring thoughts about death and suicide.I | | | | My mind is as clear as it used to be. |
| remember clearly my "last straw". I read the list, above, | | | | I find it easy to do the things I used to. |
| and was sure that these 7 symptoms did NOT | | | | I am restless and can't keep still. |
| describe me. Then, with all of my water problems at | | | | I feel hopeful about the future. |
| home, I went to work in my 4th (top) floor office that | | | | I am more irritable than usual. |
| just happened to have a flat roof. While on the phone | | | | I find it easy to make decisions. |
| arguing with the roofer who claimed that my roof | | | | I feel that I am useful and needed. |
| shouldn't be leaking, and my telling him that it still was | | | | My life is pretty full. |
| leaking, and if he didn't believe me, he could just come | | | | I feel that others would be better off if I were dead. |
| over and see my bucket full of water in my entry | | | | I still enjoy the things I used to do.This little test, with |
| way, when I heard the familiar "pitter-patt" noise that | | | | your self rating for each statement, and with your |
| freaked me out at home. I looked up at my office | | | | symptom impairment documentation, so that your |
| ceiling just in time to see water beginning to gush out | | | | Doctor knows more about you and what is going on in |
| of the ceiling tiles, around the hanging lights, and pour | | | | your life, s/he can best decide what to do to help you |
| into my office. That did it. I went home. That night, I | | | | better achieve a higher quality of life. Perhaps |
| awoke thinking that I heard the "pitter-patt" in the | | | | antidepression medication isn't what you need, |
| upstairs laundry room, dripping water into my living | | | | something else would be better for you. But, if you |
| room. I got up, turned off the water to the washing | | | | don't learn, document, seek help, and discuss with your |
| machine; stuffed all of my towels around the washer, | | | | Doctor, s/he can't help you help yourself.Many of you |
| and stood with my back against the wall in my first | | | | are probably asking yourselves how I can just put |
| ever anxiety attack, thinking that if this was what my | | | | myself out there; just put into these bloggs what is |
| life had become, why would I even want to continue | | | | going on in my life. I'm doing this, sharing these |
| living it?This event scared me into going to my Doctor. | | | | experiences so that you can know that I have been |
| He had a great little "depression" test for me. Knowing | | | | there; I've done that; I've got the t-shirts! For more |
| my fragile state, he asked me the statements, and, | | | | about me, check out the "about us" section in the |
| based both on my answers and on the detailed | | | | website: & Carolyn is a website designed to assist |
| symptom impairment document that I had started | | | | each person in his/her own unique quest to navigate |
| preparing for him, prescribed an antidepression | | | | through the difficult and often conflicting and misleading |
| medication for me.I learned two critical things that day - | | | | information about coping with disabilities. |