Sometimes I wonder if I'll be battling depression for the rest of my life. Am I gonna be one of those wives and mothers that always needs to be medicated? Will I always be dealing with the highs and the lows at random moments? How would that look to my kids?? They probably wouldnt be able to handle my burst of energy for a couple of days..then my lack of it the next few days. And what about the days where I just sleep for hours. Then theres my panic attacks that seem to happen more often than usual. If this is how my life is gonna be..then I might as well not have kids. It wouldnt be right to bring them into that kind of life.

I am getting help now. I see a therapist twice a week..but how much will that help? I dont expect all the problems to be fixed right away of course. But I'm just wondering how much it will help. Will it make be a better wife? Or just a better person? I guess I should bring these up next time..

I am so happy that you are actively working on these things in therapy. You are asking important questions.

Sweetie don't say that. Before you bring yourself down even further thinking like this, please discuss this with your DH and your doctors. Since your dh is well aware of your depression you can discuss him pitching in when you have your down days.




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Ok... I literally just joined like 5 minutes ago, and this was the first post I read. I too, am diagnosed with depression. I don't know how long you have been dealing with it, but I was diagnosed 5 years ago. No matter what I tried, I never felt better... UNTIL I started seeing a therapist about 12 weeks ago. I am definitely not ready to be off my meds, but there is a huge improvement. I used to have crying jags regularly, and those have become rare. I have had moments that I have felt truly happy... and I haven't felt that in I don't even know how long. I'm not just happy go lucky 24/7 or anything, but l definitely feel not so... dark. That's the only way I can explain it, and I'm sure you understand. I don't feel so dark. So please, please continue seeing your therapist. Just remember, if you don't TRY, it isn't going to work. If she gives you exercises to do, do them. Really listen to her. My therapist has opened my eyes to things that never in a million years I would have thought had to do with my depression. Things I thought I was over. Things I thought I was "handling." I commend you for going, that's a huge first step. And just know that there are people out here who know exactly how you feel. My husband is very supportive, but he doesn't quite "get it." He still doesn't grasp how I can't just snap out of it. But that's okay. I think to understand depression you either have to have studied it for years, or actually have experienced it. Please feel free to talk to me anytime you need to, and I wish you all the best in your desire to break free from this!!!

My very close friend has been battling depression for years and for the longest time she thought she would never break free from it, but she HAS had breakthroughs and has made a lot of progress in these last few years. She still has some episodes, I'm not going to lie, but she is a MILLION TIMES better than she was before she started therapy. Depression can be helped; it's not a life-sentence.

But for now, I wouldn't worry about what kind of mother you will be. Concentrate on the present situation and what you need to deal with now.

I have struggled with depression for years. For the past few years I feel I really have a handle on it. My "big secret"?? I finally figured out I will have to take meds for the rest of my life...and that isn't a bad thing. I hear some many people say, "I don't wanna take pills for the rest of my life?" I am not sure why people think being on an antidepressant is such a bad thing. People take pills for high blood pressure, low blood pressure, high cholesteral, migraines, brith control, arthritis, diabetes, you name it. Antidepressants shouldn't make you like a zombie, if they are you are on the wrong meds.

Keep seeing the therapist!! Things will get better!!

You would not believe how many times I have asked myself those same questions. I have been battling depression for almost half my life now (on and off). I finally realized after the last "crash" that I need medication and will continue to need it. ohhh, I fought that decision for years but finally, someone made me look at things differently by saying "if you had diabetes or high blood pressure or (insert any other ailment here) would you just NOT take your meds?" I thought about that for a while and realized that one of the reasons i didn't want to take them was because of the social stigma of being "that crazy woman on meds". But I've come to realize that this is just the way I'm made - my brain just isn't able to balance the right chemicals it needs to - much like the diabetics pancreas just doesn't do what it is supposed to etc.

Now, dont' get me wrong, i'm not just pushing meds. I think it's great that you are in therapy and you may be one of those people who needs long term meds or you may not be. But hang in there, and keep working to find the right combination of things that work for you. It feels like a constant struggle sometimes, i know, and people don't always understand what's going on inside your head and why you can't just change it, but you aren't in this alone and it does get better, it just takes some trial and error to figure out what works best sometimes.

I don't have much to add in terms of anything that would be helpful or supportive - but I had noticed you weren't around as much as you had been lately, Francie. It's nice to see those icon-filled posts again. Hang in there, it'll get better soon. Your guy is almost home.

It took me a long time to accept the fact that I should be on medication..and it took me an even longer time to accept the fact that I should be in therapy. I'm sorta stubborn and I hate admitting my faults. But I really want to overcome this. However..I remembered that my mom had a chemical imblance too. She was on Paxil for many years. I'm not sure if it was depression though, because we never talked about it.

My depression & anxiety first started at the end of sophmore year, about the time my mom's cancer came back. But it wasnt totally bad. I honestly thought I was being a moody teenager. When I think back to those times, the signs were totally there. I dunno why nobody ever realized it then. But it got 10x more worse when I first moved here. Then obviously, the last 2 years have been pretty difficult.

I really want to overcome this. I'm seeing a therapist now, and will be going back to Church again. I want there to be some time in my life where I wont be on medication. The option will always be there though. But for awhile, I'd like to be without it. Maybe not right away..but somewhere down the line.

My daughter of 24 years is on long-term anti-depressants. She's had issues since she started middle school. Depression runs on both sides of her family. My grandfather had it so bad he shot himself.

Recently I decided I may have a depression problem too, and a psychiatrist agreed with me and prescribed welbutrin. What a difference it has made in the way I think. I must have had depression for a long time, because I haven't felt this way in years. Not euphoric, but more in control about what I obsess about, oops I mean think about a lot, if you know what I mean.

My daughter will probably take it forever, and I might too, and I'm OK with that. If it adds to the quality of life, and it's not immoral, how can it be bad?

Therapy is good, and your commitment to it shows that you care about yourself and your family. Hugs to you, hang in there!

I am a wife and mother who just finally realized that I am a better wife and mother because I take my meds. I have fewer down days and I am less likely to have bursts of anger and sadness. I am Bipolar with depressive episodes ( I think that what the dr calls it) It is alright to take a pill everyday for the rest of your life... if I had heart disease I would take to feel better.

I'm 20 and I've battled with depression since I was 14. In the past couple of years it's gotten a LOT better but it's still a daily battle and I'm sure it will be for the rest of my life. My weight has made my depression even worse and that's one major reason why I'm really going to try once and for all to get rid of this weight. I have never been on anti-depressants even though 2 psychologists I saw in HS wanted to put me on them because even they agreed that my depression was pretty bad but sadly my parents didn't want to believe they're little girl had a problem and didn't want to put me on drugs. All I can say is don't give up on the battle, depression is so hard to deal with and overcome but I think it is possible to work through. I worked through it myself and I still have my good/bad days but I don't feel at all what I felt like 2 years ago and I thank God everyday for that.

Big I am glad your getting help. I know this is def. not easy!!