Feeling Blue for 2 Weeks.

Hi @DahliaDreams, thank you for reaching out here.

I'm sorry to hear things have been feeling heavy lately, especially when you aren't sure what's contributing to those feelings. It's great you're sharing, and I hope the community can provide you with some comfort and support.

Maybe you and other members could share some strategies or self-care practices that have helped during periods of feeling low?

Thinking of you this evening!

~ @Honeymoon

Hi @Honeymoon

thanks for replying so quickly. It's nice to know someone is listening.

When I feel low, I try to do things that make me feel good. Some things that can work at least for a while are -

going for a walk outdoors

gardening or weeding

watching a feel-good movie

hot chocolate (making one now)

reading a book

cooking/baking

yoga

lighting some candles

journaling

Lately I find I have to really push myself. Normally I fill up my day doing things and time flies by so quickly. But lately, I struggle to think of things I really want to do. I've lost a lot of energy and motivation. Sometimes I feel very trapped. It's just a feeling. I know I am not trapped and can go anywhere I want to go, but then I think that leaving the house or going out won't change anything, so I tend to stay home.

Thank you for sharing these lovely self-care strategies @DahliaDreams !

I love a hot chocolate and a comfort show in the evening too. It sounds like taking small steps and being gentle with yourself could help ease some of that pressure?

Kindly,

~ @Honeymoon

@Honeymoon ,

I think doing anything beats doing nothing... that's for sure. I also really look forward to going to bed and sleeping. It's such a relief not to have to think (being asleep that is)

One thing I forgot to mention is music. Certain songs evoke certain feelings and seem to work momentarily in lifting my mood.

:)

Hi @DahliaDreams

Sorry to hear that you are not feeling like yourself. When you say you are feeling down, does it feel like an emptiness? Like you can't pin point what it is? What was your childhood like? Sometimes there can be underlying trauma that can get easily missed by gps and other health professionals. I am not saying you have it for sure but if these feelings keep coming back for no reason it makes me suspect trauma. Trauma is not always obvious but when you look deeper you will find it.

Hi @Misty7

it's nice to hear from you. I can't easily describe what feeling blue is like for me. I suppose it's like sadness but without an obvious cause. If something sad happens and you feel sad about it, then that is understandable. But if you suddenly feel very sad for no reason that you know of, then the feeling continues underneath anything else you might feel, it becomes a bit distressing, I suppose. Not terrible, but it's like it nags at you day in and day out, until it wears you down. And you feel really weird because you don't mention it to other people. So, your life becomes part performance, I suppose. And you look normal, so no-one notices. That is what it's like.

I don't know if you can relate? No worries if you can't.

Well, my childhood was okay - there is nothing specific I can describe. But I do remember being depressed and anxious as young as 8 years of age. It may have even started before that, but 8 is when I remember it happening. It doesn't seem to be associated with anything in particular. I did some regression with my friend who is a hypnotist, but we didn't discover much.

I was afraid of the dark, I had nightmares and I was pretty shy. Other than that, I couldn't say much. I have happy childhood memories as well. We definitely had some good times.

How are you doing?

Hi@DahliaDreams

I too have times when I feel down and can easily cry for no reason (emotional flashback) and my energy goes but I know it's from Cptsd. Anxiety and depression can be symptoms of trauma. That's a very young age to have anxiety and depression. We're you taken to a psychologist? Sometimes there can be genetic factors but I'm always wary that there is trauma behind it. Even having a stressful childhood can bring it on.If you find it keeps coming back it's worth looking deeper.

Thank you for your kind words @Misty7

Unfortunately, my parents did not take me to a psychologist. I often wonder if my life may have been different if they did. My first contact with mental health professionals was at 35yrs. Unlike other people I read about, I actually had very good care and would totally recommend if people are suffering that they seek professional support.

It is a very long story, but my GP eventually referred me to a psychiatrist - which I believe was a good call on his part.

The psychiatrist was a very kind woman who did psychotherapy as well as prescribing medication. But she did not uncover any particular reason for my depression, although she said that it probably had a genetic link. She thought that the fact that my depression started so young was significant. I just remember how kind she was and how that made me feel better. Up until then, I mainly found the world very uncaring and cold.

Not that I don't have friends and family. But it's really odd, because I mainly don't feel comfortable sharing stuff with them. That's probably why I am here.

I'm sorry to hear you have CPTSD. I have a friend who has that and she is debilitated by it. I hope you are going okay and getting all the support you need. xx

Hi@DahliaDreams

Thanks for replying. You have raised some interesting points. It is interesting that your parents never took you to see a doctor. That would have been very hard to have no treatment for that long. To be honest it sounds neglectful.What are their own attitudes to mental health? Any sort of neglect or even emotional neglect or being dismissed, not been there for a kid can be damaging. It's sometimes enough to cause trauma without a person even realising it. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression at around 17 years of age. I kept going back to see a psychologist for years because it kept coming back. Until this year I had a full blown melt down I was diagnosed with Cptsd. Only to be told that my anxiety and depression are symptoms.of cptsd I wish I was diagnosed with this years ago. My diagnosis was completely missed. I got diagnosed at 42 this year.

Hello @Misty7 ,

I have heard of that kind of thing happening a lot - a diagnosis being missed. Unfortunately, psychology is not an exact science. It's good you are finally getting the treatment you need. I'm sorry to hear about your meltdown, it must have been difficult for you. I hope you are on the mend now.

I agree with you that my parents were neglectful in some ways. I really can't understand why they wouldn't have taken me to a doctor, when I first became depressed, it seems like the obvious thing to do, and I can't believe they were that dumb. I definitely told them all about my thoughts which were extremely dark, as an eight-year-old. It's strange that they could be very motivated and protective in many ways but not take me to a doctor when I really needed one.

Perhaps that is why I don't feel comfortable telling my family and friends how I am feeling now. I learnt when I was very young that I wasn't going to be listened to. Well, my parents are both gone now, so I'm never going to ask them what they were thinking back then.

Come to think of it, they weren't especially sympathetic when I became depressed as an adult, either. I remember they told me I should be working more and that would cure everything. Oh well, they were living in another reality.