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Coping with long term depression

OrroContributor12 Mar 2019, 5:58 pm AEDT

Coping with long term depression

Hello all,

First of all sorry in advance if this post cuts of or looks weird - I've just signed up for this forum on my phone & it's a bit hard to use on here.

I'm hoping that someone has advice, stratergies or even just experiences to share about living with long term/chronic depression.

After over 10 years of dealing with it I've pretty much accepted that I'm going to have it for the rest of my life. I've made huge progress in the past few years in how I manage it but I feel like I'm stuck at a certain level and can never manage to really accomplish anything in life.

I feel like I will never have the dedication and consistancy needed to reach my goals, modest as they are. Instead it's like I've internally given up on pursuing anything worthwhile because I don't believe I can do it.

How do ppl with mental health issues acheive success despite their difficulties?

3 replies

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In response to: Coping with long term depression

BunniekinsSenior Contributor12 Mar 2019, 6:37 pm AEDT

Re: Coping with long term depression

@Orro Hi Orro and welcome to the forums 🙂 Firstly we have been experiencing technical problems with notifications all day today so you may not get many replies atm .... hopefully the problems will be fixed soon.

I have schizoaffective disorder and have been told by my psychiatrist that I will have it for the rest of my life. What that means for me is medications that put on weight which makes me miserable and tired. I hate it but I have no choice say the psychiatrists.

My big goal is to do more study but the psychiatrists say it is unlikely .... which is also depressing. Sometimes I get the feeling they want me to be happy doing finger painting in a corner somewhere ..... anyway never say never my aim is to study again once I feel up to it.

I would say have a look around the forum but atm it is nigh impossible with the tech problems. Maybe later on tonight they will have the gremlins out. greenpea

In response to: Re: Coping with long term depression

OrroContributor13 Mar 2019, 1:40 pm AEDT

Re: Coping with long term depression

Thanks for the welcome & sorry to hear about your own struggles. What kind of study do you want to do?

I'm struggling with figuring out how much of my failures are due to me & how much is the depression. It's hard to untangle. & if I'm like this forever, does that mean I can never have a challenging job, financial stability, rewarding hobbbies etc? Am I limited in what I can expect from life? I hope not.

In response to: Re: Coping with long term depression

gn21New Contributor10 Sept 2019, 9:27 pm AEST

Re: Coping with long term depression

Hi Orro,

I am new here and just came across your post.

It really resonated with and touched me, particularly your anguish around a challenging job and a fulfilling/meaningful life.

I feel I have been and currently am in a similar situation.

It's incredibly painful to know the life you want and the things you want to do but to feel they are out of your grasp. And not due to any lack of intelligence but due to depression and its devastating effects.

I am still struggling and I guess all we can do is put one foot in front of the other and maybe re think our goals. Perhaps what we would like to accomplish in a year, we need to give ourselves room to complete within three.

I hope you are doing alright and I wanted to leave you with a line from one of my favourite poets

'I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being'.- Hafez.

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