Depression

Smedz · #1 10-14-2010, 09:59 AM

About two weeks ago I was diagnosed with chemical imbalance. Which in a nutshell means that my serotonin aswell as other important chemicals in my brain that help someone function are very low. Aside from my parent i've never really talked about it to anyone else, let alone anyone else who has suffered from this sort of thing. I'm 16 as of now my doctor also told me that my hormones are flying around all over the place so it's causing me to think really irrational thoughts. basically my main issue is that I constantly think i'm selling myself out and If i'm not exerting myself in a way that makes me special I've failed myself. So I ask the elders or even the kids my age if anyone has any advice or stories or have been through the same thing as i'm going through right now i'm open to hear about it and would enjoy hearing them.

Side note: This isn't like a cry for sympathy or whatever I just straight out need some help with this and it's a great outlet for it.

Edit: I left some info out so i'll continue on. My parents are divorced my mom and my step dad are both chiropractors and wellness people. I have a mental addiction to marijuana and a tendency toward other harder drugs like opiates and painkillers. I had suicidal tendencies in the past but I've been talked out of them and I now know how to control them and shake them off because I know I could never do that to my parents. I've been seeing the same phycologist for 7 years and he's slowly been teaching me ways to cope and realize the fake thoughts that go through my mind. I've been told that I suffer from chronic low self-esteem and low self-confidence. I do not have a girlfriend but I long to find one that works for me. I would basically like to live my life in an illusion because I'm so afraid of disillusionment. I take all-natural medication with no negative side effects the treat the chemical imbalance. so basically I'm just spewing out random facts about myself, I really do appreciate the kindness that all of you have to take the time to share your thoughts opinions and stories so please keep them coming because I'd love to hear more!

Jim Campbell · #2 10-14-2010, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smedz

About two weeks ago I was diagnosed with chemical imbalance. Which in a nutshell means that my serotonin aswell as other important chemicals in my brain that help someone function are very low. Aside from my parent i've never really talked about it to anyone else, let alone anyone else who has suffered from this sort of thing. I'm 16 as of now my doctor also told me that my hormones are flying around all over the place so it's causing me to think really irrational thoughts. basically my main issue is that I constantly think i'm selling myself out and If i'm not exerting myself in a way that makes me special I've failed myself. So I ask the elders or even the kids my age if anyone has any advice or stories or have been through the same thing as i'm going through right now i'm open to hear about it and would enjoy hearing them.

Side note: This isn't like a cry for sympathy or whatever I just straight out need some help with this and it's a great outlet for it.

fresh air,exercise,and something positive to focus on,like woodshedding a musical instrument with strings on it.....

mpdd · #3 10-14-2010, 10:12 AM

while you're still pretty young you should make a consorted effort to learn about your condition and take the steps you need to function in the most well adjusted manner, because you have a lot of time when you're young to develop habits that will benefit you in the future

Jim Campbell · #4 10-14-2010, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpdd

while you're still pretty young you should make a consorted effort to learn about your condition and take the steps you need to function in the most well adjusted manner, because you have a lot of time when you're young to develop habits that will benefit you in the future

i dunno dude.....i think a lot of this add/depression stuff is a croc doctors and drug companies have designed.....it was practically unheard of when i was young.....our parents fed us good food with very little processed crap,and candy was a treat and not a diet......we also spent most days playing outside,actively,and tv was no more than an hour or two a week......these days they have a drug regimen ready for any kid that stares a video game too long...

macaroni tony · #5 10-14-2010, 10:48 AM

I was on Paxil when I was 15. Now at 26 looking back at my teenage self, I just want to smack myself upside the head and say, "You stupid kid!"

There's not much I can tell you that will do a ton of good. But what I would say is spend a lot of time outdoors, eat healthy, and play your bass. We were made to be outdoors in nature; being cooped up in a box playing video games and playing on the net is not natural.

Try not to overthink everything; as humans, and especially as teenagers, the more we stay inside our own heads the more crazy we drive ourselves.

What your doctor said is true: your raging hormones make everything more difficult than they need to be. Ride out this teenage storm; it will be over before you know it

powderfinger · #6 10-14-2010, 10:50 AM

Same boat here. Ive been diagnosed with clinical depression as well as other "disorders". Ive not found any meds that helpful... too many side effects, and personally, Im not sure the body was made to "be on meds" long-term. I wont judge those who use meds however, they just havent been good for me.

I myself go to the gym and do cardio weekly. Its the highlight of my day. I go to the gym after work. Crank up some good tunes on my Ipod... and basically spend 45 min on the treadmill or elliptical making my heart healthy, while checking out TONS of hot girls. That does ALOT for my mental health!

Also, I dont drink. I have no issue with drinking itself, but for many who are depressed it helps temporarily, but after you sober up, you are WORSE than you were before you drank. You may want to be moderate or avoid alcohol. Simply for your own mental health. Smoking too. Smoking can cause anxiety and in turn make your depression worse, IMO.

Hobbies... I havent played in a band in a few years, but I continue to record at home on my computer. I also like to kayack, canoe, bike.. outdoors makes you feel good.

Good luck brother.

macaroni tony · #7 10-14-2010, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powderfinger

Same boat here. Ive been diagnosed with clinical depression as well as other "disorders". Ive not found any meds that helpful... too many side effects, and personally, Im not sure the body was made to "be on meds" long-term. I wont judge those who use meds however, they just havent been good for me.

I myself go to the gym and do cardio weekly. Its the highlight of my day. I go to the gym after work. Crank up some good tunes on my Ipod... and basically spend 45 min on the treadmill or elliptical making my heart healthy, while checking out TONS of hot girls. That does ALOT for my mental health!

Also, I dont drink. I have no issue with drinking itself, but for many who are depressed it helps temporarily, but after you sober up, you are WORSE than you were before you drank. You may want to be moderate or avoid alcohol. Simply for your own mental health. Smoking too. Smoking can cause anxiety and in turn make your depression worse, IMO.

Hobbies... I havent played in a band in a few years, but I continue to record at home on my computer. I also like to kayack, canoe, bike.. outdoors makes you feel good.

Good luck brother.

HUGE +1 there. Took me a while to learn that.

**pacojas** · #8 10-14-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

i dunno dude.....i think a lot of this add/depression stuff is a croc doctors and drug companies have designed.....it was practically unheard of when i was young.....our parents fed us good food with very little processed crap,and candy was a treat and not a diet......we also spent most days playing outside,actively,and tv was no more than an hour or two a week......these days they have a drug regimen ready for any kid that stares a video game too long...

+1

gdthomas · #9 10-14-2010, 10:58 AM

Stay active ,take care of yourself, and make sure you get enough sleep.

jordy_on_bass · #10 10-14-2010, 11:05 AM

Hey dude,

I am 22, so I was a teenager not too long ago. I experienced a pretty rough childhood and I was diagnosed with depression through my teenage years from some childhood trauma. From the age of 13-15, I was very unhappy. I was overweight, had bad acne and I had extremely low self esteem. I ended up joining the gym and got in tremendous physical shape (at the age of 17 I was 5'10, 240lb and 5% body fat). While my self esteem improved, I still felt unhappy. I was then diagnosed with depression and put on medication. I hated it, made me feel weird and sort of uneasy all the time.
Now, I am in no way condoning or suggesting that anybody does this as a form of medication/treatment for mental illness or depression, but I tried pot for the first time. It made me feel good and I smoked about 3 times a week for around 2 years (please keep in mind that it could have an adverse reaction to some patients who suffer mental illness). Haven't smoked in 2 years, and while I occasionally get the odd day where I am feeling down, 99% of the time I am a happy person. Most people can't believe that I have been diagnosed with depression.

My advice to you; stick through it mate. Keep playing bass, it soothed me through my hard times (more than the pot did) and I am sure it will help sooth you as well. We all know how hard the teenage years can be, your hormones will drive you crazy. But once they settle down, you will find the mental condition should also settle down. Just wait till you finish school, that is where life begins. And you aren't too far away from it now

Chin up dude!
Jordan

Munjibunga · #11 10-14-2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smedz

About two weeks ago I was diagnosed with chemical imbalance. Which in a nutshell means that my serotonin aswell as other important chemicals in my brain that help someone function are very low. Aside from my parent i've never really talked about it to anyone else, let alone anyone else who has suffered from this sort of thing. I'm 16 as of now my doctor also told me that my hormones are flying around all over the place so it's causing me to think really irrational thoughts. basically my main issue is that I constantly think i'm selling myself out and If i'm not exerting myself in a way that makes me special I've failed myself. So I ask the elders or even the kids my age if anyone has any advice or stories or have been through the same thing as i'm going through right now i'm open to hear about it and would enjoy hearing them.

Side note: This isn't like a cry for sympathy or whatever I just straight out need some help with this and it's a great outlet for it.

Yeah. You're a teenager.

**nutdog** · #12 10-14-2010, 11:36 AM

I used to think the whole ADD thing was a croc, too. Then I adopted a 5 year old boy, who's 9 now. Now I'm a believer. But I still don't think the stimulant based drugs are a good thing.

Don't know if this applies to your situation but, in addition to the outdoors/exercise suggestions, I would seriously look into your diet. Many foods affect mood, behavior and brain function. And many, many foods contain things we just don't need. And they don't all affect everyone the same way. High fructose corn syrup is in everything. Check your ketchup label. If my son eats corn chips you can see his little face start squenching up and his ability to concentrate and focus is shot. Today's sweet corn is not what the pilgrims grew.

He also has issues with gluten (wheat), casein (dairy) and sugar. My niece turns evil when she eats soy.

There is plenty of info on the internet about food/mood/behavior. Much is related to Aspergers/Autism/ADD/HADD, which all seem to be related. Of course, anything on the internet should be viewed with skepticism, but we've seen tremendous change since we changed the diet last year. And when we go off of the diet, the change is immediately apparent (as in "Lord, what was I thinking when I let him eat that ice cream?").

Jim Nazium · #13 10-14-2010, 11:52 AM

I was diagnosed with depression around 1993, and looking back, the signs were there long before that. I've been on & off meds ever since, mostly on.

The first piece of advice I'd like to give you is this: take it seriously. Depression is a serious condition. It's not just a personal weakness, no matter what some people may say.

The second is: take care of your body. As others have said, exercise, decent food, and limiting your intake of toxins (drugs, alcohol, tobacco, etc) is very important. For me, I've found exercise to be the most effective thing, even more than the meds.

The third is: if you get to the point where you're considering suicide, or you start to think there's no point in staying alive, find someone to talk to. Call a hotline, talk to a counselor or priest, go to the emergency room if you have to, but talk to someone. My mother killed herself. Do I even need to tell you how devastating that was to our family?

Being a teenager is tough. I think that's why rock music was invented; it's a way to expres all those powerful emotions. Hang in there bro.

Smedz · #14 10-14-2010, 12:03 PM

Thanks for the advice guys, my parents are both chiropractic and wellness people so I know plenty of diet tips haha. I'm on these natural meds right now, it's basically like a prozac except without the side effects. Ive been smoking marijuana for a year and a half everyday and drinking alcohol on the weekends on the summer it was around 2-3 times a day with the smoking.

I guess I just for the future i'll makes better choices with eating and maybe if i'm feeling up for it enough hit the gym and take a jog.

pointbass · #15 10-14-2010, 12:10 PM

It is very common for teenagers to feel like they're "not worthy" and many, if not most, just go through the phase and come out the other side of it better than they were. And it's also become quite commonplace for physicians to dispense meds for just about every human quirk/sickness/pain you can imagine (actually easier to stick a pill in your mouth than cure you, but that's another topic) ....

With all of that said, you're wise to be aware of your situation and trying to take steps to stay ahead of it. Most everyone is depressed at some time or another, but there can be situations where that depression IS worse that just the "normal" teen angst. Letting people know of your situation and getting advice/comments from them about what they see going on is important.

Our son committed suicide when he was 30 years old. In the course of about 4 months he went from being a happy, successful guy to dead. It happened so quickly, and in fact we don't actually know why he had such a huge swing in personality (wasn't drugs, wasn't drinking, he had a GREAT job with Intel in OR, beautiful girlfriend). It can happen to anyone, and letting people know about your concerns is a very smart move.

Don't let the "Ahh, you're only a teenager" comments make you think you're being foolish .... quite the opposite

Smedz · #16 10-14-2010, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Nazium

I was diagnosed with depression around 1993, and looking back, the signs were there long before that. I've been on & off meds ever since, mostly on.

The first piece of advice I'd like to give you is this: take it seriously. Depression is a serious condition. It's not just a personal weakness, no matter what some people may say.

The second is: take care of your body. As others have said, exercise, decent food, and limiting your intake of toxins (drugs, alcohol, tobacco, etc) is very important. For me, I've found exercise to be the most effective thing, even more than the meds.

The third is: if you get to the point where you're considering suicide, or you start to think there's no point in staying alive, find someone to talk to. Call a hotline, talk to a counselor or priest, go to the emergency room if you have to, but talk to someone. My mother killed herself. Do I even need to tell you how devastating that was to our family?

Being a teenager is tough. I think that's why rock music was invented; it's a way to expres all those powerful emotions. Hang in there bro.

I have considered this, I willed myself and continue to will myself to not let in enter my mind because I would never be able to do this to my parents. I've been seeing a phycologist for the past 7 years and he's really help me cope with these feelings and work with them to prove that it's irrational and I shouldnt be thinking that way. To help compensate for this though I have an extremely big tendency toward substance abuse. Ive been interested in a few harder drugs and narcotics and dabbeled with a few but nothing to the point of addiction or anything like that. I recognize this and have been really REALLY trying to stay away although I still smoke marijuana I try and stay away from opiates and painkillers cause I know I have a big tendency toward those.

Smedz · #17 10-14-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pointbass

It is very common for teenagers to feel like they're "not worthy" and many, if not most, just go through the phase and come out the other side of it better than they were. And it's also become quite commonplace for physicians to dispense meds for just about every human quirk/sickness/pain you can imagine (actually easier to stick a pill in your mouth than cure you, but that's another topic) ....

With all of that said, you're wise to be aware of your situation and trying to take steps to stay ahead of it. Most everyone is depressed at some time or another, but there can be situations where that depression IS worse that just the "normal" teen angst. Letting people know of your situation and getting advice/comments from them about what they see going on is important.

Our son committed suicide when he was 30 years old. In the course of about 4 months he went from being a happy, successful guy to dead. It happened so quickly, and in fact we don't actually know why he had such a huge swing in personality (wasn't drugs, wasn't drinking, he had a GREAT job with Intel in OR, beautiful girlfriend). It can happen to anyone, and letting people know about your concerns is a very smart move.

Don't let the "Ahh, you're only a teenager" comments make you think you're being foolish .... quite the opposite

Thanks for the support and I'm really sorry to hear about your loss. at least I know i'm trying to do the right thing

Jonyak · #18 10-14-2010, 12:23 PM

more medication is probably the last thing you need right now.

in fact I would go so far as to say that if you layed off the alcohol and weed, you might find yourself feeling better.

jordy_on_bass · #19 10-14-2010, 12:27 PM

pointbass makes an excellent...well, point lol. There is a difference between teen angst and depression. May I also suggest something else, try and find a girlfriend if you dont have one. I have been with my fiance for just over 3 years and I am almost a totally different person to the depressed person I used to be.

Just remember that you can't rock an arena if you are 6 feet under ground

Cheers,
Jordan

**Staccato** · #20 10-14-2010, 12:32 PM

Routine or schedule after school until bedtime will provide some relief. Some families have a varied dinner time in the evening, and you can try to get homework done about the same time during the week.

Woodshedding on bass around the same time daily is worthwhile!

Establish a time around 10 pm for sleep, and buy a second or third alarm if you have trouble jumping out on time in the am. Getting enough rest is crucial!