How do YOU deal with the blues?

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Designdiva

Designdiva

Joined
Jan 29, 2009
Messages
6
:depressed:


Hi there,

I'm new to this website and thought I would try and get some advice from people who who are going through similar situations.

I was diagnosed in 1997 after the birth of my third child and after getting my diagnosis in the hospital - my now ex-husband's first response was "Quit the tears and suck it up!"

Up until now, I've done a good job of dealing with the ups and downs and ins and outs of Crohn's disease but lately I've been finding it hard to keep a smile on my face. I have a good support system but as much as they try to be there for me, they have never had to experience day after day of crampy diahreah, multiple fistulas on your butt to the point you feel like a sieve, giving up 4 hours on your Saturday every 4 weeks to be hooked up to a Remicade IV, having to pretty much wear diapers and having the idea of ever being able to wearing a sexy thong bathing suit go out the window....I could go on and on but I don't want to sound like I'm complaining.

I think being able to communicate or maybe commiserate with others on this website will help but honestly, what helps you to get out of bed in the morning when you would much rather just throw the covers over your head and scream "I'VE HAD IT!"???

Sorry about the depressing post but based on the posts I've read so far, if anyone can help me get out of my funk - it will be you guys. Thanks.
 
hi Des,

welcome to our corner of the website where complaining about crohns symptoms, talking about meds, venting, getting halfway thru a post before running to the toilet, soiling the bed or underwear is completely normal.

how do i deal with the blues?

i try start every day with a healthy dose of www.cuteoverload.com , then i come here and try make shitty situations a little better by trying to make light of some situations:D

we know how crappy it is for you, nothing is tabboo about body functions here so never be embarrassed to ask any questions, or share any info that may help yourself or someone your replying to.

instead of putting everything about our pasts into one post, many member update there original post (like this one), bit by bit and share their story over time.

there are members here that have been posting since before crohns was even named as a disease, others just come to vent, and i like to spend most my day at work on here ignoring my job:D

look forward to hearing more from you

Jed
 
When I look back on my darkest days of crohn's, I don't know how I got through it. I don't know how many times I vowed to quit eating, but somehow that doesn't quite work for very long.

When I had my first major hospitalization I started posting here and it was a great help meeting all the good folks who have similar experiences and support.
 
Hi Designdiva,

First off....remember the good things about your life. your children for example laughing out loud.

What made them laugh, probably the mom that i suspect you are...a good one.

Think about the support network that you talked about and how reliable they are for you.

Thank the lord also for getting rid of that pig of a husband !!

I too have days just like you i promise, but you have really got to try and see the glass half full and you know what.......promise yourself that you will one day get back into swimwear and feel comfortable and feel radiant.

Above all just feel like you deserve you should, happy and healthy.

All the very best wishes to you and everyone around you, go for it !!


You can do anything that you really really want

Bruscar
 
honestly...it makes me feel better to have a little pity party...I am a very emotional person, and cry at the drop of a hat...so when I'm sad, I just let it out...It really does make me feel loads better. Then I can move on and think of all of the things I have in this world that I am grateful for...

Don't be sad...I know it's sooo hard sometimes...try to look on the bright side. what has this experience taught you...about yourself, or life in general...sometimes life is so much clearer when you have something bad like CD happen to you...
 
Hi designdiva! Welcome to the forum!

I am with daisy. I have to let it all out. Usually on this forum since no one I know has the disease and just doesn't understand. They might try, but they just don't get it usually. Other than that I find something that makes me happy, even if only for a moment. For example I will watch a favorite movie, play a game on my DS or read a good magazine or book. Something that lets me escape from the disease for a bit.
 
Thank you all for your great suggestions.

Has anyone ever decided to take any medication to help with depression and if so, did it help?

I know we take a ton of medicine daily as it is but those are all to help with our physical ailments, but as "E" touched upon...sometimes the mental toll of this disease is kind of swept under the carpet as it's easier to hide our tears and frustrations behind a smile - our physical issues are not so easy to hide.
 
I've taken anti-depressants in the months leading up to a hip replacement, when I was housebound and in a lot of pain. I only had a mild dose, but they did help. The problem is whether you are clinically depressed or depressed due to the circumstances of the disease. I think that when you really don't want to do anything, you're likely to be clinically depressed and time to go on the pills; when you actually do want to do things, but can't because of the disease, then you've just got the blues.
 
Hey Des and welcome.... :)

I decided to come out of hiding 'cos your post struck home with me so much. I've been real down lately too - last night was one of my worst for a long time. I was in so much pain, both physical and mental - I cried for hours. Then I got up and watched some pay TV and did some embroidery to try to take my mind off things. It helped some.

I have been on antidepressants for a few years. As AgX20 says, there is a difference between clinical depression and 'the blues'. You can shake the blues; but you can't shake true depression. My anti-d's don't make me happy, but they make me more balanced and able to cope with the ups and downs of life. Before I went on them, I had days when I couldn't get out of bed I felt so lousy and sad.

I'd go and have a chat with your doc and be honest with him/her and ask them if they think anti-d's might help you. Otherwise, therapy can actually be quite helpful. Just having someone or something shift the focus of your thinking helps. I keep a journal/blog and try to concentrate on the positive things. It can be hard at times though, I know....

Seems kinda weird that I am here giving advice on how to cope when I am not coping too good myself, but I do know the theory. Just goes to show that putting the theory into practice ain't an easy thing to do. Try to keep your chin up Des and remember there are people on here that know exactly where you are coming from. That alone can make a real difference.

Thinking of you.
 
Thanks guys and cookie - I'm sorry to hear that you've been feeling down in the dumps too but I'm glad that you were able to come out of hiding to share how you are feeling. It can get pretty lonely down here...

I also understand how you feel about going on vacation and then having to come back to 'reality'. My brother got married down in Mexico at the end of November and we had 45 friends and family down there for the wedding - we all had an AMAZING time. The salt water, the parties, the drinking (really helped to keep the edge off even though it's not the BEST way to deal the blues) but then you come back and reality hits you right between the eyes. I'm still wishing I was back on the beach - but summer will be here before we know it (hopefully it makes it DARN QUICK!)

As for me, I think the best course of action as you guys have mentioned, is to go and talk to my doctor. I don't think I'm clinically depressed, just wanting to even out my moods so there aren't so many highs and lows... My daughter says that she hates the evenings the most - the time when I get home from work. She never knows what mood is going to walk through the door...

I'll let you guys know once I've talked to my Dr. Thanks for the advice.
 
Celexa is a big big help.

I planted morning glories outside my kitchen window last summer and every morning I would look out to see what new flowers were blooming. Not a big thing, just a little thing that takes the edge off. That and freshly brewed coffee every morning.

This winter I got a puppy, heating pad, and some music I like and can relax in the evenings that way. I try not to think about all the things that I can not do and try to find little things that are pleasant.

Over Christmas I got myself a shotgun. Never owned a gun before in my whole life. I took me and the dog and spent four days shooting skeet in freezing rain on some family property. Our clothes were wet, we were cold and muddy, the dog kept running down range. It was chaotic and awesome so much was happening I could go an hour without thinking about the Crohn's.
 
Designdiva said:
:depressed:


Hi there,

I'm new to this website and thought I would try and get some advice from people who who are going through similar situations.

I was diagnosed in 1997 after the birth of my third child and after getting my diagnosis in the hospital - my now ex-husband's first response was "Quit the tears and suck it up!"

Up until now, I've done a good job of dealing with the ups and downs and ins and outs of Crohn's disease but lately I've been finding it hard to keep a smile on my face. I have a good support system but as much as they try to be there for me, they have never had to experience day after day of crampy diahreah, multiple fistulas on your butt to the point you feel like a sieve, giving up 4 hours on your Saturday every 4 weeks to be hooked up to a Remicade IV, having to pretty much wear diapers and having the idea of ever being able to wearing a sexy thong bathing suit go out the window....I could go on and on but I don't want to sound like I'm complaining.

I think being able to communicate or maybe commiserate with others on this website will help but honestly, what helps you to get out of bed in the morning when you would much rather just throw the covers over your head and scream "I'VE HAD IT!"???

Sorry about the depressing post but based on the posts I've read so far, if anyone can help me get out of my funk - it will be you guys. Thanks.
Click to expand...
(bare with my spelling, im not retarded im just swedish)

I get the impression that you are somewhat ashamed of your illness. And you wish that you didnt have this shitty disease (duh). You have every reason for this.. but this leads to a lot of frustration, wich will in turn make you depressed and angry. Dealing with your emotions is hard because there is nobody around you who understands what you are going through.. this is why you cant really get help for this.. to feel better about yourself. It's not something that people just naturally "know" how to handle! You have to find help, and alot of it is helping yourself. But you cant do this on your own!

In my opinion you should visit a psychologist. It just might change your life. For me, he helped me get a lot of perspective on what i was going through, and this if anything helped me understand how to deal with my negative emotions - like depression. All your emotions go like a circle, and you need help to break it. This doesnt mean that you are "complaining".. when you are sick you get help for your own sake. There is absolutely no need for you to feel bad psychologicly, you have enough physical problems as it is with your illness! But this doesnt mean that you need medication, or even regular talks with a psychologist.

The hospital where i'm a patient has psychologists that work specificly with people with chronic illnesses. Maybe there is somebody like this where you live aswell? Look into it, be brave and give it a try. It may not be the right thing for you, but also it can make a huge difference. I have only been to ONE session with my psychologist, coupled with some phone chats. And guess what, he helped me so much that i probably dont need to go again.

Basicly therapy is about learning to help yourself. Learning to change your own patterns of thought.. and by changing your thoughts you can express your emotions in a positive way. And you LEARN to not be depressed by changing your perspective into a healthy one. Because your emotion starts as a thought, and it goes in a circle. Negative emotions birth more negative thoughts.

Depending on your personality.. if you are like me then you are very apprehensive about talking to a psychologist. I am also a "tough person" who never "complains" about anything. But belive me picking up the phone and breaking these thoughts is the hardest step.. after that it can only help you.

And one advice; avoid the antidepressants/zoloft/SSRI medicine like its the black fucking plauge. These medicines help some people and im not biased against them in any way, but make sure you have committed to different solutions first. They (psychiatrists) are very quick to perscribe this type of pill to everybody like some kind of problem free miracle drug. I was offered Zoloft myself on my very first session with a psychologist, before he even knew anything about me! Unbelivable. They are not miracle drugs, its just a pill that raises your dopamine-levels and makes you feel better. Like any other drug.

I hope you will consider what i've written, and good luck to you! There are many who live a happy life despite having all types of terrible diseases, and you can live a happy life too. Its a terrible waste of time for any person to wake up thinking "ive had it!" every day.
 
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I am on prozac. I have always had anxiety, but it became much worse and accompanied with depression with the onset of the disease. The day in and day out pain and issues with sleeping and eating just is too much for me to handle. I am on a low dose and it has really helped me stay balanced. I feel much happier and less stressed for sure. For me the anxiety was the major issue not the depression. Before the prozac I worried obsessively about the smallest things and they would consume my life. I never thought I would take a drug like this, but I decided to try it and it has worked great for me. I understand how many people don't support these drugs, but for some it can be life changing.

By the way I never liked taking any type of meds, but now I take many pills everyday and thank God that they give me relief. For me diet was not enough to keep my Crohn's under control.
 
ChronsSUCKS said:
And one advice; avoid the antidepressants/zoloft/SSRI medicine like its the black fucking plauge. These medicines help some people and im not biased against them in any way, but make sure you have committed to different solutions first. They (psychiatrists) are very quick to perscribe this type of pill to everybody like some kind of problem free miracle drug. I was offered Zoloft myself on my very first session with a psychologist, before he even knew anything about me! Unbelivable. They are not miracle drugs, its just a pill that raises your dopamine-levels and makes you feel better. Like any other drug.
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Hi CS, I agree that anti-d's are not 'miracle drugs' but I disagree very strongly with your advice to avoid them 'like the black f****g plague'. I did just that for years - I did not want to take drugs that I thought would alter who I was and how I thought. I argued that they would not change the situation; all they could do was to put me in a haze so that it didn't bother me as much and I didn't want that.

As a result, I ended up trying to commit suicide - and yes, I was deadly serious. It wasn't 'just' a cry for help - I had had it. Thankfully (obviously) I survived - although the docs said I really shouldn't have.

When I finally gave in and decided to give the anti-d's a go, it was a last resort. I decided that I had tried everything else, including suicide. The drugs took a while to work, but yeah... once those dopamine levels were raised, it made a difference. It was like the haze I had dreaded as a result of taking the anti-d's actually lifted and I could think more clearly again.

I agree that Diva (and others) should try other solutions first. Certainly if your doc throws pills at you first off, then you should def. question it! :eek2: But don't be totally against anti-d's if your doc suggests them either. I just felt I had to add this CS, because even tho' you say you are not against anti-d's and they have their place, your description of them as the 'black plague' suggests that you are and may put people reading here off taking them completely. A lot of people are like I was and very reluctant to take any form of 'mind-altering' pill in the first place. But anti-d's really can help people like me who have low dopamine levels and can give you the chance of living a more normal life.

By the way, CS, I think you do very well with your spelling seeing ias you're writing in your second language! :)
 
I keep a positivity/GSD(Get Sh*t Done) book, I started it last March, and I just started book 2 at the beginning of January. The rule is that nothing negative is allowed in the book, so on days when i feel really really bad, I avoid the book.. cause I don't want to taint it with any negative feelings. On the just regular level of bad days I will fake it, I will write about everything I am so grateful for, and everything I want to accomplish in the next few days... instead of napping. It has been the biggest aid in getting through the bad feelings. Especially for those of us that live in places with bad winter months...the weather is always a big factor in how I feel.
The other thing with the book is that I dont write about specific events, and I dont date anything. So when its done, it's just a big book of positivity and love, that you made.
I know I probably sound pretty cheesy, cause I even felt silly doing it at first, but it works, and its really gotten me through.
 
CS - I wanted to thank you for your post and congratulate you on how non 'mentally-challenged' it was. :tongue:

I think that you all make GREAT points and suggestions and what works brilliantly for one doesn't necessarily work for the next - that's what makes us all individuals.

I'll be honest and say that I haven't yet tried talking to a therapist or psychologist and this is due in large part to the fact that I am ashamed of my disease (you hit the nail on the head) and haven't yet gotten to the point where I can accept and 'embrace' it (for lack of a better word). I was brought up to have a stiff backbone and life has taught me along the way that if something needs to get done, you can only rely on yourself to make sure it gets done and gets done properly. It's HARD for me to ask for help from anyone and the fact that there are NO ANSWERS AND NO DEFINITE SOLUTIONS when it comes to this disease frustrates the heck out of me! My way of dealing and coping with this up until now has been to bury my head in the sand as much as possible and ignore it whenever possible.

Your next question I'm sure is - How's it workin for ya?

The answer to that question is as you know - it isn't working for me!

Crohn's is a MESSY disease on many levels. Me being a person who likes order, organization, routine, cleanliness, etc. has spent the last 12 years trying to ignore my disease as it doesn't fit in with how my life needs to be. I don't have the patience for all of the Dr. appts, colonoscopies, the pain, the medication and most importantly the fact that there is no cure! So no, I don't talk to people about my disease unless it's my Dr's or my family(and up until now, with you guys). I try NOT to think about it or sulk about it or complain about it. It's how I've had to cope - almost as if asking for help is ADMITTING that I'm OK with the disease and in being OK with the disease, it's letting the disease win.

So YES - I know that this post is screaming 'MENTAL CASE' she sooo needs to see a psychologist and I agree with you. Whether I end up being able to talk to someone and being shown a different way of looking at my life with Crohn's and the inevitability of my future with Crohn's and that ends up being enough or if I end up having to take some type of medication to help me deal with the reality of it - it's that first step of ACCEPTANCE that I have been in a constant battle with for 12 years and unless I can accept it - I can't take that second step to ASK for help....

Forgive me - I over-analyze EVERYTHING... I just wanted to give you an idea of where I'm coming from and the wall I keep running into.. :yrolleyes:
 
My point is that it's best to try an deal with it. And talking to someone is good.. if you dont have anyone around to talk to, a psycologist is actually a pretty good alternative. It doesn't mean you should go on the whole rollercoaster and go to psychiatrists, get brain medication and so on. Isn't it exhausting to pretend like everything is okay, though? You really dont have as much in you as a person who is completely healthy, though you might currently feel very strong/healthy. To me it's just a fact.

I think it's a disease that everyone has to adjust to sooner or later. I never took care of myself, until everything burst and i understood that i can't ignore my problems any more. And now i pay the price for that, by being in a situation in my head that i really can't handle. You can contain everything until it bursts. And when it does, its very hard to go back to where you were before. It's probably even harder to deal with then, but you end up doing it anyway because you have no choice.

I mean for me personally, this is something i can do without any guilt to anybody else. I dont have a kid or family to take care of, so i dont have to think about those things. I can just stop doing anything i want as soon as i feel like it's bad for me, be it a job or any everyday responsibility/problem. While you might not have the freedom of nobody relying on you to make super-human efforts every day.

Anyway, i don't mean to press this. You're right, its different for everybody. I just thought i should write something, take care!
 
iguana hugs.
Seriously, I always say "there's nothing an iguana hug can't cure."
But obviously it might be something different for everyone. Guess we all just
have to find our thing and cling to it for dear life.

newmeturk.jpg
 
I guess I cope by keeping as busy as possible but I think that sometimes this is not the best plan of attack. I held it together so well after being diagnosed last year but finally came unstuck in the past two months. Everyone has always known me as the happy positive person and I can see how much it freaks them out to see me upset. I even had one of my best friends say to me 'I can't handle seeing you upset- you're always the happy one and it upsets me too much' I'd been out of hospital 3 weeks at that point. So I didn't really show most people what I was going through. Then a month and a half ago i got the job that I had been working towards for a decade (in a developing country) and I wasn't allowed to take it on my docs advice. I didn;t tell anyone and thought I would be fine but we went out one night and I had a few wines and it all poured out of me. Clearly I wasn't fine. my friends and family are very supportive but it'd hard for them to truly understand. To stay sane I swim. 2kms most days. It's the only time I don't have to think about stupid crohn's. I'm in remission finally. Woohoo. I hope it lasts a long time because i can't be bothered to have another year like the last. I'm grateful to feel well though because i know so many people get no reprieve. Ooops this is too long....sorry:)
 
Hiya Designdiva,

you actually hit the nail on the head earlier with your holiday post.

We try to have at least 2 foreign holidays a year, mostly cheap, and as my wife puts it "Fly and Flop" holidays. Plus weekends away.
At least once a month, we go to some friends in different parts of the country.

It always puts me in a good frame of mind, when I know we're going away at a certain time. Normally we book shortly after coming home.

I do get the getting home blues though, probably why we book again so soon after getting home.
 
Jax said:
I guess I cope by keeping as busy as possible but I think that sometimes this is not the best plan of attack. I held it together so well after being diagnosed last year but finally came unstuck in the past two months. Everyone has always known me as the happy positive person and I can see how much it freaks them out to see me upset. I even had one of my best friends say to me 'I can't handle seeing you upset- you're always the happy one and it upsets me too much' I'd been out of hospital 3 weeks at that point. So I didn't really show most people what I was going through. Then a month and a half ago i got the job that I had been working towards for a decade (in a developing country) and I wasn't allowed to take it on my docs advice. I didn;t tell anyone and thought I would be fine but we went out one night and I had a few wines and it all poured out of me. Clearly I wasn't fine. my friends and family are very supportive but it'd hard for them to truly understand. To stay sane I swim. 2kms most days. It's the only time I don't have to think about stupid crohn's. I'm in remission finally. Woohoo. I hope it lasts a long time because i can't be bothered to have another year like the last. I'm grateful to feel well though because i know so many people get no reprieve. Ooops this is too long....sorry:)
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Sorry to hear you lost your job. It can be hard to find ambition again after something gets taken away like that. You ever think "whats the point of working hard for something if my crohn can just come back and mess it up at any time?". This is the kind of stuff that weighs on some people even after they are in remission.

When my doctor recently told me my tests look good and it's going away, i didn't even feel joy. I had too much of negative thoughts to even feel relieved about the good news until much later.
 
Do you get enough exercise?

I know it is tough for us Chronies sometimes but I find that yoga, a bike ride, run or a long walk seems to help me out. Also not overindulging in the booze helps me too.

Getting lost in a good book is my new favorite way to try & beat the blues.
 
Hi Des -
Just found this thread. Like you, I'm an organizing over-analyzing type. There's irony in having crohn's and being anal retentive. . .

I went through what you did last fall through xmas. I was diagnosed in 2003, took meds, felt better and thought, what's the big deal? Then, when I flared last summer, it hit me that this is chronic and incurable. My meds weren't working and I had to take more powerful ones. And I hate how prednisone makes me feel.

I never considered anti-depressants because I'm sort of anti-pharmaceuticals. But, I know it works for many.

Here's though how I've coped:

1. Researching and understanding this disease. It fired up a new passion in me -learning new treatments, reading up on latest research, etc.

2. Finding happiness in how this disease forces you to adopt a healthier lifestyle. I eat better and exercise more and generally feel better about myself. In fact, I even cook more! It sucks that it took a disease to kick me into action, but I'm thankful.

3. Find a support group - this forum is super fantastic. I post nonsense just to get it off my chest and someone always replies even if it's just a word of encouragement. It's also a safe place to share poop stories. And, although this will sound absolutely horrible, I draw comfort in knowing that my situation could be a lot worse. When you're feeling like the disease has you, someone on this forum is suffering worse than you and you count your blessings. And, then you'll find yourself posting encouragement to others and that will make you feel wonderful inside.
 
for me, my number 1 is just to find the humor in it.
i went to the Cleveland Clinic this summer to consult with a surgeon and was very hopeful that he would have an idea besides a total colectomy to help me. he did not and as he was outlining the three types of ostomys i would have, i started braking down b/c yet AGAIN my hope of avoiding surgyer had been shattered. he was saying "one potential complication is infertility if you have this type of surgery...."
and i sat there and almost blurted "well thats fine. i dont like frickin kids anyways."
haha! even though i was crying my eyes out, the humor found its way out from deep inside me. (no im not a big fan of kids. cute sometimes-yes. but generally they annnnoyyy me lol)

another one is that i was at starbucks with all my best friends home from college and i totally pooed myself and my pants were a complete wreck. as i was sitting on the toilet crying and trying to figure out how to clean up and get out of there fast, who calls my cell phone but my GI doc whom id been tryin to reach for 3 days! ridiculous. but hilarious to me bc it is soridiculous.

every little kid goes thru that phase where nothing is funnier that poo and gas and burping right?? haha well, sometimes i think the little kids know whats up. theyve got it right.

so, look for the funny in the way things are, but still strive for better. thats how i try to live through all of this.
 
Great ideas!

I've re-discovered reading, as well... getting lost in a good book is a great way to forget about what's going on... I also have started keeping a journal... not just for physical symptoms, but just to keep tabs on what's going on in my head. Then, when you look back, you can see patterns of where you need to work on injecting some positivity.

Keep hopeful for those days where you feel even just a LITTLE bit better... it does get better. And it will get worse, too... use those better days to prepare yourself for the down times. Be good to yourself, do things you enjoy. Try to be thankful for the littlest of things...

Heck, even today - I farted for the first time in 2 months and didn't feel like I was going to poop myself! It was the most relieving feeling! Think of people who fart all through the day without giving it a thought... to have that one little release felt SO DARN GOOD and all I could do was be thankful for that opportunity! You're right, kello - farting and poops and bums - it's comedy gold. Gotta find humor where you can!
 
how did i miss this thread first time around?? hmmm...

anyway, just wanted to send hugs to all of you who have the Crohn's blues right now. it's so much a part of the condition that i strongly believe we should be given access to an emotional support system once we're diagnosed.

sadly, that doesn't really happen, so we have to find our own ways.. personally, i just go with the flow. if i feel angry that i have this nasty condition, i tend to go quiet and go for a long bath/sleep because i don't want to be snappy to my loved ones around me. if i'm feeling really sad i share it - with my partner, my mum, my best friends, sometimes on here... and there have been episodes in my life where i've needed real help, and after struggling with the pride/dignity thing, i have reached out and been given support (had cognitive behavioural therapy years ago - was amazing).

& helping others, helps too.

but by far, being able to log onto this forum, with people who are going through similar feelings, fears and symptoms as me, has helped me more than anything over the past couple of years.
 
Hi Des, and a very belated welcome to the Forum! :)

I have had to resort to anti-depressants and they do help...but I still have 'those days' and that's when I go to my bedroom...shut the door and scream into my pillow..I HATE CROHN'S!! LOL Seriously it does help ....and I make sure no one can hear me..

Those days do pass though...usually when Spring arrives.. :)

Good to meet you!
Healing hugs~ Nancy waving a hand from down here in Windsor at you! :)
 
Hi designdiva and welcome to the forum.

When I was diagnosed I was dealing with a lot of heavy doses of depression. Frankly, it still creep up to me once in a while. I contemplated my options with medication, counseling, etc, etc... and here is what I had decided:

1. I already take enough pills
2. Taking something for the depression cannot be a long-term solution
3. Marijuana is illegal, and my wife was dead-set against it

So, I decided to try the alternatives...

Counseling - This did not work to the extreme. Perhaps I just got a really bad counselor, but every time I left her office, I felt worse about my life.. FAIL

Posting on this forum - Letting my thoughts and rants out as well as reading about other people's struggles made me feel "less broken" somehow. This worked for a while, but in the end, I needed something else to get me over the depression. SUCCESS (but needed something else)

Yoga - This was the big win for me. There is something about doing something that's just for me, and nobody else. I went to a yoga studio and bought a whole bunch of yoga DVDs. I try to do yoga at least every other day. It's incredibly relaxing and allows me to focus on stretching and following basic instruction for an hour. It's amazing how even an hour-long vacation from myself was very powerful. SUCCESS

Of course, the above is what worked / didn't work for me. I recommend you try every option and figure out what make your situation better. The only thing you can't do is give up! If you try something and it does not work, don't be upset, just try something else. I am confident, you will find something that works for you. I am pretty sure all of us did.

Good luck to you, and keep posting!

-- Yanick
 

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