Its such a lovely day here, so why the hell am I going to moan? Can’t even answer that question myself.
I have felt low for some time now, fed up with ms (same as you all are) had my visit with ms nurse, who asking loads of questions, informed me I now have clinical depression!
He wrote to my gp for a course of anti depressants (which I don’t want to take) and has referred me to a psychologist. Has anyone seen one of these please, and if so, what can I expect?
I know this isn’t the ‘normal’ me, and am hoping by writing it down will help, so sorry to moan.
Aw Pam, don’t be upset with the label, it just means that your body is struggling to cope and you need a little help!
I’ve been clinically depressed before, it just means it’s real and you need treatment, NOT someone just wanting a moan.
I had tablets to help me sleep and it made a huge difference to me, I started to bounce back quite quickly when I got enough sleep - hope you get something that’s helpful too And a little grumble every now and then IS normal and we can take it
Oh dear Pam… it is SO normal to get clinical depression with MS. The lesions in the brain can cause it… but add that to the constant, relentless effort of living with MS and it’s amazing if anyone with it is NOT depressed!!!
The psychologist will ask you some questions about the way you think and feel about things. He/she will then teach you some quite simple ways to change your thought process which will help you feel better.
It’s called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and it’s been so successful that the NHS started using it a few years ago. It’s easy and you don’t have to spend hours talking about what happened when you were 5… that’s what therapy used to be like. Usually it’s about 8 sessions… and it’s with someone who is trained to understand depression and works with men and women from all walks of life.
Also I would say to reconsider taking antidepressants. That’s another thing that’s changed a lot over the past decade. The drugs are SO much better now and will really help you feel better.
It’s not ‘normal’ for you Pam… but it something that most people deal with at some point in their lives… and those are people without MS!
They are very wise words from Sonia. I have always put off any intervention related to my MS and my subsequent mental state. It has backfired a few times and people have been upset and I now wish I’d have been more receptive to the idea of having some form of emotional or psychological support. I think if you regard it as support rather than being labelled as weak and unable to cope, it becomes a bit more acceptable. Is it just another dimension of support along with the walking stick/wheelchair/grab rails and DLA?
The very term psychologist may well carry its own stigma. I encountered a few of them in my time as a primary school teacher (dealing with difficult children) and I thought they were brilliant.
Pam, sorry to hear this- but where you start? You already have by talking and writing about it.
CBT was very useful for me a few years back, before I was diagnosed. In essence, it consists of helping you to steer yourself into a better place.
since then I have been offered it again once or twice, but knowing what the process would be I declined and instead went through the lessons myself.
one last thing- I have always resisted being given medication to help me EXCEPT earlier this year when I was very low and getting panic attacks- the doc gave me diazepam to use if I really needed it. I put it in the drawer and just knowing it was there was enough. It is still there, untouched.
you’ll get back to your old self soon enough, just keep talking it through.
Sorry to hear you are feeling down Pam I can’t add much to what has already been said but please don’t be hard on yourself we all get down sometimes. My GP gave me Citalopram a few years ago for my “low mood” was how he put it I took it for about six months and it really did help.
Aw, Pam sorry you are going through it at the moment. This illness is so crap.
Don’t beat yourself up about it. I think it’s worse when the sun is shining as everyone is expected to go about with smiles on their faces and all you want to do is shut the world out.
Hey you have started the ball rolling and you are going to get help. Good on you.
I am sorry to hear your feeling so rubbish. I have had clinical depression (twice related to bereavement) I didn’t want drugs then and struggled through with St Johns Wort and Counselling which did help.
I saw my GP about three weeks ago I know I am earlier in my MS journey than most but I was having problems with my emotions and crying at stuff that really shouldn’t make me cry. The GP told me I was depressed and prescribed Citalopram. I didn’t want to take them but did. It was the best thing I could of done my moods are much more stable which has made me feel better (wish I done it before the other times).
I saw my MS Team on Tuesday and they are referring me to the Psychologist to try and see if that helps too. Like others have said I am just looking at it as another way of supporting me with this condition, if I don’t feel it works I don’t need to continue it.
Iv’e seen a psychologist, since October…I was really unsure about it at first but it has made a real difference to me…I bonded really well with the lady i saw which i think is so important…its no good if you don’t feel at ease with them…initially i was afraid it would be counselling and someone going through your childhood and " life’s baggage ",I definitely did not want or feel i needed that . But Cognitive behaviour therapy is different from counselling its about readjusting your way of thinking …it helped me get rid of a lot of guilt and negative feelings and it did what i wanted in the end… because alot of my disability had been blamed on stress I felt that i needed to prove for myself …so it hasn’t made me walk again… but has helped me in many ways to feel good about myself again and to adjust to being in my wheelchair and you know what its made me stop and appreciate and really cherish my life and my loved ones…Please don’t think I’m promising miracles…I still get depressed and still have worries but Iv’e managed to change my outlook…and the sad days don’t seem to last as long… I had my last session on Wednesday…it was kind of a goodbye session… i felt quite sad,.I’ll miss her, and she said she’ll miss me and Frazer , he loved going too, plenty of fuss and dog treats.
Thank you so much for your kind words, really appreciated. I think for me being told this has come as a complete shock, I have been very low before and always managed to give myself a “kick up the bum” and get over it.
I will give it a go, and get back to the “normal” me. Hope you are okk.
Thank you for your kind words and putting this into perspective for me, really appreciated.
I know being depressed can run hand in hand with ms and have had some low times in the past, but been able to deal with it myself.
It’s not that I am against taking anti depressant meds, I already take quite a few tablets and each of them interfere with the warfarin, so I tend to steer clear where I can, but will give them a go if absolutely necessary.
Thanks so much for your kind words, they really are appreciated.
During low feelings in the past I have always managed to give myself a good talking to and sorted it myself, but this time has been different, and does make you feel a weakling, which deep down I know I’m not.
I have given it thought and am going to give it a go, Ms really does take the p***.
How all is well for you, and the footy can’t come quick enough for me.
You have no idea how your posts have helped me, thank you all so very much.
Now I have had time to get my head round this I am going to grab the help that has been offered to me and embrace it.
The positive vibes that I have felt through your comments have helped so much, and although no one would choose to have this crappy illness, I am so grateful to have such lovely friends in our MS family.
Morning Pam and all. Actually, your avatar makes me smile!!! I’m easily pleased
seriously, I’ve never seen a psychologist but would consider if the stupid things in life weren’t doing it anymore. I would be cautious of anti depressants, probably because I always feel they are given out willy nilly, but I’m sure this is not true. If it was short term to get you on a more even keel then that would be a good thing.
this ms is crap, last night I had to go to an unfamiliar place, and toilets were up steps with no handrails, and I was waddling along looking like a right fool and leaning on a stick and anything I could grab, after abandoning my trusty scooter on the flat. It wasn’t far but really horrible and took it right out of me, and all the while my young is there, looking helplessly on. And I felt shitty, there I was as his mum and guardian, and I was the helpless one. Came home in a right downer, and tried to be thick skinned, but it does get you down, so please ding feel bad, and try what’s out there to help you get better…I bought a lemon meringue pie, haven’t started it yet, but I know it’s there and that’s ok. Take care xx
Hi Pam take the help thats been offerd, a course of anti depressants and some counselling will help more than you know, i am going through a bout of depression just now due things beyond my control,
i am sure you will be soon telling us how much brighter you feel, i too love the wonderful people on here,they help lift us so much dont they ?