I am working this program, which I think is very good by the way, to overcome a depression which had taken over my life. I am following the program according to all the instructions and feel improvement already. One of the program assignments is to check in to our peer group daily online ... this group. I am finding that mostly the forums are for stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are not my problems. Perhaps those of us who are primarily here for depression could reply here, and we could create a depression support circle? It would be helpful to me. I hope others would be interested.

I completed the program in 2004 i think. Then I relapsed hard and just succumbed to meds. I am currently on Lexapro for depression and anxiety. Most of us have experienced that stress, anxiety and depression are all linked. Kudos to you for taking action! Best wishes.
HT

Thanks HT. Yes, I absolutely agree and understand that stress and anxiety are there, intricately linked, and I do certainly feel my share of stress and anxiety. What I mean is that anxiety and panic attacks are not my current problem. Depression in its full blown state is what I'm dealing with now. Research and plain old fashioned experience tell us, tell me, that the way I think, the way I react to stress and anxiety, helped me get here. But once a person is depressed, handling stress and anxiety helps present moment. It helps us get a handle on not becoming more depressed. But here we are, and we are struggling with a lot of stuff that is unique to depression. If there are others here who primarily suffer from depression today, I hoped we could get to know each other. There is supportive energy in numbers. Kind regards, Pecos.

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i would love to be part of a depression support circle. It is one of my main struggles. Let me know if it is a go ahead. Barbhoward

I also struggle daily with depression. Count me in.

Well we just got this topic started last month for us so a group is a great idea Pecos. How do we get started?

I would like to be apart of that. My depression is at its worst right now, and talking about it would really help

I too, would like to join the depression circle. I have been feeling like is this program really for depression too?? I go back and forth with depression and anxiety, but I know that i really need a lot of support when I am depressed. Good idea!!

I suffer with it as well and have realized that a walk in the morning helps TREMENDOUSLY for me. I am blessed to have others to walk with, but I fear that in the fall, they will not want to walk. This is a time when I will most need the help because I do tend to get more depressed when the weather gets colder.

I sometimes am so depressed that I don't have the desire or energy to even come on this site. I am having a good day, though! I hope you all are as well.

Go for a 20 minute walk!!!

Hi All. There are eight of us as of Monday afternoon. Since there is already a forum for Depression, we could make a note of each others names, and we could consider ourselves our support circle. That way, we can use the Depression forum to post specific discussions, problems, solutions, and so on, mostly to each other. If everyone here is ready to begin a support circle, we can begin now. I have noted all of your names, and I will always check the Depression forum first thing. If I see your name, I will know you are seeking support from our circle, and I will read your post right away, and everyone else here can do the same. On days when I feel stomped into a dust pile, I will post there, too, and I will be happy to hear comments, advice, or just a hello, from any or all of you. Does this sound workable? By the way, this circle never closes. Any new people who want to join, just add your name here.

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I'd be interested in joining. My anxiety has caused me to be depressed by having to deal with it.

I'd love to be a part of the circle too.

I started the program because of my depression. I am beginning to see how anxiety works with it, but my depression is definately the worse of the two.

I have to say I am really thankful for everyone's interest in a support circle specifically for depression. I surely have anxiety but as of these past few months my depression has become something bigger than me.
Everyday I feel like a piece of me dies. I am just existing and not living. NOTHING make me happy. I take 200 mg of Zoloft and I am so scared that my doctor will want to switch my medication which I have already done so many times. I already deal with so many side effects (NO sex drive, night sweats, etc)
I try very hard to think positively and try thinking I WILL get better, but it feels like im drowning. I try so hard to keep my head above water(depression) but nothing is helping..

Hi beckyl and LisaWoo, Welcome to this support circle.

Anna, I recall Lucinda talking about her overwhelming sense of bewilderment, and that is one of the best words I can choose to say how I increasingly felt for the past two years. Most of my friends and family started out with cheerful advice, then when their cheery advice did not help me, they seemed to think I was choosing not to accept their advice. I simply was sinking, and I could not swim. You mention no sex drive, night sweats, -- sounds like our old friend menopause. I'm right in the middle of that, too. As you can see, I don't have any advice, just a lot of compassion because I know how you feel. I really do. Let me share a couple of things off our homework assignments that are helping me with the positive thinking. I had so many negative thinking things to write down, I think I wrote a book. Out of session three, I also started a separate journal. I call it my negative letters journal. I write letters, sometimes really long letters at 3 in the morning, to people I have held on to resenting. Top of the list, my ex husband and current boyfriend. Of course, these letters are not for sending. After a few days, and more progress on this program, I reread early letters. I have actually been able to see the ridiculous enormous energy I have invested in all this resentment. And I am feeling better. I have noticed positive kind thoughts toward each of these men in the past couple days. As for the physical aspects of hormonal upheaval of menopause, have you ever read Christiane Northrup's books? She is an OBGYN, and she has some very excellent lifesaver material for those of us in this menopause boat. Keep checking in here to the Depression forum, and look for all our names on posts. We will all be needing you, too. Pecos.

Keep the support going!

I, too, eventually found depression to be the ultimate pain. There is no way for us to explain to Anyone how awful it is. In the end it is only important that we know and are doing all that we can to help ourselves.

In recent studies two things were found to be extremely helpful: daily exercise and sunlight.
They propose just 15 minutes will raise our seretonin level, an inexpensive boost.

Stay with you medication until you and your doctor decide it's time to wean, but add the walk and the sun [grow lights if no sun].

Check in every day - give support to one another and know that you ARE making a difference. Love and Peace, Carolyn