depression, anxiety, stress related illnesses...

I went to the doctors last Monday and they say i have stress related illnesses, depression and they strongly recommended that i had councilling. i have recently moved in with my boyfriend and we argue all the time, i always feel as though i cant make him happy but i think that when im miserable, it rubs off onto him. I have been given a questionnaire to find out the level of depression that i have. i feel so down, im just unhappy all the time and i dont enjoy anything that i do. i am having to take time off college because i am making myself ill, everyday i wake up feeling sick, banging headache and stomach pains and it continues to get worse throughout the day. College are not so happy about it but only because i am taking time off college, not because any of my tutors actually care, they just expect me to get on with my work and come back to college after a few days ill and automatically know what i am doing. Im just so scared that i am going to fail college and end up not doing what i want in life. ever since i was little, i have been pressurised into losing weight and if i was 'naughty' i used to get smacked hard. My dad is obsessed with weight and he wonders why i dont want to go down to the south and see him, just to sit on the couch whilst he judges me. i feel so uncomfortable.

I suffered depression quite bad at one point in my life. I went on medication, but I refused to see a councillor. What I did do though was start a journal that I diligently wrote in every night before I went to bed. What I would do after I wrote in it, was read the nights before entry. After awhile, I noticed that some of the things that really got me down, really shouldn't have and I was able to then adjust my behaviour. It didn't happen overnight, but it did help me. I wrote in absolutely everything in my journal. Everything that got me upset. everything that put a smile on my face. How I felt during the day, what I ate. The whole kit and caboodle.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I wish you all the best in your journey to find it. I know you will.

Good luck.

Thankyou, thats really kind of you to say

No probs, if you ever need to talk, just PM, I'll be happy to have a chat.

I read this article in New Scientist, it suggested that out of the cases of stress and Depression only something like 2% are serious. The rest are work related or faked illness or all in the mind...

I do beleive it is to be honest all in the mind... depression only takes hold if you let it too...

There is a difference between stress and depression. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain, hence why they give you anti-depressants to help balance those chemicals. I do believe that it starts out as stress related and if you don't deal with it, it leads to full on depression which needs help. But if you have never suffered it before then you have no idea how hard it is to even get up in the mornings, jeez it's hard to even open your eyes, let alone try and live a semi normal life.

I dont suffer from it because i dont let it take hold... I have had a metric f*** load of problems happen to me in my life...

Soildier on people...

Just because you are able to handle your problems doesn't mean that everyone else can. How do you know that your problems are any bigger or more important then that of someone who suffers depression. What about those mothers that have a child and suffer from post natal depression are you going to tell the to soldier on? These women don't ask for it to happen to them, they don't even realise they suffer from it sometimes until it becomes a huge problem in there lives.

I agree antidepressants are far to over prescribed theses days and its so unnecessary. People are into quick fixes these days and they want the quick fix to happiness so they take antidepressant which is the worse thing they can do.

I'm not saying that clinical depression doesn't exist but I think that most peoples "depression" is not to do with a chemical imbalance and can be helped without the use of drugs.

i was told by my doctor that i was a manic depressive two years ago, then it turned into borderline personality disorder, and then it went to extreme social phobia and panic attacks and i was prescribed medication up the wahzoo... the only problem was i never took it. because when you suffer from diseases like these you sort of end up enjoying wallowing in your own self pity. sometimes you just have to face a few harsh truths about yourself, and find a professional to talk to.

how a person overcomes depression is different in everyone
I overcame it when i was a child by looking to teh future,sure my parents are crap sure we have no money but one day i will be away from it all and things will be better and guess what things are better. so weather its personal strength and power of positive mind or pills that make you better being better is all that matters! But do research there are loads of alternatives to pills! Good luck in whichever road you choose.

I have to kinda agree with Markfox on this one.

Most of the time it's just not being able to deal with your issues, and the media doesn't make it any better by telling you that you are depressed. Sometimes it's just mood swings. Sometimes it's just a change in attitude. Most of the time, it's not a chemical imbalance.

I hope you find a way to feel better.