Depression (major depression)

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• November 7, 2011 9:48 p.m.

  You know...I'm sitting here reading a lot of these postings, Wake UP People!!!! What do you want all of us to tell you, something that you probably already know, & have been told by a Dr. also, just keep pouring the booze down, go to the hospitals and look at someone that has liver cancer or cirrosis of the liver, VERY PAINFUL!!! i guarentee that if you spend a week, 24/7 with these people you may see the light & pray for help, or the alternative, soon to die this way your self.

  - Blondie

• January 17, 2011 2:08 a.m.

  Amy, Try to find an alanon group. They can help you understand your husband's behavior and help you regain your self-esteem. I have severe depression and can get so anxious I can't stand it. For a long time I drank so I could sleep. After several years of my depression and anxiety getting worse and worse, I suddenly understood that the meds + alcohol could kill me. (It's a long story) After that I made quick progress and was able to work for a little while. I have to think the two are connected. I'm not working any more because I can't cope with the stress, but I'm doing really well. I take Effexor, Seroquel, trazodone, and Xanax. I know it sounds like a lot, but you do what you have to do to live a real life. Keep up the good fight!

  - Margaret

• October 11, 2010 1:01 a.m.

  Dear Withheld I am in AA & am going through almost the same as you get Involved in your aa rooms help others,commimints,are to make you feel a part of,& I use many sponsersdig into the 4th step & feel the pain cry it will help,I need it all! get a hobby,just do not quit it gets better! I Promise! "time takes time" And Louise I think & would you going to AA look up the closest meeting in your area & cry out just what you Blogged I guarantee they will help you,We work together Isolation is where we all end up if we let it with or with out booze! And Amy I am a dad with two different x,s 36 years of child support one that is 31 & my other daughter that is 18 I left ther alcoholic moms & all turned out well you can not live with that abuse,suggestion look up Alanon meetings around you learn about what we can do to our loved ones also ACOA I am an adult child of Alcoholics,12 step your self as you have no control over him,set your self up first financally your assets & other things affairs as best as possible,then spring it on him if he is unwilling to seek help promise him you will do what you need to do,you will get child support,you will make it,trust in GOD! Good luck to you all Big G.

  - No name given

• October 5, 2010 11:00 a.m.

  I have been an alcoholic for 38 years. I am now 47. Do the math. I have also battled depression my whole life and anxiety and got addicted to valium as a result. I am now not taking anything, haven't had a drink in 6 mos and life is so hard I want ot give up. I go to AA, have a therapist, sponsor and psychiatrist. Depression is such a lonely disease. My therapist says I can think away the depression. My psychiatrist tells me to go to more meetings and talk to my sponsor. (which I do both every day) The depression will not leave. This time it's been 4 years and without alc and valium I cannot do it any more. Nobody gets it. I have been on every antidepressant out there, lost weight and gained weight (currently up 60 pounds) Nothing works. What's next for me?

  - Name withheld

• September 17, 2010 2:08 a.m.

  I'm a 43 year old female whole has been depressed for the past year. The man who I adored for fifteen years dumped me last year for no apparent reason except for the simple fact that he did not love my like he proclaimed. My alcohol intake has gotten worse, I can drink a pint of vodka and two 24ounces cans of beer. I don't know why, because the drinking make me feel worse. I make plans to socialize with my friends, and at the last minute I make up some excuse not to attend so I can sit home and drink and play farmville on the computer. I hate feeling this way but I don't know what to do. I have a son who is my heart but I just feel so damn alone in this ugly world I live in. I just want to drink, play farmille, and sleep.

  - LOUISE

• July 4, 2010 11:05 a.m.

  Amy leave your husband before your children follow him into the abyss. It might even be too late. It won't get better, he needs help lots of help and he isn't going to get it. What kind of life do you have and what kind of life do you want your children to have. They will become just like you, unhappy, lonely depressed, nervous etc and it is quaranteed that one of your children will follow in his drinking footsteps. Leave now and you might not have a lot but you will be a lot better off. He has a diease and you cannot cure it.

  - colleen

• July 3, 2010 10:28 p.m.

  I believe my husband of 15 years is an alcoholic and has some sort of depression going on. He also uses chewing tobacco and is extremely verbally abusive. He works long hours,comes home and immediately goes to the fridge to get a beer;and then proceeds to have at least 3 more before even thinking about eating supper. He never eats with the children and me;he says he needs to unwind and that he isn't hungry when we are and that he likes beer. This is just during the week;on Friday night and all day lond Saturday,he usually consumes around 12 to 20 cans of beer.He hides beer all over;in the garage,under his workbench,in his bathroom,under his sink,in the furnace room,in the computer room,in the water softener room,behind the stereo,behind his toilet,in empty coolers,in the back of his truck,and who knows where else!! I tell him this shouts I have a drinking problem,he says his problem is me. I have asked his father for help,and he says he cannot change the way he chooses to live. I am afraid he is ruining his life,not to mention mine and our 2 young boys. I don't know what to do.

  - Amy

• June 27, 2010 4:58 a.m.

  i am suffering from a problem since childhood of being quiet and sad mostly in june/july .i also feel very tired and i am unable to sleep ,get confused very soon,not interested in talking to any one please help!!!!!!

  - Anand

• May 29, 2010 7:08 p.m.

  I have been an alcoholic/pothead for 43 years and just quit drinking in August 2009 while I was going to a DUI class. I finally realized that I couldn't quit. Going to substance abuse/mental health groups has helped me. My roommate told me to look up dysthymia (form of chronic depression) today and I have all of the symptoms. I have relapsed and drank (3) 1.75 Ltr bottles last fall and about the same after I had a surgical operation and my mother died this spring. The group that I attend promotes 'harm reduction' (using less alcohol or drugs than previously). I used to drink 2 of the large bottles of alcohol each week, so I am not perfect like AA/NA demands, but it is an improvement for me. I am reading and learning more about techniques to overcome the issues that I have that cause drug use and addressing depression. AA/NA helps many people, but I am allergic to tobacco and 80-90% of AA/NA members are severe tobacco addicts, so I don't go to their meetings. I would like to meet more people who are willing to exclude tobacco before they consider themselves 'drug-free', but that is a much smaller group and I feel that I would have to start my own group to achieve that since I haven't met anyone else who has severe allergic reactions to tobacco. I'm open to any ideas that would improve the help that we all need.

  - DJ

• May 22, 2010 10:37 a.m.

  1st I agree with Ann. I am battling with depression & i am an alcoholic. 4 the past 2 yrs, my past has come back to haunt me, since then I can not function. And it seems no one understands, they want me to just "snap out of it" I know all I have to lose and yet it doesn't scare. Some days I am getting to give up completely and yet part of me keeps fighting for survival. I shouldn't be drinking while on the meds I am taking, but without I feel lost.

  - LEG

• May 18, 2010 10:50 p.m.

  Please dont get me wrong. If you were to look at me you would think theres nothing wrong with me. I not bragging ... i have 2 beautiful ... very intelligent daughters... Thank dear God.....But here i am. I dont know if anyone could understand. I used to live a great live. I made good money. I had this well call overdose. Then Im none of those things i used to be. Im confused. Im unable to make money, And i dont think anyone believes that i seriously went from coach purses to next month my ass is on the street.

  - No name given

• May 15, 2010 3:04 p.m.

  I began very young drinking and using drugs. Mostly prescription. The prescription use turned so bad i was arrested,almost died,and also ended up in the mental hospital. I have been off drugs for three years. I am suffering such bad depression.I cant seem to quit drinking. I hate this cycle. I am on 5 antidepressants. I just want to feel ok. Thanks for listening!!

  - Jeri

• April 2, 2010 9:20 a.m.

  I began as a "social" drinker. Over years I became depressed. Depression and drinking can seem to feed off of each other - a really bad mix. My drinking gradually increased more and more over time. I reached a point where I wanted to stop drinking but just could not get myself to do so. Two years ago I went to my first AA meeting. After two AA meetings within one week I decided to stop drinking and did so. It has now been two years since my last drink. I am grateful that I now have no need, want, or desire whatsoever for alcohol. AA works and can be very helpful for those who have a sincere desire to stop drinking.

  - Neal

• March 31, 2010 4:04 p.m.

  im 26 and have had serious problems with alcohol since i was 17 . basicly its destroyed my life !. lost dozens of job because i didnt wanna go in cus i was depressed ( because of the drink ) its like a viscious circle and im still struggling to get out . i ended up in prison for 8 months due to alchol related crime which put family threw hell . my main problem is finding people that dont wanna drink in the same area as me . i dont think ive found 1 yet . would be great if all us that wanna stop drinking could meet up now n agen n go on trips . white water rafting or mountain climbing etc etc , we could do anything . i find my self sitting home alone for weeks on end sometimes because i dont wanna get involved in the session . after a few weeks i burst n go out and go mad on it and always get into some drama . all the years ive been drinking its caused me nothing but pain and i have nothing to show for it , no house , no car , nothing , and i wonder how messed up can some humans be to keep putting there hand in the fire week after week for years and years when they know that fire is piping hot , it blady baffles me what we do to our selves , when in theory its so easy but practicly a mission .

  - michael

• March 17, 2010 9:10 p.m.

  I read what you all have written and I can relate so well. I don't want to drink again..how do I stop? I have tried so many times. I only drink wine, and foolishly think that it is only wine, but it doesn't matter what has control over a person...

  - Tracey

• March 8, 2010 12:17 p.m.

  Im 24 with a 2yr old daughter. My ex&I planned her.We were together 4 8yrs. I picked up drinking due to maybe having the babyblues?? In the past 5months Ive lost 2jobs,a house,a 4wheeler and my spouse. I dont wanna b like this anymore! This is not who I am. Ive finally come to realize that drinking is not my friend..even though i feel like ive lost my bff.Im currently waiting to go to treatment. But in the meantime AA has been helping a GREAT DEAL. It takes time to learn the way "normal" ppl think. Ive been in the program for 6months..and im just learning that now. Ive finally got a sponsour to learn the steps,Im excited to b happy again, i just have to remember NOT to pick up that first drink. To those who think they drink to much,its probably because u do,it will only worsen b4 it gets better.

  - Courtney

• March 1, 2010 3:49 p.m.

  Tim, I hope you will come back to this blog and read this. If you have the same doctor, go to the doctor yourself and tell him everything. I believe they can get her help and maybe committed. Another thing to do is to go talk to a pastor. If you don't have one then ask other family members or friends if they know one. They have resources to help. Just speaking with someone will be so refreshing and will give you hope.

  - Amy

• February 26, 2010 11:00 a.m.

  ppl please don't waste your life anymore I'm twenty and I am too young to even be drinking.my life is out if control because of drinking alcohol I just last night got into it With my mother and brothers because of already depression anger and drinking before going over to talk and spend time with them. Life is more than weed and alcohol.every God giving day is a new day to start fresh. People pray for me and pray and believe in yourselfs that depression can't take and won't your life and God wont allow alcohol to control u. People today is the day to change,amen.

  - chewy

• January 5, 2010 3:01 p.m.

  Mariah, how did YOU realize how bad you were hurting yourself? You can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved. Take care of yourself, go to lots of meetings, leave AA materials around and pray for your brother to come to himself.

  - nance

• January 2, 2010 8:00 p.m.

  alcohol is then only thing that makes it bearable.

  - ann

• December 26, 2009 9:10 p.m.

  okay i shouldn't really be judging this but i am ex alcoholic and heavy drug user...being 15 was hard now that i am 18 life is still difficult. I come to my parents house mostly everyday and I see my brother of 25 years of age passed out on the couch. I don't want him in rehab like me so I talk to him as much as possible...I suffer from depression and am on meds so i know what he is going through. He drinks 30 cans of beer everyday and a half a bottle at the bar...he tells me he is okay but it has gotten so bad he is startin to see things...How do i get him to realize how bad he is hurtin himself.

  - Mariah

• December 9, 2009 3:24 p.m.

  a family person is 40, mother of three youngsters,very comfortable living...suffers from depression and is self-medicated and prescription meds as well. Doesn't need to see physch doc anymore!! Alcohol is now a bigger problem---wine and beer initially and now gin and vodka. How do we get her committed as she claims "she does not have a problem".

  - tim

• December 9, 2009 11:54 a.m.

  I need at least 28 units per week but dont ask me to stop drinking as I have nothing else in my life as I live alone. I have no real social life and no friends now. My best friend of 40 years has died from cancer 3 weeks ago. I don't smoke. I know its not good for me but give me an alternative to do in the evening re unwinding. Please dont suggest exercise I do that already. I guess if my doctor said to give up its threating my health. I guess I would have a go Rita

  - Rita

• December 9, 2009 11:35 a.m.

  I am battling depression and am living with an alcoholic. He refuses to seek help and has already gotten physical with me a couple times. I am disabled and he is supposed to be helping with my care. I have given him ultimatums to quit or I will leave. He has promised for 8 months that he will quit but always goes and gets another bottle. One after another. I try to let him know that we cannot afford it with the traveling we do. I love this man but I cannot stand by and wait to find out when he will turn back to the bottle and get physical again. I begged him to get help because I don't want to leave him. I finally told his family that he is drinking because he would lie to them and say he wasn't. They have not offered any suggestions what I could do to help him. This is not helping my health or my depression any. I am recovering from GBS and the stress is harmful to me.

  - Sharon

• December 8, 2009 8:52 p.m.

  I think I was born with anxiety, but when I found booze eased my anxiety, I erred in not realizing it really left me with a clinical depression. The most I ever drink now is an occasional 3 oz. of wine before dinner. CHOWDER: Please help a member of my family. WHAT ANTI-DEPRESSANT WERE YOU ON THAT MADE SUCH A BAD COMBO WITH ALCOHOL! We have some one who is in trouble and wonder if she is repeating your experience. Thanks so much in advance!

  - ginnia