Do I have depression?

[MountainJew]

While I haven't had any psychological symptoms, I have some physical ones, such as slight constipation, feeling dizzy or off balance and sleeping problems, where I can fall asleep just fine but wake up 3 or 4 hours later, then back to sleep about 20 or 30 minutes later. I also don't really feel tired during the day, but it's really worrying me.

I should also say that I have a slight ear infection, and apparently my glands are swollen, but I don't feel anything.

[Rosebudfrita]

Hi Persephone!
Thanks for all the info! Very helpful. I have been dealing with depression for 15 years and have been in therapy on and off. It came to a breaking point  this year and I chose to finally try meds.  My "window" was getting smaller and smaller of things I could handle. The everyday stress and crisis of life and work didn't change but It started taking its toll. I really appreciate your post it made me feel a bit better. I know there are lots of things I need to change like you listed spiritual, lifestyle, more work with CBT ect.
Thanks so much....

[persephonedemeter]

I forgot to add one more important ingredient to my recovery and relapse prevention which is entering the 4th year, my medication. As the days and weeks pass, I get stronger and better and the cycling is becoming a distant memory, whch includes the weight of depression. The best I can describe it is that I feel pretty steady and my mind is easy and flexible. I still tangle with incredible stress, problems and crises, but I changed my life to not be constantly in it and breathe those kinds of situations. When I do have to deal with them, I can deal with them. They are still trying and difficult in the process, but the solutions are good all around, and more importantly, they don't tale a toll on me afterwards.

[persephonedemeter]

You are not wrong. It looks like you are getting mixed messages from Paxil. He is agreeing with you and at the same time arguing with you. I've been on a lot of antidepressants, including prozac, and that med actually helped lift my depression when years of therapy alone did not help to cure it. Medication was the last resort for me. Family  members who had major and situational depression, friends, people I know, clients, etc. have benefitted from antidepressants. I don't think that should be discounted to placebo effect.

I know depression tends to make people argumentative, negative and/or even distort information because the brain is not functoning properly. When my bipolar disorder affected my line of thinking, and I was mildly to severely in the depressed cycle for decades, I had to read and comprehend  things a few times over since it noticeably affected my concentration. I made serious and critical decisions and problem solving  constantly that affected other people's lives, so I had to be careful and look at contributing factors, consider the bigger picture and look at things comprehensively and at different depths. It involved a lot of balance in spirit, mind and body. My basic philosophy when it comes to health and getting better is the "whole" approach. I try not to have narrow vision.

I don't think I would have come this far and  achieved recovery and have effective relapse prevention without the work of a CBT method that fits meditation, my spritual beliefs, culture, lifestyle, age, intellect, body, people I interact with, etc. With depression, illnesses, crises, other mental disorders, etc.  a lot of work and courage is demanded from us to make change for the better.

[Paxiled]

Every doctor you spoke with has been wrong.  This theory is long debunked, but was introduced by Eli Lilly when they came out with Prozac.  While drugs that target serotonin and norepinephrine receptors can make us feel better, that isn't the same thing as those neurotransmitters being the cause for us feeling bad in the first place.  Opiates reduce pain, but the lack of opioids didn't cause the pain.  What's currently being researched for anxiety is the amygdylla in the primitive brain and for depression glutamate, but nobody knows the reason chemically at this time.  But we do know certain chemicals can make us feel better.  Different thing altogether, and important to know so we know the drugs aren't curing us, they're just covering up symptoms, so we know how to proceed with our treatment.  

[Rosebudfrita]

Hey Paxiled when I talk about brain chemistry I talk about the physical symptoms that affect certain brain chemicals such as neurotransmitters, specifically serotonin and norepinephrine which influence both mood and pain. I know it is not always a chemical imbalance for everyone and depression can be brought on by many different things.  Obviously I'm not a doctor but this is what every doc has told me over the years.

[Paxiled]

If depression affects brain chemistry we haven't found out how yet.  It is diagnosed by symptoms, not brain chemistry, because most people who are depressed have brains that look just like anyone else's, though there are areas of the brain that may show lesser activity.  If we knew the brain chemistry that caused it we might actually be able to cure it medically.

[Rosebudfrita]

A few main symptoms of depression are hopelessness, loss of interest in things, sadness, guilt, trouble concentrating, withdrawing from people, weight loss , weight gain, changes in appetite, sleeping too much or too little, Substance abuse, moodiness, trouble remembering or making decisions and thoughts of harming yourself.

After reading your post it sounds like you might have a sleep disorder and need to go to the doctor either way for the ear infection. In my opinion it doesn't sound like you have depression because depression is a real psychological illness and affects brain chemistry. Go to the doctor!!! And keep us updated. Feel better..........

[Paxiled]

If you don't feel depressed you're not.  The answer lies elsewhere.