Here here Blondie ever wise and always right
Do You Struggle With Depression???
by minimus 33 Replies latest jw friends
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caligirl
Yes. And as Alias expressed( very well, I might add), it was not caused by the witnesses, but it certainly didn't help the situation any! I am very grateful for the existance of the anti-depressants that there are today because I no longer have to feel like I am on an emotional roller coaster all the time. ( Well, except for now because I am pregnant, and NO drug can cure that roller coaster ride! And I am not taking them right now because of the pregnancy.)
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freein89
yup, been on medication for about 9 years, and it looks like I may be my whole life, it helps. I agree that JW's don't actually cause the condition but certainly do aggravate it. Five times a week verbal BEATINGS. "and PROBABLY you MIGHT be saved" work your #$% off and you get probably and might.
I had been doing pretty well and recently took a digger, I had tried to have a relationship with my siser who is still in and all of a sudden she backed off and it was she who restarted the "relationship" all of a sudden she got stronger in the "truth" and backed off. I needed to know why, that is how I began looking at ex-JW websites. very healing and got me back on an even keel, I learned that JW's with unbelieving family are getting a lot of pressure in there and it helped me not be angry with my sister, it also soothed my hurt feelings, I was so hurt that I quit functioning and experienced the sort of deadened feelings characteristic of a depressive bout. Thanks to you all. However-if anyone is seriously down, GET HELP don't try to do it yourself-too risky.
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minimus
Freein, that was a very, very helpful post. It shows that many JW's shun because they are told to and the result can be severe depression to others. I'm happy we have these sites too.
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Sunnygal41
My serious depression began in 1981, about 1 1/2 years after I got married. I had had a rough childhood, like so many, with a dysfunctional parent, and then the Borg got hold of me and made everything worse by heaping God Guilt on me. For me, my depression seems to stem from feelings of powerlessness...i.e., when I got married, I soon found that all those doubts about this being a good thing were founded in truth, and I felt trapped, totally trapped with this person I knew was not who I was looking for. Still, we managed to last twenty years together, although I was miserable the whole time and I've recently begun to realize that all through the marriage he had been battling against his resentment towards me, even though he never acknowledged it verbally. I think he had managed to partition his frustration and sadness off in his own mind, so he wouldn't have to acknowledge that we had serious difficulties. The reason I know this is we talked many many times about his seeming inability to show affection to me, and we always ended up going round in circles about it, and it was always just arguments with nothing resolved. And, I think, that he subconciously, revolted against my despair, because he never changed, or tried to change. Recently, he and I were chatting, (he's married again, got married 4 months after we were officially divorced to a sister in FL) on line, and he made the comment to me that he hated to hear from all our former friends that he was never what I wanted....so, finally, he is acknowledging things.....and, from all accounts, he is happily married to wife number two.
Anyways, wanted to use that as an example, and now, I'm on a great antianxiety med. and it has made all the difference! I'm in a relationship of three years and we fit like a hand and glove. Yes, we butt heads from time to time, cuz we are both strong personalities, but the affection and openness is there, what I was looking for is there in this relationship!!! Also, after I got out of the Borg, I began doing heaps of research on all kinds of things that I had felt blocked from before, and being able to follow my interests and passion have helped the depression subside. I also am a stronger, more independent person now, which has contributed to my self worth. I'm hoping, someday, to be able to go off the meds, but if I don't then that's okay too.
Terri
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Billygoat
I've struggled with depression since my early teens. Back then, I just didn't realize it was depression. It accelerated with my disfellowshipping and the shunning that followed. I've attempted suicide twice in my life and considered it a viable option many times. The last three years have been a huge relief from the chronic depression, although I still struggle with it on occassion. Back during the chronic times I took every conceivable anti-depressant until I found the right one. It was frustrating to say the least. But it was three years ago that I came to this sight and my eyes were opened to the the Borg. Since then a lot of my depression has melted away and I've been able to completely get rid of the meds. In my case, I do believe that depression is hereditary - I am more predisposed to it than most. So I have to be careful with the amount of stress I allow myself. Too many stressful things in my life can put me in a tailspin. I am learning what those triggers are and I work hard to stay away from them. Just having that knowledge is helpful to control how I react to things.
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Borgellia
Hello Everyone,
I haver never met a Jdub that was not depressed on some level. (they hide it well) I started having depression as a Jdub in 1974. I was 14. I refused to believe Jehovah was creating babies in 1974 only to plan on killing them in 1975. This depression was different from my chronic clinical depression that keeps me on the anti depressant merry go round now. This depression is a side effect of other medical illnesses. Now that I know that the nature of God was misrepresented to me, I am not hopeless like I was as a Jdub. There is a difference in these two types however I do wonder if living under the Jdub rule screwed with the chemical makeup of our brain cells.
((((((((((((((((((((HUG)))))))))))))))))) for Billygoat and all suffering from the big D
Borgellia
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leddfootdja
Clinical depression and the various types of bipolar depression are very treatable medical illnesses, it is a matter of taking medication and getting the proper counseling
Yes- but neither is a cure-all. Bi-polar in particular can be hell for the victim and their friends/family. Medication(for me)helps, but I still have to fight hard to keep it together. Every day, all day. There are definitely days when I really understand why my mother commited suicide after 33 + years of suffering from this condition. It ruins people lives.
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Bendrr
I wouldn't say it's a losing struggle but yes I do.
The way I grew up in the Empire is the way I am now. I never did have many friends in The[ir] Truth. Well you all know how dubs are. I used to get so sad as a teen, feeling left out of everything. When I got older, like 19 or 20 and was still in, while the other dubs my age were starting to date I never really had any luck (but that's a whole 'nuther story). I used to think back then that I'd be single all my life. They say "as the twig is bent, so grows the tree" and sure enough I grew up to be a solitary person. I don't have many friends and don't make friends easily. And here I am 31 and still single, not even a casual girlfriend much less a serious relationship.
So yeah it gets depressing at times. I don't let it stop me from living my life though.
Mike.
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qwerty
Minimus..................I have a brother that suffered from severe depression because he needed medication. But I also know of some that have said their "depression" seemed to suddenly vanish as did their taking of medication once they took control of their life.
Yup!
Ballistic.................I had a spell on anti depressants as a JW. They became obsolete after I left. Interestingly, as a witness I never admitted to it, similar to the stigma I held admitting I was a witness. Notice absolutely no stigma now. It's gone, just as the depression has
Me too!
Doctors tend to give out anti D's for a variety of reasons.................My Doctor was brilliant, I told her about the situation ie; not believing and what could be the the results if I admitted to the Elders everything.
Anti D's got me over a bad patch.......helped me to cope, I quit them as soon has I felt I did not need them!..........Should have seen the doctor first though!
Da Q