Absolutely devastated

[James19]

Hello everyone,

I've been feeling so sad now for a few months, so yesterday i decided to take a trip to my doctor.

From what i told him, he thinks that i have been going through depression, and that that coupled with my major fear of dentists is why i have been feeling so sad. He did offer me tablets, but i told him i would prefer to take the self-help route!

I found a really great dentist who deals with phobics, and am really quite scared of losing her - i have only been for two appts so far, and really couldn't bear the thought of going to someone else after my treatment.

Would patients with depression come under special needs? They can offer long-term care to special needs people, and a few others of which i can't remember.

Thanks,

Jay

 

[James19]

Oh, and i just thought i would say, i'm really greatful to have found this forum!

Thanks,

Jay

 

[LittleS]

Jay, I know that being phobic about the dentist makes anyone feel down.

I also know that going to the dentist and surviving the experience puts me on a high. The road away from my dentist is downhill, with a view over the city, and I LOVE going down that road. I feel so free and easy going down the road, and coming away from the dentist after successfully surviving treatment - it puts me on a positive high for the rest of the day and into the week.

I think if you've found a great dentist try to stick with her. Being familiar with your dentist definitely helps any phobic.

I hope this helps, but I've not really been a sufferer of depression, so I can't really add anything from that angle.

Best of luck.

 

[James19]

LittleS - thank you very much for your reply! I certainly wish i had a nice calming road like that to go down when i come out of the dentist, i can see why it would make you feel on a high!

Maybe, i should let my dentist know that my doctor thinks i'm going through depression, so that she's aware of how i feel?

Thanks,

Jay

 

[Stress Doc]

Hello james19

Depression and anxiety are "kissing cousins." They frequently appear together. I can understand the desire not to take and anti-depressant as they are not usually very helpful in mild to moderate depression.

Fortunately, depression and anxiety respond very well to a variety of techniques aimed at breaking the emotional loops that feed the problem.

There are many things you can do on your own to help and begin to break the cycle of sadness and worry. I can get you some information and resources if you like.

I am glad you how found a dentist you can relate with and is willing to help. Having a short conversation with her is always wise and be sure to tell her about what she does that helps the most.

All the best.

 

[James19]

Hey StressDoc,

Thanks for your reply, some useful information in there!

Jay

 

[James19]

My doctor basically said i've got depression, but am making my depression worse by doing all the worrying.

Jay

 

[Stress Doc]

Hi Jay:

There is a statement that tends to ring true. "What we worry about today, we become depressed about tomorrow."

Depression and sadness decreases the production of Serotonin (a happy messenger). Serotonin is involved in regulating many important physiological (body-oriented) functions, including sleep, aggression, eating, sexual behavior, and mood.

There are many more processes involved in depression but this is a good one to focus on. When Serotonin levels drop this has an affect on the levels of Dopamine.

Dopamine plays an important role in regulating our drive to seek out rewards, as well as our ability to obtain a sense of pleasure. Low dopamine levels may in part explain why depressed people don't derive the same sense of pleasure out of activities or people that they did before becoming depressed.

This sets the stage for worry and anxiety. This condition further affects these important brain chemicals and increases agitation. Anxiety thrives in a climate of hopelessness and helplessness, which can be increased by depression. Anxiety is also always future based, what may happen, or might happen, so the seeds for future worry are setup.

Both of these conditions destroy self-esteem and self-confidence which eats away at the desire to take the positive actions to begin correcting the problem.

These are not simple problems that you just "get over". They require diligent effort and techniques to break the emotional loops and rebuild the system. Depression is becoming a world wide epidemic and we must take proactive steps to combat it.

Left alone the conditions tend to get worse with time so effective action is necessary. I have written a paper on stress and brain chemistry that deals in depth with these subjects. If you like I will email you a copy.

Realizing that there is a problem is a big step but do not stop there. Begin to take the steps that will treat the condition and restore joy to life.

 

[James19]

I've emailed me dental surgery this morning, still no reply. I'm all agitated, i really thought they'd get back to me today, and that all of my worries would be solved!

Jay

 

[LittleS]

I've emailed me dental surgery this morning, still no reply. I'm all agitated, i really thought they'd get back to me today, and that all of my worries would be solved!

Jay

Do they use email as a matter of course? My surgery has an email address, but they don't seem to use it regularly. I asked the other day if I could use it to book appointments and they said 'no'. I just thought that might be the reason why they've not been in touch......

 

[kia101]

I can understand the desire not to take and anti-depressant as they are not usually very helpful in mild to moderate depression.

Fortunately, depression and anxiety respond very well to a variety of techniques aimed at breaking the emotional loops that feed the problem.

Hello James - I've only found this post just now, after a lot of lurking, and in some ways I wish I'd found it earlier.

Like you, I suffer from depression, from the mild sort in my mid-teens to some pretty serious scary stuff about a year or so ago. It's not pleasant, it's frequently misunderstood, it's a nightmare to get rid of, and having a serious phobia doesn't help at all either. I find that any kind of stress fuels the depression and as such you'll probably be feeling pretty rubbish right now.

I can understand your reluctance to take anti-depressants too - for mild depression, their effectiveness is a bit hit-and-miss and it is good to find another way of coping if you can. Exercise, eating well, stress management at work and counselling have all been proven to reduce the symptoms of depression.

Counselling especially might be good to try - for mild to moderate depression it's just as effective as tablets; your GP might be able to put you on a waiting list for NHS therapy or be able to put you in touch with a private counsellor. Talking about issues and past experiences with someone who knows what to say and who won't judge you can never be a bad thing - and it might help to give you a fresh perspective on your life.

This reminds me of a speech that a character called Leo McGarry gives at the end of an episode of a series called The West Wing. The episode is called 'Noel.' McGarry is a White House boss and a recovering alcoholic who, after being informed that a character called Josh (his deputy) is going through a breakdown due to PTSD, re-assigns Josh's schedule for the day and calls in a counsellor for him to get to the bottom of the problem. He says:

Leo: This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up: "Hey, you! Can you help me out? " The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up: " Father, I'm down in this hole. Can you help me out? " The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by: " Hey, Joe, it's me. Can you help me out? " And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, "Are you stupid? Now we're both down here. " The friend says: "Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out. "

If you wanna PM me, feel free.

kia101