Anyone deal with anxiety and depression on here?

I've gone through quite a bit recently and I've had a hard time trying to stay focused with everything that's been going on. I have found that driving, yes driving is relaxing for me. I just get in my Taco and drive.

Lost my grandfather recently, been dealing with that. Most influential man in my life right there. I'm continuously inspired by what he did up until the day he passed. If I am half the man he was, I'd say I'd lived a pretty good life.

I guess the point of the post is to just find something that takes you away from all the madness. For me it's driving.

7 years ago when I lost my mom, I picked up running. I've ran 5 marathons and about a dozen half marathons since.

Do what it takes to give yourself a break. It gets easier. If something starts bothering you, find someone to talk to.

 

Holy crap man, that's a lot of very uneventful situations. Glad you were able to pull through it.

 

Perhaps uneventful is the wrong word

 

Hey man. Like what everyone has said, you are in no way alone in this. I have certainly dealt with a lot of stuff, but I think the most important thing is talking it out and you don't have to spend unnecessary funds to do that. Call your mother, and I'm sure your wife is hopefully there for you when you need it. I think also exercise is important as well and since I got my truck, experiencing and exploring life is awesome. You may not have a ton of freedom, but I think everyone needs to be on their own every once in a while, to get outta their head and to reassure themselves on the kind of person they are. I think, for you, the most important thing in your life is your family, your daughter. I don't know you, but you have a beautiful family. Hope this helps.

 

I have a 19 year old son, oldest of 3, who has battled depression. It’s affected his life in so many ways, he’s generally managed to keep forward progress but I can see the strain in him. I want so badly to help, I often feel useless. I’ve certainly learned to stop always putting a positive spin on things and just be with him. I don’t have any useful suggestions, I’m still just trying to be an advocate and someone who can make a difference for him.

 

So true.

 

Yeah you’re right. I can only imagine the amount of stress and weight on someone’s shoulder having to go through that.

 

Where do you live? Move to Colorado, Washington state or California. Earth's medicine heals in mysterious ways.

 

What may not seem like a big deal to you might be a crisis - real or imagined - to someone else. If it is real it needs to be dealt with. If it is imagined, the person still needs some help.

Walk a mile in their shoes and all that.

 

The first time I was in the hospital I just happened to hear this song for the first time on the radio.

It has served to inspire me ever since.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l50L4GYhpLc

 

Thanks man...it was a very long road, but it taught me a lot and built a strong base of character that I draw from now almost everyday.

Hoping the OP reads all the well thought out posts here and uses them as a platform of strength.

 

https://youtu.be/AvKHPTMZI7E

 

Going through a rough period right now. That's all.

 

One thing is for sure... Nothing last forever

 

Sorry to hear that. Hang in there. It will pass, maybe not as soon as you want but it will. You’ll look back on it, live it, feel it, learn from it.

 

Since this thread has recently been bumped, I thought I would take the opportunity to recommend a book written by psychiatrist who has extensively research mindfulness-based stress reduction. Unlike the typical "self-help" genre, this book is is grounded in rigorous academic research and has inspired countless practitioners around the world. The book is called

$13 Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness

Full Catastrophe Living, by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn.

The basic premise is that through regular meditation practice, you learn to identify the negative thought patterns that give rise to feelings of depression and/or anxiety, and effectively interrupt those patterns. The net effect of interfering with those maladaptive thought patterns is that mood improves, as does outlook on life in general. There are chapters that specifically address the role that mindfulness-based stress reduction can play in other medical conditions, including cancer, chronic pain and heart disease. Rather than committing to the whole book, you can read the introductory and instructional chapters, then select any further chapters that may apply to you.

For me, as I would presume is true for many other men (i.e., many members of TW), I found it appealing to be able to improve my mood and confidence by being able to better exert some control over my thoughts.

 

Try Celebrate Recovery. Diet and walking daily help. Turned out I had ADD and dealing with that caused the depression and anxiety. Learning how to deal with that and cutting myself a break also helped. Not to say life is always perfect....that’s not ever gonna happen.

 

Yeah, diet and exercise both can help with mood (let's also throw sleep hygiene into the mix), although in my own case I felt I had given both a solid effort and still wasn't where I wanted to be with my mood. Interestingly, when I have my mental house in order, I'm generally better able to focus on diet and exercise...it's all interrelated. Good point also to acknowledge that perfection is not a reasonable goal. As I like to joke, a personality transplant is off the table.

 

Just another voice to echo a lot of the above and to say "hey". I've had ups and downs like yours, too, and I admire your courage to speak up and reach out. I agree 100% on the eat right/exercise advice for starters, and keep busy with stuff that you can enjoy and get relaxation out of. Like maybe cooking those healthy meals; that also creates something you can share with your family and friends. And pay heed to some of those cheesy life expressions like "don't set yourself on fire to keep other's warm" and "don't sweat the small stuff". They're cliche, but true. Focus on your own happiness and know that you're not responsible for the rest of the world. (of course, be good to your family -- you get what you give). And I'll end with another -- the sun always rises. Today may be a hard one, but tomorrow's a new day.

 

Just curious if you guys had your testosterone levels checked? Low T can bring on depression and anxiety.