feeling so depressed

Feeling so depressed, gone through cycles many times and at a very low point again.Done the therapy and psychiatrists route many times and so tired of it. Have major anxiety, waking early, hands shaking, tight in pit of solar plexus that won't go away, can't concentrate, self loathing and loosing my mind. So hard to do life. thank goodness I work part time and my husband is the bread winner for now. hard to do anything. Lots of external stress at home with adult son, elderly mother, and Lyme disease. Just need to feel a little connection to those who know what this emotional pain feels like. Thank you.

Have you had a complete physical lately?

Hi Karen,
Thank you for your reply. Yes, my husband is supportive but doesn't understand that I can't just not think the way I do lately. My work is dwindling and out of my home so not that much help I'm sorry to say. I think that is one of the problems I am a coach and was able to do it fairly well...now can't with anxiety and depression. I do guided imagery, and breathing, and shaking my body to release the anxiety but my mind just keeps looping about disasters in the future which intellectually know that if it's not in front of me I don't need to worry. I'm hoping I will be able to see the brighter side of things and putting up an imaginary stop sign, and mantra let go...let go...

You asked "How do you do it?", so I will answer as tactfully as I can.

I have a history of alcoholism. One of the founders of A.A. also suffered from paralyzing depression. The other founder was a steady church goer, but didn't quite grasp how to have a personal relationship with the Higher Power he most identified with.

The principles that helped me get and help me stay sober have been very helpful with the other areas and malady I suffer from. In fact, the literature says that they believed their 'way of living' could have benefits for all.

In a nutshell it boils down to "Trust God (whatever your conception of a Higher Power is), clean house (emotionally or literally), help others." In practice I've found that the meetings (and the universe) run just fine without me although my input is usually beneficial, emotional housecleaning is just as important as actual housecleaning, reducing clutter and chaos, doing away with things that don't serve my present life well, and looking outside of myself and my problems, realizing that there is always someone else worse off than me, keeping an attitude of gratitude for what I have.

I listen to uplifting music, I garden in the warm months and indoor garden in the cold months, I feed the birds through the winter, I offer a smile to everyone and hold doors for people, I listen when people need to 'vent' and only offer advice if asked (usually).

When my son was in Iraq, I mentally planned for the worst case scenario, his funeral. Some would say it was morbid but, I found it cathartic. Once I did it I felt prepared, at least in the action. I did the same when my daughter had surgery to remove a tumor on her pituitary gland. The 'what if's' have lost their power over me. My life experience has shown me that...people die, people divorce, children grow up and make their own decisions, pets cross the rainbow bridge, jobs come and go, and the earth keeps turning. I am NOT that powerful.

I hope you find something useful in all of this. Feel free to e-mail me for further discussion as the rules urge us not to discuss certain topics in the forum setting.

Karen,
Thank you the breathing exercises do help.I am forcing myself to see a few this week and I think it will be helpful to try to help another. I do appreciate your responses.
Big Hug

I am glad that the exercises help. Anything that can help anxiety is good. I hate anxiety. I get it every time I decide to go somewhere anymore, but it goes away once I go.

Hang in there. Hope you are having a good day.

Hi HT...

Hugs, Karen...