Being depressed as a contractor... how to gather myself?

[Old Greg]

Obviously cUK general is not the place to be talking about such things. But since it is here... no, I'm not trying to push anyone over the edge.

It's just that reading your post is like a night in the Thistle Hotel, Heathrow.

[scooterscot]

You need to put that drink now and sober up rapid. Big day tomorrow.

[GJABS]

I am currently taking 10mg of Escitalopram daily as I have been on the depression train for a long time now. How can I sort myself out.. does therapy actually work? perhaps I need a bigger dose of medication now?

Sometimes SSRI antidepressants "poop out" and stop working for some reason. Or perhaps they carry on working but the underlying condition gets worse.
The good news is that you can often get fresh relief by changing to a different antidepressant in a different class, such as the SNRI Venlafaxine and atypical Mirtazapine

Antidepressant treatment tachyphylaxis - Wikipedia

Venlafaxine - Wikipedia

Mirtazapine - Wikipedia

[mudskipper]

Sorry to hear you're having a tough time OP.

Definitely worth going back to the doctor - if the medication worked for you before, it may just need a change, or counselling/other therapies might help you. Different things work for different people. Also worth checking for other conditions that cause or compound depression, e.g. hypothyroidism. It's very difficult to get out of it on your own.

If you can motivate yourself to get some exercise, that's definitely going to help too - and even better if you can make that exercise social (I'm no runner, but parkrun is part of my weekly routine and it's a really friendly, social event)

Good luck.

[northernladuk]

Sorry to hear you're having a tough time OP.

Definitely worth going back to the doctor - if the medication worked for you before, it may just need a change, or counselling/other therapies might help you. Different things work for different people. Also worth checking for other conditions that cause or compound depression, e.g. hypothyroidism. It's very difficult to get out of it on your own.

If you can motivate yourself to get some exercise, that's definitely going to help too - and even better if you can make that exercise social (I'm no runner, but parkrun is part of my weekly routine and it's a really friendly, social event)

Good luck.

Definitely the above for your own sanity. Definitely stick with the medication. There is a stigma about it with many people, particularly blokes but depression can also be measured by the chemical changes in your brain. No amount of yoga can change that so let the drugs fix that and give the ability to fix other things around you. The simplest thing can be a mountain when your own brain is trying to bring you down.

My own method of dealing with bad times is lists. I'm results driven and not achieving anything is my biggest problem. I make long lists when I feel moods coming on, put everything on there however minor. Mix up standard daily stuff you need to do as well as things you need to grow in yourself. The list motivates me to do it and I have the sense of achievement seeing the ticks. Hope it helps you.

Longer term though I'd seriously stay away from contracting. Two out of two doesn't bode well and could quite likely be a major part of the problem. There is then the bench time even if time at the client goes OK.

Set your mind to getting a permie job. It will give you stability and routine that contracting can't. We take the piss out of permie land but in a decent office it could be a good sociable environment as well.

Get your head straight, get your career straight and then take baby steps to the next goal when you are ready.

[cosmic]

Deffo the drugs at play here. Go to go and get on a different class. I myself don't suffer from depression thank God and truly am sorry that you have to go through this!

I don't like anti depressants as they are derived from the petrol industry. More specifically they come from the same stuff as weed killers.

On your lack of motivation yes it's recorded in a select group

SSRI-Induced Indifference

There are several classes of anti depressants and if you feel you must take them then change them to a different one until you feel more yourself or lower the dose?

[scooterscot]

Deffo the drugs at play here. Go to go and get on a different class. I myself don't suffer from depression thank God and truly am sorry that you have to go through this!

I don't like anti depressants as they are derived from the petrol industry. More specifically they come from the same stuff as weed killers.

Me neither. Have know friends to use them and watch their behaviour change from one day to the next, almost scary. Moreover drugs don't change the underlying issues, i.e. the absence of structure from chaos. As others have said, focus on exercise. Get out there, even if it's walking round the house. You don't have to climbing the cairngorms. Do that first, attack something you can control, like staying away from negative people (my personal bugbear).

[Scruff]

Stop listening to a bunch of pseudo-medical-interest-no-idea bunch of contractors.

Make an appointment with your GP, ASAP and ask for a referral to a Psych(iastrist/ologist). If you can afford the initial consult, pay for it privately (unless you have Private Medical).

The Black Dog is not best treated by us lot of Gladiators and Radiator Bleeders.

[Hobosapien]

Perhaps it is as simple as getting on my bike and getting the endorphins going again?

Worth a try.

If running appeals and you aren't currently that fit have a look at Couch to 5k. Really does work and prepares you for those parkruns (5k social run every Saturday morning) if the social side appeals.

Though this time of year where it's cold and wet maybe some cold water swimming would be an interesting thing to try.

If a bit of exercise (nature's cure) doesn't work then let the professionals help.

[Bean]

Stop listening to a bunch of pseudo-medical-interest-no-idea bunch of contractors.

Make an appointment with your GP, ASAP and ask for a referral to a Psych(iastrist/ologist). If you can afford the initial consult, pay for it privately (unless you have Private Medical).

The Black Dog is not best treated by us lot of Gladiators and Radiator Bleeders.

Here here.

Nobody on here is likely to be medically qualified enough to give you proper advice, that isn't simply based on anecdotal personal evidence.