I’ve been dealing with depression (and anxiety) for well over 5 years now. I’ve tried so many different medications and treatments with no apparent success. Inevitably, in the course of the treatment, the doctor will ask if I’m starting to feel better to see if it’s worth continuing the treatment, up the dose, or swap to something else. And… I never know what to say. If it’s not going to get dramatically better all of a sudden, I don’t really know how to recognize any incremental progress if it’s happening at all and without being able to do that, I might be passing on treatments that could have helped if I gave it more time.

So if you’ve been in this situation, how did you recognize progress? To the extent that you can put it into words, what did it feel like to slowly get better as you were treated?

  • terminhell@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    3·
    9 hours ago

    Hey, hang in there. Keep searching. I’m still on the journey. I’m over 40 and recently diagnosed with ADHD and some form of bipolar/manic stuff.

    Finally found a good head doc, meds etc. up until this, it was a slow but increasing downward spiral. I just became apathetic…to existence.

    At work, I constantly felt imposter syndrome, couldn’t stay focused. Any minor mistake felt like the world was ending. At home, minor family drama felt like I was a complete failure as a husband, father and an adult.

    Now? Most of all that is fading away. Still a ways to go but hope is in sight. I’ve began to recognize things that would have put me in a dark place. Now it mostly rolls off me.

    So, to answer your question: It feels like every little mistake, insecurity etc is nothing more than a memory of shit that got to me. It’s a sorta weird poetic justice. Like seeing a bully get out in their place.

    Edit: I’m sure you have but get some blood work done. Hormones, and Vitamin D levels. I’ve been struggling with vitamin D for a while now. It absolutely will cause issues if too low. It’s an “easy” fix with simple supplements. None of this is quick. Takes a few weeks generally to even begin to notice. But in time you should.