Questions about severe depression?


Question:
I have been suffering from severe depression for 8 years and it has just been terrible and unbearable to live with it on daily basis. It has robbed me of happiness, enjoyment, even living a normal life.
I just basically became extremely shy, nervous individual and couldn't live up to my potentials. Along with severe depression, I suffered from variety of other mental complications such as panic attack, OCD, bipolar, etc.
I have been going to counseling for the past year but stopped now cuz I am out of university. I have 3 Qs.
1. How serious is severe depression in medical opinion? If you could compare severe depression to physical illness, what would it be? Certainly not as bad as cancer, right?
2. What are the long-term consequences of severe depression?
3. Can a person overcome it without professional help?

Answers:
First of all, let me tell you that my heart goes out to you. I too suffer from a severe form of depression. Your Q1 is a very interesting one, in that during the throes of my many depressions, I would think things like "I would Rather have a broken leg, that this or a brain tumor, EVEN, cancer. Depression is so painful. At least with a physical pain they can give you a pain killer or Novocaine. Not with depression. It is an insidious disease. Which disease would I like it too? I'm not really sure, something that is so painful, that no one can help you with and there is no pill that can take the pain away.
Q2--The long term consequences of severe depression if left untreated are horrendous in my opinion. It would only get worse and you would alienate yourself from everything and every one.

Q3--I do not believe that someone can overcome this alone. With severe depression I believe you need meds and counseling, hopefully from the same psychiatrist, as opposed to getting your med from one person and counseling from another. Be relentless in your pursuit of lifting your depression.
Peace , my friend
I have been for longer
1Its hard to compare but my Mom jst passed and I will compared sever depression to a long drawn out death you know where everythingis falling apart one right thing right afetr the other and sometimes you get alittle better for a while but the relapse is alittle worse whn it comes.
long term I would say total disengagement with reality or the world and or suicide
3 I am doing that right now, I stopped all meds, quit counseling cause it kept me in my head too much and I feel ahelluva lot better, I am more able to be positive instead of dwelling on crap day after day. Also Its important to push yourself into the world, it helps to just know that you can have confidence in yourself those head doctors make you believe you need them too much.
My late husband suffered from severe clinical depression, PTSD, Psycho-social anxiety, and low level pschitophrenia.

The answers to your questions is:
1. If I were to compare severe depression to a physical conditon it would compare to a stroke or cancer.

2. The long-term consequences of severe depression is death because you can not self treat severe depression you need to seek professional help and include medication treatment due to a chemical imbalance in the brain.

3. Can a person overcome severe depression without professional help, sure again it is called death. You need the help to understand why you are feeling the way you are feeling.

Take it from someone who had lived with a severely depressed man. It isn't something you can just pretend does not exist and it will go away.
Please get professional help, psychologist, if you can afford it. I'm not a doctor, but it sounds as if you could use some medication for the depression. Panic attacks are scary, but they won't kill you. Your doctor might want to prescribe a mild tranquilizer, and teach you how to tell if one is coming on, and show you how to work through one.OCD are ways of controlling your life . They may change from one kind to another,but they're something you may have to live with.As to how serious your depression is, only your doctor can tell you. I do think you need professional help, just as you would if you had the flu. Make the appointment with your psychologist as soon as you can, there's nothing to be afraid of , or ashamed of. I hope you'll start to feel better soon. Remember, baby steps at first, don't rush your healing process. Good Luck!!!!! I'll be thinking of you.


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