Answered questions(8)
My Wife Worries Too Much
My wife is a wonderful person who worries about things too much. While I sleep like a baby she lies away at night worrying about even the slightest problems in our life. I think the fundamental problem that she has is that she looks at the world in negative way, expecting that the worst will happen and I look at the world sort expecting that things will basically always work out…and if they ever don’t we’ll more than likely be able to deal with what comes in any case. I am always telling her not to worry but of course that doesn’t really help her much! How can I help her to look at the world with a more positive outlook? I really believe that much of the unhappiness in her life is of her own making and that if she could just change her outlook a bit she could be freed from such a lot of worry each day.
Read answer →Should I stay at home with my depression?
I am really having a hard time with depression. I don’t really want to tell people at the office about my diagnosis. I am now on a daily 60 mg of Cymbalta but only a week or so in and not feeling any better yet. I just wish everyone at work would leave me alone. I just can’t bear to talk to anyone these days and It is hard enough for to get my job done without having to spend the energy needed to socialize and I just really can’t be bothered to care about anyone right now. I know that sounds terrible but it is true. I am thinking about applying to work in a remote capacity. My work can be done online and I have the clout to pull the move. My wife, who is the only one who knows I am dealing with this, thinks that this is a bad idea. She is worried that I will become very isolated and this will make my depression worse. She does not know how hard it is for me to walk down that corridor every morning and exchange greetings with people… Would reducing my contact with others have a negative effect on my mood? I feel like taking away anything that is making my life harder right not is the right thing to do, but I am not sure I am able to concentrate enough to really make solid rational decisions either.
Read answer →Depression in Terminal Cancer
My father has pancreatic cancer and his prognosis is not good. My wife and I are his primary caregivers and he lives with us. Since his diagnosis 2 months ago he seems to have become quite depressed but he won’t admit to it and he gets quite irate when I bring up his talking to someone about his mental health. He may not have much longer than a year left with us and I want to see him get as much life and joy as he can out of what time he has left but how can I cheer him up when doesn’t want to get any help, and when, to be honest, he has a very good reason to be feeling down?
Read answer →Nightmares and Depression
Can bad dreams be an early warning sign of depression? For the last few months I have started having unpleasant dreams a lot. I didn’t used to remember my dreams in the morning but now I do and they kind of taint the way my day gets started. They kind of cling to me and pull me down a bit. What could be causing this? I am not on any new medications and my routines have not changed in any significant ways?
Read answer →Gimme an anti-depressant that feels like cocaine
Are there any anti depressants that increase dopamine in the brain? I have done cocaine and methamphetamine in the past and both made me feel very good. I am now struggling with what I think is depression. If anti depressant medications could give me a way to feel like I did on coke for a lasting time then I would be very interested in trying this out. I know that they mostly increase serotonin levels. If dopamine is what makes me feel good why don’t anti depressants increase dopamine?
Read answer →Pot and Depression
Does marijuana have any impact on depression? I have been a smoker for about 11 years and it is something that I enjoy. Nowadays it is one of the few things I look forward to. I don’t smoke everyday but I Probably smoke 4 or 5 times per week, or whenever I have an evening to myself without work commitments. I think I have some mild depression. My doctor has recommended Zoloft but I am trying to hold off on the medication and I am seeing if my new exercise routine might help. So far it is not really making me feel much better but after a few weeks of exercise I have managed to lose like 5 pounds, so at least that’s something. So long story short, my girlfriend is bugging me to stop smoking pot because she thinks that it is not helping with my depression. I do not know if she is right or not, although it has never before caused me to feel depressed and I have been using it for a long time. However, because it is truly one of the few things in my life right now that brings me any pleasure at all I really don’t want to give that away. At least it gets me out of my head for a while and lets me zone out into a movie or some video games. Given that I have used marijuana for a long time without problems, is my occasional marijuana use likely playing any role in the depression I am feeling right now?
Read answer →Depression in different cultures
I have an undergraduate psych degree but have never used it for much of anything, but the study of the mind has always interested me. Having lived in a number of Buddhist countries it seems to me that depression is much less of a problem in these countries than it is here back home. I see that mindfulness is now a recommended method for dealing with mental health problems. Is there any research that suggests that certain cultures are better protected against mental illness due to their underlying world-view and philosophy of life?
Read answer →Winter Depression
I've had frequent bouts of depression during the winter months. Are there particular reasons for and strategies against winter depression in particular? I am getting really anxious now that the next winter approaches... I even considered relocating to Florida (sadly, it is impracticable as I am the CEO of a company here in the north).
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