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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> "you're just depressed..."
        
(Message started by: blmiller84 on Apr 4^th, 2007, 1:20am)

Title: "you're just depressed..."
Post by blmiller84 on Apr 4^th, 2007, 1:20am

I think I may end up posting a new thread when people annoy me! >:(

So today, I mentioned to someone that I was tired (which is in part due to my current cycle of headaches). A few hours later I got online and the same person I was talking to sent me a link to a self-help online quiz to see if you are depressed. This is a person who I've explained my headaches to and everything. But no, they simply seem to think I'm depressed. This is about the 4th or 5th person to do this to me in the past year! Some of them are even family, who have seem me in a very high level of pain. My brother once tried to convince me that I didn't get headaches like I claim. I stopped talking to him for a while after that!

I've noticed that most of the people who try to push the depression diagnosis on me are people who have been told by doctors that they suffer from depression.

It's just frustrating. And I'm just venting. I looked back through a few pages of threads and didn't see one relating to this, or I would have simply added it to that.

And by the way, I'm not depressed. I guess I just have to learn not to say certain things to some people :-/

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by Yorky on Apr 4^th, 2007, 1:37am

whouuuw you sound depressed fella. ;)
i think your just tired and angry.

try not to be , and dont let others around boil you up.

if you feel angry come here and vent untill, it is all off your chest....
we understand. now calm down

an let some endorphins off (these are chemicals,that make you feel good, they get released in your brain.........but only when you smile. ;)

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by Superpain on Apr 4^th, 2007, 2:45am

Been there...
My dad used to tell me my headaches were "psychosomatic".
Then I stabbed him in the face with a hot screwdriver. [smiley=laugh.gif] j/k

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by burnt-toast on Apr 4^th, 2007, 7:25am

In sleep studies frequent interruption of REM sleep alone was enough to trigger depression, severe fatigue and irritability in test subjects. It’s no stretch to say that CH sufferers endure various levels of depression when battling this nightmare.

In the case of CH frequent interruption/failure to reach REM sleep is combined with recurring, unbearable, uncontrollable pain, for many - fear of sleep, physical/mental fatigue, lingering nerve pain following severe attacks, disrupted lifestyles, friends/family unable to comprehend how severe the pain is, lots of interesting meds., etc, etc.

For some seeking specific treatment(s) for CH induced depression may be necessary. For others recognizing the cause and accepting the fact that they must deal with it is the only treatment necessary. In either case depression is a symptom of CH to be recognized and managed just like all other CH symptoms.

Best wishes,

Tom

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by chrisw on Apr 4^th, 2007, 7:30am

why dont you try waking them up every 30 minutes all night long by hitting them in the head with somehting for a few months straight, and see how their attitude about things is after all that.
I have a feeling that their outlook in general would be considered "depressed".

then you could say, "youre not tired, youre just depressed"

chrisw

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by BarbaraD on Apr 4^th, 2007, 7:36am

Barbara,

You probably are depressed - depression is a part of this CH thingy. We hurt, we hurt, we hurt, and after a while we get depressed. BUT it ain't the "cause" and it ain't our biggest problem. It's just part of the cycle we're going thru. Most of the time we pull out of it after a period of time.

Did that make any sense at all? [smiley=huh.gif]

We just get tired and worn out (pain does that to us). There's usually a lot of other stuff going on. Heck, I'd like to murder a few "well wishers" myself, but they tell me it's against the law and they put you in jail for that sorta stuff, so I've been good so far. ;)

Like someone said -- just come here and vent all you want. We're here and we understand what you're going thru. And we keep bail money handy in case you don't get here quick enough. :-*

Just hang in there honey, it gets better... promise.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by pieface_49 on Apr 4^th, 2007, 9:27am

No use fooling ourselves. The stress, strain and fear is enough to make ones attitude and outlook on life change drastically. I am not a happy person when I am in pain. No one is! There are many psychosomatic symptoms related to pain.
http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/depression.html

There are chemical changes that occur during cycle. These changes as well as the medications we can take a drastic toll on our mental well being. Many of these changes are not evident to the sufferer. When I am in cycle, I am consumed with pain or fear. I do not see the whole picture of what is going on around me. If someone who loves me tells me I am depressed, I would say the chances I am depressed are good. On the other hand, if someone who does not know me well and I am trying to explain CH to them, chances are good they might tell me something like I am crazy or depressed. They just don't understand. If 2 people whom I chat with tell me I am depressed, I may want to look closer at myself. Chances are I will know when I am depressed, if I can be honest with myself.

This article talks about migraine headaches and depression. I have read where our pain is considered up to "100 times worse than a migraine". I agree what that statement.
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/2813/T/CFIDS_FM/searchtext/

Here is another study.
http://panicdisorder.about.com/cs/comorbiddisorders/a/headachesstudy.htm

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by E-Double on Apr 4^th, 2007, 10:07am

It is possible but it is not the reason you have HA as some seem to suggest.

Once you learn to cope better with depression and anxiety which tends to hit us ever so often then life tends to get easier and with some of us the attacks get easier to cope with as well.

Good luck

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by Guiseppi on Apr 4^th, 2007, 10:24am

I've learned to smile and say "thank you for your concern"....whether they suggest chiropractors will make them go away, getting more sleep, giving up alcohol, changing my diet, losing weight, working out, their brother gets stress headaches they understand, they get tension headaches they understand.....I know we're supposed to educate the world but for most people I give them a kind smile, a thank you, and I run back to the board.

Guiseppi

PS: that being said, depression hits almost all of us duringt cycles....the damned things are depressing! Run back to the board!!!

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by kcopelin on Apr 4^th, 2007, 10:42am

"just" depressed?! I took a test on depression-scored 25 out of 27. CH messes up our brain chemistry. Went to see my doc-she sent me to Mental Health. I had my research ready-effects of CH on serotonin levels, the MH doc said "Hmm, yes, well I see..." prescribed Celexa at bedtime. We talked for a few minutes-and she diagnosed me as clinically depressed caused by an imbalance in brain chemicals. CH does mess up alot of stuff. However, depression does not cause CH. Depression just makes it difficult for us to see hope, light, joy...it ain't nothing to mess with. If you have CH, depression can be its handmaiden. No shame in treating that. The shame is on those who say "just" depression, or tell us to suck it up.

My dos centavos...
PFDAN y'all
kathy

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by blmiller84 on Apr 4^th, 2007, 12:47pm

Thanks for your responses! (and for the ones that made me laugh [smiley=laugh.gif])

I understand that depression can be part of CH. I had a hard time dealing with it when they first started hitting me bad. I had people who understood and helped me through it. Now, the only time that I have trouble with the depression aspect is when the pain is coming on. But, that passes and I know it does. Generally I'm happy, and of course, a bit moody sometimes ::) I tend to get in a semi-bad mood when the pressure drops, but that goes away when it *finally* starts raining.

When I looked at the quiz I was linked to, it had questions such as "do you have trouble sleeping" and "are you normally tired?" things like that. Of course I have those symptoms when I have a cycle!

People are silly... just plain silly.

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by TonyYZF on Apr 4^th, 2007, 3:52pm

I am depressed and tired. I think there is a chemical aspect. Of course I have been in cycle (mostly at manageable levels though) for almost a year now.

I have considered clinical help, but it poses risks to my job, so I cope the best I can and I survive. I just try to balance the depression with the risks of treating it and walk the line somewhere in between. Treat the depression ... feel better but lose job ... get depressed for losing the job. Or, cope the best I can and keep the depression from jeopardizing the job. That is the compromize that is working best now.

Oh well.
Best wishes
Tony

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by Rockcoat on Apr 5^th, 2007, 5:15am

Let's see...it's 5AM in the east and I'm on this board. I haven't had a decent nights sleep in weeks now. I'm getting 4-5 hits per day and more at night, yeah that will get you depressed alright but it's not the kind of depression that makes me want to "end it all" That only happens during my attacks the rest of the time it's more the "this ain't no way to live" kind. ;)

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by Bob_Johnson on Apr 5^th, 2007, 3:22pm

1. There is no evidence that having CH is an automatic trigger for depression. Some people do develop depression but I've never seen any medical reports showing this to be a common response to CH.

2. There is terrible confusion about the term "depression" with normal sadness, tension, preoccupation, anxiety, etc. too often being described as "depression". These are quite different conditions, this confusion, in fact, being the subject of a report which hit the press within the last few days. (You might find it useful to look at GOOGLE news for this story.)

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by taraann on Apr 7^th, 2007, 4:17pm

After a serious month long (or more who the hell knows it was a blur) struggle with repeated high kip ch hits, migraines, and some weirdo new chronic daily headpain I landed admitted in the hospital. The ER started me on my steroids (which are the best route for me) naseau meds and some shit to knock me the f*ck out! lol sorry... ok well when I got up to my room the doctor I got the next day said I was depressed and anxious and that's why I was getting headaches. Well let me tell you doc... if you were having no break from pain and were more than merely exhausted wouldn't you be depressed and stressed???? It's not the cause of my pain!

Ok so he changes my meds, ... day 2 I was talking to walls and was completely out of it. When hemade his rounds I asked him what the hell he had me on.. he told me Klonipin (among other things). I said NO way doc, I'll take an antidepressant but Klonipin no freakin way I'm so out of it on that stuff! Well he refused, etc etc he had all his mightier than though thoughts and I then checked myself out of the hospital and went home.

A couple days off of the Klonipins I wasn't saying hello to walls anymore and wow that was sure alearning experience! LOL

Some docs are just lame!

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by Sandy_C on Apr 10^th, 2007, 1:05pm

Of course we get depressed when we're in cycle - geeze! With very little sleep, pain again and again throughout the day and night - who wouldn't get depressed.

But, depression does not cause CH - CH can cause depression. It's what we do, think and feel when we're between cycles, or even between hits, that determines whether we truly suffer from "depression". If we go through the hit, then pick ourselves up and get on with life, laugh, smile, work, play with our children...that is not depression.

Sandy

Title: Re: "you're just depressed..."
Post by swimchica623 on Apr 10^th, 2007, 1:22pm

Just to add on to what everyone else is saying....of course you get depressed when you are in cycle....its only human! And I think this might be extra true for us youngins...not saying that older people don't have the right to live their lives, but when you think of the typical college student, what do you think of...partying, carefree lifestyle, sorta the last hurrah before real life kicks in. You are surrounded by everyone living that sorta life and look what you have to deal with. Also during these years everything is compacted, time moves extra fast with classes and social relationships and everything, so when you miss time from being sick or something you miss a LOT of time, a lot mroe than you realize, so that can add to the depression too, a sort of helpless feeling that you are never going to be able to catch up, that you aren't living up to the expectations you placed upon yourself.....
Probably due to the extreme exhaustion you are feeling right now you aren't interpreting your family and friends correctly, I don't think they mean that you are experiencing depression INSTEAD of CH, but they are worreid about you. When my brother saw me at Christmas after a high period (I'm chronic..maybe..its complicated..so it wasn't after a cycle technically but after a ton of hits) he said it was weird, like I wasn't even there. Remember this is really hard on our friends and family too.
So..just hang in there and be patient with them. When the cycle is over you will be able to see things much clearly, believe me, and this will all make much mroe sense!!!
Lisa