Comments for Jon Wilks http://www.jonwilks.com Editor, father, recovering hypochondriac Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:51:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Jon Wilks http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-290 Jon Wilks Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:51:52 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-290 I often wonder what the former version of myself would be like now. But I think that's part of the chain-thinking problem. Accepting that you're no longer like that is probably a good step forward. I hope you can come to terms with it. Good luck. I often wonder what the former version of myself would be like now. But I think that’s part of the chain-thinking problem. Accepting that you’re no longer like that is probably a good step forward. I hope you can come to terms with it. Good luck.

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Jon Wilks http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-289 Jon Wilks Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:49:42 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-289 Good on you, Jeric. Hope you're well. Good on you, Jeric. Hope you’re well.

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Jeric Bilo http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-288 Jeric Bilo Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:37:19 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-288 Hi, Jon. Great article. Pam told me about it. I, too, take SSRI's. Peace and Solidarity. Jeric Hi, Jon.

Great article. Pam told me about it. I, too, take SSRI’s.
Peace and Solidarity.

Jeric

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Shannon http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-268 Shannon Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:48:20 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-268 I can't recall a day in the last 20 yearsthat hasn't been a battle. And oddly enough I'm certain that if you asked any of dozens of friends I've known during this time, they would say I'm the last person who has depression. I work so hard at covering it up and making sure that others are ok that everyone thinks I'm the class clown and the person you go to when there is trouble. How shocked would my friends and former co-workers be to know that every single day it would feel so good to just quit trudging along? I've been on every possible medicine and years of counseling and still I know that I'm not the me I'm supposed to be. The real me got left behind long ago. I wonder who she is now and what is keeping her going? I can’t recall a day in the last 20 yearsthat hasn’t been a battle. And oddly enough I’m certain that if you asked any of dozens of friends I’ve known during this time, they would say I’m the last person who has depression. I work so hard at covering it up and making sure that others are ok that everyone thinks I’m the class clown and the person you go to when there is trouble.
How shocked would my friends and former co-workers be to know that every single day it would feel so good to just quit trudging along? I’ve been on every possible medicine and years of counseling and still I know that I’m not the me I’m supposed to be. The real me got left behind long ago. I wonder who she is now and what is keeping her going?

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Matt http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-266 Matt Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:15:47 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-266 Instead of serotonin my latest drug goes after dopamine. Rubifen, better known as Ritalin. Instead of serotonin my latest drug goes after dopamine. Rubifen, better known as Ritalin.

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Jon Wilks http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-264 Jon Wilks Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:33:44 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-264 Thanks for your concern. I'm not entirely sure, but I think clinical depression and depression are considered different enough to display differing symptoms. The truth is, I've been taking medication now for so long that my GP isn't even sure if there's a depression underneath all the SSRIs to treat anymore. Certainly, my initial symptoms mentioned here – "crumpled skies" and other mild delusions – incorporate elements of a variety of other illnesses and syndromes, OCD and anxiety disorder included. But these are often part of the accompanying fun and games that can be expected with a severe depression, especially one that goes untreated. Again, I'm no expert, but this is what I've been told over the years by various mental health professionals (see the original post for how much I trust them). Thanks for your concern. I’m not entirely sure, but I think clinical depression and depression are considered different enough to display differing symptoms. The truth is, I’ve been taking medication now for so long that my GP isn’t even sure if there’s a depression underneath all the SSRIs to treat anymore.

Certainly, my initial symptoms mentioned here – “crumpled skies” and other mild delusions – incorporate elements of a variety of other illnesses and syndromes, OCD and anxiety disorder included. But these are often part of the accompanying fun and games that can be expected with a severe depression, especially one that goes untreated.

Again, I’m no expert, but this is what I’ve been told over the years by various mental health professionals (see the original post for how much I trust them).

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Jon Wilks http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-263 Jon Wilks Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:26:56 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-263 Thanks for your response, fellow 30-something. What's your successful pill? Thanks for your response, fellow 30-something. What’s your successful pill?

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Steve http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-261 Steve Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:38:01 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-261 Jon, thank you for sharing your story. I'm not an expert on this, but I don't think you have depression. Your symptoms don't match the ones commonly put forth by the medical establishment (available by a search on "depression symptoms" or "depression common signs.") I am somewhat familiar with these as I have been on guard with a friend of mine I'm concerned about. (He's no match to them either now.) I am not minimizing what you are experiencing. I believe it. I am not sure you have the right diagnosis or treatment, however. Jon, thank you for sharing your story. I’m not an expert on this, but I don’t think you have depression. Your symptoms don’t match the ones commonly put forth by the medical establishment (available by a search on “depression symptoms” or “depression common signs.”) I am somewhat familiar with these as I have been on guard with a friend of mine I’m concerned about. (He’s no match to them either now.)

I am not minimizing what you are experiencing. I believe it. I am not sure you have the right diagnosis or treatment, however.

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Matt http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-260 Matt Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:46:16 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-260 Well said. As a fellow 30 something with misfiring brain, who has also recently (hopefully) stumbled onto a more successful pill, I empathise. As you say, those of us with broken brains can from the outside appear sane enough, so there's a tendency for others to assume we're just fine and it's no big deal. It would be lovely if that were true. Well said.

As a fellow 30 something with misfiring brain, who has also recently (hopefully) stumbled onto a more successful pill, I empathise.

As you say, those of us with broken brains can from the outside appear sane enough, so there’s a tendency for others to assume we’re just fine and it’s no big deal. It would be lovely if that were true.

]]> Comment on Crumpled skies and electric junkies by Jon Wilks http://www.jonwilks.com/2011/12/01/living-with-depression/#comment-259 Jon Wilks Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:13:20 +0000 http://www.jonwilks.com/?p=218#comment-259 A slight limp! That's a lovely expression. I'll borrow that in the future, if I may. Yes, the fear of fear is the worst part. The brain-loop takes ages to break, but a good chat about it always seems to help, largely because the fear is of making some kind of fool of yourself – of freaking out and looking nuts. Once you verbalize that fear, it kind of deflates it, I always find. It allows you to move to the next moment in the day. Anyway, thanks for reading and sharing the post. It's really nice that it seems to be reaching people. A slight limp! That’s a lovely expression. I’ll borrow that in the future, if I may.

Yes, the fear of fear is the worst part. The brain-loop takes ages to break, but a good chat about it always seems to help, largely because the fear is of making some kind of fool of yourself – of freaking out and looking nuts. Once you verbalize that fear, it kind of deflates it, I always find. It allows you to move to the next moment in the day.

Anyway, thanks for reading and sharing the post. It’s really nice that it seems to be reaching people.

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