Psycho-Babble Psychology Thread 456137

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Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?

Posted by tryingtobewise on February 11, 2005, at 0:35:41

I swear this happened to me a few weeks ago. I was going a long fairly fine, did not feel depressed, or so I thought. Then 3 weeks ago today I woke up ok, and by the evening I felt totally depressed. This has stuck with me. I am overwhelmed, irritable, and want to lay in bed all the time. Which is difficult to do because I have a 2 year old & 12 year old. I do take an AD and mood stabilizer.

My question is has anyone ever had this happen? I see my psychiatrist who is also my T next Tuesday. I will report this one-day shift but feel really weird about it because it doesn't even seem possible. Plus, I had just seen her the week before this depression set in and reported to her that I was fine. I keep thinking that I can't actually be feeling as miserable as I do. That I must be imagining it, or am just feeling lazy & apathetic.

Thanks in advance for any input.
Kim

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?

Posted by sunny10 on February 11, 2005, at 12:09:04

In reply to Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by tryingtobewise on February 11, 2005, at 0:35:41

I think it's very possible...

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?

Posted by mair on February 11, 2005, at 13:29:35

In reply to Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by tryingtobewise on February 11, 2005, at 0:35:41

I think it's very possible. My own depressive feelings tend to come and go at will, and I definitely have my good days and parts of days and my bad days and parts of days. The one advantage to being this variable is that when I do get pretty depressed, I generally know it's not going to last forever.

I was on a mood stabilizer once, to no particular effect. My mood swings aren't dramatic - I'm either ok or worse - no giddy highs, but it is pretty bizarre the way I can suddenly start obsessing about suicide in the middle of an otherwise ok day.

Mair

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da

Posted by cubic_me on February 11, 2005, at 13:44:02

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by mair on February 11, 2005, at 13:29:35

I'm with Mair, in that I can go from being ok, to being suicidal within a few minutes. With me it tends to last for days or at most a couple of weeks, a few years ago it used to set in for a month or more.

I don't think what you experienced is unusual, just difficult to deal with and hard to understand.

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da

Posted by namaste on February 11, 2005, at 20:00:46

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da, posted by cubic_me on February 11, 2005, at 13:44:02

I think depression can just come up on one. It feels like a wave to me. Mine still lasts weeks. I have had triggers, big things happening in my life. Sometimes I get sad and hope that big weighty sadness won't come again. I feel better in the mornings than the eves. I bet tuesday feels far away to talk to your T? Hang in there. Find relief in the innocence of your children.

 

From Depression to Lonely Depression

Posted by Susan47 on February 11, 2005, at 22:21:42

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da, posted by namaste on February 11, 2005, at 20:00:46

Wow. Bang, in the space of a couple of hours, just like that. Had to leave a little party because of it. I'm lonely in a huge crowd of people ... no one interests me anymore. I don't like this, it's scary. It happens a lot. It's getting more and more difficult to leave the apartment.
I'm impatient and angry with a girl who I drive to class, used to be three times a week but I had to tell her I couldn't anymore. It was too much. She's depressed herself, really much worse than I am. She smells bad, I have to open the windows, she's hard to look at because she doesn't really take any care about her appearance. She's got no coping skills, she doesn't think straight, she's obstinate, stubborn and unpleasant and I don't like her. It's not me I'm talking about, either, surprise. I wish she'd just go away.

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » tryingtobewise

Posted by daisym on February 11, 2005, at 23:27:45

In reply to Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by tryingtobewise on February 11, 2005, at 0:35:41

Kim,

I think it is possible for no real reason but usually if I search I can find the trigger. Typical ones include: anniversaries of things -- death of a loved one, birthdays even the anniversary of another bout of depression. Sometimes music is a trigger for me, an old song brings up stuff (The Night Chicago Died is one for such a weird reason)or TV talk shows.

Sometimes I'll just let myself wander over a past therapy session and find myself flooded with feelings. Other physical stressors include being tired, not eating right, eating too much, pms or a cold coming on.

I hope you find the answer and this bout is short lived.

Let us know how you are doing.

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da » tryingtobewise

Posted by Aphrodite on February 12, 2005, at 11:13:21

In reply to Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by tryingtobewise on February 11, 2005, at 0:35:41

I do it all the time. My days are often like rollercoasters -- I can get up, ready to face the day, and stay very busy. Then, I may have a few minutes of being settled and quiet and the darkness can descend and cause me to be teary-eyed and sad. Then, I'll resume and be anxious but busy. I often get triggered and have moments of panic. I can be social and cheerful and then cry myself to sleep.

OK, I'm a mess, but I just want to say that I understand the stress of going to extremes on any given day. It is probably a good idea to talk to your pdoc because I gather this is not the norm for you.

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » mair

Posted by tryingtobewise on February 13, 2005, at 19:14:04

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by mair on February 11, 2005, at 13:29:35

Mair ~ Thank you for your response. I am trying to take to heart your comment that the advantage to having sudden mood swings is that they don't last forever. I am feeling a bit better.

Kim

> I think it's very possible. My own depressive feelings tend to come and go at will, and I definitely have my good days and parts of days and my bad days and parts of days. The one advantage to being this variable is that when I do get pretty depressed, I generally know it's not going to last forever.
>
> I was on a mood stabilizer once, to no particular effect. My mood swings aren't dramatic - I'm either ok or worse - no giddy highs, but it is pretty bizarre the way I can suddenly start obsessing about suicide in the middle of an otherwise ok day.
>
> Mair

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da » cubic_me

Posted by tryingtobewise on February 13, 2005, at 19:16:30

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da, posted by cubic_me on February 11, 2005, at 13:44:02

Cubic ~ Thank you for response. As I replied to Mair, I am trying to keep in mind that this will not last forever!

> I'm with Mair, in that I can go from being ok, to being suicidal within a few minutes. With me it tends to last for days or at most a couple of weeks, a few years ago it used to set in for a month or more.
>
> I don't think what you experienced is unusual, just difficult to deal with and hard to understand.

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da » namaste

Posted by tryingtobewise on February 13, 2005, at 19:18:50

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da, posted by namaste on February 11, 2005, at 20:00:46

Namaste ~ Thank you for your response. I do feel better in the evenings...but mornings are hard for me because I wonder how I will get through the day. Especially when I have to take care of my kids too. But my kids do make me laugh & that is always a good thing!!!

Kim

> I think depression can just come up on one. It feels like a wave to me. Mine still lasts weeks. I have had triggers, big things happening in my life. Sometimes I get sad and hope that big weighty sadness won't come again. I feel better in the mornings than the eves. I bet tuesday feels far away to talk to your T? Hang in there. Find relief in the innocence of your children.

 

Re: From Depression to Lonely Depression » Susan47

Posted by tryingtobewise on February 13, 2005, at 19:23:30

In reply to From Depression to Lonely Depression, posted by Susan47 on February 11, 2005, at 22:21:42

Susan ~ I sure can relate to being lonely in a crowd. I'm that way even when not depressed. It is 10 x worse when I am.

Thank you for your response.

Kim

> Wow. Bang, in the space of a couple of hours, just like that. Had to leave a little party because of it. I'm lonely in a huge crowd of people ... no one interests me anymore. I don't like this, it's scary. It happens a lot. It's getting more and more difficult to leave the apartment.
> I'm impatient and angry with a girl who I drive to class, used to be three times a week but I had to tell her I couldn't anymore. It was too much. She's depressed herself, really much worse than I am. She smells bad, I have to open the windows, she's hard to look at because she doesn't really take any care about her appearance. She's got no coping skills, she doesn't think straight, she's obstinate, stubborn and unpleasant and I don't like her. It's not me I'm talking about, either, surprise. I wish she'd just go away.

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da » Aphrodite

Posted by tryingtobewise on February 13, 2005, at 19:32:24

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a da » tryingtobewise, posted by Aphrodite on February 12, 2005, at 11:13:21

Aphrodite ~ I am occasionally a rollercoaster but it isn't usually so obvious. I do feel better when I am busy. On my days off I feel very low. It is a good think I work outside the home part time because it forces me to get up and out.

Thank you for your response.
Kim

> I do it all the time. My days are often like rollercoasters -- I can get up, ready to face the day, and stay very busy. Then, I may have a few minutes of being settled and quiet and the darkness can descend and cause me to be teary-eyed and sad. Then, I'll resume and be anxious but busy. I often get triggered and have moments of panic. I can be social and cheerful and then cry myself to sleep.
>
> OK, I'm a mess, but I just want to say that I understand the stress of going to extremes on any given day. It is probably a good idea to talk to your pdoc because I gather this is not the norm for you.

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » daisym

Posted by tryingtobewise on February 13, 2005, at 19:35:18

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » tryingtobewise, posted by daisym on February 11, 2005, at 23:27:45

Daisy ~ I guess the fact that I have been under the weather for the better part of the last few weeks may well be the trigger of all this episode. I honestly can't think of anything else! I do think I'm feeling a bit better so I hope I'm on the way "up".

Thank you for taking the time to answer.
Kim

> Kim,
>
> I think it is possible for no real reason but usually if I search I can find the trigger. Typical ones include: anniversaries of things -- death of a loved one, birthdays even the anniversary of another bout of depression. Sometimes music is a trigger for me, an old song brings up stuff (The Night Chicago Died is one for such a weird reason)or TV talk shows.
>
> Sometimes I'll just let myself wander over a past therapy session and find myself flooded with feelings. Other physical stressors include being tired, not eating right, eating too much, pms or a cold coming on.
>
> I hope you find the answer and this bout is short lived.
>
> Let us know how you are doing.
>

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?

Posted by Camille Dumont on February 14, 2005, at 12:05:09

In reply to Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by tryingtobewise on February 11, 2005, at 0:35:41

Happens to me quite often. Especially with the right music I can go from ok / neutral to full blown suicidal ideation in a matter of hours.

I'm jsut way too sensitive to music

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » Camille Dumont

Posted by mair on February 14, 2005, at 14:08:45

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by Camille Dumont on February 14, 2005, at 12:05:09

Camille - what music does it to you? I find that when I'm a little down I need fairly moody music - it doesn't make me feel worse, but I'm so strongly drawn to it that nothing else will do.

Mair

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » Camille Dumont

Posted by Susan47 on February 14, 2005, at 14:26:27

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by Camille Dumont on February 14, 2005, at 12:05:09

I feel I'm way too sensitive to music as well. It can be pure heaven, or pure hell. Rarely in between, but the times that I find something that keeps me just in a nice state of happiness, that is also a form of heaven.

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » tryingtobewise

Posted by shrinking violet on February 15, 2005, at 17:32:35

In reply to Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by tryingtobewise on February 11, 2005, at 0:35:41

Hi Kim,
I haven't read all of the replies to this thread yet, so forgive me if I've missed something.

Yes, I think it's entirely possible to go from "OK" to depressed in the span of a day. In fact, I often shift moods within minutes or hours (and I'm not manic). In the morning I might feel fairly optimistic about everything (though not "happy" in any sense of the word, but calm enough to stay in the moment and feel like things might work out), then later that day I could easily turn into a crying heap on the couch, praying for death.

I'm not sure what's going on, but yeah, it happens to me too, although in a shorter span of time.

Good luck in figuring it out and feeling better.
SV

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » mair

Posted by shrinking violet on February 15, 2005, at 17:34:06

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day?, posted by mair on February 11, 2005, at 13:29:35

>> I was on a mood stabilizer once, to no particular effect. My mood swings aren't dramatic - I'm either ok or worse - no giddy highs, but it is pretty bizarre the way I can suddenly start obsessing about suicide in the middle of an otherwise ok day.

--Wow, that's me exactly! I'm relieved that I'm not the only one, but sad that you know what it feels like, too. :-( Thanks for sharing.

Peace,
SV

 

Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » shrinking violet

Posted by mair on February 15, 2005, at 21:23:36

In reply to Re: Going from ok to depressed in the span of a day? » mair, posted by shrinking violet on February 15, 2005, at 17:34:06

Yes it is nice to know I'm not alone too. I can be persistently depressed in a way which I can clearly identify. Other times I can be in the middle of a fairly ordinary day and something pretty minor will trigger alot of suicidal thinking - like suddenly feeling overwelmed by work; or remembering some task that I needed to get done and haven't. It doesn't immobilize me, necessarily but it certainly doesn't mobilize me to get stuff done either. Mostly I'll just stare out the window, worry about things, and accomplish nothing. Even if I can get off the suicidal thinking, it certainly spurs alot of obsessively negative self judging.

It's a wonderful dynamic.

Mair


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