Last week I saw my GP about depression and am now seeing a
counsellor. I've noticed a few references to depression in
the posts below and would like to hear from anyone who has
suffered in this way. I really would like to travel but
I'm not sure whether I see this as an "out" and whether I
would cope?
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Are you taking any meds for your depression? If so, and if
you just started, it may take a while for you to feel their
effects. They can be really helpful, though. There was a
time when they really changed my life (there was another
time, years later, when I felt bogged down and dropped them
completely). As far as seeing travel as an escape - you
may want to explore that with your conselor, keep a
journal, be honest with yourself, etc. It is difficult to
say whether travel would help you right now. That's a
decision you need to come to on your own. Maybe you could
try with some weekend excursions to see how you react to
them?
.
It's great that you're seeking help, Peta - things will get
better!!!! I am a million times happier today than I was
ten years ago, and I doubt I could have done it alone.
I wish you the best of luck in the future - in life, love,
health and, of course, travels.
4 years ago while travelling and studying in europe I became
severely depressed. I had no support, very little money,
very few friends and only spoke the language poorly.
After several months I took control of myself, went home and
got help. Without the worries, being with family and
friends, I start working through my life and taking
medicine.
It was a very hard time, but now things are great.
I am on my second 6 months trip of travelling and working in
the last 2 years. Except when I work while the sun and the
beach beckons, I am enjoying myself. I know the warning
signs of a bad day, and have a series of methods to stop
being overwhelm.
So now I am able to enjoy travel. I might ring home more
often than some people. I always carry a return ticket, a
prescription and extra medication. But I feel secure in the
knowledge that if worst comes to worst, support is just a
day away, and things will never be that bad again.
Getting help is the way to go!!
Hope I see you on the road sometime, and Good Luck.
I was in a similar situation to you last year. I was
unhappy in what I was doing. My boyfriend (now ex!) told me
to stay and face up to my problems - all I wanted to do was
run away! To cut a long story short, I decided that the
best thing for me was to go off travelling. The counsellors
all told me this was the wrong thing to do - when I returned
I would still have the same problems. They said that I
should face my problems here. Well I went off to Asia for 8
months and had a fantastic time. I learnt alot about myself
and regained my confidence. While I was travelling I found
alot of people were also travelling for similar reasons.
I've always had a dream to travel the world so fulfilling it
definitely made me happier. If it is your dream too then go
for it! I've recently returned home to finish what I
started 3 years ago and then I'll be off round the world
again - maybe I'll see you on the road?
Just one last thing - I really reccommend St.John's Wort -
go and see a herbalist - it won't F**k up your head like
western drugs.
Good luck!
I personally found that I don't feel depressed or low when
travelling, cos you have so many new experiences that you
don't have time to get low. Its when I stagnate in the same
place that I feel miserable.
I've suffered from depression before in the past - been in
therapy for two years but, what I've begun to realize is
that my depression is tied in the fact that I have never
done what I've wanted to do. Instead of travelling (which
is what I wanted to do), I stayed and worked in one place.
I followed my parent's wishes, not my own. It just
spiralled me deep down. How can you live your life when
you're always doing what someone else wants you to do?
Instead of living I was going through the motions trying to
please other people and feeling controlled. Of course, I
got sad and depressed!!
.
When I'm connecting with who I really am, not who my mother
thinks I am or my father or my friends or anybody, just
being who I am, I am not depressed. I am at peace and I'm
calm. Now that's a real cure - not any form of medication
will do that.
.
Now everybody's different. My heart is at its happiest when
I am travelling because that is where it tells me to go.
Some people's hearts tell them to stay put. It really
doesn't make a difference one way or the other what you're
doing so long as your following your heart and not society's
rules.
.
It sounds to me like you really need to look at what is
causing your depression and deal with it. Find out what
your heart is really trying to say to you. If it's telling
you to go on the road, then go and don't worry about being
depressed on the road. Sometimes thoughts like that can
become a self-fulfilling prophecy - you're worried about
being depressed on the road and guess what happens, you get
depressed on the road!
.
Know yourself, know what triggers you and do your best not
to put yourself in situations that will upset you. Be your
own best friend and you'll be fine...
Peta
Firstly, congratulations for seeking help with your
problem... or should I say, for recognising you had a
problem AND sought help.
My whole life I have used travel as a means to escaping (or
trying to) myself. And now that I have been grounded for
the past five years my depression became more and more
severe until I finally realised this was not "normal"
behaviour and I found a wonderful doctor who put me on the
straight and narrow path to recovery!! Now I can't wait to
travel again and only wish I had done something BEFORE I
started travelling.
I think you need to discuss the issue of travelling with
your counsellor before you make any major decisions but I
think travelling would be a really wonderful experience for
you. When we are depressed we have a tendency to be so
focussed on ourselves.. but when travelling the focus is
generally on the wonderfully new and exciting things around
us and we learn to become free of ourselves.. travelling
gives us a different perspective on our own lives.. it's a
humbling experience and a healing one too. Good luck with
your decision.
As with all the rest, I too suffered from a MAJOR
depression last year and was on St. John's Wort (which is
really good!) and tranqs. I love to travel but had a
difficult time due to my panic attacks. If you don't suffer
from these (palpitations from unknown oigins!), TRAVEL.
There is so much out there that you can learn from. Be it
the people, the serenity of the locale or the breathtaking
beauty of nature that always seems to ground me and make me
feel alive and thankful for all that I've got.
Good luck and Nepal would be an awesome place to begin.
Pack a journal to write...this helps immensely and provides
good rreading matterial when you're going down again!
for your support and kind words. I have a lovely boyfriend
who urged me to get help and is there for me, through
this. I am not strong enough to do it myself and don't
feel like I can take credit for getting help. I hope you
are still following this thread, as I have another issue I
could do with some advice on.
.
My counsellor suggested anti-depressants in our first
session last week but at the time I wasn't sure, I thought
I wanted to work it out for myself. Now, almost a week
later, the thought of a "happy pill" appeals. I've taken
your advice and bought some St Johns Wort - does medication
help? Can I travel on medication?
One year ago I came back from a long travel and since I got
this depression. I completely lost myself and slowly, with
help of a counselor, I try to 'wake-up' again.
It also has to do with travelling. I would like to travel
more and maybe endless.., But at the moment I don't feel
like making a decision.
Maybe it's a good idea to do some short trips, knowing how
it feels to be away. I do the same, also to be out, just to
forget my depression for a few days.
I'm in the 'middle' of my depression. I know how you feel,
that you want to get out, but trust that one day you'll be
fine.Keep strong!!
By the way, what does St. John's wort do?
When you returned after your travels in Asia, didn't you
face the same problems again once back home? You didn't got
depressed again?
well, yeah, only a little. Now I feel stronger and am
trying to face up to my problems. I know what I really want
out of life, and I am learning to put past events behind me.
I think we get depressed when we are not doing what makes us
happy. For me, and I guess for you and alot of other
travellers who visit this site, travelling is our passion.
If you want to go away again then I think you must. Maybe
we'll never get this "bug" out of our system, what is
important is how you are feeling now. Making a decision
will help. It certainly gave me a boost last year. It is a
sympton of depression, not being happy or confident about
making decisions - I guess because of the fear we will make
the wrong one. Just act quickly. As soon as you start your
next decision will be that much easier.
St. Johns Wort worked wonders for me. It gave me a lift.
Maybe the reason my depression hasnt hit in yet is because
I started taking it on my return. I would
strongely reccommend seeing a herbalist though. It is after
all a medicine and a herbalist will assess what you dose you
need. A herbalist will pay attention to you as a whole - my
herbalist was wonderful - she became my counsellor as well.
Good luck - I hope things get better for you.
Peta:
When I first sought help for my depression it took me a
while to get used to the idea of taking pills... I was
ADAMANT I wouldn't touch them. But then a friend told me
that if it were diabetes I was diagnosed with and needed to
take pills to control my illness, wouldn't I take them? My
response was yes of course! What we forget sometimes is
that depression is a MENTAL ILLNESS and sometimes we need
to take drugs to heal ourselves of this illness. I was on
anti-depressants for a year (along with lithium) and have
only needed to continue with the lithium. Taking ADs
certainly helped me to get back on track and deal with day
to day living like earning my pay cheque rather than
sitting at home a bundle of nervous and crying
uncontrollably. But at the end of the day it's a decision
only you can make... because, after all... we are all
different. Good luck anyhow. Ciao.
It is too easy to label yourself as incompetent or unable to
do something once you have been diagnosed with depression.
You are questioning whether or not you'll be able to travel
if you have depression. I do not know the severity of your
condition, but the simple fact is if you feel like you can,
you can. I suffer from depression, and I know that right now
I would not be able to to travel alone, but I am not
forgetting about the possibilty that a trip could really do
me some good. But I have to be reasonable and think
realisitically about what I could cope with right now in
terms of distance from home, length of time, who I am with
etc. Do what you feel you are capable of, and what you want
to do and you should have no problems.
Re: travelling with meds, just be careful about making sure
you have enough or the availablity of your med in the are
that you are going.
Also, don't be worried about taking meds. It took me a while
to accept them, and then some time to find the right one,
but I really feel that they are helping now.
And I'd be interested to hear about your experience with St.
John's Wort.
for your advice about medication. I'm going back to my
counsellor tomorrow and after a really bad day yesterday,
it's all I can think about - seeing her, that is. I've
pretty much decided to give AD's a chance, after doing some
reading and hearing your experiences. I think my
resistance was due to my unconscious thoughts that I'm not
really sick and am making a big deal out of nothing, that
I'm just acting or feeling sorry for myself - a hangover
from my childhood. But, I figure that I have nothing to
lose anymore - I'll give anything a chance, just not to
stop crying and hurting people I love. Thanks guys, for
caring.
I booked my flight to London yesterday - I felt really low
afterwards which was hard because I thought it was
something I really wanted to do, I should've been happy.
Today I feel better and am going to try and make this about
myself, even though I am still afraid of telling my family
and the people I work for. I'M GOING TO EUROPE!!!
On how you get on, Peta.
Depression is often caused by un-expressed anger or
frustration. Take it from me - I know. I am coming out of
a very depressed two years and planning a lone 6 months in
SEA. I could not have even dreamt of this two years ago.
Good for you seeing a counsellor - mine is my best friend
as she has really taken some shit from me! Let it all out
with her and when your'e out and about, just be you and
don't take any shit from anyone.
If your'e thinking of travelling, GO! It's obviously
something *YOU* want to do, so follow your instincts. You
only get one life and if you don't follow your heart, you
may regret it later.
Have fun!!
Depression is often caused by un-expressed anger or
frustration. Take it from me - I know. I am coming out of
a very depressed two years and planning a lone 6 months in
SEA. I could not have even dreamt of this two years ago.
Good for you seeing a counsellor - mine is my best friend
as she has really taken some shit from me! Let it all out
with her and when your'e out and about, just be you and
don't take any shit from anyone.
If your'e thinking of travelling, GO! It's obviously
something *YOU* want to do, so follow your instincts. You
only get one life and if you don't follow your heart, you
may regret it later.
Have fun!!
Depression is often caused by un-expressed anger or
frustration. Take it from me - I know. I am coming out of
a very depressed two years and planning a lone 6 months in
SEA. I could not have even dreamt of this two years ago.
Good for you seeing a counsellor - mine is my best friend
as she has really taken some shit from me! Let it all out
with her and when your'e out and about, just be you and
don't take any shit from anyone.
If your'e thinking of travelling, GO! It's obviously
something *YOU* want to do, so follow your instincts. You
only get one life and if you don't follow your heart, you
may regret it later.
Have fun!!
Have a nice time in Europe. If you plan to come to Holland,
be welcome.
At the moment I feel like exploding. So strongly I want to
go, overseas, get rid of my depression.
Last week I started St. Johns Worth. Peta, I will give it a
try.
I do see a counselor, but reading this thread also helps a
lot. Keep it alive girls.
Enjoy your trip and do everything that you and you alone want to do! If you find yourself in a beautiful church (or any place that moves you) and you have to urge to slow down, to take a break, sit down, meditate, relax. This is your trip, your vacation, and the memories will be all yours! I spent 10 magnificent days traveling alone in Paris last September and my days were filled with museums, parks, churches, and quite a few stops to write in my journal (which I do on most vacations) to document my trip. I recommend grocery stores to purchase food because it is not only economical, but you can experience what the locals eat on an everyday basis (unlike restaurants).
The only issue I had with depression (I'm bipolar) during my trip was an increased sensitivity to the time change. My body likes to be in a set routine and the seven hour time difference (from the central U.S.A.) threw me for a loop the first two days. My doctor had told me to expect extra tiredness and I slept my entire first day and was still a bit weary on the second. I considered those days as necessary for my body to adjust. It was a wonderful vacation!
And I would highly recommend traveling alone! You are the dictator, the queen, the ultimate power in making your time what you want it to be!