Get It Done When You're Depressed (33 page)

So many people think taking medications for depression is weak. I wonder why that is? I had a roommate in the 1980s who told me she was taking meds for depression. I said what so many people have said to me: “Why do you need to do that? I know many people who are a lot sicker than you are. You should be able to take care of this yourself.” I wish I could find her now. I’m mortified at what I said, especially because the years after I lived with her were basically terrible for me with depression. I now see her as a success; I hope she is.

Too many people think antidepressants are just “happy pills” and that people who take them are just looking for a way out of their problems. I’ve had people say to me, “Medications change who you are. I don’t want to lose my personality.” I always reply, “The right medications actually deal with the illness that keeps you from being who you really are. Getting help with depression from meds is a way to live the life you want to live.” Some listen, some don’t. I know that those who do try medications tell me they can work so much better than they used to. For many people, medications save lives and work like a “miracle.”

The medication I take for depression works on about 25 percent of my depression symptoms, depending on the stressors in my life. But the medication really, really helps my concentration and anxiety, which is a big, big help. I wish I could get more relief from the depression itself, but I’ll take what I can get. I waited six months for the side effects to calm down, but they did. I think a
lot
more clearly now. When I combine medications with the strategies in this book, I can complete projects for the first time in my life.

Many misperceptions and misunderstandings surround the role of medications. You might think that many of the medications used to treat depression are habit forming. Or maybe you think that they are a crutch and that you need to deal with your “problems” on your own. Both are untrue.

Or maybe others’ opinions are causing the hesitation. You might hear, “You don’t need drugs. Look at me—I deal with things and you need to do the same” or “Just deal with it.” And the very common, “You need to try harder.” The people who say these things have a lack of knowledge of depression and often don’t even know how the medications can work.

Plus, the extensive media coverage given to antidepressants over that past few years regarding the risk of suicide in adolescents can be overwhelming. The concerns are real, but they also must be taken into context. Many people who take antidepressants with the help of a skilled health-care professional do so successfully.

It’s very difficult to treat some depressions without medications. If you feel that medications are right for you, work with a health-care professional to find the right medications for you. This can take up to a year sometimes, so don’t give up, and remember that side effects can go away if you give them time. Do all that you can medically to take care of depression so you can then use the strategies in this book to help you increase your productivity even more.

Here are some other thoughts to consider:

Remember:
Medications that successfully treat depression can take away many of the problems you have with getting things done.

Depression takes away the feeling that what you do has purpose; it’s one of the most debilitating symptoms of the illness. If getting things done gives you no pleasure or sense of accomplishment, then what’s the point of doing anything? For some, a sense of duty keeps them going. For others, it’s money. For many, it’s a family obligation. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean you feel good about what you do.

If you seek to find purpose in your current work and obligations, you can see immediate improvements. What you do
does
have meaning, because it’s how you make money, support the people you love, get out of the house, and improve your life. It might not be the work you want to do at this moment, but it has purpose. You just have to find it.

When you discover the purpose in what you’re doing now, you can then think of what you really want to be doing. What makes you happy? What makes you feel like you’re making a difference in the world? People who deal with depression need to be sure that what they do on a daily basis has a strong meaning.

Do any of these signs indicating you need to find work that feels more purposeful to you ring true?

My work is work. I do it because I have to. I always do it to my best ability and know that others are fine with my work. I never thought being a receptionist would work for me, but I really do need something where I don’t have to take extra work and worries home with me. It’s a pretty good career, but I’m not excited about it.

What excites me is horses. I volunteer with a nonprofit organization that uses horses to help disabled kids. And I love it. I love it less on the days I’m depressed, but I never cancel. I go because it makes me feel like I’m making a difference. I don’t say, “These kids are worse off than me. I have no reason to be so depressed.” Instead I say, “I use their love and enthusiasm to help myself function. We both have our challenges.” I often have the thought that I could do this work full-time. I’m working on that.

I know what I write helps others. People write me and tell me so. But I don’t have daily contact with my readers, so the impact isn’t easy for me to see. I do know that it helps me to have a goal and reach it. But purpose has often eluded me. I’ve constantly searched for something that will give me the feeling that I’m living life and doing things that make a difference.

Then something amazing happened. I started to teach writing classes. I can literally watch students go from idea to finished project. I can help
them
reach their goals. I can see their excitement and feed off it. I found a purpose in helping others find their purpose. I’ve always loved teaching but didn’t feel I could do it professionally due to my limitations. (There I go again, defending my inability!) No, I can’t be a college professor. That hurts, but I can do my best. I teach a night class at a local community college, and it makes me feel good!