Hi I have been treated for anxiety and depression for years.I currently see a therapist and take 300 XL wellbutrin and up to 1 mg klonopin daily as needed.I have noticed in the past few weeks that i feel more depressed,anxious and tired. I have been laid off from work for over a year.I dream that i have a job but when i wake up i realize it was only a dream this sets the depressing tone for the day.I have a difficult time making decisions.Then when i make them i second guess them.The latest is that i am thinking about adopting a dog. I feel good about the idea sometimes and then my mood will swing and i will think of all the negatives a dog will bring.I feel bad because i have been talking with this nice family about adopting there dog.But one minute i want to the next i do not.The positive voice will say it will be good for you .It will give you company and get you outside.The negative voice will say it is to much work.It will mess up your house etc. Of course a dog will require work and care that thought i guess can be positive or negative.I feel deep down inside it may be good for me.But i worry if i will be able to take care of it with my depression. So i put off making the decision and feel bad about making the family wait. I also have issues with getting stuff done around the house.I guess pretty much getting anything done. My question is are there cycles in depression?I suffer from dysthymia and anxiety. Back to my question are there cycles in depression ? Should you fight them or just realize it is part of my condition?How can i make decisions easier during this time or should i avoid making them?How about the idea of adopting a pet dog is this a good idea?Any advice or experience you may have would be appreciated.THANKYOU FOR YOUR HELP
Q: What to do when depression seems to be getting worse. Are there cycles it goes in?
Hi, Hope -
I'm sorry that your depression and anxiety have been getting worse lately. Prolonged unemployment would only add to the problem. I guess you're keeping your doctor up to date - it's always good to report on the effectiveness of medication to be sure you have the right dose as your condition evolves. There can be cycles in depression, and that should be part of your diagnosis. If you've had the condition for a long time, and there haven't been any cycles - that's probably the way it will be. Dysthymia usually persists over very long periods as a consistent problem without a lot of change.
Having trouble with decisions is typical of depression, as you know, and I can understand the problem about getting a dog. Their companionship can help a lot - and maybe that's the important part to focus on. It's a good idea to be careful about major decisions when you're depressed, but if indecisiveness is a common problem for you, you should really discuss it with your therapist. At some point you have stop the mind games and take action - that sort of paralysis can start affecting even minor issues and really drive you crazy. Your therapist might be able to help you figure out what's important about having a dog and cut through the revolving door, no exit trap of pro-ing and con-ing something to death. That could be an important model for approaching other decisions you'll have to make.
I hope things get better soon!
John
Hello, Hope. Yes, I think depression can come and go, even if you're on medication - it's happened to me several times. You should tell your doctor that you're feeling more depressed - you have room to increase the Wellbutrin and if that doesn't help, the doctor might add something else to it. That's been my experience with it. I don't know what to tell you about the dog; what would be sad is if you took him and then felt you couldn't deal with it. Could you take him on a trial basis to see how it goes? You're right, a dog would make you get out and they always love you no matter what, so he could be a good comfort for you, but only you can know if now is the right time.
I hope you have good luck with the job hunting and with getting some help for your returning depression. Don't try to just tough it out without talking to your doctor, okay? Take care.
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