Degrees of depression

I'd say about 5. Not debilitating, but always strong enough to be noticeable in everyday life. I've read about something called "dysthymia," which is a form of long term depression that has the major symptoms of depression but with less severity. While the condition doesn't suit me exactly, it's fairly close when checking through the symptoms list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysthymia

I don't consider the depression to be severe enough to warrant antidepressants (I'm not trusting of them, despite what the science might say), although sometimes when I'm really down it's tempting to think about hitting up the doc for some "woes-be-gone" pills. But I prefer not dealing with doctors unless I absolutely have to.

I tend to view depression as a major component of my personality, since I've had it from a young age. It's not bad enough to seek help, but it's bad enough to degrade my quality of everyday life.

Asuka wrote:Dysthymia seems to be a pretty co-morbid disorder of AvPD. I'm pretty sure I have it also. However recent life experiences have meant I developed major depression over the past few months,which lead me to anti depressants.

You might have discussed this in other threads, but how effective have the antidepressants been? I realize that each drug works differently for every individual, but would you say that they've been a positive influence in helping with the major depression?

I could see major life events putting me into a more serious depression in which case I might look at medications similar to yourself, but until that happens, I guess I'll just live with the dysthymia.

I'm not avoidant, but also had a years long lasting uni-polar depression. Right now though, I'm about 3/10 for quite some time so my depression is very weak at the moment. I was on Sipralexa for 4 months then stopped. I think it was this medication that cleared up my depression a bit and since then it never reached its past heights so far. Years ago, I used to spend weeks in bed from depression :/

My depression can be from about 6/7 to 10, currently im at 9. At the moment I'm on Citalopram, not sure if it works yet I have only been on them 2 days, I've only recently tried to get help for my problems.

Mine varies day by day. Never less than a 6-ish though, even on my best days. My worst days I'll cry for hours on end, wishing I could bring myself to commit suicide.

I'm not on any medication. Unless you count the many medications that I abuse. So maybe I am. I self-medicate a lot. I actually think I got my depression down to a 3 or 4 last week with a large dose of oxycontin. It only lasted a few hours though.

Probably 7-8. Not on meds for fear of losing my motivation to fix the underlying problem. Codeine painkillers, maybe, but they don't seem to have any effect.

Ive taken celexa for a week now and I haven't thought about hurting myself, or felt compelled to post anything self-pitying, but I'm more irritable, and still not motivated enough to try and change anything yet. Instead of being apathetic and crying at something I just get angry and take it, and go to bed and wake up with nail marks in my hands. and i cried during minority report the other day. :/

Asuka wrote:The internal and external manifestations of AvPD tend to create depression as a co-morbid disorder.

Exactly! I´m not depressed yet. But I have pills for depression and social phobia. So, my degree of depression is 2. This is my normal state.

I am currently on lexapro and wellbutrin. In my medicated state my depression runs from 2 through 5. Prior to the medication, my depression ranged wildly and unpredicatably from 2 to 10+. I was originally diagnosed as dysthymic, but while my medication controls the depression, more or less, and my life is more isolated than ever I realize that the personality disorder caused the mood disorder rather than the other way around. Currently, I am at a level 5 and will probably be there for quite some time. I can tell you that without my medication capping the depths of depression I would be pushing a level 10 as I have been getting repeated reminders recently that I am basically an old, unwanted, left over with no past, present or future worth caring about.

Asuka wrote:

GSYBE wrote:

Asuka wrote:Dysthymia seems to be a pretty co-morbid disorder of AvPD. I'm pretty sure I have it also. However recent life experiences have meant I developed major depression over the past few months,which lead me to anti depressants.

You might have discussed this in other threads, but how effective have the antidepressants been? I realize that each drug works differently for every individual, but would you say that they've been a positive influence in helping with the major depression?

I could see major life events putting me into a more serious depression in which case I might look at medications similar to yourself, but until that happens, I guess I'll just live with the dysthymia.

Well, I've read somewhere that those who have dysthymia should go on anti depressants as they are so used to feeling this way they often think it's not far off normal. However, I'm not one for anti depressants unless necessary.

That sounds about right. I don't think I've ever been really happy but I'm not suicidal either. I've been pretty happy recently but then other events are making me sad again...but this is all due to things that happen to me, and the changes all exist within the boundaries of my normal state. So it's hard to say a number since I'm so used to it but I guess a 7? Wait if 5 is mild then does less than 5 mean like manic?

Oh and the one antidepressant that I've constantly heard good things about is Welbutrin. One thing a lot of people complain about is it makes them agitated because of the energy that it gives you, but having low energy is a big problem for me and I respond well to stimulants like Adderall, so that actually sounds to me like another upside. I really want to try it but I'm scared to go to any more doctors and get turned away and told my problems aren't important again. I'd almost rather live with the possibility than have another door closed in my face.