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Patients Depression

Going back to the real world

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Edited on 26/02/2015 at 01:51

Like many, if not all, of the other people here I've suffered with depression for a significant portion of my life. I'm currently 32 and while i had many periods of depression I've had three point that i think of as 'break downs'. At each of these I've essential abandoned everything and retreated from the world. In the first two instances that meant leaving post grad studies (despite, in both cases, being very close to completion), and in the latest it meant leaving my job teaching.

This latest 'break down' has been the longest and the one in which I have most cut myself off socially. I'm incredibly lucky in that I have an enormously supportive family and I was able to move back in with my parents, but for coming up two years now i have not really had any meaningful contact with anyone outside my immediate family. I have lost contact with all my friends, and while i know they would be supportive and understanding I don't really know how to reconnect with them.

Through a combination of family support and medication I'm feeling as though I am largely out of the depth of the depression, but now i find myself struggling with with the idea of what to do now.

I don't think i want to go back to teaching - but i have no idea what else to do. I haven't worked in some time now and (unsurprisingly) have no money, so moving back out is not immediately possible. I don't drive and my parents live in a fairly rural area, which was great when i was avoiding everyone and everything but not so much now that I am trying to think how to go back towards some kind of normality.

What I'm really hoping for here is some tips from those who have had the difficulty in going back to the 'real world' after a period of intense depression. Hmmm, well... that turned out far more wordy than expected when i started typing.

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Unregistered member

26/02/2015 at 01:51

Suchsights. What are your passions? what are your hobbies, interests? Could you turn to any of these for your work or a business to start up and run?
Have you tried contacting your old friends? If they are real friends, they'll be glad to see you no matter what you have suffered from.
I was a Mechanical Engineer for 24 years. I got into this because I wanted to do something with Drawing/Architecture, but I mucked about in school, so didnt have good enough quals to go for being an Architect. But there was a period of time in the Drawing office, during the apprenticeship, so I hoped I could become a draughtsman. That never happened.
when I left with my depression/panic attacks, i had no idea what to do. Because of my sporting background I saw a Diploma course to be a Personal trainer/ Sports Therpist. I thrived on the course passing all my modules with 95%+
I set up and started to run my own Sports Therapy business. Similar to Physio. and I was V good at it. Had stars to TV and Theatre and Olympic swimmer on my client list. This was really good for helping me overcome my depression too. learning to communicate with people. Its funny how a massage/tharapy couch can become a therapy couch for my customers (people would tell me all sorts of personal details, and would open up about all sorts of their life issues 8-0.
I stopped this after a few years, as my hands started hurting. A lady friend in church told me how much her son was earning as a painter decorator. So as a toolmaker, I turned my hand to the building trade. I've worked as a caretaker, a computer programmer. been on loads of courses, that have led to a dead end. When I was a Chaplain for the Air Cadets, I always told them. What are your passions, interests, desires?? Could you follow that for a job, career, business. God designed you for a purpose. He has a plan for your life. I now run my own multi-trade business and renovate my own properties. I NEVER imagined I would be doing this 15 years ago. And I would NEVER want my old life back either.
Blessings

Going back to the real world https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/depression/living-with-behavioural-disorders-mental-illne/going-back-to-the-real-world-180 2015-02-26 01:51:16

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jenlei14

16/07/2019 at 12:02

I take each day as it comes, try to have a focus for that day. Today is pretty good, but it gives me a nudge every now and again. H

See the best comment

jenlei14

16/07/2019 at 12:02

I take each day as it comes, try to have a focus for that day. Today is pretty good, but it gives me a nudge every now and again. H

See the best comment

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