Posted by Sean on July 21, 1999, at 12:12:40
In reply to Light Switch Depression, posted by Jim Evans on July 21, 1999, at 11:44:43
> Anybody have what I call "Light Switch" Depression.
> What I mean by this is that it come on and off like
> a light switch. One minute
>
> What I mean by "Light Switch" is that one minute things
> are normal and the next depression sets in with sadness
> and hopelessness. When I first got depression in February,
> It was bad from when I got up to around 2PM each day.
> At 2PM it would vanish like someone turned it off and
> I would be fine the remainder of the day.
>
> I've been trying to wain off of Celexa going from several
> month's use of 40mg to 30mg daily. 30mg worked for three
> weeks, but not I'm getting on and off, "Light Switch"
> depression so going back to 40mg again.
>
> No Docs can seem to explain the "Light Switch" symptoms.I have experienced something very similar. For me,
I would be fine for about 10 min in the morning,
and the booom, down came the crushing darkness.
It would last all day and until about 10:00 PM
at night, and then gently release. I would actually
watch some TV and not think about killing myself.
Then I would attempt to sleep, but always wake
up early and the cycle would repeat. This went
on for about 4 months until I simply could not
take it anymore, and, well, I ultimately got
help after my suicide plans were discovered.From what I have read, this general pattern of
depression is not uncommon. One of the final
common pathways of depression symptomology is
circadian disturbance, so it isn't surprising
that people have cyclic symptoms which repeat
on a daily basis. It does sound like your
feelings are unique in the rapidity of how your
moods shift. I was only able to recover with
lithium and a TCA antidepressant. To me, this
combo was a welcome relief to one of the darkest
chapters in my life.Hang in there!
Sean.
poster:Sean
thread:9018
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990628/msgs/9019.html