I need some guidance.  

I've been through a lot of ups and downs lately, and just curious about anyone else's experiences.  

I recall myself being driven, motivated, full of energy, and on the top of my game.

Lately, I have hardly no will to do much at all.  I'm tired all the time, drinking frequently (including now), and overall have no motivation to make much out of my bummed state.  

Before I was terminated, many of my close peers told me that I was going to get burned out if I kept up my pace.  

Am I depressed, or burned out?

Not since I got hopped up on goof balls! No really.. Pain meds do it fo me man!

I took up Tai Chi and read a few books on Buddhism and Taoism....oh, and I bought myself some new guns

I was going to say some smart ass comment until I saw you were serious.
But being a depressed individual myself the only thing I can come up with is
a smart ass comment. Jokem if they can't take a fuck

GM

Get your testosterone checked, seriously you have the symptoms.

Losing your job can lead to a great deal of self-doubt and introspection.  Many people in your situation develop an adjustment disorder that quickly passes.

If your state persists or if you have thought of harming yourself or others seek help IMMEDIATELY.

Quoted: I need some guidance.   I've been through a lot of ups and downs lately, and just curious about anyone else's experiences.   I recall myself being driven, motivated, full of energy, and on the top of my game. Lately, I have hardly no will to do much at all.  I'm tired all the time, drinking frequently (including now), and overall have no motivation to make much out of my bummed state.   Before I was terminated, many of my close peers told me that I was going to get burned out if I kept up my pace.   Am I depressed, or burned out?

Probably just burned out, but it's a fine line, you know?

If you are just burned out, in my experience, it'll pass fairly soon, but don't let it go too long ... BTDT ... Good luck. The very fact you're recognising that something's wrong is a very positive factor, IMHO.

I was at the top of my game for my expertise. Got laid off anyway.

It ain't you. Every time you start feeling sorry for yourself, give yourself a good kick in the ass because there is someon else who has it worse than you.

Now get off your ass and make something happen.

Definitely depressed and maybe burned out too. I have gone thru my periods of depression lately after a bitter divorce last year.  Your best bet is to see a specialist but if your like me you and a lot of average joes you will try to bear with it and weather the storms. I have never visited a mental health specialist since I dont like the idea of being labeled. I have read on the subject and things that have worked for me are:
1) Take time and socialize with family and friends.
2) Exercise and eat right
3) Do productive things with your spare time alone such as.... shooting, reading, whatever u enjoy.
I know when I get depressed cause I tend to sleep alot and withdraw.  There is no short term easy solution. Good luck.

Go to the doctor asap. The meds they have for it work, and they do not make you high or stupid or even happy. They just kil the irrational misery, which is caused by a chemical shortfall. There is no need to suffer. Go to a doctor.

Quoted: I was going to say some smart ass comment until I saw you were serious. But being a depressed individual myself the only thing I can come up with is a smart ass comment. Jokem if they can't take a fuck GM

I am serious, but thank you for being candid.  

I have not considered anything harmful of myself, but mostly self-doubt and a lack of self-esteem that seems to compound my situation.

Quoted: Definitely depressed and maybe burned out too. I have gone thru my periods of depression lately after a bitter divorce last year.  Your best bet is to see a specialist but if your like me you and a lot of average joes you will try to bear with it and weather the storms. I have never visited a mental health specialist since I dont like the idea of being labeled. I have read on the subject and things that have worked for me are: 1) Take time and socialize with family and friends. I have little to no motivation to socialize with my family and friends.  That is what started my concern.  I used to want to go out and do a lot of stuff with everyone.  Now I seem to only prefer to stay in and drink heavily.  :( 2) Exercise and eat right No exercise and I eat fast food once a day.  No motivation for exercise, or eating right. 3) Do productive things with your spare time alone such as.... shooting, reading, whatever u enjoy. I know when I get depressed cause I tend to sleep alot and withdraw.  There is no short term easy solution. Good luck. I used to go shooting very frequently, and fishing a lot.  Now I'm just in a withdraw mode.  I haven't been shooting since the Texas Tiger Valley shoot that was tons of fun, and haven't had much inclination to do anything at all lately.

till i started getting laid, no.  Before oh yeah.

Quoted: till i started getting laid, no.  Before oh yeah.

When I'm with my fiancee, I could be the President.  Unfortunately, she's in the middle east right now.

Stop drinking first. It just makes it worse. See a doctor,they really can help, the meds take a little while to help but they do help. Find someone to talk to in person.

Quoted: Stop drinking first. It just makes it worse. See a doctor,they really can help, the meds take a little while to help but they do help. Find someone to talk to in person.

That's an animal.  I know this may be a cliche, but when drinking it seems to help cope with the problems.  While sober, the problems seem unbearing.

Never have but a few friends of mine suffer severe depression. Watching what they go through kills me so I have a great deal of empathy.

Now if you're talking about a case of the blues that's a whole different story. Drink for a couple of more weeks keeping in mind that when times up you're going to; a) change your eating habits to include more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, b) take an aspirin every morning, c) embark on a cardio regimen to light up those endorphins (they really get you high ht.
That should do the trick.    

Quoted: I was at the top of my game for my expertise. Got laid off anyway. It ain't you. Every time you start feeling sorry for yourself, give yourself a good kick in the ass because there is someon else who has it worse than you. Now get off your ass and make something happen.

good advice.  try exercising frequently and cut back to only one or two drinks a day, you'll feel better about yourself and have alot more energy.  hope this helps you


one of my best friends that I've known my entire life is a recovering alcoholic.  he lives by the saying  "have the day of your choice".  it makes sense, your life is up to you

Quoted: Quoted: I was going to say some smart ass comment until I saw you were serious. But being a depressed individual myself the only thing I can come up with is a smart ass comment. Jokem if they can't take a fuck GM I am serious, but thank you for being candid.   I have not considered anything harmful of myself, but mostly self-doubt and a lack of self-esteem that seems to compound my situation.

Depression runs in my family, I am about the only one that isn't on a med. between my mother and
siblings. Depression, smeshion is the way I look at shit. I could just as easily get bummed out
about things as they do, but I "will" it away. The feelings are real, but how I react to them is my
decision. I guess I'm just a stubborn bastard and don't give up my situation easily.

GM

Me without Wellbutrin






Me with Wellbutrin

Quoted: Quoted: I was at the top of my game for my expertise. Got laid off anyway. It ain't you. Every time you start feeling sorry for yourself, give yourself a good kick in the ass because there is someon else who has it worse than you. Now get off your ass and make something happen. good advice.  try exercising frequently and cut back to only one or two drinks a day, you'll feel better about yourself and have alot more energy.  hope this helps you one of my best friends that I've known my entire life is a recovering alcoholic.  he lives by the saying  "have the day of your choice".  it makes sense, your life is up to you

Thank you.  How does one cope with sleeping?  I seem to have had a sleeping problems since I can remember.

Once I lay down, my mind begins to RACE and manages to keep me up for hours on end.  I have learned from my recent experience of finally being close to my father that he and I both have a lot of trouble sleeping at night without some sort of assistance, I.e. Benadryl, or other sleep aids which manage to make me drowsy during the day.  The best rest I have ever experienced has been sleeping next to my fiancee, but like i mentioned, she is deployed to the Middle East.  

Any ideas?  If I lay down without any assistance, I have a billion things going through my head that always keep me from a restful sleep.

Quoted: Me without Wellbutrinhhr

Are you serious...it works that well for you!?

hello!

i have a chemical imbalance that causes me depression. my brain sucks up too much of my seratonin, which causes the depression feeling. i take Celexa, one of many SSRI medications out there that block the brains receptors from sucking up too much seratonin. this balances things and make me feel normal.

Depression is a WICKED illness, and one of the worst parts of it is that you feel like it's a lack of charachter, instead of an illness seen as out of your control like cancer. so you feel guilty and lose all self esteem.

but sit yourself down, gain calm, then ask-- OK, why am I feeling this way? sometimes its suprising what calm objective investigation brings up. Maybe you feel guilty that you didn't call your mom on Mother's day or something.

anyway-- i'm not sure of your situation, but it sounds like u r in a temporary funk. In short- just go see a local psychiatrist and ask him what he thinks. there's a lot of causes for short term depression (obviously). but note your diet-- dont eat too many carbs. also get some excercise to activate your endorphins. also kick yourself in the ass a bit-- make an effort to do some social things.


but most importantly BE GOOD TO YOURSELF!!! if you blame yourself unjustly, you're being terrible cruel and unfair to yourself.

surf the internet for more info.


good luck!

-jon

Be good to yourself
Focus on the positive things in yor life
Do not isolate yourself from other people
If you got problems, write them all down on paper then write down solutions,then begin carrying out the action to get it done.
There are different causes of depression so if the stuff you try don't work-----go see someone

You can always tell who has no clue about what real depression is like.  They are the ones who say "exercise, put on a happy face, get off your ass, and chipper up, it'll pass".

A case of the blues is nothing compared to the living hell of real depression.  It is not to be trifled with.

Handsome_Rob, call your county mental health office.  You can make an appointment and talk to someone who can refer you to the right person.  Alternatively, if you still have the $$ for it, go see your doctor.  Depression is not stigmatized by the health community anymore and the drugs can help.  The drugs, or talking to your local mental health center will not affect your ability to have weapons.  Please, get help ASAP - you will not just snap out of it and the drinking WILL eventually become a big problem of its own, not to mention make your depression worse.

BTW, your sleep problem indicate that you could have manic depression (bipolar disorder).  Get yourself to the doc, dude.  This is a real medical problem, no different from a festering, black, pus-filled , smelly, sore on your penis.  You'd see the doctor if you had THAT, right?  So go see a doctor about this.

I was depressed for a while. Lost my job (off the books) due to an injury, and had to rely on Uncle Sam to pony up for a few months. (I am not too proud to admit that I needed help that badly.)
One year later I find myself helping out in a homeless mission cooking food. (I wasn't homeless just donating time =) )
Things are slowly getting better for me now; but it's been a long difficult road.

The important thing is that you realize that something is wrong, and you are willing to seek help/advice/guidance.

Some thoughts...
Denial will not help you.
Booze is only temporary relief, and possibly too much of a financial risk.
Introspection can sometimes fuel depression.
Some people find solace in religion, martial arts, craft hobbies, and voulenteering.

Stay Strong.

People view depression as something bad.

What if depression is a natural result of a true assessment of the world around us, and only the idiots are happy?  Lots of dumbasses around us, why be happy about it?

That's only half-tongue-in-cheek.

Are you serious...it works that well for you!?

I was put on Wellbutrin 5-6 years ago as a desperate attempt to treat cluster headaches.
It stopped the headaches completely and an extra benefit was that I felt much better.
I quit a job that had good insurance so I stopped the wellbutrin and began to have wide mood swings, not as bad as a manic/depressive but enough that the lows were pretty shitty, caused me to sleep odd hours,and hate life in general until I swung back up to the good side. As much as I hate to be dependant on an external source it still is better than the hole of despair.

Thank you.  How does one cope with sleeping?  I seem to have had a sleeping problems since I can remember. Once I lay down, my mind begins to RACE and manages to keep me up for hours on end.  I have learned from my recent experience of finally being close to my father that he and I both have a lot of trouble sleeping at night without some sort of assistance, I.e. Benadryl, or other sleep aids which manage to make me drowsy during the day.  The best rest I have ever experienced has been sleeping next to my fiancee, but like i mentioned, she is deployed to the Middle East.   Any ideas?  If I lay down without any assistance, I have a billion things going through my head that always keep me from a restful sleep.

I used to drink quite a bit before I'd lay down to sleep when I  was in school.  I realized that I didn't need to drink in excess if I practiced breathing deeply (2-3 seconds inhale, 4-5 second exhale) as I lay in bed.  Almost like meditating, relaxes the body and mind quickly, and before you know it your in la-la land

I've struggled with depression for a (not so) good part of my life, and I'm fairly convinced it's a chemical imbalance of some sort.  Almost everything in my life can be going nearly flawlessly, but with one or two things out of whack they will just sour the whole mix into shit.  It sure the hell does feel like a character flaw, however, so until I really think I need it I'm sure the hell not going to go to a therapist or get on prescription drugs.  Besides, that shit's expensive, so until I'm standing on the edge of a tall building, I manage.

St. John's Wort.  Sounds like hippy holistic BS, but for me it takes the edge off when I need it.

Cut out the fast food and start cooking balanced meals for yourself.  If you can read, you can cook, and the food will taste much better and be better for you.  Balanced just means a proper mix of stuff, if you go heavy on the veggies a big bowl of chili is a balanced meal (I'm working my way through a big batch, and I sure the hell wouldn't trade it for McD's).  Besides improving your chemical balance, no one has ever felt worse after a good meal.

Exercise...if you drive a couple of miles somewhere routinely, walk.  Lift weights for a while before cracking that first drink, mow the lawn with one of those old style unpowered mowers.  Exercise releases endorphins which help improve your mood, and burn fat.  The more you exercise, the more you'll be able to, and the better you'll feel.  And you'll be able to look in the mirror and add 'not fat' to your list of reasons to be happy.  No to mention that if you're exhausted, you'll have a much easier time getting to sleep.

Think of people that have come through much worse stuff than what you're going through.  Seems dumb, but if you think "Hey, if they can get'r'done after their families were raped to death by clowns and they were blinded in the same accident that they lost their legs in, what do I have to worry about?"

These are all simple things that you can do without rearranging your life or shelling out money for drugs/therapy, and they will help you deal with mild to moderate depression.

Quoted: Are you serious...it works that well for you!? I was put on Wellbutrin 5-6 years ago as a desperate attempt to treat cluster headaches. It stopped the headaches completely and an extra benefit was that I felt much better. I quit a job that had good insurance so I stopped the wellbutrin and began to have wide mood swings, not as bad as a manic/depressive but enough that the lows were pretty shitty, caused me to sleep odd hours,and hate life in general until I swung back up to the good side. As much as I hate to be dependant on an external source it still is better than the hole of despair.

Got it. Your icons just made it seem like you went straight from hell to heaven.

Quoted: You can always tell who has no clue about what real depression is like.  They are the ones who say "exercise, put on a happy face, get off your ass, and chipper up, it'll pass".he

+1

Got it. Your icons just made it seem like you went straight from hell to heaven.

I used to use something else for that, unfortunately it eventually led me back to Hell to the 9th power.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quoted: You can always tell who has no clue about what real depression is like. They are the ones who say "exercise, put on a happy face, get off your ass, and chipper up, it'll pass". A case of the blues is nothing compared to the living hell of real depression. It is not to be trifled with. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +1

+100  I think it has been referred to as "The valley of The Shadow of Death"

Quoted: Quoted: You can always tell who has no clue about what real depression is like.  They are the ones who say "exercise, put on a happy face, get off your ass, and chipper up, it'll pass". A case of the blues is nothing compared to the living hell of real depression.  It is not to be trifled with. +1

+1. I repeat: go see a doctor. I know what I'm talking about - this once, at least. If you like, IM me a phone # and I'll call you tomorrow.

You really need to cut back on the drinking for one thing.  Then focus on getting back into the swing of things.  I assume you're trying to find work and you're keeping busy.  No?  Then get with some friends and have some fun, not drinking or doing stupid stuff.

I have had depression ever since I can remember, and know what real depression is.  If things seem like they're not getting better, then go to a psychiatrist, not a regular doctor.  A regular doctor will just hand you some script for an SSRI and send you on your way.  You need to know what's going on and whether or not it's clinical.

I had a friend who's brains ended up on his kitchen ceiling as a result of untreated depression. He was 27 and had a 6-7 year old daughter. Like I said before  "If all the self help stuff don't work,,,or if you feel really bad   GO SEE A PROFESSIONAL"

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: You can always tell who has no clue about what real depression is like.  They are the ones who say "exercise, put on a happy face, get off your ass, and chipper up, it'll pass". A case of the blues is nothing compared to the living hell of real depression.  It is not to be trifled with. +1 +1. I repeat: go see a doctor. I know what I'm talking about - this once, at least. If you like, IM me a phone # and I'll call you tomorrow.

+1, Go see a DR, it could be something easily treatable, like hypothyroidism, aka thyroid disease, or something else masquerading as depression.  Someone very close to me was mis-diagnosed for depression for 15 - 20 years.  All she needs is a little synthroid to keep things in alignment.  

Symptoms for thyroid disease: (http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/hypochecklist.htm)

I have the following symptoms of hypothyroidism, as detailed by the Merck Manual, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and the Thyroid Foundation of America

____ I am gaining weight inappropriately
____ I'm unable to lose weight with diet/exercise
____ I am constipated, sometimes severely
____ I have hypothermia/low body temperature (I feel cold when others feel hot, I need extra sweaters, etc.)
____ I feel fatigued, exhausted
____ Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic
____ My hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle, falling out
____ My skin is coarse, dry, scaly, and thick
____ I have a hoarse or gravely voice
____ I have puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face
____ I have pains, aches in joints, hands and feet
____ I have developed carpal-tunnel syndrome, or it's getting worse
____ I am having irregular menstrual cycles (longer, or heavier, or more frequent)
____ I am having trouble conceiving a baby
____ I feel depressed
____ I feel restless
____ My moods change easily
____ I have feelings of worthlessness
____ I have difficulty concentrating
____ I have more feelings of sadness
____ I seem to be losing interest in normal daily activities
____ I'm more forgetful lately

I also have the following additional symptoms, which have been reported more frequently in people with hypothyroidism:

____ My hair is falling out
____ I can't seem to remember things
____ I have no sex drive
____ I am getting more frequent infections, that last longer
____ I'm snoring more lately
____ I have/may have sleep apnea
____ I feel shortness of breath and tightness in the chest
____ I feel the need to yawn to get oxygen
____ My eyes feel gritty and dry
____ My eyes feel sensitive to light
____ My eyes get jumpy/tics in eyes, which makes me dizzy/vertigo and have headaches
____ I have strange feelings in neck or throat
____ I have tinnitus (ringing in ears)
____ I get recurrent sinus infections
____ I have vertigo
____ I feel some lightheadedness
____ I have severe menstrua

Quoted: Are you serious...it works that well for you!? I was put on Wellbutrin 5-6 years ago as a desperate attempt to treat cluster headaches. It stopped the headaches completely and an extra benefit was that I felt much better. I quit a job that had good insurance so I stopped the wellbutrin and began to have wide mood swings, not as bad as a manic/depressive but enough that the lows were pretty shitty, caused me to sleep odd hours,and hate life in general until I swung back up to the good side. As much as I hate to be dependant on an external source it still is better than the hole of despair.

I actually have Wellbutrin sitting on my desk right now.  Since I lost my job and insurance, I only seem to take it when I have a job interview lined up.  I seem to think clearer and talk more when I pop one.  

Quoted: Got it. Your icons just made it seem like you went straight from hell to heaven. I used to use something else for that, unfortunately it eventually led me back to Hell to the 9th power.

It's a mirracle you landed back on earth.

I actually have Wellbutrin sitting on my desk right now. Since I lost my job and insurance, I only seem to take it when I have a job interview lined up. I seem to think clearer and talk more when I pop one.

It works much better if taken on a regular basis. Not trying to seem like a know-it-all. Some drug companies actually "believe it or not"  offer reduced pricing on some drugs. A call to the nearest mental health hospital or treatemnt center may get the ball rolling toward finding out. I understand you have to jump through a few hoops but after the initial setup it's pretty quick.

this is not a govt. handout. it is sponsored by the drug companies and I don't mind taking their money.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: You can always tell who has no clue about what real depression is like.  They are the ones who say "exercise, put on a happy face, get off your ass, and chipper up, it'll pass". A case of the blues is nothing compared to the living hell of real depression.  It is not to be trifled with. +1 +1. I repeat: go see a doctor. I know what I'm talking about - this once, at least. If you like, IM me a phone # and I'll call you tomorrow.

Thank you for your phone call, i sincerely appreciate your consideration.  

As a side note, the rest of you guys are true friends, and I appreciate the guidance.

Robert

Hang in there brother, I went through the same type of period after being wrongly Terminated from my job. Amends were made to me but, I told them to shove their job up their liberal jihadists asses. Took the $20,000 settlement to live on and layed in bed until I snapped out of my funky mood , went back to finish my thirty hours of college and lookin forward to OCS afterward.

Don't worry "it can't rain all the time"  

"Anyone have any bouts with Depression?"

Hell yeah. I've been living under a dark cloud for nearly a year. I drove my horses to a poor market and lost $100,000. Now all I think about is pussy and radio control airplanes. It's 4 o'clock in the morning right now and here I sit in front of this computer, right where I've been since I got up at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. When will it end!

Go see the Doc.  Tell him just what you've said here.  There is counseling and meds that may help.

Quoted: Go to the doctor asap. The meds they have for it work, and they do not make you high or stupid or even happy. They just kil the irrational misery, which is caused by a chemical shortfall. There is no need to suffer. Go to a doctor.

+ 0.02 -- not every drug works for every person.

The problem would be in finding which one works for you.  One I am trying now is doing absolutely nothing for me.  One I tried last year worked wonderfully for three months before my body developed a tolerance for it, and I had to choose between upping the dosage or going off it.

Quoted: I actually have Wellbutrin sitting on my desk right now.  Since I lost my job and insurance, I only seem to take it when I have a job interview lined up.  I seem to think clearer and talk more when I pop one.

Just finished reading page 2 -- I looked into Wellbutrin, and one thing I vaguely recall is that it has severe wearnings about not drinking AT ALL when you are using it.  And anyway, drinking when you're depressed is a bad idea to begin with.  I strongly suggest at least cutting back if not stopping entirely -- drinking to forget your troubles is a dangerous habit to get into.

Were you on Wellbutrin to control depression, and stopped because it was expensive?  I was going to post something about "if this is just a reaction to job loss and fiancee's departure, blah blah", but this makes it sound like you've been diagnosed, found something that worked, and quit to save money while out of work.

Rob are you exercising?  You might try starting your morning with a vigerous exercise and taking some Flax Seed oil.  The Flax Seed will give you a boast of energy as will exercising.  Try this for a week [be religious] and re-evalute.  While Wendy's away flirt with me too, that always help!

Patty

I had some problems with depression a few years back. When my fiancee and son were killed by a drunk driver. I blamed myself b/c i was working that shift although there was no way for me to stop what happened. In my mind at the time i thought i could of. It was very hard to deal with. I stayed angry for a long time and i had to take some time off from the job so that i could properly deal with my demons. I never did the medicine but i did do some therapy. I found it more benifical to talk to someone about what i was feeling/thinking etc. I still have some low spots from time to time. If i work an accident or come across something that reminds me of them.  It's ok to be sad . That's a normal emtion. It's not ok when it never stops. It's ok to be angry. It's how you channel that anger that is important.  If you ever need an ear. drop me a line.


J

Please please please read this link - it's real quick www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/men_2.asp   and get this book by Terrance Real.

Then follow the advice at the bottom of the page.  Find someone who specializes in covert male depression.      IM me and I'll give you a buzz.  

The fact you recognize a possible issue shows that you have enormous potential to overcome whatever may be wrong.  Half the battle is getting over the "tough it out" routine.  It only works for bumps and bruises.

Quoted: Me without Wellbutrin Me with Wellbutrin

My wife suggested I go to a doctor and see if I can get a prescription for that. She is a pharmacist and told me that there is a lower risk of side affects from Wellbutrin as opposed to some of the other more popular anti-depressants. Also, I don't want something that is going to make me just numb and completely emotionless. I think most of the people in my hometown are on Prozac, but I don't think that's what I want.

I have nothing to be depressed about really. I have a great wife, a beautiful little boy, a job and a roof over my head. However, there are plenty of troubles in my family right now that's taken a toll on me. I am going through terrible mood swings. One minute I'm up on cloud 9, then one little thing sets me off into extreme anger. Not violent anger where I would do anything to anybody, but just anger that makes me want to go outside and scream. I don't scream at my wife, but lately when I get that mad I talk loud. Then I am depressed to the point of tears. It's making me miserable, and it's making my wife miserable. I don't want my son to pick up on what's going on. He's only 18 months old, but he is very perceptive. I hope he doesn't end up with a temper like mine. The family problems along with my bad allergies have really put me over the edge. I hate being in such a bad mood, and they have really been frequent lately.

Quoted: Please please please read this link - it's real quick www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/men_2.asp   and get this book by Terrance Real. Then follow the advice at the bottom of the page.  Find someone who specializes in covert male depression.      IM me and I'll give you a buzz.   The fact you recognize a possible issue shows that you have enormous potential to overcome whatever may be wrong.  Half the battle is getting over the "tough it out" routine.  It only works for bumps and bruises.

The self medication and isolation this man speaks of is definitely hitting close to home.  Where do I find such a doctor that understands this area? As I mentioned before, since I've been terminated from my previous employer, my insurance is non-existant.