The last few years I haven't been feeling right, fatigued, irritable, have trouble focusing, and I lost interest in things I used to get joy out of, like Mopars. A few years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, which I though was the reason, but even after getting that under control I haven't been able to get out of this funk and it has been impacting every aspect of my life. I finally made an appointment to talk to a doctor tomorrow about depression. I don't know what else I can do, but I need to find a way to get out of this and get my previous life back.

Anyone else been through this?

Hello, you may want to check into the food you are eating. The gut microbiome health has a huge influence on your brain chemical function. If you do not have the right ratio of healthy gut bacteria or a yeast overgrowth issue this could be affecting a lot more than your brain. Are you eating healthy, fresh organic food? If not then you are consuming TONS of highly processed chemicals and toxins. This WILL make a huge difference on how you feel mentally. I would highly recommend you go to youtube (Dr Eric Berg, Dr Mark Hyman, Dr Sten Ekberg) for some research into this before you go to the doctor and get on some toxic anti depressant. Just my opinion but I know it has worked great for me.

Other than the type 2 diabetes, yes I have.

Speaking to your doctor is the first step. I would expect your doctor to refer you to a counselor to discuss your situation and move forward from that point.

One important thing to keep in mind, you're not alone, you're not unique. Depression affects many people.

Good luck and here's to your first step getting back to having an enjoyable life.

Mike.

My GP who knows me well put me on a "helper" as he calls it and the difference is amazing. I resisted the idea for a long time but finally gave in. I would say to stay away from anything that you may become dependent on. There are some drugs out there that can be a real nightmare to get off of. Talk to to him about it .

Well, I live your pain, from a different angle. My wife suffers with depression and anxiety which leads to anger. It’s hard to take sometimes. She went the meds long ago before we met and that caused more problems than it solved. The std American diet and the pills that std medicine throws at you are the problem. I agree %100 with Steve. My wife does much better on organic food, no sugars and no preservatives. She has stomach issues with grains and some vegetables. We think that because the meds screwed up her gut. She is borderline leaky gut syndrome. When she eats the wrong food, she turns into Mr. Hyde. She watches a Dr. Edwards out of Lubbock on YouTube. He’s helped a lot. She is more sensitive than most people. I had a brief bout with it going through my divorce in 2010. My Daughters support helped me get over it. I know that I feel better eating clean. I can run off and eat fast food cooked in Conala oil and it tears me up now.

For the longest time I struggled with depression, always felt lethargic, went to see (several) Docs about it, and lost interest in seeking their help when I had asked about a drug I had seen on TV, and the Doc was like "oh sure, we can try that too". That told me he was more interested in pushing something than actually finding the cure (I basically knew it, this just emphasized it).

My turning point came when the whole 'Gluten Free' craze started. I looked into it and figured I'd give it a try. In less than a month I noticed a change. I didn't have the weight loss so many claim, BUT, after switching to a Gluten Free diet, I'm still not a bundle of energy, but I have a lot more snap, I no longer feel lethargic, my focus is a lot better, and I haven't had any kind of allergy attack since the switch. And my stomach has been a LOT happier, I no longer feel bloated.

That being said, I will admit I'm not fanatical about Gluten Free. I just can't bring myself to spend $5 or more for a loaf of bread, or $15 for a frozen pizza just because its Gluten Free. I've chosen to do without for the most part and just have 'regular' breads in moderation. The problem is the wheat in these products.Wheat is used in a lot more products then you'd realize. Aside from the obvious bread, even meat products have it added, beer, candies, and much more.

Regardless whether Gluten Free or not, as we get older, our bodies change, and we can't eat what we used to. A lot of times it comes down to you paying attention to what you're eating and how it makes you feel rather than expecting a Doctor to figure it out for you.

Every day for the past 9.5 yrs since my son died. Depression sucks. Met w/ psychiatrist, counselor's, and my MD. They tried multiple drugs. Most made me so flat I didn't care about anything. Others made me violent and the slightest aggregation made me want to hurt people. Got off all the drugs. I don't sleep more than.a ccouple hrs at a time then toss and turn for hrs and sleep a little more.

Not trying to scare you but the only way I get thru each day is remembering I have two other sons that need me. So I put on a fake front. It's all I can do. Staying busy with projects; at home, my sons house and my cars help. Its still not the same and I know I'm not the person I was. I feel very bad for my wife. She deserves better.

I hope you have better luck than I have.

Maybe your Testosterone levels are below normal.
A few years back when I turned 50 I was feeling unmotivated, bored and I had little interest in doing anything but work and sleep. My T numbers were checked and found to be average. Time passed and I snapped out of it.
I'm not on any meds except when I overwork myself and need anti-inflammatory Motrin or Tylenol.

My Brother in law was tested......His number came back at 39. Yeah, they immediately started him on a program to get it up over 250 !

"I finally made an appointment to talk to a doctor tomorrow about depression."

I am far from an expert on such an important subject, but asking for help has got to be a very encouraging sign on a road to recovery.
I hope you overcome this.

My wife is gluten free or she could not survive. I think there is more too this whole glyphosate poison than the government is willing to admit. It is sprayed on everything. It is drenched on wheat. I know plenty of wheat farmers in Texas. I won’t even hunt deer in wheat fields anymore. Our wheat is so genetically modified, it not like is was long ago. Some of us that have been exposed to lots of chemicals in the auto hobby are figuring this stuff is not good for us. If you can put a patch on the skin and it medicates you then what does this stuff do when it hits our hands? Think about it.

I'm not sure if what I'm experiencing is depression. Hopefully the doctor will help me figure that out.

Beat; f luck and hopefully you can get either help or answers to manage what you are going thru.

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" Beer is the reason I wake up every afternoon. "

Respectfully, I would say you may need look no further than this.

Coming from someone who also likes his beer, and has been feeling the same way at times.

That signature is kind of in jest because it's the catch phrase for one of our local brewers.

But yes, I do like beer. Probably more than Tom T Hall. I've stopped drinking for the last couple of weeks hoping that it might help. So far it hasn't, but maybe it hasn't been long enough?

Recognizing a problem and seeking help is the first step

Diet can certainly make a difference, but sometimes a pill is needed. And that's ok.

So I saw a doctor today and she said that depression is very common right now because many of the things people use to cope with their problems have been cancelled or simply not possible.

Anyway, she agreed I should quit drinking for awhile and prescribed me a mild anti-depressant and something to help me sleep. I've got another appointment to see her in 6 weeks. If things don't improve we'll try something else.

I haven't had a drop of alcohol or a cigarette in over 3 years. my Dr said for years i was self medicating with the beer. I can only say that i feel much better than I did and have dealt with some pretty severe issues without much problem. I'm staying the course for now and will continue to take his advice. Good luck and keep us posted

There is no such thing as GMO wheat. You can not spray glyphosate on wheat. If you do, it will die.