Not The End Of Me

Not The End Of Me

Who am I?

I don’t know…

Had I become that person I so despise?

My thoughts

Deep, dark, and unrecognizable

Who am I?

Did I just give up?

Given up on life, love, my passions, and everything in between

Who am I?

A cry baby

Weak

Distorted thoughts

State of confusion

Broken Spirit

Negative

Shaken

Stirred

Who am I?

A silent voice and distant eyes
That no one hears my cry’s

Who am I?

Drowning in the depths of sorrow,
with no tears left to cry.

Who am I?

© The Lupie Chick 2013

I’ve been was battling depression for the past 6 months. A lot of stress triggers has occurred with my relocation to Georgia, my employment, my health, and a multitude of other things. I leaned heavily on my sister- friends that keep praying for my recovery and strength to come out of this dark space. I was having uncontrollable crying spells, insomnia, panic attacks, nightmares (when I would finally sleep) and just an overall feeling of failure. I wanted to die. In my opinion, my spirit was already dead. I was in a very dark mind space and I couldn’t see my way out. While at one of my doctor visits, the doctor was asking me questions and I just looked up at him (as if I was possessed by a demon) and blurted out “I really don’t give a fuck right now.. Whatever you want to do is fine with me, I’m ready to go” I stood up and WALKED OUT, crying as I left his office. Later that evening I received a recorded call from Kroger pharmacy telling me my prescription was ready. [Insert demonic look and gas face] “What damn prescription?? I figured it was a wrong number and I ignored the message. 2 days later I received the recorded call again, I was in Kroger ( at Starbucks) and figured I would go over there and tell them to stop calling me ( they were using my day time minutes and I don’t have any to spare). When I reached the counter, the pharmacist acknowledged that I did have a prescription and it was ready. 

ME:  “YOU CAN KEEP IT- I HAVE NO INSURANCE & NO MONEY!”

Pharmacist: “Ms Dugar your cost is $4 and if you have Kroger points I can reduce that to $2” Me: [face twisted and annoyed] fine [mumbling and grumbling]

Pharmacist: Please step to the counseling window

ME: Continue face twisting/mumbling/grumbling

Pharmacist: You have been prescribed Zoloft. Zoloft is known to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and panic disorder. This medicine is an antidepressant called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

ME: [insert, hand on hip, pissed off stance] so what exactly are you saying because I didn’t ask for this?

Pharmacist: Ma’am you may want to call your physician, this prescription was called in

ME: Yeah, I’ma call him [pulls out phone and call doctor office]

After calming down a little and speaking with my physician, I now understand that his prescription wasn’t an insult to my mental stability; it was care, concern, and very well NEEDED! My physician began to tell me he sensed that I was stressed and I was displaying signs of depression. After finishing up the call, I went home, got on the Internet to do additional research.“Between 15 and 60 percent of people with a chronic illness will experience clinical depression. This may be brought on by lupus, by the various medications used to treat lupus, and/or by any of the factors and forces in a person’s life that are not related to lupus. For reasons that are not entirely understood, this type of depression is often experienced by people with chronic disease.”Lupus Foundation of America. 

 I encourage anyone that exhibits any of the following to consult with a physician.

·  Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness ·  Sadness ·  Crying (often without reason) ·  Insomnia or restless sleep, or sleeping too much ·  Changes in appetite leading to weight loss or weight gain ·  Feelings of uneasiness, anxiety, or irritability ·  Feelings of guilt or regret ·  Lowered self-esteem or feelings of worthlessness

·  Inability to concentrate or difficulty thinking ·  Diminished memory and recall ·  Indecisiveness ·  Lack of interest in things formerly enjoyed ·  Lack of energy ·  General slowing and clouding of mental functions ·  Diminished sexual interest and/or perfor­mance ·  Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

I’ve exhibited 15 out of the 16 signs above. As a friend or a family member- please do not assume that a person is having a pity party or just “need to get over it”. There were moments I wanted to die, and a friend response to me was “oh Sixx, come on now, you’re having a pity party”. Depression is very serious and HARD to overcome. I’m not 100% recovered (even with the help of Zoloft).  I take it day by day-sometimes-minute by minute. When I say THANK YOU [to my my inner circle]-it’s not just 2 words. I know I have a praying circle around me-and you’re prays has kept me covered. [ praise & testimony]

Facts About Clinical Depression and Lupus

• Between 15 and 60 percent of people with a chronic illness will experience clinical depression.
• Clinical depression may be a result of the ways in which lupus physically affects your body.
• Some of the medicines to treat lupus—especially corticosteroids such as prednisone (and at higher doses of 20 mg or more)—play a role in causing clinical depression.
• Clinical depression may be a result of the continuous series of emotional and psychological stressors associated with living with a chronic illness.
• Clinical depression may be a result of neurologic problems or experiences unrelated to lupus.
• Clinical depression also produces anxiety, which may aggravate physical symptoms (headache, stomach pain, etc.).
• Two common feelings associated with clinical depression are hopelessness and helplessness. People who feel hopeless believe that their distressing symptoms may never improve. People who feel helpless believe they are beyond help—that no one cares enough to help them or could succeed in helping, even if they tried.

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