Depression-don’t care about anythinf

Mental health
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I don’t know what’s happened to me. 5 years ago I was a high functioning person in and out of work. I was highly anxious but that motivated me to work hard and study hard and I had the motivation to eat well and exercise.

Now I find myself not conventionally depressed in that I’m not crying or even tearful but I feel empty, I see my Nan who brought me up crying and I feel nothing. I never cry over my grandpas death last year and he raised me like a daughter.

I am not motivated to do anything; prepare meals, help nan with things in the flat where we live together, tidy my room, deal with paperwork, it’s like I don’t care about anything. I’ve been struggling to hold down a job because some days I just can’t fight the desire to stay in bed and sleep all day and boy can I sleep.

How can I start to care about things again and to function better. Sometimes I feel frozen like I just can’t turn on the ignition to get me to take action.

I’m on 40mg Prozac, 50mg chlomipramine and 40mg propranolol and have been seeing the same psychiatrist privately for like three years and we’ve tried other meds too.

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

I want to feel again and to find a way to want to do more with my time other than sleep my life away.

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Hi Girraffe - are you getting any psychological assistance along with the psychiatrist and meds? Are there any buried issues from childhood do you think? Perhaps the triple meds are too much? Making you tired and empty? 

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Hi Giraffe,

I’m glad that you came here. We will talk to you and try to guide you in the right direction.

Have you tried asking the dr to adjust the meds?

Or, possibly change them?

Is there something specific bothering you? That could have set this off?

I’m sorry I know what it’s like. Please come back.

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Hi Wayne,

Thanks so much for your reply. I’ve seen counselling psychologists to do CBT, counsellors and a clinical psychologist and none of them can seem to help me. You could be right about the meds I am going back to my psychiatrist on Tuesday.

I left a job yesterday and feel nothing.

Thanks

Giraffe

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Hi Carmela,

Thanks so much for writing back.

Nothing specific that has set this off I think it’s progressed over the last few years, and I’ve become less and less motivated and less and less active. I let my poor Nan do everything in the flat and she’s 88. It’s like my ignition has been turned off and I can’t get it back on to care about anything. I’m going for a meds review Tuesday.

I’m spending a lot of time in bed sleeping. My Nan just reminded me that if anything happens to her I can’t stay in this flat so I should feel a sense of urgency to get my job situation sorted out but I don’t feel the urgency and don’t even worry because I’m empty.

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Hi Girraffe

just reading your post I see so much of my own journey I thought maybe I could offer some advice albeit subjective. I’ve had depression with predominant anxiety for many years. Like you I used to thrive on my anxiety to an extent, I did well at work, study, socially and I also maintained a very high level of fitness.

I’ve been in the care of both private and nhs Psychiatry. One thing I’ve definitely noted is the tendency within private psychiatry to over prescribe medication. Let me explain, dual therapy tends to be kept for the hospital wards or very severe life threatening depression in the nhs where in private care it can be almost first line treatment. 

‘The mix of 40mg of Prozac and Chlomipramine 50mg with 40mg Proprnalol is quite a sedating mix of drugs and will almost certainly be contributing to your lack of feeling!

 I’ve noted over the years that the medications initially wrap you in cotton wool and help take away some of the darkness but unfortunately they also take the good feelings in life away alongside the bad. It may be worth talking to your psychiatrist about trying lower doses of medication? 

‘These are just my thoughts. I’m not suggesting you reduce or stop your medication without the guidance of your psychiatrist but I do believe that this mix will be causing significant fatigue and lack of drive within your life.

wishing you all the best and please keep us posted.

Tonia 💟

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I agree with Sadly. Maybe too much medication. I am not familiar with what you take, but as I stated earlier, you may want to have meds adjusted.

You will find another job and place to live once you are feeling better. You need time to get the meds straightened out first so that you feel better.

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Hi Sadly,

Thanks so much for replying. I’m seeing psychiatrist Tuesday so will discuss with him. I’m wondering if I should try a new one as been seeing him for three years now although he is very experienced and supervises other psychiatrists but is in his 60s I’d say.

Thanks

Girraffe x

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Hi Carmela,

Thanks for your message.  Really appreciate it and will discuss with my psychiatrist at my appointment Tuesday and I wonder if I should try a different one.

Girraffe 

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Good luck and best of wishes! Please keep in touch with us!