Coping With A Life High Followed By A Depression Low
When life's highs are followed by inexplicable lows, the clinically depressed person has the hardest of times.
As I mentioned in my About Me blog post, my battle with depression is ongoing. I lay in the trenches, at the ready for when my brain decides to ambush me with yet another volley of chemical scud missiles.
There have been innumerable times throughout my life when I have experienced said chemical warfare, leading to a short bout of depression during or immediately following an otherwise wonderful experience. A euphoric high followed by a distinct and noticeable low.
Recently, I lived one of these euphoric life moments. Well, it lasted a weekend but the gist of the weekend was centered around this special moment. One of my daughters got married. And what a memorable time it was! Seeing her walk down the aisle with her adoring father - all eyes on her. Through tears of joy, I watched her smile at her fiancé as she spoke the words that would bind them (hopefully) for life. She looked so beautiful and so happy and I, as her mother, was happy too. Elated! Over the moon! High!
The Low of Depression Struck
Then, quite suddenly, came the low. In my own vernacular, as known to family and friends, a depression “dip”. Not a full out depressive episode (thankfully), but a dip below my “normal” whereby melancholy grips me and all I want to do is eat and sleep and eat and sleep. The dips vary in range and duration but always, I feel as though I have to hang on for dear life lest I float away into a black hole.
Sometimes, I can actually feel a physical pull towards the oblivion. I have to struggle to keep away from it; remember my coping mechanisms, remember my meds and most of all, try to remember that this dreaded feeling will go away ... eventually.
And it did.
After the dip (which lasted only about a week this time), I enjoyed a week or so of blessed numbness, which doesn’t sound like a good thing, but for me, kind of is. This numbness (which always follows the dip and again, varies in its presentation) allows me to recharge, regroup and reload.
And by the grace of God and the workings of the Universe, I am, once again, battle-ready.
APA Reference
Scott, L.
(2013, June 2). Coping With A Life High Followed By A Depression Low, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, October 31 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/copingwithdepression/2013/06/a-life-high-followed-by-a-depression-low
Author: Liana M. Scott
I am on many meds and the one symptom that still kicks me in the but is depression. I can't remember when this last depression took over me I was napping a lot. A couple of hours turned into a whole day. And, then to top it off it happened during my daughters graduating with a doctorate. This was a high time but I was in the depth of depression. I wish I felt better. I mean I barely manage my job. Then I would go home and sleep all day which affected my marriage. I started to do some praying which helped get me out of the abyss. Just something simple like just help me get through this day. Help me have a happy and productive day. Slowly I got out of it. It was a real struggle. Most of the time I can keep a bay but this time it kicked my butt. So I can relate to the unexpected drop. Hopefully my next time wouldn't be so extreme.
Hi Clara. I hear ya'. I hope your next time isn't terribly extreme too.
I used to get this frequently as a teenager - after coming home from a school camp, after a date with my boyfriend, when our school play had finished. It still happens now but I've learnt to anticipate it in advance and plan things to help combat it - a trip to the spa, or another enjoyable activity. Doing some baking and giving it away usually helps too. My friend has a box of favourite things that are associated with good memories that she uses for times like these :)
Hi Barb. Thanks for the comment. Yes, finding and enacting my "favorite" things is definitely a coping trick. I like the spa idea! :-)