I struggle pretty badly with depression, and most days I basically bed rot. The only things I consistently manage are taking my Frenchie outside to potty, feeding her, and playing with her when I have the energy which, honestly, isn’t very often.
She’s loved, cared for, fed, and safe, and I know she’s not neglected. But I still feel so guilty because I feel like she deserves a much more exciting and active life than I’m currently able to give her.
Sometimes I think about getting another Frenchie so she would at least have a companion to play with, but then I realize that probably isn’t a good idea. If I’m already struggling with the guilt of not doing enough for one dog, why would I put myself through the guilt and responsibility of having two?
I keep telling myself that I won’t feel like this forever. I’m hoping that eventually I’ll get to a point where I have more energy, motivation, and ability to actually take her places, go on walks, play more, and give her the kind of life I imagine she deserves. But I also hate the thought of making her “ride this out” with me while I work on getting better.
For anyone who has struggled with depression while having a dog: How did you deal with the guilt? Did you find ways to keep your dog happy and stimulated on the days when you could barely get out of bed? And how did you remind yourself that you were still a good pet owner even when you weren’t able to do as much as you wanted?
I love this little dog more than I can explain. I just wish I could give her more right now. ❤️
I'm extremely exhausted. My body stays automatically clinched from the time I wake up until I fall asleep.
I have internal trembling. I feel like I run a marathon everyday. My body is in pain.
I stink. My house is gross. I can't drive to go see my family and I'm too ashamed to let them visit me.
I've been on the same medication for 8 months and they're not working. I miss working.
When I try acting like a normal person of society and sit on my porch I feel like I'm in a simulation and everything is moving slow.
These are just a few ways anxiety has ruined my life.
My husband, a Zambian citizen, holds a 10-year green card. His mother recently passed away, and we are very eager to travel to attend the funeral. He has a criminal record, specifically for family violence and a marijuana charge, both of which occurred more than seven years ago and prior to him obtaining his green card. I anticipate there might be some difficulties upon his return to America, but I am wondering if he will be granted re-entry.
Has anyone with a similar situation traveled and returned without issue? What should we anticipate at the airport?
If you could only choose one for the rest of your mental health treatment—medication or therapy—which would you choose, and why?
What are your diagnosis? (if you don't mind sharing)
What symptoms have been the hardest to manage?
Why do you think it's been more effective for you?
I'm not looking for medical advice—just interested in hearing real experiences and how different people have benefited from one or the other...
If you could only choose one for the rest of your mental health treatment—medication or therapy—which would you choose, and why?
What are your diagnosis? (if you don't mind sharing)
What symptoms have been the hardest to manage?
Why do you think it's been more effective for you?
I'm not looking for medical advice—just interested in hearing real experiences and how different people have benefited from one or the other...
She started doing this yesterday.
My dog is not drinking or eating at all right now. She has been having very loud stomach rumbling/gurgling noises that are easy to hear.
Current symptoms:
Not drinking water at all
Not eating
Loud stomach gurgling/rumbling noises
Mild lethargy, but still alert and responsive
She still comes when I call her name and is aware of her surroundings
No vomiting noticed so far
I’m trying to figure out how concerned I should be and whether this needs urgent vet care or if it can be monitored at home.
Any advice or similar experiences would really help.
I’m honestly confused and a little stuck with my mental health meds and I’m trying to figure out if this is normal or not.
I’ve been on fluvoxamine since September and gabapentin since December. I keep being told they’re working because my anxiety/depression “numbers” are going down. But I’ve noticed those numbers are only lower when I’m around family and not alone. When I go back to my normal environment, everything comes rushing back low mood, anxiety, no motivation, trouble getting out of bed, showering, leaving the house, or talking to people.
When I bring this up, I’m told medication isn’t a magic fix and I still have to put in effort, which I understand. But I feel stuck because I don’t have the motivation to even start that effort. So I don’t know what I’m supposed to expect from medication in the first place.
What’s hardest is I don’t know what “working meds” are actually supposed to feel like. I’ve never been on anything before, so I don’t have a comparison. I’m not dealing with bad side effects anymore, but I also don’t feel like I’m actually getting better in a meaningful way.
I’m in therapy and that’s going well, but I feel like I don’t understand the balance between therapy, medication, and personal effort. Right now it feels like I’m supposed to “push myself” but I don’t have the internal drive to do that, and I don’t know if that means the meds aren’t the right fit or if this is just how recovery works.
If anyone has been through this, I’d really appreciate specific examples like what symptoms actually improved for you when medication started working (motivation, anxiety, mood, functioning, etc.). Not just “I felt better,” but what actually changed day to day.
I’m honestly confused and a little stuck with my mental health meds and I’m trying to figure out if this is normal or not.
I’ve been on fluvoxamine since September and gabapentin since December. I keep being told they’re working because my anxiety/depression “numbers” are going down. But I’ve noticed those numbers are only lower when I’m around family and not alone. When I go back to my normal environment, everything comes rushing back low mood, anxiety, no motivation, trouble getting out of bed, showering, leaving the house, or talking to people.
When I bring this up, I’m told medication isn’t a magic fix and I still have to put in effort, which I understand. But I feel stuck because I don’t have the motivation to even start that effort. So I don’t know what I’m supposed to expect from medication in the first place.
What’s hardest is I don’t know what “working meds” are actually supposed to feel like. I’ve never been on anything before, so I don’t have a comparison. I’m not dealing with bad side effects anymore, but I also don’t feel like I’m actually getting better in a meaningful way.
I’m in therapy and that’s going well, but I feel like I don’t understand the balance between therapy, medication, and personal effort. Right now it feels like I’m supposed to “push myself” but I don’t have the internal drive to do that, and I don’t know if that means the meds aren’t the right fit or if this is just how recovery works.
If anyone has been through this, I’d really appreciate specific examples like what symptoms actually improved for you when medication started working (motivation, anxiety, mood, functioning, etc.). Not just “I felt better,” but what actually changed day to day.
I’m honestly confused and a little stuck with my mental health meds and I’m trying to figure out if this is normal or not.
I’ve been on fluvoxamine since September and gabapentin since December. I keep being told they’re working because my anxiety/depression “numbers” are going down. But I’ve noticed those numbers are only lower when I’m around family and not alone. When I go back to my normal environment, everything comes rushing back low mood, anxiety, no motivation, trouble getting out of bed, showering, leaving the house, or talking to people.
When I bring this up, I’m told medication isn’t a magic fix and I still have to put in effort, which I understand. But I feel stuck because I don’t have the motivation to even start that effort. So I don’t know what I’m supposed to expect from medication in the first place.
What’s hardest is I don’t know what “working meds” are actually supposed to feel like. I’ve never been on anything before, so I don’t have a comparison. I’m not dealing with bad side effects anymore, but I also don’t feel like I’m actually getting better in a meaningful way.
I’m in therapy and that’s going well, but I feel like I don’t understand the balance between therapy, medication, and personal effort. Right now it feels like I’m supposed to “push myself” but I don’t have the internal drive to do that, and I don’t know if that means the meds aren’t the right fit or if this is just how recovery works.
If anyone has been through this, I’d really appreciate specific examples like what symptoms actually improved for you when medication started working (motivation, anxiety, mood, functioning, etc.). Not just “I felt better,” but what actually changed day to day.
I really need some advice because I'm scared and I don't have the money for a vet right now.
I'm a first-time dog owner. I got this dog from my brother just a few days ago. Before he had her, she came from a girl who didn't treat her well. My brother took her in, but he already has another dog that he spends more time with and a newborn baby, so I decided to give her a home.
Everything had been going well since she came to my house. She adjusted quickly, her appetite was good, and she was acting like a normal, happy dog.
A few days ago, I made a mistake. I gave her cooked chicken bones because I honestly didn't know dogs weren't supposed to have cooked bones. After I found out, I completely panicked because I read how dangerous they can be. I watched her constantly, expecting something bad to happen.
She didn't seem bothered at all. She eventually passed stool, and after that she continued pooping about once a day with normal bowel movements. I also gave her a pumpkin digestive puree from Tractor Supply because I was worried after the bone incident. Since then, she's continued pooping normally, so I started thinking maybe everything was okay.
Her last meal was around 9:00 p.m. last night. Then this morning she suddenly vomited yellow, foamy liquid that looked like bile. Since then, her stomach has been making loud bubbling/gurgling noises that I can actually hear.
It's now late afternoon, and she has refused both food and water all day. She still gets up, walks around, and seems alert, so she isn't acting completely lethargic from what I can tell. She just doesn't want to eat or drink, which is really worrying me.
I know the obvious answer is probably "go to the vet," and I completely understand that. The problem is I genuinely don't have the money for emergency treatment right now, and I'm trying to figure out my options while keeping a close eye on her.
For people with more experience, does this sound like it could still be related to the cooked chicken bones even though she was able to poop normally afterward? Could this be something like an upset stomach, gastritis, stress from moving into a new home, or does this sound more like an intestinal blockage or another emergency?
Please be kind. I know I made a mistake with the cooked bones, and I already feel awful about it. I'm trying my best to learn and do right by her, and I'm really scared because I've become attached to her in such a short amount of time. Any advice or similar experiences would mean a lot.
I'm extremely shy and socially anxious, so making this post is way outside my comfort zone lol.
I'm married but my husband travels for work, so most days it's just me. The last few years have been pretty rough mentally. I've been dealing with anxiety, depression, OCD, and a lot of isolation while trying to work on myself through therapy and other forms of treatment. Honestly, I don't have much of a support system and would love to find someone to talk to regularly. Just someone who gets it, whether you're dealing with mental health struggles, loneliness, or just going through a hard time.
✨️ A little about me... I love dogs, I LOVE JESUS, I'm a homebody, and I'm awkward at first but warm up eventually 😂
hey im trying to see if anyone relates to this or has had a similar experience and what meds ended up helping you
i have ocd depression and anxiety but it feels like more than just labels. my brain is constantly overthinking and looping thoughts. a lot of intrusive thoughts. mental compulsions more than physical ones. i get stuck in my head for hours
i also deal with really intense physical symptoms. like my body always feels tense. i catch myself clenching my stomach legs shoulders without realizing. my legs feel weak sometimes like jelly. i get shaky and just feel off in my body a lot
my nervous system feels constantly on edge or dysregulated. even small things feel overwhelming. i have pretty bad health anxiety too so i notice every little sensation and spiral about it
my depression looks more like shutting down. i spend a lot of time in bed. barely any energy or motivation. basic things like showering feel extremely hard. not in a lazy way just physically and mentally overwhelming. i isolate a lot and my social anxiety is really bad
i also deal with brain fog and just not feeling clear or present a lot of the time
i have pcos too and i do use nicotine (recently quit though)
right now im on fluvoxamine and gabapentin. it has helped a little but i still feel really stuck in a lot of this especially the physical anxiety and shutdown
if this sounds like you or used to be you what meds actually helped you and what changes did you notice
hey im trying to see if anyone relates to this or has had a similar experience and what meds ended up helping you
i have ocd depression and anxiety but it feels like more than just labels. my brain is constantly overthinking and looping thoughts. a lot of intrusive thoughts. mental compulsions more than physical ones. i get stuck in my head for hours
i also deal with really intense physical symptoms. like my body always feels tense. i catch myself clenching my stomach legs shoulders without realizing. my legs feel weak sometimes like jelly. i get shaky and just feel off in my body a lot
my nervous system feels constantly on edge or dysregulated. even small things feel overwhelming. i have pretty bad health anxiety too so i notice every little sensation and spiral about it
my depression looks more like shutting down. i spend a lot of time in bed. barely any energy or motivation. basic things like showering feel extremely hard. not in a lazy way just physically and mentally overwhelming. i isolate a lot and my social anxiety is really bad
i also deal with brain fog and just not feeling clear or present a lot of the time
i have pcos too and i do use nicotine (recently quit though)
right now im on fluvoxamine and gabapentin. it has helped a little but i still feel really stuck in a lot of this especially the physical anxiety and shutdown
if this sounds like you or used to be you what meds actually helped you and what changes did you notice
hey im trying to see if anyone relates to this or has had a similar experience and what meds ended up helping you
i have ocd depression and anxiety but it feels like more than just labels. my brain is constantly overthinking and looping thoughts. a lot of intrusive thoughts. mental compulsions more than physical ones. i get stuck in my head for hours
i also deal with really intense physical symptoms. like my body always feels tense. i catch myself clenching my stomach legs shoulders without realizing. my legs feel weak sometimes like jelly. i get shaky and just feel off in my body a lot
my nervous system feels constantly on edge or dysregulated. even small things feel overwhelming. i have pretty bad health anxiety too so i notice every little sensation and spiral about it
my depression looks more like shutting down. i spend a lot of time in bed. barely any energy or motivation. basic things like showering feel extremely hard. not in a lazy way just physically and mentally overwhelming. i isolate a lot and my social anxiety is really bad
i also deal with brain fog and just not feeling clear or present a lot of the time
i have pcos too and i do use nicotine (recently quit though)
right now im on fluvoxamine and gabapentin. it has helped a little but i still feel really stuck in a lot of this especially the physical anxiety and shutdown
if this sounds like you or used to be you what meds actually helped you and what changes did you notice