If you feel really down, irritable and tired; have trouble sleeping; and feel hopeless or that life isn't worth living, you're probably depressed.
Click here to find out how to get help.
For more information on unhelpful thoughts, click here >>
How Do I Know if I Have Depression?
It's not uncommon for people to feel flat, irritable, tired and generally pretty low for a few days after a binge on meth and most people have their own way to get through the coming down period.
But regular meth users are at risk for depressionA disorder of mood which usually involves feeling 'flat' or sad; disturbed sleep; poor concentration; loss of interest in sex, eating, or other enjoyable activities; irritability; aches and pains; avoidance of social contact; and possibly suicidal thoughts. because their stores of neurotransmittersThe chemical messangers which are involved in the transmission of signals from one brain cell (neuron) to the next, and are involved in memory, movement, feelings of pleasure, sleep, pain control etc. that regulate mood are often pretty low.
- Depressed mood that hangs around for longer than a few weeks.
- Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities.
- Feeling ‘empty’ or ‘numb’.
- Feeling physically unwell, run down, having aches or pains.
- Significant weight gain or loss (without dieting and unrelated to meth use).
- Sleep problems (insomniaInability to fall or stay asleep., broken sleep).
- Loss of energy, or feeling tired or lethargic for no real reason.
- Poor concentration, fuzzy thinking.
- Feeling irritable, ‘touchy’, or anxious.
- Loss of interest in sex.
- Feeling hopeless, worthless, guilty or responsible for things beyond your control.
- Having thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Managing Depression
Have a complete break from using meth
It's important to have a break to replenish neurotransmitter stores. Lots of rest and a good diet are important when you are recovering.
Use lots of different ways to cope with stress
Try relaxation techniques, exercise, meditation, yoga, sport, reading, music: whatever works for you. Avoid procrastinating over problems which can make people feel nervous, down or hopeless– get help to solve your problems.
Watch your mood
On a scale of 1-10, write down how you feel each day with 10 being the best and 1 the worst. Also write down what you were thinking and doing at the time, and any events that triggered those feelings. This will help you identify any unhelpful patterns that might need your attention.
| Day | Doing? | Thinking? | Event? | Depression Rating /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Become aware of your automatic thoughts
Thoughts and self-talk automatically occur in response to everyday situations. Becoming aware of your automatic thoughts will give you the opportunity to actively change negative or self-defeating thoughts into positive, self-supporting ones. It’s common for people with depressionA disorder of mood which usually involves feeling 'flat' or sad; disturbed sleep; poor concentration; loss of interest in sex, eating, or other enjoyable activities; irritability; aches and pains; avoidance of social contact; and possibly suicidal thoughts. and anxietyAn extended period of worry or nervousness that's hard to control - can involve poor sleep and difficulty concentrating, as well as feeling restless, tired, and irritable. to get into unhelpful patterns of thinking. For example:
- Black and white thinking: If you don't love me then you must hate me.
- Personalising: My partner's in a bad mood, I must have done something wrong.
- Catastrophising: If I don't have meth I'll die.
- Jumping to negative conclusions: Even if I get the chance to do it I know I'll mess it up.
- Generalising: Everything in my life is going wrong.
- Negating: She was only nice to me because she felt sorry for me.
When you catch yourself thinking a negative or unhelpful thought, ask yourself:
- Is the thought 100% true or do I need more information to be sure? - sometimes just checking on the facts will help you get some perspective and reduce unnecessary worry.
- Is the thought part of an unhelpful pattern? - recognising your own thinking patterns can give you a chance to ditch the automatic pilot and start to actively think about things in a more positive and realistic way.
- Is there another way to think about this? - there are many ways to interpret a situation and with attention, you can replace automatic, negative thoughts with more positive ones.
For example:
Unhelpful: My partner's in a bad mood, I must have done something wrong.
Helpful: My partner's in a bad mood, I don't know why so I'll find out what's going on.
Get professional help if you...
- Feel depressed most of the time.
- Feel guilty or responsibility for things beyond your control.
- Can’t do what’s expected of you.
- Can’t cope on your own.
- Don't improve on your own.
- Have thoughts of self-harm.
Your local GP or mental health service might recommend counselling, or you might even be prescribed an antidepressant medication for your symptoms.
Mixing meth with some antidepressantsSome medications that stop excess serotonin from being recycled (called SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, and particularly monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), when taken within the same two weeks as meth, can cause dangerously high blood pressure, overheating, fits, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. Always discuss the risks with your doctor, and always be honest about your meth use. If you need to take medication for depression you really need to take a break from using meth. can lead to a range of medical complications such as dangerously high blood pressure, heart attack, and siezures, so be honest with your prescriber about your meth use from the start. If you can't talk to your doctor about your meth use, ask around among friends or acquaintances and find a doctor that you CAN talk too.