SparklySarah
06-10-08, 01:01 AM
Hi all,
Just a quick intro; I've suffered with depression on and off for most of my life and was diagnosed with ADHD (PI) at the end of March this year. I'm currently not receiving any treatment for it as my diagnosis came through 1 day before I left the UK to go to Japan for a year, so I'm in the position of having a diagnosis but not knowing exactly what to do about it.
I've been feeling pretty rotten the past couple of days as I've had some problems with a tooth and had to go to the dentist yesterday, which resulted in said tooth being extracted. For some reason, this has really upset me - I can guess as to why - having to have a tooth out isn't pleasant at the best of times but when you're away from home it's a lot less fun, no family to look after you etc., plus the pain factor and not being to eat properly doesn't help.
However, I think the main reason is that I've always been really proud of my teeth. I'm fairly self conscious about myself and my looks but my teeth are the one aspect of myself I've always been comfortable with and proud of, and have received many compliments on. Losing them is something I worry about (and even have nightmares about) and now I have lost one...I guess it's like a bad dream coming true.
Reading this back I know how vain it sounds but it's really not about that...I guess it's feeling like I'm changed because I look different and that it's a sign I'm getting older (something else I'm worried about!). It's probably also compounded with a bit of homesickness and the fact that I don't have a job or anything here as yet so I feel really in limbo.
Anyway, I keep telling myself that, at the end of the day, it IS just a tooth and not an eye or a limb and that, hopefully, once my dentist has made me a bridge or whatever, I'll look just fine (I'm scared to smile at the moment because it's noticeable when I do), and at least it was a tooth fairly near the back and not one of my front teeth, AND that there are bigger things going on in the world - but I'm still getting depressed feelings about the whole thing and really don't want them to escalate, especially when I'm away from home. It also doesn't help that I need to go back to the dentist today for a follow up and possibly some more work too.
I guess that's the one thing I've noticed about depression, the smallest thing can set it off and it doesn't matter what else is going on in the world..I guess depression is really illogical like that.
So, I guess my main reason for posting is to ask if anyone has any advice on how I could nip this in the bud or "talk myself out of it" (to use a phrase I'm not too fond of)?
Thanks,
Sx
Just a quick intro; I've suffered with depression on and off for most of my life and was diagnosed with ADHD (PI) at the end of March this year. I'm currently not receiving any treatment for it as my diagnosis came through 1 day before I left the UK to go to Japan for a year, so I'm in the position of having a diagnosis but not knowing exactly what to do about it.
I've been feeling pretty rotten the past couple of days as I've had some problems with a tooth and had to go to the dentist yesterday, which resulted in said tooth being extracted. For some reason, this has really upset me - I can guess as to why - having to have a tooth out isn't pleasant at the best of times but when you're away from home it's a lot less fun, no family to look after you etc., plus the pain factor and not being to eat properly doesn't help.
However, I think the main reason is that I've always been really proud of my teeth. I'm fairly self conscious about myself and my looks but my teeth are the one aspect of myself I've always been comfortable with and proud of, and have received many compliments on. Losing them is something I worry about (and even have nightmares about) and now I have lost one...I guess it's like a bad dream coming true.
Reading this back I know how vain it sounds but it's really not about that...I guess it's feeling like I'm changed because I look different and that it's a sign I'm getting older (something else I'm worried about!). It's probably also compounded with a bit of homesickness and the fact that I don't have a job or anything here as yet so I feel really in limbo.
Anyway, I keep telling myself that, at the end of the day, it IS just a tooth and not an eye or a limb and that, hopefully, once my dentist has made me a bridge or whatever, I'll look just fine (I'm scared to smile at the moment because it's noticeable when I do), and at least it was a tooth fairly near the back and not one of my front teeth, AND that there are bigger things going on in the world - but I'm still getting depressed feelings about the whole thing and really don't want them to escalate, especially when I'm away from home. It also doesn't help that I need to go back to the dentist today for a follow up and possibly some more work too.
I guess that's the one thing I've noticed about depression, the smallest thing can set it off and it doesn't matter what else is going on in the world..I guess depression is really illogical like that.
So, I guess my main reason for posting is to ask if anyone has any advice on how I could nip this in the bud or "talk myself out of it" (to use a phrase I'm not too fond of)?
Thanks,
Sx