Chronic pain and depression?

Yes,pain is depressing. Feeling debilitated is also depressing. Absolutely see a counselor,there is no reason to be miserable when you can get help.

You should get into the water and do at least a short workout. It may be hard to find the motivation to get to the pool but since you enjoy swimming so much, I am pretty sure once you get into the water and start swimming you will feel better. And when you are done you will have a sense of accomplishment! Do it!! :)

It has been terribly grey and dark in Illinois this week, that certainly is not helping, I am sure.

Yes, you are part of the team. Injured reserve, you can call yourself. Also, remember, sometimes people say things, and either a person can take it the wrong way or maybe it does not come out the way they mean. My advise is to think that this person meant well, and not take it badly. You are at a sensitive point right now, and are apt to take things wrong. And even if she meant it meanly, throw it away, it is not worth bothering yourself about it. You are an injured athlete it happens. At Illinois we had a basketball player on the bench last year that broke his hand. He was one of the most prominent people cheering on the bench at the National championships. He did not dress, but he was there on the bench, in a cast, and he is turning out to be one of the team leaders this year. He was always part of the team, injured or not. If you have family you are close to, now might be a good time to give them a call, just to hear them. Sometimes things like that can be a great comfort.

I agree you need to go talk to a counselor. Until you can get in to see a counselor, try to get out into the sunlight as much as you can, it also helps with serontonin levels. Lainey

Definitely go see the Doctor. There are various different types of depression. One version is called situational depression that arises when there is an alteration in your brain chemistry due to an event. In this situation, not getting the endorphs and the change in the weather and standard day light time are all events making you feel blue. If you are trying and you just can "shake it off" you need to see the doctor. Depression is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrased about. It is my personal theory that the more intelligent you are the more likely you are to have a bout of depression during your lifetime. I really notice (and my co-workers too) when I don't get to swim/exercise regularly. I was unable to get to the pool the last week and even my husband asked me if I was feeling all right. I like the wheelchair analogy, but my personal favorite is equating depression to diabetes. It is not something you can just wish away.

Glenn, right now she has been told not to swim. Actually this is very valid to feel this way. Add to that the grey November days,(yesterday was really bad downstate!), and it just makes it worse. If you have a counselor to talk to, give it a try. Even though it is grey, try going out for a nice walk. If I had Lake Michigan shores to walk along, I think I would be more cheerful, cornfields get old! Hang in there, it will get better!

Originally posted by newmastersswimmer As Peter said, we are all here to lend support for one another.....Thanks for sharing this with us....We are all pulling for you hmlee....I've really enjoyed reading your life of a college swimmer blog as well.....keep your chin up and do the best you can given a bad current situation. Things usually tend to turn around again eventually.....sometimes it takes time....talk to Sam Perry about his back problems (you can send him a private message perhaps)....he went through a similar period of depression as well....Many others here have also gone through something similar....and it is always painful to endure this kind of thing but they have all pulled through o.k. in the end....Paul Smith is another example....as well as many others....Hang in there though....We are all pulling for you if that helps. Newmastersswimmer How true, just 15 months ago, I was in such pain that I would start the morning just sobbing, and I could not sleep in my bed, because I could not straighten up, had to sleep in a recliner chair. It was VERY depressing, but I worked through it, and so can you!

DEMAND to SEE a PAIN MANAGEMTN Dr!! Not only does chronic pain bring depression but it builds chronic pain. Something about nerve function changing. Back pain is a common type of pain there are things they cna do to treat the pain and they are used to the depression too. Your body is sending out all these "broken" signal of course they mix up your emotions. I had to see someone for chronic pain this last year. They convinced me I needed mini-vacations from pain. This inlcuded nerve block and cortisone injections and some pain killers and some topical lidocaine patches that really help. They also understand about the mental aspects and can help or refer you to someone to help. The pain treatmetn didn't cure the pain but it did get better and I learned other ways to deal with it. I now use some topical treatments (and a lot of swimming). You won't find this kind of help anywhere else. I was warned repeatedly that staying in pain could cause my body to contiue to create pain signals later. So please see if you can get someone to treat the whole pain system, mental and physical. If you can't get that, treating the mental should give you some help. I understand sometimes anti-depressants can treat the pain and certainly mitigate some of the emotional stress caused by pain. If its okay to go in the water then try some easy stuff, I did stretches in the Jacuizzi, floating on my back and stretching, aqua jogging. Just getting out to the pool was a nice change but i was furstrated to keep starting to rebuild only to be stopped agian. You might want to take up something else for a bit (I relearned to play my guitar). Wishing you pain free days soon!

Well I made an intake appointment at the counseling center today. It's for next week. I guess at this appointment they screen me for things and then determine what kind of care I'll get.....I hope something good comes from this. The other day one of my teammates said something to me that sent me into a rather downward spiral. I don't think she ment it in any insulting way, and I didn't confront her about it at the time...but it really hurt. We were talking in the locker room before a practice - I was getting ready to go do my rehab, and biking/dryland training (that I substitute for swimming right now) and she was getting ready for regular practice. She asked about the status of my MRI and how long before I would be back in the water...and how I was doing. After, she casually said something like "Yeah....because you can't really swim right now...so it's more like you're the team's manager..." I don't know why...but that really hurt. I'm working very hard to get healthy...and I'm still a member of the team...even if I can't swim.....right?