How can I get through this stag do weekend while fighting depression?

[ShaunRyder]

Hi guys, I have suffered with Health anxiety for about two years now and for the last three months went to the doctors and was told I am now suffering from depression. for the last few months i've started to get worse to a point where I cant even get out of bed.

I am off on a Stag do weekend tomorrow, use to love these things, use to be proper 'lad' until my anxiety and depression. But all I can thing of is Monday(the day we get back) to when I can return to my bed and sleep. How can I cope with being away for 3-4 days when I dont want to drink, I dont want to eat or do the activities and have no desire to socialise with anyone at all. All just seems pointless.

I have no idea what I am meant to do and would love to 'over sleep' tomorrow morning and 'accidently' forget to attend. But this is one of my best friends and do not want to let him down, also it is too short notice to pull out and I don't want to have to explain my depression to people (only one of my mate on the stag know about it) Do not know how to cope with this...

[MyNameIsTerry]

There is also the chance that this could infact help you, Shaun. Sometimes when you are depressed, getting away from the current situation pulls you out of it for a brief time and allows you to see it from a different perspective.

Right now you can't see any pleasure in anything because HA has got you down so much. Anxiety will strip you of all the pleasures if you let it and thats when the depression sets in because your world is getting ever smaller.

Going might help with this and it might serve to show you that you can do things because you are stronger than you think and you might start enjoying it and wouldn't that be a great sign that you can still do that too?

[meche]

I was in a similar situation a few years back. I wasn't overly depressed but anxiety had gotten me down so much that I was afraid of the world & just wanted to shut myself away. I couldn't though! I had a mortgage & bills to pay and had to hold down a full time job. I would literally do what I had to do and get home ASAP and hibernate. Then came the weekend of my best friends hen party :ohmy:! My anxiety symptoms had the better of me and on the day we were due to go I had a major panic attack and had that feeling of utter dread. I honestly thought I was going to die. I don't know how, but I managed to (slightly) pull myself together. I figured if I didn't go through with this then it was the beginning of the end for me. Anyway, I went and although it was difficult for me at first...... I ended up having one of the most amazing weekends I've ever had. To this today we still talk about how fab that weekend was. It was a huge turning point for me.

I rarely have issues with anxiety these days. I do have my 'off' days but life is generally good. Please please go on this weekend Shaun. I completely understand why you don't want to go but you CAN do this. I reckon it's what you need. Good luck & let us know how it goes. xxxx