Depression thread

[Bernard]

Also, agave has its own specific (kind of amazing delicious) taste.

[Ignatius]

Barley or Rye? Any time I heard the term corn whiskey or something, it was usually something crazy and gross, like 140 proof old-coot stuff...  And I grew up around people who primarily drank scotch and Irish whiskey. But now that I've done some quick research on bourbon, I see that I'm an idiot! oops!  That makes sense, then.

[YojimboMonkey]

On the corn thing: I'm kind of amazed corn booze isn't more popular in this country...  Corn has replaced the raw stuff of our sweeteners, our breakfast cereals and snack foods, and now has a little piece of the fuel market.  If corn has a hand in all of America's favorite things, shouldn't there be some kind of mildly alcoholic beerish corn drink as well? Or is the hops + barley/brewer's lobby just as strong?

I have brewed beer with hot-air-popped popcorn.

Here is an article about the use of corn in beer: http://beeradvocate.com/articles/600

Corn and its byproducts (starch, syrup, flakes, grits, etc.) are widely used in modern-day brewing.

Also, bourbon by definition uses at least 51% corn in the mash, and it is the American liquor. 

edit: xpost, also, sorry to contribute to the derail, I should probably not be posting in a depression thread

[Bernard]

Yes, you totally should. This is much better than hearing people explain in detail how there is definitely no hope whatsoever.

[C of heartbreak]

I have always advocated more bourbon in the depression thread.

[jebreject]

Yes, you totally should. This is much better than hearing people explain in detail how there is definitely no hope whatsoever.

Shit like this kinda gets my goat.

[sassymcassface]

i guess this fits in this thread?  i don't really know if it is considered depression as much as just some odd sort of manic-apathy.

i've been talking a lot lately about my past, for various reasons, which involves covering my abusive childhood. it's something i try not to talk about because first off, nobody wants to hear about that, and second because it's just not something i want to think about.
but it's really hitting me that i haven't dealt with nearly as much as i thought, and it's been coming out in insomnia and being emotionally dead. and anger, lots of anger.  
i know i should go and talk to someone, but my lack of medical insurance and my overwhelming anxiety are preventing me from doing anything other than laying in my bed with a stuffed animal and my cell phone.

not quite sure if i'm asking for advice, encouragement, or just venting.

[Ignatius]

I have always advocated more bourbon in the depression thread.

It's strange - I tend to strongly gravitate towards bourbon when depression comes on strong... Otherwise I don't really care for it. It makes the days pass more easily, but late at night it absolutely crushes my soul.  When I stop buying pints of cheap whiskey every other day or so, it's usually a clue that things are starting to lift a little bit.

I haven't seen anyone once claim that "there is definitely no hope whatsoever" in this thread anyhow, so I assumed that was some weird sort of joke.

[Ignatius]

i know i should go and talk to someone, but my lack of medical insurance and my overwhelming anxiety are preventing me from doing anything other than laying in my bed with a stuffed animal and my cell phone.

I've taken advantage of community health centers and things like that...  There are some near me that will set you up with a therapist or counselor or whatever, and bill you on a sliding scale based on your income.  Sometimes just talking to someone who is good at listening is a big help. 

[jebreject]

Yeah, I actually don't pay for therapy at all right now. And I've been going for almost two years. Even when I first started, it was only 15 bucks a session.

[C of heartbreak]

Sassy did you know there is a lot of free counseling available, which ranges from worthless to quite helpful? I will take some work to ask around and find someone good to talk to, but if it's what you think you need to do then it will be worth it.

I have also advocated more ativan in the depression thread, though probably not at the same time as the bourbon.

xpost goddammit

[YojimboMonkey]

It's strange - I tend to strongly gravitate towards bourbon when depression comes on strong... Otherwise I don't really care for it. It makes the days pass more easily, but late at night it absolutely crushes my soul.  When I stop buying pints of cheap whiskey every other day or so, it's usually a clue that things are starting to lift a little bit.

bourbon = cheap whiskey?

now I am depressed

[C of heartbreak]

Jim have you ever had old grandad? It is not that bad actually. Here in America even our shit has standards, not like that chinese liquor with all the lead in it.

[YojimboMonkey]

Old Granddad was my standby back when I was tending bar.  That and Wild Turkey.  I know we have standards, but that doesn't keep things like Ten High from sliding through.

I was more depressed that Ignatius equates bourbon with "cheap whiskey"

[jess]

i know i should go and talk to someone, but my lack of medical insurance and my overwhelming anxiety are preventing me from doing anything other than laying in my bed with a stuffed animal and my cell phone.

I've taken advantage of community health centers and things like that...  There are some near me that will set you up with a therapist or counselor or whatever, and bill you on a sliding scale based on your income.  Sometimes just talking to someone who is good at listening is a big help. 

Yeah, to echo everyone else, where I work a lot of the therapy goes for free to people who couldn't otherwise afford it (our hospital does a lot of that kind of care in general), and we're actually well known for the quality of our psych care, so places like that are out there and some are really good. Sometimes they do have waiting lists though, so if you can find the motivation, best to start looking soon and get your name in. And I'd strongly agree that it sounds like therapy could be helpful.

Also, if you've got a friend you're comfortable talking to about these things and getting some help from, having someone sit with you while you figure out possible places and make some calls might be a good idea, or, if you know someone local who is in therapy, you can ask them to ask their therapist for ideas/referrals. Most therapists are happy to do so if they can.

[Greg Nog]

I was more depressed that Ignatius equates bourbon with "cheap whiskey"

Well, I definitely don't mean to put down bourbon in any way, but I find that I'm much more likely to enjoy a fifty-dollar bottle of scotch than a fifty-dollar bottle of bourbon, but I'm much more likely to enjoy a ten-dollar bottle of bourbon than a ten-dollar bottle of scotch.  All things considered, though, I'm just happy to have whisky.

Sorry to keep this derail going.

[Ignatius]

I was more depressed that Ignatius equates bourbon with "cheap whiskey"

That's not quite what I meant, sorry...  I should mention that all the liquor I drink is relatively cheap.  If I could afford maker's mark or something every day, I'd probably drink that. Just that my budget necessitates Jim Beam or Old Crow or whatever.  I don't think it's trashy!

[sassymcassface]

i know i should go and talk to someone, but my lack of medical insurance and my overwhelming anxiety are preventing me from doing anything other than laying in my bed with a stuffed animal and my cell phone.

I've taken advantage of community health centers and things like that...  There are some near me that will set you up with a therapist or counselor or whatever, and bill you on a sliding scale based on your income.  Sometimes just talking to someone who is good at listening is a big help. 

Yeah, to echo everyone else, where I work a lot of the therapy goes for free to people who couldn't otherwise afford it (our hospital does a lot of that kind of care in general), and we're actually well known for the quality of our psych care, so places like that are out there and some are really good. Sometimes they do have waiting lists though, so if you can find the motivation, best to start looking soon and get your name in. And I'd strongly agree that it sounds like therapy could be helpful.

Also, if you've got a friend you're comfortable talking to about these things and getting some help from, having someone sit with you while you figure out possible places and make some calls might be a good idea, or, if you know someone local who is in therapy, you can ask them to ask their therapist for ideas/referrals. Most therapists are happy to do so if they can.

i've actually talked to a couple of friends about it and they're the ones advocating counseling for me.  i was in counseling when i was younger, and actually in an inpatient mental hospital for a bit because i get really bad fits like this that can last for weeks or months.
i guess i'm just afraid in some odd way of letting my mother down, because she reacted so poorly to me being in therapy when i was younger.  it makes no sense because i haven't even spoken to her in over a year now.

thank you for the advice everyone

[heather marie]

Jess - Trader Joe's has Blue Agave for $2.99 which is a steal. Once you start using it (for tea/a sweetener/baking/etc) you never want to go back.

[Ashley]

I keep reading Trader Joe's as Trapper John's, which is a bar here famous for Screechin' people in.

I get pretty confused about why they'd be selling Blue Agave though.

[jess]

Jess - Trader Joe's has Blue Agave for $2.99 which is a steal. Once you start using it (for tea/a sweetener/baking/etc) you never want to go back.

Awesome, I'll try that! My plan is to test my blood sugar before and after (at a time when it should be stable) to see if their claims are accurate, since I've found some others not to be, like how sugar alcohols (sorbitol, malitol) do in fact raise my blood sugar (and that of pretty much every diabetic I've talked to about it) considerably.

[DCDave]

I just skimmed this, but I have to say that bourbon has been my palliative for the daily blues as of late.  It just makes me awash in happiness.

[theartlessmonster]

I keep reading Trader Joe's as Trapper John's, which is a bar here famous for Screechin' people in.

I get pretty confused about why they'd be selling Blue Agave though.

anyone remember that show Trapper John M.D.?

[Andrew_TSKS]

Yeah, it was a spinoff of M.A.S.H.

[alex]

That's fascinating - I don't recall ever having seen (or even been more than vaguely aware of - and even that vague awareness, I think, came mostly through that "Suicide Is Painless" song, and notably, the Manics' cover version of it) M.A.S.H., but I remember that show well.