I have been experiencing various issues with depression over the past year or so, in the beginning i believed it was all to do with the break down and eventual break up of my relationship. That was eight months ago, since then that is resolved, but a lot of the emotional issues havent gone away they have simply evolved.....i think i have an emotional addiction....i have become some what psychotic, i am paranoid and obsessive, im driving away my best friends because i dont feel i can tell them whats going on because i feel like im making excuses and that it is some phantom disease.....i dont like who im becoming......but i cannot stop how i behave, yet can see what im doing but cant stop.....i dont know if it is all about stress from finals and the degree and that or whether it is something more.........
any advice...opinions....or ideas.....
__________________ muchly love hugs and support .xxx
like breathe deep letting the energy pull up from your toes and track it through your body...
Okay yes it is all of those things, but it is also is not....
I say this because those things can cause you to feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed... etc.... but you'll have to find that small space where you can slowly talk yourself into seeing it is not the end all be all....
I know it sounds simple but for me it works... I have to look at it in pieces I can handle...
Re the friends, maybe you need to take that time for yourself, just let them know you love them but right now you need some time to think and work on yourself they will understand... and then just like above, work it until you have small pieces you are comfortable sharing....
Have you thought of talking to a couselor, not some stuffy doctor but someone who can be your sounding board? Many offer holistic approaches and are very knowledgable about herbs and other natural supplements that can help as well as serving as a warm body to talk to....
I understand it is difficult but remember to breathe first, last and in between.... until you are able to move to the next step...
I used to have problems very similiar to yours. First, I was diagnosed as being bipolar and I was prescribed some meds (Depakote and Topamax) and talked to a counselor once a week. After the birth of my daughter, my hormones seemed to have changed and I really only had a slight depression with extreme anxiety. I have been on Cymbalta, Prozac and now Zoloft and all have helped with my anxiety, but they each come with their own side effects. Some tolerable, some less tolerable.
I would agree that you just need to take some time for yourself to get back on track. Send out an email to your friends, or maybe even a handwritten note, explaining that you appreciate them and their support, but you need some time away.
Since I went and got help, I have noticed my relationships with everyone are greatly improving. It's not something that's happened over night, but it is happening. You need to worry about you first and don't be ashamed to ask for help. It will probably be the best thing you have ever done for yourself.
Finding a place to have a simple conversation with yourself sounds like a start. It sounds easier than it is, but it works. Once you can tune out all the "noise" - I'm speaking metaphorically - and breathe, you'll can think more clearly and start taking baby steps.
I agree that you should let your family and friends know that you're taking a break and you're not intentionally pushing them away.
I wasn't into anti-depressants, but a few months ago I was going through something very similar and my doc suggested taking them for a short while to help balance things out. They've really helped, and I must say that everyone around me has noticed a difference.
The creation of someone i dont like..... 
