Struggling with Depression and Ankolosing Spondylitis

Yes, i was diagnosed in 2013 with major depressive disorder and general anxiety disorder. I am currently have an episode which is very difficult to navigate considering this is a disease that is hard to live with.

Yup. When you have been active and on the move your whole life, it is goin to be depressing when you can't be.

I was diagnosed 12 years ago and have been sick for 17 years . I felt “less than” and like damaged goods and it took quite a few years to come to terms with it . Also not letting my disease define me has been a struggle . I think my depression really came on after the stroke I endured in 2018. My career tanked after being on disability for 18 months . I work in the film business and tolerance for health concerns is nonexistent. It’s been really hard to come to terms with losing a career of 25 years due to something I have zero control over . Thank god I have a very supportive man in my life and a brilliant therapist . I could not cope without them . For me , I focus on the stuff that truly makes me happy , like my rad kid , traveling and cooking and floating around in my pool with a G&T. My folks passed away just before my stroke and that did not help at all . It’s hard . But , I could die tomorrow, so I figure that I better enjoy this as much as I can .

Hi. I have to say yes, I’ve found depression comes with any major/minor life changes especially with spondylitis or any other medical conditions. but the good news is, I’d like to think it could maybe be a little bit of mind over matter type of thing just for our minds no not a cure, but just a way to cope. We can always think positive. You get up and do only what you can as long as you keep showing up everyday. And I think if we keep doing this daily it becomes just a little bit easier to deal with day by day. I’m not saying it’s ever going to be easy by any means, it usually never is. but i’ve learned to baby step it and keep positivity in everything I do it will just become a routine and routines are good for us it keeps our minds busy.

I’ve had depression and anxiety years before this disease. However, this made it worse. It was almost as if I was grieving my old body and the things I could easily do with no pain. And also worrying about how I’m young and getting older will just get worse. And the people around me got sick of me talking about my pain so I had to internalize it.

I've struggled with depression since I was a teenager, in the last few years I began going to therapy and taking meds, it helps but it's still there like a cloud

Hi! I learned my major depression and general anxiety disorder were conditions that were caused by my AS when diagnosed.

Yes! I wonder if my condition made me get into depression, or if it’s a part of the ankylosing disease