Depression And Mental Health

It's one of the great things about this forum - you can get some different perspectives. Brett has never been married. I, on the other hand have the perspective of someone who has to provide for my wife and my offspring.

Will, I just see you as being very fortunate to have a wife who has endured the hardships of your issues. You owe her some endurance now. If you want to keep up this wonderful dance we call marriage, well it's time to pay the piper, or the music might stop.

So you are proof that a family man can make it in this business!

That's hopeful...for me at least.

My start date was moved to 9/11...it's definitely a synchronistic date for me to be starting a new career. That was the beginning of the end of my military career, and now it will be the beginning of the beginning of my truckin' career. I also worked for 911 on an ambulance for 6 years. 9/11 has haunted me.

As far as Wills issue with depression goes...that's a tough one. What are you depressed about Will? I've been depressed many times in my life. I was greatly depressed when I was out in the Arabian Sea bombing a bunch of innocent nomads to the stone age. It ate me up with cognitive dissonance. I've been depressed a thousand times since for different reasons. To a certain extent I think depression is just a natural reaction to the insanity that is our society.

This thing needs a button that reads it to me. I see walls of text and I have difficulty staying focused long enough to want to keep reading. Words and I don't have the greatest of relationships. I'm more of a technical or numbers guy. I say this only to show that I didn't read every comment, so if I repeat something I'm not trying to beat a dead horse,I just didn't know it was said.

On with my (Hippocratic) wall of text. I've dealt with and will probably deal with it for the rest of my life. Everyone has bad days. Some of us it hits harder than others and sometimes it defeats people. I have my bad days but, I will no longer allow them to defeat me. Knowing there are others out there to know that you are not the only one and having a supportive wife really does make a huge difference. I have had my moments spent in a mental health facility and just like alcoholics with proper treatment and effort it can be controlled. Don't let it control you and never let it be your excuse.

Stress can cause depression and anxiety to spike, you quit your job either because you're too depressed or just can't handle the stress. Depression makes it more difficult to want to get out and be productive and/or find a job. Lack of or reduced income causes depression to worsen which makes it less desirable to be motivated to even leave the house. That just keeps going until you hit rock bottom. You have to get a grip and force yourself up and going and know that like a good fart, that it to will pass.

Finally, my point in all that. You will know what will effect you and what your concerns will and should be but, you CAN NOT let it be your excuse either. If YOUR doctor knows your condition and where you're at and not concerned about it then it will likely be a non-issue.

Personally, in my (NON-medical training and only comes from personal experience) opinion. You're just seeking some form of further excuse to continue not working. Do what others here have suggested, they have experience. Just do NOT use your issue as a crutch or excuse for pitty party. I'll be more than glad to be a listsning ear and helping hand as you push forward in whatever you do. Um.....that is all. I'm tired and it's late so I hope it all makes sense and doesn't sound to jerky. Best wishes no matter the outcome.

First of all, this is my first comment on TT. I really do not like forums and usually stay away from them (you guys don't appear to be too scary and mean). I had no intention of posting anything while studying for my CDL and researching some of the ins and outs of the trade. This topic, however, touches upon a subject I have found little or no info about on the internet.

Will, I have bipolar (no meds) and was worried about the DOT physical, so, thank you for posting this. I have experienced that "**** this" moment and have to ask: Was it a specific stressful moment or a pernicious, toxic co-worker/boss who constantly criticized and violated boundaries?

I ask this because your opening lines are concern about working with a trainer and excitement at being a truck driver. If you truly want to drive trucks but are worried about sharing close quarters with a stranger, remember, you will only be sharing that cab temporarily. After that, the only people you'd encounter on a regular basis would be your DM and whoever subs for him/her. And even then they won't be popping their head into your space every 15 - 20 minutes. I spent over a decade being dispatched to operate and climb all over heavy equipment at different shipping terminals and rail yards for durations of 1 to 7 nights per job. The best part about dispatched jobs is that you will rarely work with the same jerks over and over again. Some of them I ran into maybe 2 or 3 times, some I never saw again.

As for taking nearly a year off. Hey, sometimes it is necessary. Been there, done that. Sometimes a person just needs to take a break, but you're not on that break anymore. Getting back in the game is hard, it's scary. You did what it took to get through CDL school and passed your tests. If that wasn't stressful, then I don't know what is.