Beating depression without medication?

[Fred Tracy]

OP, I can remember being severely depressed and anxious as a kid and I felt great today.

So what led to it? Well, a bunch of things.

The most important thing is probably the book The Power of Now. I learned that my mind is not necessarily "me" and to not identify with my emotional reactive patterns. After doing that meditating for a wild, I've been feeling great ever since.

The other thing is, as you mentioned, diet and exercise. That will help immensely.

If you really have a chemical imbalance or something, you may need to go on medication. But I would really look into spirituality and such as you're doing and see if it helps.

[Wombels]

Originally Posted by fitx3

If so how did you do it?

You don't need medication, while medication can have side effects and mostly only start to kick in after a period of 3 months. In the end will cause you more harm then relief while surely will affect your mind state and self esteem.

It's important to put some effort in trying to find the cause of your depression.

Stress is mostly the main factor but not always the root, stress acts more like a trigger to push you in this state of depression.

It is emotionally painful an experiencing to feel your inner flame has been blown out. But you aren't alone, the fact you fancy taking medication is something to hold on too, it will make you come out stronger.

It is possible an old trauma together with today's stress might be responsible for what you are dealing with now.

To retrieve in solitude for a weekend might bring great relief while understanding of what you are dealing with, this might help you to tackle it all.

Along the course of our lives we have the tendency to suppress an enormous amount of trauma, stress and other negative emotions, still they remain inside our heads and minds, although they might not trouble one, they might cause trouble by surfacing at times like the one you are experiencing now.

The best example you might have experienced is the behavior of individuals who had to much to drink, some can become extremely annoying while others become aggressive towards their environment for no specific reason. It's not their true nature which comes to surface, rather unresolved issues from a past lived which them come manifest themselves in a worst case scenario.

He/she who always seemed so nice, suddenly turns into a complete unrecognizable negative creature. They at that stage have become unconscious of their verbal and physical actions.

To resolve trauma and issues one can resort in doing the following, I did it while it brings great relief and clears the mind of clouded visions.

If you drink, smoke, are a cookie/ice cream monster or whatever. Go buy plenty together with some food and water.

Lock yourself up for two days, meaning, make sure you don't get disturbed by anyone, no distractions like mobile phones, parents, or whatever to disconnect you from your solitude.

The only thing you need is a computer in order to write everything down which crosses your mind.

When writhing it's important to focus upon certain key aspect, these being joy, pain and traumatic experiences lived.

In doing so you will have to start from the very beginning, this being your first memory ever while work your way up. Needles to say the younger you are the more easy this will be.

Whenever a memory regardless what pops up, try to go through that exact emotion again, bring it back to live inside of your core, this might sound ridiculous but it is essential to bring the feeling attached to surface. Depending of it's nature, smiles or big amounts of tears will follow with it. Don't ever fight it, when feeling to cry, let it all flow over and over again. It will release you from all the anger and frustration attached to it, while in some cases make you to forgive those for what the grief they caused you.

To write it all down is like making a statement towards self, the more you progress the more you will experience the relief attached to it, in the end it will discard you from all negative emotion you unawarely carry within.

In doing this, self pity is permitted an aspect you should feel embarrassed about!

You might become surprised along the way when long gone forgotten memories pop up again, it's real cool while worthwhile to engage in.

Another way is to change your daily life rituals, shift it all in a different order, break with the habits.

To engage in helping others is very helpful to, like being a volunteer for one or another charity cause has great impact on one's mind state, because it forces one to move aside from self in order to act for the greater good.

My last advice would be to get laid with someone you know, someone who knows your sexuality and sexual needs. This might most possibly imply having to contact an ex, but to have a clear informing conversation first might make easily dissolve all the negative emotions attached to it.

Considering you are a female, it might not be that difficult to find a willing ex to help you out.

The main problem with medication is that it messes up the pharmacy in the head, while it will affect your self esteem in ways which one might never recover from.

The good news, I was depressed, my inner flame was out, but not it's flaring again!

I did all the things mentioned above to get the upper hand on my life again, one fine day I literally woke up out of it, it's all in the mind, but one needs to relief the brain from old issues in order to deal with for once and for good!

I hated that period, but I love the fact I did it without medication!

Hope this might inspire you a bit, take care, you are not never alone in this fight

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by fitx3

So I need to be grateful and accept my life or..... change it.

cute image
-I know how it feels to have so many people say so many things on the same subject-the bad thing about depression is that it is unique to each individual
the good thing is that there are many ways to resolve it
all the above mentioned suggestions are really good ones and it looks like you have been applying some of them

I have heard and read TONS of explanations and scientific reasoning behind the causes of depression but the one I like the best is that Depression is calling for us to step back and examine our lives because we need a DEEP REST and RESET

true- biological factors come into play such as low serotonin levels,thyroid issues ,and many other health issues that can 'cause' depression but once those are adressed then the next steps should follow :


1) step back
2) rest
3) examine
4) reset

these are just my summations from my years of reading and studying this issue

I wish you the best !

[stanmrak]

If you read all the posts here left by fitx3, you'll discover that he/she has had a hypothyroid condition for 20 years. This is almost certainly the root of the sudden depression. If the condition is not treated properly, all the depression-fighting tips in the world won't help.

[Wombels]

Originally Posted by stanmrak

If you read all the posts here left by fitx3, you'll discover that he/she has had a hypothyroid condition for 20 years. This is almost certainly the root of the sudden depression. If the condition is not treated properly, all the depression-fighting tips in the world won't help.

Will find and read them, thanks... didn't know

[WetzylOnline]

Originally Posted by Altan

Hi fitx3,
Some tips for you to beat depression without medication effectively.
Do take deep breath in fresh air,
Share your problems with your friends,
Do start some light exercise,
Eat balanced diet meals,
Drink 2 glass of water,
If you do not eat well take multivitamin regularly,
Avoid caffeine and other stimulants,
Avoid or limit alcohol consumption.

Totally agrees with this. There's no magic pill etc....

[fitx3]

Wombels I truly appreciate all your suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to write them out and share them with me. I especially like the one where you suggest I get laid by someone I know. Honestly, I think that would solve most people's problems! LOL.... Love it.

Thanks for the book suggestion Fred Tracy.

And lifetimelearner, thanks for wishing me the best. You are so sweet.


stanmrak my thyroid tests came back on Friday and now with the new dosage, I am back in normal range. So far I can report that I am now on day 5 of NO caffeine and have been training myself to go to bed earlier. With that alone, I no longer feel like the Wicked Witch of the West. I still sometimes wake up in the morning craving my hot cup of java but I've been pacifying those urges with herbal teas. Not really the same oral feeling but it gives my hands some memory of habit. I am also dealing with some minor caffeine withdrawls but I will see them through. Oh also, since you couldn't tell by my avatar I thought I would tell you that I'm ALL WOMAN. LOL

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by stanmrak

If you read all the posts here left by fitx3, you'll discover that he/she has had a hypothyroid condition for 20 years. This is almost certainly the root of the sudden depression. If the condition is not treated properly, all the depression-fighting tips in the world won't help.

could be but not necessarily

[smilingaway]

I would add a lot more fat to your diet. Eating low fat, lots of carbs and veggies will not help depression.

Coconut oil, butter, lard, grass fed beef--it will all help you to feel satisfied!

[neilpage]

Originally Posted by ginkgo

Have you heard of the brain docter Daniel Amen MD? Daniel G. Amen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Daniel G. Amen, M.D. is a child and adult psychiatrist, self-help advisor, author and medical director of the Amen Clinic.[1] He has done work in evaluating psychiatric and neurological patients with the help of SPECT scanning, especially in the area of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

He wrote Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. He used to prescribe drugs. His sister called and said her daughter was depressed and did not want to take drugs like a drug addict. So he prescribed things like exercise and supplements like omega-3 just to give her what she wants. He was surprised when this cured his niece. It is nice to cure your niece.

You can try to find what is causing it like lack of B vitamins, lack of omega-3, lack of sunlight, lack of exercise or lack of wild, hot sex! Just kidding about the last one. It can also be caused by too much candida fungus that people can have due to antibiotics or birth control pills.

6 Yoga Poses for Depression and Anxiety

[Wombels]

Originally Posted by fitx3

Wombels I truly appreciate all your suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to write them out and share them with me. I especially like the one where you suggest I get laid by someone I know. Honestly, I think that would solve most people's problems! LOL.... Love it.

Happy you liked it!

And yes, everyone should get laid, all of the time, that's the main reason why we are on this planet!

[cassiopeia]

In my recent search to find something to help my depression I came across inositol. it's a vitamin from the B group, and some research done suggests that people who are depressed have very low inositol levels. There have been many studies done to show that it works as well as antidepressants, except without side effects (apart from diarrhoea if you take too much) as it is a natural nutrient. I came across many anecdotes and testimonials, and I'd say about 70% of them found that inositol had significantly decreased their depression and/or anxiety. The anecdotes inspired me more than the studies.

I started taking it a few days ago and felt a noticeable difference. I take about 5 grams a day, you don't need to take that much but I figured I'd start with a large dose and taper down to see when it stops becoming effective. And as the real effects don't really kick in until after a couple of weeks and I am already feeling better, I am hopeful. Could be placebo, but I have taken so many vitamins, herbs etc that I was hopeful about that didn't work, so I don't really think I'm the type of person who is good at having a placebo effect.

I mostly believe that depression is spiritual (at least mine is) and can only really be completely cured with methods that take that into account. But if a supplement helps me get to a place where I feel motivated to begin to let go of my depression, then I'm in.

wiki - Inositol

[fitx3]

Originally Posted by cassiopeia

In my recent search to find something to help my depression I came across inositol. it's a vitamin from the B group, and some research done suggests that people who are depressed have very low inositol levels. There have been many studies done to show that it works as well as antidepressants, except without side effects (apart from diarrhoea if you take too much) as it is a natural nutrient. I came across many anecdotes and testimonials, and I'd say about 70% of them found that inositol had significantly decreased their depression and/or anxiety. The anecdotes inspired me more than the studies.

I started taking it a few days ago and felt a noticeable difference. I take about 5 grams a day, you don't need to take that much but I figured I'd start with a large dose and taper down to see when it stops becoming effective. And as the real effects don't really kick in until after a couple of weeks and I am already feeling better, I am hopeful. Could be placebo, but I have taken so many vitamins, herbs etc that I was hopeful about that didn't work, so I don't really think I'm the type of person who is good at having a placebo effect.

I mostly believe that depression is spiritual (at least mine is) and can only really be completely cured with methods that take that into account. But if a supplement helps me get to a place where I feel motivated to begin to let go of my depression, then I'm in.

wiki - Inositol

I've improved about 90% since my first post but I will definitely keep Inositol in mind. The suggestions and advice I have received here has helped me tremendously. While my moods have elevated, I am still dealing with a bit of anxiety that seems to present itself by waking me in the middle of the night but that's a whole new post.

[mishmash]

I know youv'e had the thyroid condition for over 20 years.
I too have a thyroid condition, although I am taking different medication than you - are you actually aware that certain foods can affect the drug if eaten/drank too soon after taking the medication.

I ask only this because I wasn't made aware of this, and it took 2 years of my medication being upped, then lowered etc. to only have to research and find things out myself to get to the root of the problem.
I can't speak about your medication though.

I also suffered from depression, I think a lot of it was a self confidence thing, and I didn't really have any goals at the time - I think that is a very important thing to have in life, and once you've acheieved one goal - find another, after all, wouldn't life be pretty meaningless if we had no goals - how ever insignificant you may feel they are - I think they keep us going.

[fitx3]

Originally Posted by mishmash

I know youv'e had the thyroid condition for over 20 years.
I too have a thyroid condition, although I am taking different medication than you - are you actually aware that certain foods can affect the drug if eaten/drank too soon after taking the medication.
I ask only this because I wasn't made aware of this, and it took 2 years of my medication being upped, then lowered etc. to only have to research and find things out myself to get to the root of the problem.
I can't speak about your medication though.

I also suffered from depression, I think a lot of it was a self confidence thing, and I didn't really have any goals at the time - I think that is a very important thing to have in life, and once you've acheieved one goal - find another, after all, wouldn't life be pretty meaningless if we had no goals - how ever insignificant you may feel they are - I think they keep us going.

Could you please share what foods those are?

[mishmash]

Well I think there could be quite a long list, I'm not saying avoid these foods completely, just within the 1st 30-60mins of taking the meds.
I only paid particular attention to the fact that calcium can decrease the effectiveness of it (thyroxine) and that was the reason I got different readings - having my tablet along with a bowl of cereal and milk.
Once I left it about 45mins before eating or drinking after the tablet, all my readings have been the same and it's now stable.

[mishmash]

I don't know about the US, but certainly here in the UK I feel there is very little information given to patients with it, and some people can take years to stableize, probably due to lack of information.
I know it is a relatively condition, but it's fairly common so there is plenty of info on the net from other people.
Try a search of foods to avoid with the drug you use, see what comes up.
Im unaware of your age, and I haven't really looked into the condition around the time of menapause so think about that too perhaps?