Depression
Johnisfat42
Posts: 84 Member
Hello everyone. I have depression and my doctor gave me pills for this...long story short I dont want to take them, I want to see if I can fix this with diet and exercise...any ideas people? What to stay away from and what to head for?
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Replies
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You might not be able to "fix" your depression with diet and exercise. If you don't want to take the pills, follow up with your doctor.15
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I'm on medication for depression, I have been for years, it took a few months to adjust to the meds, but like you I aim to be free of medication one day soon. My doctor advised me that in my case weight-loss, particularly the loss of visceral fat will help, but until my visceral fat is at an acceptable level, I won't be going off the medication, this is a personal diagnoses for me, from a doctor that has known me for 22 years. Take the time to let the drugs do their thing so you can give your doctor appropriate feedback on the effects, and chat to your doctor about how you can manage your depression without drugs safely. No one on mfp is qualified to tell you what you should do with regards to your mental health and medication. Good luck with your journey and wish you a speedy recovery15
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You just have to try different things and figure out what works for you. Many people find that exercise helps with depression and anxiety, but the form of exercise will depend on your personal inclination.
I will say that diet and exercise don't seem to do anything for my depression. There are a few things I do for myself to improve my mental health, but I also take Sertraline because that is what works for me. Please just keep in mind that medication or seeing a therapist may still be what helps you the most.5 -
Was it a psychiatrist or a GP who prescribed your meds? If it is a GP they do not specialize in depression yet they are quite liberal in handing out anti-depressants & often without getting to the root of the issue. Perhaps it is a nutrient deficiency or hormone imbalance or who knows...did your doc do any testing such as bloodwork to see if you are lacking in anything....even a vitamin D deficiency can contribute to depression. I am neither a psychiatrist nor a GP, but have had my own depression issues over the years and opted out of taking meds. I have been in therapy off & on for years and find that to help along with lifestyle changes. I also have seasonal affective disorder & find a therapy light helps.
There are varying reasons for depression and what I would suggest is getting into some therapy to get to the root of your issue if you haven't already done that...also researching what lifestyle changes may help such as sleep hygiene, nutrition, exercise etc. If your doctor hasn't done bloodwork, ask him to. I absolutely understand your reservation to taking meds. It isn't necessarily the answer for everyone & current research shows that in cases of mild to moderate depression, meds can make it worse and then there is the never-ending list of side effects that you may or may not have to contend with...
At the same time, you didn't include any details about the severity of your depression, your history etc so it's difficult to suggest too much and like I said I am NOT a doctor, but there is endless amounts of information about depression at your fingertips. Education is the key to helping yourself with this...hope you find your way.4 -
I have severe anxiety and depression. Something to keep in mind is that depression is literally a chemical Imbalance in your brain. Diet and exercise may help some but you may need meds... nothing wrong with that!!9
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Thank you for your replies. I'm having blood tests done tomorrow and it was my GP that gave me them. I was going to give myself a month of trying things...they may work or may not but if not then I have the meds to fall back on. Right now if I had a scale of 1 being mild and 10 suicidal then I'm at a 4.7
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Yes mental illness is a brain chemistry problem. A psychiatrist is your best bet to get a good diagnosis and proper treatment.2
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Depending on the cause you may not be able to 'fix' your depression with diet an exercise. I mean no amount of diet and exercise is going to fix a chemical imbalance or the like.
However, with consultation with your doctor, you might be able to treat and manage your depression this way.9 -
Don't go to the gym. Do your exercise outdoors. Run, walk, ride a bike, paddle a kayak... Having the sky above is good for depression. Sunlight means vitamin D. There's research that shows activities that demand 100% of your attention are good for depression, they pull you out of your head and into the moment.7
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Hi John,
I was on medication for depression for years and years. I stopped about 18 months ago and have worked really hard at keeping my mood stable other ways. It isn't easy. It's a pretty full-time focus, but I do feel better than I did on medication. When I feel the depression taking hold (which it tries to do often) I go through my checklist and do every single depression-combat thing on it and they seem to work.
Mine are:
Fresh air and daylight - especially in winter months. Get outside for an hour a day at least. Walking, cycling, open air swimming, jogging or working out if you can, but if the depression is bad and you can't move, just sit in the sunniest spot you can find.
Exercise - best for me are HIIT, kayaking, power yoga and boxing training but everyone is different. Try lots of different types of exercise and do something different every day.
Self Care - shower every day, shave, clean teeth, wash your hair. The anti-depression mantra is: You don't have to want to, you just have to do it. Put on clothes you feel and look good in, not those faded tees and sweat pants with holes in the knee. Wear colour and soft textures.
Supplements - especially in winter, take a Vitamin D spray. I also take L-Tyrosine and DLPA (Phenylalanine) because my depression seems linked to reduced dopamine more than reduced serotonin.
Diet - obvious really but eat lots of healthy proteins such as fresh fish, chicken and turkey and at least 8-10 portions of fresh veg and fruit a day, really varying the colours. Drink 2l water and/or herb/fruit/green tea
Actions - These two actions massively help reduce depressive symptoms:
1) Do something new every day. Honestly, this more than any fitness regime, helps me. I think if a scientist tested it, they'd discover it's a brain workout. Doing something you've never done before, especially if its outside your comfort zone, seems to set the neurotransmitters firing on different routes and so you don't get that pattern of low dopamine/serotonin. I kept a diary of what I did. It can be easy stuff like walking down a new street, going to a new cafe, trying a new scent of soap, a new flavour of drink. Or it can be more adventurous - try a new sport or fitness class, do something from your bucket list, do something that scares you etc. I woke up with such a severe feeling of depression a couple of weeks ago that I knew I had to go back on the meds. But instead I pulled out my files on how to combat it and did all of the things on this list, one by one, ending with going out in the evening and performing live which I hadn't done before and felt sick with fear at. By the end of the night I felt great.
2.) Less dynamic but useful. Keep a journal. As well as charting you new thing each day, write down three things each day you feel glad about or grateful for, and, most importantly, write down a list of what you achieved that day. Depression can play tricks on you and make you feel you are worthless but a list of what you actually did is so therapeutic. Even on a really bad day I can list fed the cat, fed the birds, fed the kids - can't argue that feeding hungry people and animals is a worthwhile contribution in the world!
Sorry for this massive essay. But it's almost a hobby of mine to combat depression, so I hope these tips help you too.
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I think working with a therapist and/or psychiatrist is the most logical course of action and frankly as much as you may not want to, it won't be a detriment to your health. There are lots of people for whom depression can not be controlled through diet or exercise, regardless of whether or not that exercise involves spending a lot of time outside. There are also a lot of people for whom self help is doesn't even come close to touching the issue at hand. Cycling outside actually makes my depression acutely worse because I'm alone with my thoughts which is really not a good thing.
There's nothing bad about treating your depression (or any other mental health issue) with meds and/or therapy. The only thing I would worry about in your case is that a GP is prescribing psychotropic meds as opposed to a psychiatrist or a psychiatric nurse practitioner.7 -
Honestly, drugs and exercise and diet, all these things are small parts of a bigger equation. They mostly don't work as well in isolation. The best treatment strategy is often all of them at once, plus therapy of some sort so you can learn the skills you need to understand and identify what's going on in your head.
Can you name what emotion you're feeling? Do you know why you feel that way? Do you know how to handle feeling that way? Therapy (done right) can teach you, as well as help guide you towards what combo of diet and exercise is most beneficial to you specifically.
Personally, just reading the above suggestion about exercising outside makes my shoulders go right up around my ears. What works for some won't work for all.5 -
I treat my depression with medicine(prescribed by my therapist) and therapy- I now been able to not go to therapy- but I am still on a low dose medicine- because of the chemical imbalance in my brain- it is not me just "wanting" to act different or wanting attention- or any"thing" that some folk believe- it is real and true- I would work with my therapist and /or doctor to see what is your own best solution.2
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You've gotten some excellent suggestions. I would add to @cherys post above that there are several supplements with anecdotal evidence that they are useful for some with mild depression. I have been helped by a significant dosage of omega-3 (fish oil) over the years.
That being said, let me offer this caution: I have spent decades trying to manage my depression on my own- sometimes successfully for a while- to find myself at a point in life where I had bottomed out and was finally open to meds & therapy. There are good reasons to be cautious (and I would advise talking to the Dr/psychiatrist and starting with the smallest possible dosage of anything and working your way up), but don't put off medical intervention indefinitely thinking, "I should be able to handle this... maybe this new thing...?" Deal with it earlier rather than later and don't unnecessarily waste many productive years. Wish you well. 5 -
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I once had a Dr compare anti-depressant to crutches, in that you would not try to heal a broken leg while continuing to walk on it. Sometimes it is helpful to take an anti-deppressant while you work to find and fix a route cause of teh issue. Depression is a chemical imbalance. Sometimes that chemical imbalance can be mitigated with regular exercise and proper diet and supplements and sometimes it needs life long medication so that our minds can operate within societal confines. My story mirrors cherys above. I have been on and off meds for depression and add since I was a teen. I have been successfully managing my symptoms with diet exercise and supplements for the past 12 months, while keeping my weight in check (unmanaged weight gain for me is a symptom of unmanaged stress and depression).
The supplements that help me with this are Vit D, methyl folate, Magnesium, L-tyrosine and B-12. I sometimes add fish oil as well.
Having a very regular routine has also helped me tremendously. I workout, HIIT or run, 5 days a week at 5 am every morning Mon-Fri. Weekends are family time.
I still stress-eat at times, but being aware of when I am doing it and mentally giving myself space or an alternative has been super helpful.
I wish you luck on your journey. Please consider medication as not a last resort but another tool in the box along with diet exercise etc.8 -
John I feel your pain. There is a lot of controversy where antidepressants are concerned. I took them for years and for a while they were the best diet pill I ever took. But as you probably guessed I eventually gained the weight back. I wasn't taking them as a diet pill, I was actually depressed, but I was eating my feelings so they helped me to chill out for a few months. I'm no longer on them, I lost the weight on my own and I seem to be ok as long as I walk regularly and keep on top of my eating. Having said that my husband is bipolar and is on antidepressants and I would hate for him to go off. He truly needs them to stay balanced. What you choose to do is between you and your doctor but don't not take them because of what people think. If you are concerned about side effects, and they are real, then it's your choice. Please take care of yourself. Stabilizing your mood is more important than anything. Let us know how you are doing in a few weeks.4
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NorthCascades wrote: »Don't go to the gym. Do your exercise outdoors. Run, walk, ride a bike, paddle a kayak... Having the sky above is good for depression. Sunlight means vitamin D. There's research that shows activities that demand 100% of your attention are good for depression, they pull you out of your head and into the moment.
Yes, and the benefits of exercising outdoors I get are more than just due to the Vitamin D, which I supplement anyway. Cardio is so much more fulfilling to me outdoors than indoors.
And you're right about being in the moment. I usually spend about half my hike listening to a podcast, which I enjoy, but am less in the moment. On the way back I listen to music, and can stay in the moment during this. I'm far more likely to get an endorphin rush when I'm listening to music v something other than hiking that requires my attention.
This time of year I'm mostly hiking, but soon I will be gardening - plants, vegetables, and the never ending battle of keeping dandelions from taking over the lawn without using chemicals. (I pull them right before they go to seed so the bees can eat from the flowers.)4 -
Johnisfat42 wrote: »Thank you for your replies. I'm having blood tests done tomorrow and it was my GP that gave me them. I was going to give myself a month of trying things...they may work or may not but if not then I have the meds to fall back on. Right now if I had a scale of 1 being mild and 10 suicidal then I'm at a 4.
Good thing you are having blood work done. I'm anemic and when my iron levels accidentally get too low I hate my life. I believe D deficiency can cause contribute to depression, as can other deficiencies.
Are you opposed to anti-depressants in general, or is there a specific problem with the specific one you were prescribed? I went through about 6 ADs before I found Wellbutrin SR, which has no negative side effects for me. (I did not like the XL version, and the fast release was too speedy. The SR is a little speedy, which is just right for me.)
Diet an exercise absolutely do help my depression, but I was never on the suicidal spectrum, so I don't think it is wise for any of us who are not your doctor to recommend you not take your pills.3 -
When I lost weight the first time it wasnt until I got in a good head space and started anxiety medication . Once I had that under control diet and excersise helped with my depression. After a couple years I was able to be off medication but the pills was the catalyst that started me on path on head happy . Best of luck to you2
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Depression is a different beast for so many different people.
For some people, it is a lifelong thing. It cannot be cured so much as managed. Please keep this in mind as you start your journey - a lot of it is going to be learning how to continue to live with yourself.
Exercise and a healthful diet are tools in a toolbox to help manage depressive episodes - consider also meditation/yoga, hobbies that distract your mind while still encouraging a sense of productivity, and committing to a self-care routine (eg, a simple checklist of daily things you need to do - like "wash your face" or "make your bed;" just don't let it get too long, because looking at a long list of incomplete tasks on days where getting out of bed is an achievement in and of itself is going to be more overwhelming than it will be helpful).
Also have a talk with your doctor about your medications. We tend to reach for pharmaceuticals first in the West, but there is a reason for it - they are often very effective. If you don't want to take them or you want to try other things first, that is absolutely your call, but your doctor needs to be informed so that he or she has his or her own toolbox in place to help you manage your depression. They will be critical in helping you battle this beast; if you don't like your current doc, if they aren't open to discussion, or if you're feeling ignored, then the first thing you need to do is to find a new doctor.
But also don't write off medications simply because they're medications. There's a lot of stigma still associated with taking meds for depression (even, and sometimes especially, on health-centric websites), but they are effective. It can take a while to find a good medication/(s)/dose (years, sometimes), but finding the right ones can be life changing, especially for folks with suicidal tendencies, or who suffer with anxiety disorders alongside depression.
Be aware, too, that beginning new medications typically makes things worse before it makes them better, and that stopping medications cold turkey can make it acutely very, very bad (10/10 on your scale).
Good luck and fortitude as you begin this battle. It isn't easy, but it is always worth it.8 -
I attended a workshop awhile back, using natural ways to fight depression. Some of the things they mentioned were:
cut out caffeine
yoga
meditation
music(their choice was classical music)
exercise
vegetarian diet
get enough sleep
Vitamin D/sunlight
My dearest friend has been plagued by depression all her life, and refuses to take meds. to treat it. She says running is her drug of choice. This time of year is incredibly hard for her, as it is for many people.
Good luck and hope you can find some alleviation from your depression!!2 -
When I was in high school, I was suicidally depressed and my mom didn't believe me so I couldn't see a psych. Not having medication caused me immense and unnecessary suffering and almost cost me my life on multiple occasions. And yes, I tried every "natural" fix that the *kitten* hippie-crunchy mom blogs suggested, and they did jack *kitten*.
Take your meds. There's literally no good reason or excuse not to.3 -
I will add that I've been on meds. for about 25 years, ever since my premenopause days. I've tried different kinds, different levels, but because of my life situations I've always battled with depression and anxiety. Since I retired in May, I've cut my meds. in half. My PCP said okay, as long as you feel good. I've been attacking many aspects of my life, cut down stress, eaten/exercised, etc., and still feel good. I might cut down my dosage more, IDK. I see my dr. again in March and will discuss it with her. I suffer from SAD disorder also so I up the VitD and happy light therapy in the winter. I have no idea if some or all of those things have helped the changes in my brain; hard to pinpoint exactly. I've tried therapy but never long term; maybe I never found the right therapist. But maybe that's something you could seek out too?
All this to say if you can't seem to find methods that work well enough, please don't think of meds as the bad guys. They can do wonders at keeping you on an even keel, as long as you find the one that works for you without negative side effects. And once you get on that even keel, it might be easier to face and deal with lifestyle changes that can also help. I don't know about you, but when depression reared it's ugly monster head, all I wanted to do was stay in my own dark comfortable cave and ignore the world. I wouldn't have been able to seek other benefits from changing anything in my life if all I wanted to do was hide from it. So do take care of YOU and may you find peace and joy in your life.0 -
If meds are not for you, try therapy instead. Take it from me, you can't diet and exercise depression away. It will be of some help most likely but it will just be a small component. I've lived with this disorder lifelong so I still manage to be functional and work and maintain my marriage. But you can't work it away or banish it with healthy foods. If there's no money for therapy, there are therapists on youtube whose videos can help (Douglas Bloch is good) and you can buy dialectical behavioral therapy workbooks. Not that those exercises are easy in any way. I do understand why you're apprehensive about the meds. I was on them for 20 years and then became allergic so I couldn't taper down. The withdrawal is horrific. Also, I was never fat before Celexa. That stuff makes you feel like you're dying of hunger. And as you are male, there are ... other parts of your body that may be affected also. The fat I ganed on meds brought diabetes. Now I'm having to fight against that damage.
Some people have a good experience with meds. My husband is one of them. You just never know if you will. If you do try them, be cautious and aware, and keep a log of any changes.1 -
Thanks everyone for their input 🙏🏻3
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It sounds like you are making a good choice. You know you better than ANY doctor. If your first inclination is not to take drugs trust that! I think diet and exercise ABSOLUTELY make a difference in how you feel.
A little pro tip: When you hit the gym no pressure on yourself and try to listen to inspiration or self-help in whatever category you are interested in. For me I hit the gym focus on that one workout and listen to entrepreneurs talk about self-help and how they pulled themselves out of their own messes and depression. It gives me hope and tools I can take action on.
I don’t buy depression is a chemical imbalance. This is what the masses have been sold to support the drug companies and you can’t trust doctors either. They are swirly ignorant on the subject. Yes, even psychiatrist and they are oriented to give drugs - which are chemicals. I tencently read that less than 3% of people actually have so chemical alteration or head injury that could cause depression and changes in mood etc. the rest of us are failing to cope and find resilience. And while I know everyone suffering with depression will hate me for saying so it’s been true for me.
Educate yourself so you can make informed decisions and don’t just read the crap the drug pushers are putting out. Have a balanced approach then trust your intuition.0 -
I say you accept that you have depression and take the medication. If you had diabetes would you not take medication? Depression is also a disease of the mind so get rid of the thoughts of it's all in my head, I am weak, I can control this or whatever else you are thinking. We can make changes in our life to improve but if you are really suffering from depression you need medication3
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