Depression coming back - how to stop it

BerryH

I know a lot of people here have suffered from depression. I beat it over two years ago, but suffered terribly weaning myself off anti-depressants. Now I can recognise the signs of it coming back - otherwise trivial problems building up into something insurmountable, inability to cope, a vicious cycle crippling insomnia and anxiety, taking it out on my partner, constant weepiness, the terrifying feeling it would all be easier just not to be here.

I really, really don't want to get back on the drugs again, I've become so used to feeling normal, this feeling of slipping back is terrifying me. What can I do to stay in control?

dancingnancies

lots and lots of exercise. also maybe meeting with a therapist? do you live in an area where it gets very sunny? the sun will help with the depression as well.

goodluck!!!:flowerforyou:

BerryH

England, so not that sunny! That's a great idea though. I am trying to get out for a walk every lunch time, partly due to the fact I've had to cut out high-impact exercise dues to a joint injury.

Schiavo

Don't let the bad things hit you in the face.Take up Kick boxing and this will bring out all the bad things hurting you.I am talking from my past experiences.I use my treadmill everyday and work off all the bad things that can't hurt your weightloss success too.

iwannawearatutu

Vitamin D supplements help me and my sweetie - about 4000 IU a day seems to take the edge off. And I agree 100% with the exercise! A good playlist of music that makes you happy - and makes you move more - and 30-60 minutes on the treadmill has been helping me too.

Best of luck, I have struggled with depression my whole life and I can empathize.

BerryH

Thanks, that's a good idea actually. I tend to exercise solo, going to a class would stop me getting lonely and cutting myself off from people in general when I'm home from work.

BerryH

Vitamin D supplements help me and my sweetie - about 4000 IU a day seems to take the edge off. And I agree 100% with the exercise! A good playlist of music that makes you happy - and makes you move more - and 30-60 minutes on the treadmill has been helping me too.

Best of luck, I have struggled with depression my whole life and I can empathize.

Thanks. I just started taking a general multivitamin and mineral at the weekend as I was feeling washed out. Think this would be enough?

ChantalD75

I have the same issue. I am right now weaning myself off the drugs. What I do is excercise and started to see my chiropractor regularly. And without the excercise I noticed a big difference just by seeing her. She had mentioned when I started that I will be going off the drugs just by seeing her. But I have since joined this site and doing regular excercise and going outside and getting fresh air helps alot.

lrhopkina

For me personally, exercise has helped IMMENSELY! I was very depressed, and now the more I work out the better. Started with walking at lunches, then as my confidence and strength grew, so did the types of exercise I wanted to try. I think Therapy, even if its just when you start feeling down again is a good help. Good luck and stay strong! Remember you are in control!

kelligonzales

My suggesstion and I'm no doctor so please take this with a grain of salt. My mother was always depressed growing up.... So i feel like i can tell you from life experience.

Start working out and doing things that get stress out. I found kick boxing/ boxing/ using a punching bag helps. Then instead of holding it in and crying it out talk about it with a partner/friend/ vent on here. Start a blog and get it out and feedback as much as possible. The world wouldn't be better without you and you need keep telling yourself that. You are a stonge woman and you beat it once and you will again. anti- depressants are evil and take you out of the game. If all else fails seriously go talk to someone and explain your feelings about how the drugs made you feel and to please try a more holistic approch.

Breckgirl

I know the meds aren't your first choice but you have to understand that they "shore up" the chemical imbalance in your brain. Exercise will help with the endorphin thing but check with a Dr. too. I am a lifer on Celexa and, although I would like not to be, it's like insulin to a diabetic, I can't function without it. Good luck sweetie.

punkrawkcutie

A therapist is a great idea as re-occurance usually is the result of something deepr going on then a one time instance.
You may want to look into a light box for emotional support too, especially since England does not get alot of sunlight to stimulate seritonin production
Also, speak to a nutritionist or pharmasist about taking 5- Htp, which also promotes seritonin production (as opposed to being a seritonin re-uptake inhibitor). Folic acid has also been linked to improved mood.
And like the rest - work out and get 8 hours of sleep a night
please remember however that if things are NOT improving you do need to see a Dr. Tell them about the anti-depressants from last time causeing you some distress. There are plenty of different types out there and trying out a few different ones might be what you need to do.

tinboy

I'm afraid I agree with Breckgirl...one thing that might help, though, is light therapy. Since you live where there isn't a lot of sunshine. I can't seem to find my information about the lights...they are special "natural" light lights, that give you a specific spectrum that helps. Have to have a specific amount of time in the light/day, but can be while you are doing other things...such as being on the computer. If I can find my info, I'll post back. Also, some of the same brain chemicals involved in quality sleep also improve/prevent depression; so you may need some meds.... :frown:

rjnandjosh

i too have been on meds for depression. I started tai chi actually i bought a video and use it every day it helps calm me and i deal with the depression so far without meds again. Also exercises and this web site. feel free to add me as a friend

samcee

I suffer from anxiety disorder and depression so I know how difficult it is.

I suggest talking to a therapist. If you prefer action over to just talking about it than I recommend looking into Cognitive behavior therapy (cbt) which is brilliant in terms of understanding your automatic thoughts and behavior. You'll learn how to spot them and deal with your negative thoughts and feelings.

This book has been very helpful to me:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindful-Way-Through-Depression-Unhappiness/dp/1593851286

Meditation is a great method too. Check out the london buddhist centre in Bethnal Green and Covent garden if you're in London. It's only something like £2 during lunch time hour but they have evening sessions too. http://www.lbc.org.uk/

brendansmom1

Depression is a chemical imbalance, remember. It is not simply something you can "get yourself out of". Sure, you can do things that boost your spirits, like exercise and such...and that is WONDERFUL. However, if you do have clinical depression, then sometimes, medication is the best choice.

I have seen the effects of trying to treat it on your own...it is not pretty.

Therapists are a wonderful thing....I think everyone should have one. LOL They can help and they can also help you figure out how severe your depression is.

Okay, off my soap box.

Be well and take care

manymuses

In addition to the great suggestions above, Journal it out too!
Writing down your thoughts and feelings is an act of literally getting them outside of your body where they cannot fester and grow out of control. Just a simple notebook and pen are all you need to begin, or even adding a note or two in your MFP diary every day is a start in taking control of your thoughts and feelings.

Sending you strength...

123456654321

I have also struggled with severe depression/anxiety issues in the past so I can really sympathize with your situation. First of all, I think being able to recognize these feelings as they creep up is over half of the battle. Taking action at the first signs can help prevent fully slipping back into your old habits. Here's some of what I do:

Try to GET UP, GET OUT and GET MOVING. Whether it's hitting the gym, a walk around the block, frequent trips to the grocery store or a night out with the family....it doesn't really matter, just get out and move. This for me is probably the most important thing, yet it's the hardest thing to do when I'm feeling depressed. After my father passed away my mothers therapist gave her a little bit of nifty advice that I have also found to be helpful. Right when you wake up every morning be sure get showered and dressed all the way down to your shoes. That way you are ready to face the day and more likely to get out and get things done. Second most important thing for me is nutrition. The better I eat the better I feel. So eating a well balanced diet and trying to avoid sugary candies, drinks and other things of that nature (when possible) really does help a lot. I also find it helpful to avoid alcohol when I'm feeling down because that seems to just make things worse.

I also take Vitamins. They are expensive but totally worth it for me because they help me a great deal. I take a D3 and a B-complex on a regular basis. I do believe that what kind of Vitamins you take really matters so I only buy whole food vitamins (preferably raw) and steer clear of the synthetic stuff. I do a lot of aroma therapy, I my essential oils and there are a lot of oils that can help with your mood and anxiety. Some of my favorites are Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Frankincense, Rose, Sandalwood , Ylang Ylang, Bergamot and Lemongrass. I try to take a nice hot bath with oils at least twice week after a stressful day and it does wonders! I also take herbs. One that seems to work for some people with depression is Motherwort. But like depression medication it isn't something that works as an "instant fix" it's something you have to take for a while before you start seeing the benefits. It's worth a try but when ingesting anything be careful and tell your doctor, especially if you have any allergies to things like this. Hmm what else?....When I have trouble sleeping I'll have a cup of hot Chamomile before bedtime and it really helps me calm down. Also, anything with Jasmine in it seems to calm my nerves too.

I have managed to stay off medication for 4 years doing things like this, but everyone is different. Depression is obviously a very serious thing and should not be treated lightly. If you feel things are out of your control please don't hesitate to seek professional help. Good luck!

jennieodwyer

Perhaps using a sunlamp and/or fish oil supplements will help. There have been studies shown these things help. I also second exercise as well. Hope you feel better!

slimkitty

5HTP 100mg last thing at night and first thing in the morning and also a Vit D supplement - that's what works for me. Have your Vit. D levels measured. What you get in a multivitamin is not enough. I take about 2000 iu every day and even more during times of stress.

You could also look into St. John's Wort. It helps some people, but did not help me. Try Melatonin to improve your sleep cycle. Start with 1mg and see how it goes.

BerryH

Wow, what an amazing set of kind, knowledgeable, insightful, LOVELY people you are I will certainly be trying a wide range of suggestions here, they sounds really helpful.

Just got back from the GP and I'm in the depths of full-blown depression again. He recommended I should go straight on to meds before it got worse and harder to treat. I asked for a different type from last time. I need to read all I can about them and think about it overnight. They really scare me.

What came out that I didn't realise was how much of losing my Mum through early-onset Alzheimers was behind it. Her early symptoms including insomnia and depression. He put my mind at rest and said this kind of illogical conclusion was typical, and Mum's condition was down to her brain function slowly shutting down and her realisation of that.

shulaw

hey am glad you went back to the docs ,i hope you feel better soon have suffered from depresson all my life and its not a nice thing to go through .

helenium

I suffer from depression as well, though mine's quite intertwined with psychosis on top of that. I take fluoxetine and risperidone. My psychiatrist (and GP) has got me doing exercise every day (20 min walk minimum). Furthermore, my day must have structure. I plan something in the morning, afternoon and evening, and make sure I stick to it, however awful I feel. This keeps me from entering a vicious low-function-low-motivation cycle. I try to be very wary of my moods. In the past I've been convinced I am a cold, dead person who does not experience emotions like everyone else. My therapist at the time made me write down everything I did that day and my emotion associated with it alongside. This helped.

As for the anti-depressants, I find they're quite a mild drug as drugs go (any side effects of my anti-depressants are completely washed away by the anti-psychotics). Fortunately, most of the side effects listed on the anti-depressant sheet do not come to the majority of users. The anti-psychotics are very different, where I have experienced at least half of the side effects including incredible drowsiness, tremours and lactation (ugh!). Those side effects on the anti-depressant list are less likely to happen to an average user.

Some people find therapy useful (my therapy sessions were not as great as they've been for some people), especially in straightforward depression. With psychosis, it can be a bit less useful - if I'm going to hear voices I'm going to hear voices. In the UK though, the waiting list for therapy can be 9 months to a year (in my case at least). Alternatively there are charities that provide 'discounted' therapy sessions that are scaled in price depending on your income, and I've heard reports that they are good quality.

Not quite sure if what I've said has been useful or insightful. I hope it's been of some help...

BerryH

Thanks again everyone. Started on the pills last night. They're a different brand to last time, but the same side effects - vertigo-type nausea, trembling. At least the other ones helped me sleep, these seem to make my insomnia even worse.

And I have evidence my boyfriend is cheating on me but just denies everything when confronted, even given the opportunity to leave. Part cause, part effect, I suspect. I'm worried he'd only staying because I'm depressed and he's worried what I'd do, which is what my ex did, but I'd much rather make a clean break now and deal with it all at once. Sigh.

samcee

A clean break from him will help detox your life. My boyfriend of five years cheated on me and I was anxious and in self denial every single day prior to finding out. Sometimes a woman's intuition is pretty spot on. I'm a lot stronger than before after breaking up but it took a year for me to realize it. He told the other girl that he only stayed with me because he was worried about my depression. This angered me. Using my condition to make him sound like the nice guy when the truth was that he only after *one* thing with her.

I just want to say that those who cheat not only let their partner down, but their entire family and friends down to what type of person he is. Staying with you due to your depression is an excuse. Don't give him that ego and think that you need him because you don't. You'll find someone you deserve. Buy yourself a nice outfit, find solace and comfort in good novels and do all those things you couldn't do when you were with him. Make your sense of well being the number one priority.

BerryH

THANK YOU samcee, I really needed to hear that, sounds exactly like my situation.

The trouble is he's living in my flat and hasn't got anywhere for me to kick him out to. Also, however much evidence I put before him he denies and denies and denies, coming up with THE most pathetic excuses only someone completely brainless would accept. Yet, with no way out of the "yes you did" "no I didn't" no-win argument, I'm the one who nearly always ends up apologising to HIM!

Friend request in the post :flowerforyou:

BerryH

On the bright side, the meds make me feel sick as a dog, I can't drink booze but I'm constantly thirsty so drinking gallons of water, and going to the loo (both kids!) ALL the time, so I'm expecting big things from my next weigh-in!