Depression - what helps??

mylifeisbeautiful

I go through some serious ups and downs.
I suspect it is chemical because there is often no rational explanation for why I will suddenly be in tears or feel bluer than blue.
I just joined here and am at square one with my health (little exercise and poor eating habits)

Does anyone have any info / personal experience about how exercise or diet can impact depression and emotions?

jakewilliams3

Hi there!
I'm no specialist on depression, so I really don't know if what I'm about to say is going to help or not, hell, I don't know if what I'm about to say is going to be right, but here it goes.

The way I see it is this: there are a lot of things in life that you can't control. A lot of those things are causes of depression. It's natural to get depressed about things you can't control. It happens. Life happens.

But what can you control? You can control your diet. You can control what you eat, how and when you eat it. If you eat the right things, you feel better. it's science. If you exercise a lot, you'll feel more fit.

I used exercise to cope with my depression over the past year. Whenever I got pissed off, or upset, I went to the gym and either lifted weights to deal with the struggles, or just ran it out on the treadmill. By the time you're done, you'll be too exhausted to be upset about something anymore.

So I don't know that made sense, but you can control what you do with your body. So if you eat well, and exercise well, you'll feel better and healthier and it might just lead to a happier, more fulfilled life.

Hope that helped.

laurie571

as a nurse i can tell you that exercise will release your endorphins and that alone will help your depression at least for a lil bit. but if you continue to feel depressed you may want to try an actual mood stabilizer. getting the chemicals in your brain working correctly may surprise you how quickly you drop weight when that happens

TheVimFuego

My mood used to be up and down (really down sometimes) all time but it seems to be more stable now.

I find my switch to whole, natural, filling foods and cutting the refined stuff has helped together with supplementing with Vitamin C (twice a day), Omega 3 (3 times a day) and Cod Liver Oil (for Vitamins A and D).

I am guessing that my body was deficient of dietary fat (as I followed the standard calorie restricted 'avoid fat' diet message) and since I shook that off and upped my intake I've never felt better to be honest. The brain is mostly fat, it's not too much of a stretch to make a connection between nutrition and mental health ...

I have always been a fan of long walks for exercise and I don't see this changing, open air, scenery, moderate stroll, can't be bad for you

Good luck.

ninerbuff

Everything that happens in the body is a chemical reaction. That includes thinking and emotion. Get hormones checked.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

missworld95

I was seriously depressed for over a year, and constantly was thinking about death and suicide. I was completely nihilistic (I still am, I'm just not depressed anymore, and not as cynical.) It was awful and I'll never be the same again, but since I started exercising, I've beat it, except for having bouts of it for days-weeks long. Since I started eating clean, I haven't felt depressed at all! So my suggestion is just that : eat clean and exercise.

newmein2013

Jake said it perfectly! YOU CAN control it with exercise & clean eating. I was on antidepressants for 10 years. I hit rock bottom last year. I was so angry with myself that I did exactly what Jake said. I used exercise as my outlet. I've never felt so good in my life. Within a few months of starting an exercise program, I able to wean off the medicine. It was brutal though. It took every ounce of strength I had in me but I was deternined. I still have my moments but I take it out in the exercise room or the park. I also have a tremendous support system. Clean eating helps a great deal too. Simple carbs such as breads, muffins, desserts, etc., wreak havoc on the body. Keep looking through the forums here for ideas & look at others diaries as well. There is a depression group on this site also. That may be helpful to you. I've gained tremendous insight here. Just keeping reaching out to people, set yourself up with a workout routine and healthy eating plan and stick to it the best you can. Everyone slips so don't even worry about that. Just get yourself right back into it quickly. Don't let the depression control you. I'm not saying not to see a doctor or not to take meds. If you need to do that then that's definitely what you should do. Most of the antidepression meds do have a side effect of weight gain but not everyone experiences this. I did however, bigtime. your health, body & mind, is what's important. But again, exercise will release the endorphins and you'll have a natural high, think more clearly, ahve more energy and burn more calories. Best of luck to you.

Snow__White

therapy,medication,exercise

mrsavanclan

I would join in the chat to say exercise, ( find something you like doing) and a balanced healthy diet, would be a great step to helping, however depression is a serious thing; it is not just a bad /sad mood. Many people need a little help to get on track again. I strongly suggest seeing a health professional as soon as you can. With the help they can give and taking control of what you can you may find that medication is low and a short term stabiliser. Do not play around with your mental health. It is so much more important than people want to accept..

spskinny

Suggestion given to me that helped was, first, identification. As a women I might suggest tracking your tough days on a monthly calendar and seeing if there is a pattern. Don't underestimate the power of those darn female hormones. My weepy days happen twice a month, and once I knew that I felt more normal and more prepared for weepy days, my husband did too . Then I discovered that exercise really did help me. It tough to be motivated to lose weight while your having a weeping day . Good luck there is lots of support here.

heykaraoke

For me, it took the right medication. I went through five antidepressants before I found one that worked. And it was AMAZING what the right one did for me. Being on the right medication helped level my moods and allowed me to think positively and truly BELIEVE that I could get fit. I started exercising and eating right and I had the willpower and the strength this time because I didn't have those awful, evil thoughts clouding my mind. All thanks to one tiny pill a day. I was so against being on meds and I hated the trial-and-error of trying to find the right one. But I am so glad I did it. It took three years of pills and so many ups and downs and so much frustration and hopelessness, and now I am finally on the path I've wanted to be all along. Feels great

HungerGame82

Bump.

MissShancey

i had depression .. dr gave me meds .. but they didnt help nearly as much as eating right and exercising .. now .. no meds, no depression and i have lost 51 pounds .. woot woot!

Marmitegeoff

Iam no expert at all but I have found that a bike ride works for me and gives me something to reember for several days which helps as well. Hope you find something to help.

mwcraig34

Eat Rainbows and glitter! Or you can see your doc and talk to him or seek psychiatric help. They make pills for depression but you may not want to go that way! Exercise always makes me feel better about myself.

Pebble321

I've found that running is the best thing in the world to help keep my mood on an even keel.
I don't have depression but I've had some tough times (my mum was in hospice care for three months before she passed away last year) and I think running is the only thing that kept me sane - it really makes a difference to my mood and helps me cope when things are tough.

chippy83

therapy,medication,exercise

THIS! Plus eating well, drinking water, going outside in the sunlight, getting out of the house every day, being social, etc...

Get a full physical and bloodwork from your PCP to measure hormones, thyroid, etc. If you do medication, it's better in conjunction with therapy so you can work on the chemical and emotional aspects of your depression!

newmein2013

I have been reading a real good book on psychology. It's a unification theory of psychology. It does discuss depression.
According to this theory, depression is negative emotions you took no action on, hurt/loss or anger. The definition of life is making decisions. Everything that is a live, it makes decisions. Notice how when people are depressed they feel less alive?

The solution is, write down what you want/need and take proactive action on them. Make decisions that are positive for you and others. If you're fearful(anxiety) this is another part of the negative emotion spectra. You have to be courageous, whatever you're fearful/anxiety about, face it head on. This builds confidence, which is part of positive emotional energy.

Sorry for getting off topic but I find this interesting. What you describe makes perfect sense but depression and anxiety unfortunatley have a tendency to immobilize the individual. It becomes more difficult to make decisions and/or follow through, no matter how determined you may be. Does this book offer any advice on how to face these fears head on?

sweetpotatofry

Exercise, like everyone's already pointed out, helps a ton. Sometimes the effects are short-lived for me; a couple hours later, I might go back to feeling like before. But it definitely helps.

I know this is a lot harder to just procure, but also talking to the right people. It doesn't have to be about anything serious, but being aware of the people in your life who bring you joy, in even the tiniest form, or peace. People who are easy to talk to and make you feel comfortable. If not in the "real world," then perhaps on MFP.

Sometimes, taking up a new hobby - something productive and (emotionally? even on a very basic level) fulfilling.

daking639

therapy,medication,exercise

This is what worked for me. I you think you are depressed talk to your doctor. If not for the help of my doctor and my therapist I would not have been able to lose the weight I've lost so far.

jawheb

I have struggled with depression in the past,
you name it I had it. Since changing my lifestyle about
four years ago I no longer have to deal with it. Working out
and eating right has been successful for me. That and God
of course.

aswinter

When I used to get really stressed out with classes and feeling overwhelmed with life, I'd go for a run or a walk. Doesn't really matter how long or how far you go at first, but then when you keep at it you realize you're going farther and for longer each time and that really makes you feel a lot better.

thedancingleper

Therapy, clean eating (it takes a while but you'll notice a difference in mood after a few weeks), pills, and behavioral changes. The latter you can learn in therapy (but also from books if you can't afford a therapist). I think learning to change the way you think is the most important element for depression specifically. I was diagnosed bipolar 10 years ago, so I have a lot of experience in these things. Good luck.

myfitnessval

I suffer from depression as well and have not had a test done to be sure its a chemical imbalance or not, but i've been at this for 2 months, exercising for 30 minutes or more for 6 days a week and i have noticed a considerable difference in my mood swings. I feel like the lows dont go as low now, and when i do feel down it doesnt last as long as it used to or even really bring me to tears like it used to. I'd like to say the steady boost of endorphins is helping. My poor self image only made the depression worse so I suspect that taking an active role is helping with that as well. Good luck!

newmein2013

Thanks PU_239

NAcetoLang

Do what your doc says- but pay extra attention when they say proper nutrition and exercise. I have taken meds, but also added vitamin D (blood tests and doc recommended) and magnesium. The best thing I have done is to accept what I don't have control over and change what I can control. I am certainly not "healed", but I am much happier. Good luck to you!

JoannaJoyReynolds

Go see a good doctor, one that you can trust (get references from friends if need be). He or she can probably help you more effectively than all of us. And NOT all doctors just jump straight for the happy pills. They should give you a healthy, all round solution.

eireannyoung

Clean eating and exercise! For sure!

I was on antidepressants for six years, and at first they helped a lot, but they kind of lost their effectiveness over time. After some very uncomfortable withdrawals, I got off of them using diet, exercise, and herbs.

For me, personally, my biggest food triggers for depression were grains and sugar. Your mileage may vary, but I'd definitely recommend cutting out sugar if nothing else. Also make sure to eat plenty of vegetables, healthy fats and protein.

As for exercise, I just go for a 30 minute walk each morning and it gets me in a better mood for the rest of the day.

Herbs that I use to help depression are: rhodiola rosea, licorice, siberian ginseng, gotu kola, nettles, and green tea

Natihilator

I've never been clinically diagnosed to suffer from depression, but I have had bouts of it since late childhood, and experienced a severe depression that started last September and only lifted in January, coincidentally when I started to exercise and eat better on a consistent basis. Suicidal thoughts and feelings of worthlessness went away, and I had the energy to do more than get out of bed. For me, it wasn't a conscious thing like 'I feel sad. I'm going to go to the gym to feel better", it was more getting into a routine of bettering myself physically, and my emotions balanced out as a result.

I am currently in a very stressful family situation right now, and I don't think I could have handled going through this had it happened last winter when I was so depressed, the thought kind of scares me.

gjulie

Hi hope you are feeling good right now Im no expert here but I find the gym helps me a lot Im lucky not to suffer with depression and I have every sympathy for anyone who does,I do understand pressure and stress Im carer to my mum with Alzehimers and I know if I didnt have regular exercise I couldnt cope at all it just clears my mind I hope this helps a bit and that you are ok

johnsnana

I have suffered from it alot in the past 35 years (alot was due to my environment but also childhood trauma. It is a proven fact that exercising helps with depression, releasing endorphins which help you feel better, so anything you can do to keep moving will help! Also some people have allergies to gluten (in breads etc.) or don't react well to too many carbs/sugars, you might try cutting way back on those & try eating more veggies. There has been studies that taking Fish oil can help with depression. But depression can be a very serious, life threatening condition so I suggest talking with your doctor first since we are not doctors here ;o) I took meds, for me they only made me more depressed/suicidal in fact, & it was quite depressing trying to find the right med & the right dose (it can take years under doctor's care). So I would try changing the things you can first, your eating & exercise, then if it doesnt improve, see a doctor. Alot of people want an easy fix (a pill) a cure all, there isn't one. Like everything worth having, it takes work.
Best wishes to you, feel free to ad me to your friends if you need support.:flowerforyou: