Depression - what helps??

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

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

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Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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.

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..

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Thanks PU_239

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.

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.

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: