Anyone with Depression/Anxiety

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  • Lazygal53
    Lazygal53 Posts: 294 Member
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    Suffered clinical depression since the age of 13, and have been on various medications since then, but have tried to avoid them for sometime as there is uncertainty as to whether I have bipolar and I had some really nasty, frightening side effects from some of the medications I was put on. I also suffer panic attacks and anxiety disorder, social anxiety and OCD. Life can be very difficult. When it is good, I make the most of it, but when I slump, I slump to the point of becoming suicidal and seeing no future at all. I find working out can help, but only when it hasn't hit its worst points, at which time little seems to help at all. I am currently in one of the worst slumps I have had in a long time, due to splitting with my bf and a combination of other things, including battling a few issues with eating disordered behaviour. It can be a very lonely experience, depression.

    *Hugs*
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    My suggestion ('cause I had it before)
    St.John's Wort herb extract in capsules (take the full dose)
    Use it for 4-6 weeks to experience relief.
    Continue to use it to allow your body's hormones to heal/rebalance.
    Also take fish oil omegas and vit d3
    With the Vitd3 you have to know how much to take, you can do a blood test, or just best guess. But don't over do on it.
    if you're not getting daily sunshine on most your body, your levels likely drop, so you need to supplement.
    I'm an average size person at 5'7" 158lbs and take 6000iu almost daily if I'm not in the sun.

    This totally healed me with no side effects, and obviously, side benefits.
    Exercise is also important.
    Don't push yourself, allow yourself to heal.
    Take the supplements everyday.

    I take this combo in the colder months now, as I never want to experience that ever again!
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 905 Member
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    I have suffered from depression all my life and Anxiety in more recent years. How do you deal with taking care of yourself when you have moments that you just cant give a damn. I was on antidepressants but they made me apathetic and tired so I gained more weight by just laying around all day. Im off now so I am losing weight but then I will have a bad couple of days were I just dont care. What are your ways to cope with depression??

    I've been dealing wth anxiety for years, and I'm not sure if I'm dealing with depression. What I try to do is to find something to do that I like: puzzles, music, something that redirects my energy.
  • GeoffM19681
    GeoffM19681 Posts: 10
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    For me, I was incorrectly diagnosed with depression more than half my life with many years of "self medicating." A little over a year ago, my primary doctor said, "Hey, I think you are bipolar." I did not really know what that meant at the time.

    Fast forward, that probably was the best day for me as I am now being treated for Bipolar II and my swings now make sense. The meds help a lot but every day I wonder what normal really is or if there is such a thing. I have to keep reminding myself, Bipolar, depression, and other mental disorders are just like cancer and other diseases. You have to take care of yourself or you will have a minor or major relapse. Unfortunately, you are never cured.

    What helps me: Meds, getting enough sleep, being around supportive people, staying active, healthy eating, not dwelling on the past (that's hard at times), identifying when my BP mind is speaking and not my rational mind, and knowing when I have to ask for help. Did I say staying on my meds?

    The worse part of having a mental disorder for myself and many, the negative connotations that go along with it. Many people incorrectly think it is just a personality deficiency and don't realize there is a physical basis for these disorders caused by a chemical imbalance that people can't control on their own.
  • charlybu
    charlybu Posts: 47 Member
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    I won't hate on you, whatever gets you healthy and out of a depressive episode is great. There's no one road to health and success. But for people whose depression is closely linked to abuse and trauma, a focus on self-worth isn't selfish at all. It's a radical act of resistance and survival.

    Thank you for not hating. I like the way you have developed logical systems for dealing with your anxiety. Manipulating your brain into sanity (or something close) is a great way to overcome the illogical anxiety that you feel. That's very similar to what I do, but I like your stop light visual.

    My depression and anxiety problems ARE closely linked to abuse and trauma. You can't recover by remaining a victim, though. That's the problem I see with the majority of depression sufferers (not you, as far as I can tell). Too many of them are too comfortable being happy little victims to do anything about their problems. It makes a handy excuse.

    I think that you are confusing the worth of the individual with the respect of the individual. One should not be dependent on the other. Our worth does not come simply from the fact that we are present here on earth. It comes from outside of ourselves. Dare I say, it comes from God. Not because we deserve it. There is absolutely nothing we can be or do to deserve a happy life. But we are supposed to care for others whether they deserve it or not, and respect them as individuals whether they deserve it or not.

    Saying to ourselves that someone should not have treated us a certain way because we are worth more than that is a lie. The truth is that no one should treat another like that whether or not they're worth anything. The first statement justifies abuse on people who are "unworthy", and being stuck in a depression it is too easy to put yourself in the "unworthy" category because truthfully it's where we all belong. The second statement says it's wrong. Period.

    I know this is probably too deep for an MFP forum ;)
  • tmwk51
    tmwk51 Posts: 9
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    After being on and then off antidepressants for quite some time I came to the realization that life, for me, is better with them. Nothing and I do mean NOTHING would make me feel better when I was in a depressed state and I just realized that life is too short to live that way. You mention side effects from the medications you were prescribed....did you ask your Doctor if you could try something else? Sometimes it takes a few tries before you find one that works for you but when you do it'll be like you've come alive. Trust me.
  • HSingMomto7Kids
    HSingMomto7Kids Posts: 345 Member
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    I have really bad depression and anxiety too especially as of recently! And I am still in it!! I have a huge fear of people leaving me. I know it is the depression/anxiety in me that makes all those negative feelings seem soo real like these negative things will happen. Exercise gets hormones moving and I know for me it makes me feel better, but when you are in that depression it is really difficult to see that place in the distance!! As others have said I wish I could get rid of the depression too. It sucks! It is soo much easier said than done! Maybe adding others for motivation would be helpful for you!! I am amazed that soo many are in the same boat!! I know anxiety is pretty bad too. For me it seems it takes a world of its own thinking the worst. I hope all of us find a way through it as it is really and truly a tough life to deal with!! Anyone can add me if you wish!!
  • phyllio77
    phyllio77 Posts: 192 Member
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    I drive to a nice hiking spot and take a stroll taking photos. I find this helps center myself and I get excercise. I used to hate going but now I look forward to it and often google places to hike. I like to be alone and I force myself to go out.
  • EEpling89
    EEpling89 Posts: 152
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    I'm so glad I found this thread! I have struggled with depression and anxiety of differing levels ever since I was 15 and then it got more severe in 2008 when my dad passed away and I started gaining weight. The posts here are so inspiring and I'm done telling myself that depression will get in my way!
  • Pinkigloopyxie
    Pinkigloopyxie Posts: 231
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    Well, I used to just eat chocolate and such things when I became depressed. Now I sort of just end up going to bed early. sometimes if I have an episode when I'm at work I will just take a minute to sit down (I can now hug my knees to my chest) and take some deep breaths and try to just let go. Not trying to pretend to be happier, but just letting go of emotion entirely so I don't feel anything but a desire to fulfill my work tasks.

    If a pill could really make it all better, I'd take it. But I'm not going to mess with dosages and brain chemicals just because. I can generally pull myself out on my own.

    As for anxiety... just removing myself from the situation if possible. Calming myself down again, or just curling up somewhere and emptying my mind. Works most of the time. I just wish I didn't have to do it so often.
  • briannadunn
    briannadunn Posts: 841 Member
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    I have been on Zoloft and finally went to a natural path and found out that I had extremely low vitamin D levels and that was the leading cause of my depression. She then gave me a herbal tea blend that helps immensely and I just started taking it again. Vitamin B also is a energy booster. I have had five kids and suffer from depression after they are born. If you are not on medications I will share my tea blend but I would talk to your doctor before you take it. It is all natural but it has St. Johns Wart in it and that has medication side effects.
  • shelbs2832
    shelbs2832 Posts: 10
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    I've always had really bad depression and I get really bad anxiety attacks quite frequently. It definitely makes it hard to lose weight and do positive things for yourself, especially when you really don't care. I've been on 5 different meds so far...The first two made me really suicidal and I actually attempted to commit suicide a few times because of them...So I immediately got off of those. Then, the next one made me throw up all the time, so I obviously had to stop with that one too. The one after that made me have more anxiety attacks and made me even more anxious than I already was. I just started on a new one after being off meds for nearly a year and I am actually thinking its working for once. When I was off my meds it was really hard to get up and do something. I was in a really abusive relationship and I lived with the guy, which made it even worse. He was constantly bashing me and beating up on me, which made me feel even more miserable about myself. I don't know what got into me, but one day I just wanted to make a change and actually have something to look forward to, so I started dieting. My boyfriend didn't really like that I was doing something for myself and started bashing me more. I picked up TONS of doubles at work, I was crazy haha. Did 16 hour days 4 or 5 days a week at least. My co-workers were always willing to help me, whether it be with my diet or just support. A few of them even went on a diet with me. Finally, my boyfriend just got so mad that I was doing something for me that he couldn't control, that he kicked me out. My first thought was OMG I have nowhere to go! I thought that he was my only lifeline. My mom had me move in with her. My current job was a long ways away from my moms house so I had to put my 2 weeks in and I moved to the sub list. I still pick up shifts there so that I have an income until I find a full time job here. Lately, my weight loss has been going GREAT, and so has everything else. I'm losing weight, I'm 99.9% sure I found a full-time job, I'm getting my own place this week. :) I'm making all of these positive changes for ME, and I did it by MYSELF. Either way, moral of the story is...Even on the bad days, I know its SUPER hard because I've been there girl...Put a BIG smile on your face, real or fake, and just think about what your doing for yourself and why your doing it. Just remember, sometimes it gets worse before it gets better, but if you have a positive attitude it just makes things that much easier! :) Feel free to add me girly... I'm sure we coud both use the support! :)
  • pastryranger
    pastryranger Posts: 1
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    *Hugs to Shelbs*

    I am right there with you. I've heard all of my well-intentioned friends telling me to work out more, and I would just end up sitting on the floor and crying. Not the most effective. :) I'm obviously still trying to figure this stuff out myself, but I am very into tracking and logging. I would love to find a way to sync up my MFP with my moodtracker.com account to maybe help me actually visually see patterns between my mood and my exercise and diet. I would love that as an MFP feature.
  • TommiEgan
    TommiEgan Posts: 256 Member
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    I have Adjustment Disorder with anxiety and depression and somedays are harder than others for me. I find that music puts my head back into line and also trying to focus on fulfilling small goals. The hardest thing for me was talking to my parents and my famiyl about it as I felt likea freak but with the help of my girlfriend and parents I am still here today :)

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