Question... Not health, fitness or food related.

My mother suffers from depression and one of the things that helped her is to exercise. Yes, it's true, regular exercise changes your brain's chemistry. I'm not just saying that because this is a fitness site, but there is research that supports that people suffering from depression are helped by regularly exercising. The endorphins that are released gives you a happy feeling, not to mention all the other benefits. You should however still check in with your doctor and let him/her know how you're feeling.

My uncle is a psychiatrist and the director of psychiatry of a clinic , and he highly recommended this to my mother as well.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

My mother suffers from depression and one of the things that helped her is to exercise. Yes, it's true, regular exercise changes your brain's chemistry. I'm not just saying that because this is a fitness site, but there is research that supports that people suffering from depression are helped by regularly exercising. The endorphins that are released gives you a happy feeling, not to mention all the other benefits. You should however still check in with your doctor and let him/her know how you're feeling.

My uncle is a psychiatrist and the director of psychiatry in MO, and he highly recommended this to my mother as well.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

^^ this helps too. Seriously.

All of the above! I particularly recommend:
1> Try to think more of others and less of yourself - thinking about ourselves is often depressing or anxiety-provoking. Instead focus on what you can do to help or cheer up others.
2> Exercise! It releases natural endorphins that give you a true physiological "high". I had a horrible day the other day and really didn't feel like going to the gym- but I went anyway and it REALLY helped!
3> Pray - but pray like a little kid. Tell God you are upset/angry/mad/bummed out about whatever and you need help.
4> Double check your foods and medications. One time I found myself crying about stupid things almost every day for a week or so- and it was not TOM or anything. Finally it occurred to me that I felt almost like I was drugged or something, so I started thinking about it and realized I had been taking allergy medicine almost every day- just a regular over-the-counter one. So I called my Dad who is a pharmacist and asked him if it could possibly be the allergy medicine. He said ABSOLUTELY. So I stopped taking it and bingo- no more crying!

Hope you feel better soon!

Find some good meds and stop caring so much. If you don't give a f***, then you can really be free. Also realize that the sadness you're feeling is a chemical imbalance in your brain and doesn't necessarily reflect on anything that actually happened.

One of the first steps to feeling better is recognizing how you feel, and then progressing into why you feel that way. I know it sounds like an insanely simple answer to a complex question, but that fundamental understanding of WHAT and WHY will help you determine HOW to recover.

As a clinical depression sufferer throughout my life (medications give me the "fake smile" on the outside, but do nothing for how I really feel), I've found that some of my best self-reflection comes after a solid workout. It puts my mind in a state that I'm not feeling too down, and clear headed enough to think about what's going on in my life.

The last time, I took a weekend for myself... and Saturday morning, I had a hard workout, then had some "me" time so I could reflect the entire day. I followed up with a duplicate session on Sunday.

It might not work for you, and might work for me because I learned a lot of this from previous counseling sessions... but it's worth a try!

I hope you start to feel better, I know the fall/winter months can be a little difficult, because there's little sunshine to literally brighten your day... and please... PLEASE PLEASE... realize that there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help. To be honest, I think it takes a stronger person to admit that there's a problem they cannot solve themselves, and take action to fix it.

Sounds cheesy, but make a list of the things about yourself that you like, things you enjoy doing or being, that you admire, that you know with a little more development could be FANTASTIC! Then make a list of the things that keep you from these, dampen these, or cause you to neglect or "later" the things that make you happy, fulfilled, etc. If there is a disparity, start to balance these things now. Imagine ways to get from now to later, that will make you all YOU want to be. And don't worry about what anyone else thinks right now, if they are not supportive and positive.

Do you get enough sleep, sunlight, and time spent laughing with people? If not, look for ways to maximize this.

Find something you can do for someone else, whether big or small. Donate something, spend an hour or two volunteering. Say good morning to someone you don't know and smile. The more positive things you are able to do, the better you may feel. And I have found that even when you don't expect anything back, it comes back to you anyway.

Wake up one day, say "The Mayans are right, the world is ending 12/12, so before that happens, I want to _________________". And then DO it! And then go to the next thing you would put in that space.......and do it.

If you feel like maybe you're unhappy because of something in your life that you really don't want to face or have to make a decision about, try a counseling session or two JUST to deal with that. It may be enough to clear your head of the negative self- talk and give you the courage to MOVE on whatever it is.

Listen to music that makes you feel like dancing. Then dance. Even if you don't do it well, it's fun, right?

Fake it til you make it is good, but remember- YOU make it. It is what you say it is, so find what you want it to be and keep it going that way.

I admire you for at least getting on and asking for suggestions, rather than just brooding in silence. Step one accomplished!

Know that everyone goes through that at one time or another. Its an emotional/phsychological thing, and it can be crippling. That is why the fake it till you make it thing works for many people. Exercise releases good feeling hormones into your body. That is why it works as well. Doing things for others puts others at a high priority, and that can make you feel accomplished.
My best advise is something I had to do a couple of years ago. I had been on allot of medication for a serious back issue. At one point I chose to dump all the meds and go for a healthier life. My back will always be screwed up, but I wont allow it to control my life. What I did was start a journal of type. Now, just so you know, I cant stand the thought of writing every night...lol. But what I did was make myself write 5 good things about my life that day. No matter how small or unimportant they seem, its for you and your eyes only. Every day write 5 things that are good in your life. Then, after a week, bump it up to maybe 6 or more. They can be some of the same things, but throw some new ones in the mix. Things that are good. It can be as simple as you have eyesight , you can hear,you have a nice smile, you have a boyfriend who cares about you. Do it every night.
And dont be afraid to fail. Go try something new. The success is not in the end. The success is that you tried something new in the first place. So you found something that does not work. You wont know till you try it. Trying is succeeding. That you are here on earth means you are a valuable person. You are never to old to try something new. Wether you realize it, or not, you influence other peoples lives.
Hope all the comments and suggestions that everyone has so encouragingly given will help you.
jac