Does anybody have advice for overcoming depression?

If you find something that works, let me know.

Exercise... seriously. It's the one thing I didn't see you mention. Not that it's a cure or anything, but it can help.

Perhaps another doctor too if you've given your current regimen at least 3 months and there's still no change.

Yes, but you can only workout so much before you run into injuries from overtraining making it even more unbearable. 7 days a weeks for two hours a day can only go so long.

I'd also say it depends on the issue that is causing the depression.

Give an anti- depressant a chance. If it doesn't work, you can always quit taking it!

Give an anti- depressant a chance. If it doesn't work, you can always quit taking it!

Anti-depressants take 2-3 MONTHS. If it hasn't been that long, you're asking too soon. And if the medication doesn't work, another medication might. I went through 3 anti-depressants before I found one that reduced my symptoms. It's a wait, but that's how it works. In the meantime, please consider seeing a different therapist. Aside from the fact that your mileage may vary with any given therapist, there are many different types of therapy. Maybe the one you tried wasn't right for you.

Here are the major four types: http://psychcentral.com/therapy.htm

well my opinions might be a bit controversial, but i think it depends if it's situational or chemical and if you can tell the difference.

if it's chemical then meds..

if it's situational then maybe start brain storming ways you can improve what's going on.



good luck

find something that you can focus on , a hobby that makes you feel good , depression is hard to overcome ive been on meds many times, I don't believe in taking pills so I tried many things , music, gardening etc and exercise really has helped

find something that you can focus on , a hobby that makes you feel good , depression is hard to overcome ive been on meds many times, I don't believe in taking pills so I tried many things , music, gardening etc and exercise really has helped

Just because meds don't work for you don't mean that they don't work for other people. In truly severe cases of depression, NO hobby is satisfying. There have been points in my life where nothing, including food!, gave me any satisfaction. I probably wouldn't be alive today if someone hadn't encouraged me to try anti-depressants.

I suffered from Anxiety and Depression back in 2004. Was a horrible experience. At the time I was finishing university. I decided to move abroad and chill out on a beach for a few years. I could only do this because I had a job that allowed me to work online. But it cured me.
Hope you find a way to overcome it.

It doesn't cure you, it treated the symptoms... Please don't spread misinformation.

Well, I've started to heal myself according to ayurveda, though I had a little bit different problems (acne, anxiety, stress) and it quite helped me to overcome these. I think you should also look for culprit in your food (that's what ayurveda says).

I've suffered depression through most of my life, and it's not a simple fix. I've been off antidepression meds for years (on account of me not having insurance for 11 years), and there have definitely been some low points in my life.

What keeps me going is reminding myself that I do have friends and family who care a lot about me and want me to do well. I've gone from being a loser working a crappy pizza cook job to becoming an English teacher, and a lot of that has to do with that support.

There are days though that I just want to turn off the world. No one knows my pain; no one knows what it's like being as along as I am. I do remind myself that there are people who do know these things, but beyond that, I just keep pushing for the future. If I change myself, maybe it'll cause people to be drawn to me, and I keep making strives to improving myself on a regular basis.

Finally, I'll impart some wisdom that a mentor of mine passed onto me. He told me that he used to experience the same feelings I did. He said it was like getting into a really dark elevator, riding it downwards for miles, then opening it to a room that's entirely pitch black - no sign of light.

He went on to tell me that the best way out is to take stock in what you enjoy. Take some time for yourself - love yourself. For me, I like to take a nice walk around a pond near my house; especially when the sun is setting. It's gorgeous and it just puts me in a better mood. Other times I'll just grab my guitar and just strum/sing my heart out. All you need to do is do something for yourself now and again. It won't alleviate the pain entirely, but maybe it will remind you what's so amazing in this life of yours.

And if you don't have anything like that, go find something! Find what soothes your mind and embrace it.

And yes, you are most definitely not alone. Don't let it consume you; you'll always find the support you need.

This is what worked for me:

1: Getting off medication. (This is something you have to discuss with your doctor. Medication helps many people, I'm just not one of them)

2: Getting on birth control to keep hormonal mood swings in check.

3: Taking St. John's Wort. (DO NOT take this if you are taking an SSRI. They act similarly in the brain and can cause an overdose when taken together. If this option interests you, talk to your doctor about it.)

4: Eating a nutrient-dense diet. (This is something I'm not very good at yet, but I'm improving. There's some research that depression may be linked to nutrient deficiencies, such as B12. Again, discuss with your doc.)

5: Exercise. This doesn't have to be anything super intense. I know the "I don't want to get out of bed ever" feeling that often comes with depression. So, I started with just walking.

6: Getting outside. Low vitamin D (produced by skin in response to sun exposure) has been seen to have some association with depression. Exposure to sunlight can also help regulate your circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep. There's also a lot of research about nature therapy going on. Exposure to nature seems to help people with a variety of mental health issues.

7: Getting enough, quality sleep. For me, there's a pretty narrow range of sleep amount I can get with out screwing my mood. Less than 6 or more than 8 tends to leave me feeling lethargic, and if it goes on for a while, I start having depression symptoms. Quality also matters. Turn off the screens, relax before bed, sleep in a dark, quite room, etc.

None of these are a magic cure. For any of these to help, it takes time and consistency. And, in my experience at least, they have to be done in combination.

And, again, talk to your doctor about these things before making any changes. Whether you're on medication or not, lifestyle should be part of your plan to kick depression out on its behind. If your doc hasn't talked to you about this, bring it up.

I certainly can relate and empathise because I've been there three times. '93, 2001 and 2005. Each episode got worse. First time I just exercised more, Second time around I had to go on medication (quite mild). Third time around I needed stronger med, had counseling (which I was reluctant to do, but I found worked) and made a real effort to get my exercise levels up. It all worked. Took about 12-18 months to get myself right.

Touch wood its 2014, and I haven't felt this good for 20 years. Having said that, I'm approaching 40 and have really upped the exercise and watching my calorie intake. Lost 15kgs and feel great.

If you are reluctant to go on prescription medication (but there are some great SSRIs that really work), you could try a supplement regime which has helped me the past couple of years. Some will work for you, others not. Its quite a bit of trial n error (without any side effects in doing so). You could try to get your growth hormone levels up naturally through the use of colostrum, glutamine and GABA. Also you can improve your mood through Nootropics such as piracetam.

Also as much sunshine and outside warmth as possible - I live in a temperate climate (cold grey winters, but long dry hot summers - so I'm outdoors whenever I can in summer, and there is irrefutable evidence that vitamin D and sunlight has a positive impact on seratonin levels. I certainly notice it!

There is also a supplement called 5-HTP which is derived from a African herb that has positive impacts on seratonin and melatonin levels. Works for many - didn't for me, but worth a shot. (Dont take ifwhen on SSRIs though). Also Alpha-GPC (derived from soy) can also be beneficial.

If you are having trouble sleeping, 3grams of GABA right before bed works wonders. GABA is a natural neurotransmitter in the brain and its great to improve the quality of your deep sleep. Good 'deep sleep' is crucial when working on depression as it helps the brain fix the balance chemically.

As I said, Ive done some work around these (it helps having a background and qualifications in science), read medical papers and journals and as such feel great.

So my three pronged 'attack' was to drop my calorie intake by about one-third (I don't ban any foods, just limit intake), doubled my exercise per week from 2 to 4 hours, and have formulated a great supplements regime that over time has helped as well.

All the best - it takes work, courage, but you'll get through it.