Depression, how did you deal with it?

I have problems with depression that began when I was 12. The only thing that has helped my depression has been eating well and exercise. I still have my bad days, but losing weight has helped me tremendously. especially the exercise aspect of it. If you take good care of yourself, you WILL feel better. Losing weight has taught me patience, and to realize that I have the power to change the situation I'm in. Knowing that has carried through to every aspect of my life, including my depression. Committing to a healthy lifestyle has been the only thing that has worked for me. I've tried medications but never for a long enough time to see real results, but I would recommend leaving your options open because in some cases good diet and exercise just isn't enough. You can do this! Just always remember that

Ok, so I personally am not sure if I am going through depression but it maybe the cause of why I have been feeling the way I do and why I have been acting how I have for the past year and a half. And I am sure it can be some of the reason why I have failed to do anything about my weight other than complain. So I am just interested if anyone has gone through this and if so did you take the medication or did you try to beat it the natural way. I have an appointment this Friday for this but I am unsure what way I wanna go if I do have depression. I am not sure if I want the medication. But then again this all could just be me and I just to deal with it and fix it and stop my complaining, but I don't know. Just kinda looking to hear from your experiences and maybe it will help me. Thanks in advance. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Well...it depends.

To begin with, the argument that depression meds is unnatural and bad is silly. Seriously. Look at allllll the unnatural things in your life - but that's where you draw the line? Do you pass up meds when you're sick, or have a headache?

If you are clinically depressed, it could be because of factors in your life piling up. It could also be that your life is fine but the chems in your brain are not, and are making you think everything is crap.

Absolutely go and get a determination. Therapy might help and that's a route many take. Also remember that being on depression meds is not necessarily a life sentence, so don't be afraid of it. If you do go the meds route, go into it knowing that it can take 6-8 weeks for them to kick in, so keep taking them.

Volunteer work will help your depression.

If your doctor told you that you had diabetes and needed to take insulin to control it, would you have any problem doing that?

That is how the stigma that anything labeled "mental illness" carries affects us, it makes us want to deny our illnesses and not take medication and think we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.

Depression affects a ton of people. I hope you will be open with your doctor and follow their advice. A referral to a psychiatrist and possibly a counselor would be preferable to just going to a gp. If you do start taking antidepressants, notify your doctor IMMEDIATELY if you start having trouble sleeping, if your thoughts are racing or you start speaking super fast. It may be bipolar and antidepressants are the absolute wrong thing for that disorder.

NAMI probably has a local chapter in your area, they are super helpful and nice and full of good information specific to your area. http://www.nami.org/

I agree with the other posters who mentioned that eating right and exercising does help quite a bit with depression. Flylady's emails are also helpful, she nags you each day to get up, put your shoes on and do your hair. http://www.flylady.net/

I wish you the very very best of luck in dealing with this. (((hugs)))

I struggled with it throughout my teen years, and medication never seemed to help, I literally tried every single one and the ones that did make me feel better had side effects that made it not work for me (i.e. 50 lb weight gain at 15). Starting to exercise and losing some weight did genuinely help me feel better. Switching my birth control made an extremely dramatic difference, I'm a totally different person now! Also, getting a dog. He really does make me feel better, having something that relies on you feels great, and he always knows when im upset and will comfort me.

With all of that though, I had great friends that listened to me for hours when I was at my worst, and my boyfriend has stuck around through all of it. So basically, as everyone else has said, there are a lot of factors to be considered, I recommend trying therapy first, because if you can get to the root of why you feel the way you do, you don't need the medication, unless of course the problem is just a chemical imbalance, in which case the meds are needed lol. But just talk with a professional, try different things to help you feel better!

Without therapy and medication I don't think i would have ever been able to lose as much as I have. Trust your doctors judgement on medication and if you ever feel like it isn't doing its job tell them. You can go through many different types until you find the one that works for you. Depression is a disease like any other and can be treated.

Depression has been a huge factor in my journey. It caused me to gain over 150 lbs in 5 years and through therapy and medication I have been fighting back and winning. After the death of my Grandmother I fell back in to one for 3 months and gained 10 lbs after losing 130. It just something that happens to all of us, whether we are aware of it or not. Keep pushing on!

I'll add ya too. Also everyone else feel free to add me too

I am hypothyroid and before i was diagnosed I felt the same way. It took sometime after being put on thyroid medication to start feeling "normal" again. Try checking for other medical conditions also.

Just saw this. Sorry. I stand by my point though!

Keep us updated! Hope it works for you!

I wanted to give you props for going and getting help. Its very tough thing to do.

Also I wanted to add a note: some meds will make you feel much worse and not better. It may take time to find the right one... just keep an open line of communication with your Dr. Tell a trusted friend/family member about the medicine so they can look out for you and help you get back to the Dr. if you need it.

Also, I personally never found the right medicine, so its not always the answer. I started seeing a therapist though, for a separate issue, and she helped me find healthy and productive ways to deal with emotions. Its taken time, but her advice, and being able to talk to someone without worry of judgement, has been the key to freedom for me.

Wishing you great success and many happy days ahead!

You asked for how we PERSONALLY deal with depression, so I will tell you. This may not be how you choose, but we are all entitled to our opinions, maybe this will help someone!

I've dealt with depression a large part of my life that I feel honestly stemmed from low self esteem and body image issues. What helps me is doing things for others. I think depression has a lot to do with yourself. It has been helpful to me to love on someone else, do something nice for them, help others and encourage others. Take the focus off the feeling and FORCE yourself to show love and kindness on someone else!

Also, personally for me, I'm a Christian and it helps me to focus on what Christ says about me and His promises. I meditate and scriptures, memorize them, and say them out loud even and pray and worship God despite how I feel.

Another thing, personal development books are great for life development overall!

I had depression that affected my life in a negative way in my late teens and again in my early twenties. I still feel the signs sometimes and I still check myself regularly. I have done a variety of things that have been helpful for me over the last twenty years. I have not taken medication for depression, but I would be more likely to take them today, if needed, because they are superior to what we had twenty years ago. (Help produce serotonin rather than block neurotransmitter receivers.)

Anyhow, this is what I do:

Walk. A doctor once told me to walk to help with my headaches. I did and it helped.
Run. Running gives me endorphins and changes the chemistry of my brain line almost nothing else.
Do what you like to do for you. This was hard for me at first, because I was so used to taking care of other people that I didn't even know what I like to do. I find crochet and other other creative, crafty activities therapeutic. My hobbies change all the time, in the past they have included reading, cooking, gardening, weight lifting, biking and swimming.
Put down your phone and go outside. Simple.
Practice moderation. In everything.
Have a few good girlfriends and chat with them often.
I have been sitting under a lamp for fifteen minutes every morning. Natural sunlight inhibits melatonin which can make you feel blue during the day. This also helps guide your natural rhythm during the day so that you have adequate melatonin at night for sleeping.
Eat carbs, have a little chocolate now and then.


Like others have said, exercise, a balanced diet and keeping weight down all help. If you can still force yourself to get up, get out, and get some exercise without needing medication, then I suggest that you do this every day.

Update: I went and was given medication. I started it last night, so we shall see how this all goes. Thank you all so much for all the advice I really appreciate it. And to some who asked about my thyroid, that was checked just 6 months ago and it is fine. Thank you!! :flowerforyou:

Let us know how you are doing:)
It is still a good idea to pair medication with talking, exercising, taking care of you, etc.

Volunteer work will help your depression.

What the?

It may help boost self esteem but I think thats over simplifying mental health a smidge!