Depression coming back - how to stop it

lots and lots of exercise. also maybe meeting with a therapist? do you live in an area where it gets very sunny? the sun will help with the depression as well.

goodluck!!!:flowerforyou:

Don't let the bad things hit you in the face.Take up Kick boxing and this will bring out all the bad things hurting you.I am talking from my past experiences.I use my treadmill everyday and work off all the bad things that can't hurt your weightloss success too.

I have the same issue. I am right now weaning myself off the drugs. What I do is excercise and started to see my chiropractor regularly. And without the excercise I noticed a big difference just by seeing her. She had mentioned when I started that I will be going off the drugs just by seeing her. But I have since joined this site and doing regular excercise and going outside and getting fresh air helps alot.

My suggesstion and I'm no doctor so please take this with a grain of salt. My mother was always depressed growing up.... So i feel like i can tell you from life experience.

Start working out and doing things that get stress out. I found kick boxing/ boxing/ using a punching bag helps. Then instead of holding it in and crying it out talk about it with a partner/friend/ vent on here. Start a blog and get it out and feedback as much as possible. The world wouldn't be better without you and you need keep telling yourself that. You are a stonge woman and you beat it once and you will again. anti- depressants are evil and take you out of the game. If all else fails seriously go talk to someone and explain your feelings about how the drugs made you feel and to please try a more holistic approch.

A therapist is a great idea as re-occurance usually is the result of something deepr going on then a one time instance.
You may want to look into a light box for emotional support too, especially since England does not get alot of sunlight to stimulate seritonin production
Also, speak to a nutritionist or pharmasist about taking 5- Htp, which also promotes seritonin production (as opposed to being a seritonin re-uptake inhibitor). Folic acid has also been linked to improved mood.
And like the rest - work out and get 8 hours of sleep a night
please remember however that if things are NOT improving you do need to see a Dr. Tell them about the anti-depressants from last time causeing you some distress. There are plenty of different types out there and trying out a few different ones might be what you need to do.

i too have been on meds for depression. I started tai chi actually i bought a video and use it every day it helps calm me and i deal with the depression so far without meds again. Also exercises and this web site. feel free to add me as a friend

Depression is a chemical imbalance, remember. It is not simply something you can "get yourself out of". Sure, you can do things that boost your spirits, like exercise and such...and that is WONDERFUL. However, if you do have clinical depression, then sometimes, medication is the best choice.

I have seen the effects of trying to treat it on your own...it is not pretty.

Therapists are a wonderful thing....I think everyone should have one. LOL They can help and they can also help you figure out how severe your depression is.

Okay, off my soap box.

Be well and take care

I have also struggled with severe depression/anxiety issues in the past so I can really sympathize with your situation. First of all, I think being able to recognize these feelings as they creep up is over half of the battle. Taking action at the first signs can help prevent fully slipping back into your old habits. Here's some of what I do:

Try to GET UP, GET OUT and GET MOVING. Whether it's hitting the gym, a walk around the block, frequent trips to the grocery store or a night out with the family....it doesn't really matter, just get out and move. This for me is probably the most important thing, yet it's the hardest thing to do when I'm feeling depressed. After my father passed away my mothers therapist gave her a little bit of nifty advice that I have also found to be helpful. Right when you wake up every morning be sure get showered and dressed all the way down to your shoes. That way you are ready to face the day and more likely to get out and get things done. Second most important thing for me is nutrition. The better I eat the better I feel. So eating a well balanced diet and trying to avoid sugary candies, drinks and other things of that nature (when possible) really does help a lot. I also find it helpful to avoid alcohol when I'm feeling down because that seems to just make things worse.

I also take Vitamins. They are expensive but totally worth it for me because they help me a great deal. I take a D3 and a B-complex on a regular basis. I do believe that what kind of Vitamins you take really matters so I only buy whole food vitamins (preferably raw) and steer clear of the synthetic stuff. I do a lot of aroma therapy, I my essential oils and there are a lot of oils that can help with your mood and anxiety. Some of my favorites are Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Frankincense, Rose, Sandalwood , Ylang Ylang, Bergamot and Lemongrass. I try to take a nice hot bath with oils at least twice week after a stressful day and it does wonders! I also take herbs. One that seems to work for some people with depression is Motherwort. But like depression medication it isn't something that works as an "instant fix" it's something you have to take for a while before you start seeing the benefits. It's worth a try but when ingesting anything be careful and tell your doctor, especially if you have any allergies to things like this. Hmm what else?....When I have trouble sleeping I'll have a cup of hot Chamomile before bedtime and it really helps me calm down. Also, anything with Jasmine in it seems to calm my nerves too.

I have managed to stay off medication for 4 years doing things like this, but everyone is different. Depression is obviously a very serious thing and should not be treated lightly. If you feel things are out of your control please don't hesitate to seek professional help. Good luck!

5HTP 100mg last thing at night and first thing in the morning and also a Vit D supplement - that's what works for me. Have your Vit. D levels measured. What you get in a multivitamin is not enough. I take about 2000 iu every day and even more during times of stress.

You could also look into St. John's Wort. It helps some people, but did not help me. Try Melatonin to improve your sleep cycle. Start with 1mg and see how it goes.