Depression

me too! must be something going around. I've been off meds since 2007 but also feel an imminent 'meltdown'. I am fighting it but see medication (and more therapy) in my future.
I don't know what it's about - physically I feel better than I have in years - perhaps it's this 'recession'? I don't know I feel very defeated & hopeless - this feeling with my illness causes me to FREAK OUT. I will leave my home & everything & go live in the woods in a tent. Probably not the best life for a mentally ill senior citizen ....

Take care of yourself. You're NOT ALONE. Eat well, get plenty of sleep - keep busy & try not to 'dwell' on things that bother you

Take the pills if you need them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Don't let yourself get pulled back into the "abyss". I know it's hard, just put one foot in front of the other.

I hope you feel better soon. Depression is serious and I won't jeopardize your life by making suggestions I am not qualified to make.

I have been in that situation once in my life. It lead to extreme fatigue, which stopped me from exercising, when exercising was desperately needed to pull me out of depression. I felt I could easily stop breathing and die in bed.

I hope you find your way out, keep moving forward, keep fighting because it is a day-by-day almost minute-by-minute constant struggle. Should you have to follow your doctors orders, that's fine, don't feel like you've failed to control it on your own. We are all here to support you!

I also have suffered with depression. Instead of meds I just buried myself in work, drank more than I should, laid around in bed, etc. In 2009 I decided I needed a change. The two things that always seemed to help with my depression was working out and being out in nature. I had always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail, but figured I would wait till I was retired. I had enough money saved, I was burnt out on my job, and I was ready to make a change. I spent six months hiking 2178 miles from Georgia to Maine. As you can imagine on the trail you have alot of time to reflect on your life, your dreams, and plenty of time to make goals and create a plan for those goals. I realized that one of the things I had been doing that wasn't helping my depression was my buying habits. I would go out and buy a new bike, new computer, etc and then all the money I was making was going into paying for those items instead of investing for the future. On the trail you carry everything you need on your back. You start off with everything you think you need and after a couple of days carrying that load up and down the mountains you quickly realize that there are alot of things/weight in your pack that you really do not need. Doing this for six months really taught me that I don't need a new car, I don't need expensive clothes, I don't need a huge house, etc. A simple life is so much more enjoyable. After the trail instead of going back to work doing civil engineering for developers, I took a CE job doing conservation work. I have started a small homestead. It will be several years before the fruit trees and nut trees start producing but I am enjoying the work. I am also getting back into triathlons. I just feel much better when I wake up early, workout before work, and then spend the afternoon out on the property or visiting friends.

Your passion may not be the outdoors or working out. Do things you enjoy... Create a list of goals and a list of things you want to do. Share your list with someone who will hold you accountable. Then work on accomplishing that list.

If you feel like you are heading into that downward spiral, the best thing to do is stop yourself from going there. I don't think you should feel like medication is a bad thing, it really helps a lot of people. I took anti-depressants for a little over a year (I have moderate depression and anxiety) and I was ashamed of it at first. But if you really need them, and aren't abusing the drugs, there is no shame in that.

Depression is a chemical imbalance, and the meds will help correct that. Don't let yourself get to that low point again!

The brain is an organ just like the heart. If you have a chemical imbalance that is causing depression, taking anti-depressants is like taking heart medication for a bum ticker. It's mostly the stigma of mental health issues that make taking mental meds taboo. You can't "tough out" a heart defect, so if things are getting terrible, try the meds.

If you have adverse side effects, like people have previously mentioned, there are other drugs, switch. And make sure you tell your provider to put you on a weight neutral med.

Lastly, if this is a depression that stems from a trauma like abuse, rape, a traumatic incident of any kind (personal stuff you don't need to share), then get on the meds short term to balance you out, and make sure you address the issues with counseling of some type because in this case, the pills are only treating the symptoms. Good luck.

this

I used to cycle into deep depression every 4 years. I was on pills in high school and college, but the last time scared me off of them for good (long story). I've found that when I feel the old feelings coming on exercise really helps, as well as talking about it with my friends and family. Therapy and opening up to loved ones has been amazing for me, I've had to find my own truth, take time for me, and do something to work it out. Running gives me time to work out my problems in my head, lifting gives my pent up energy an out, and the rest of my exercise gives me time to escape from daily life for an hour.

Alternatives:

Minerals (body deficiency can result in depression)
St. John's Wort
Passion Flower

Increase Good Proteins and Healthy Fats (chicken, fish, grass-fed beef, olive oil, coconut oil)
Reduce or eliminate sugar and breads/pastas

Been there, done that. Got the T-shirt! Depression is an illness - a serious illness - if you need medication then you NEED medication. You wouldn't "choose" to be on medication for any other illness if it was required.

Depending on the level of your depression you may be able to self-motivate yourself to get some exercise, find meaningful activities and get some good restful sleep, but if not, accept that medication is a step to getting well again.

St John's Wort is an effective herbal/natural anti-depressant - so effective that should not be taken with pharmaceutical anti-depressants, so maybe that might be an effective remedy if you don't want to get the prescription anti-depressants.

Take care, and stay safe. :flowerforyou:

Years ago when I would refuse to take aspirin for a headache someone said why not take something that is going to help you feel better and stop the suffering.

That decision is up to you.

I've been there and tried to cut back and get off anti-depressants and it made it clear that for me the medication is what I need.

Best of luck.

Karen

Hi,
I am having depression as well. My situation is I was married for 31 years and my husband passed in November of 08. He wad not ill long and passed with congenital heart failure. The second thing was I just lost my son in Aug of last year. He was a great well rounded healthy young man of 34 years of age. A blood clot broke off and he went suddenly. One thing I can suggest is to continueously pray and have a close friends. With both of these I did not use any medication for the depression. Prayer works. Some days are better than others but I still move on. I think also staying busy, dieting and exercise can help.

Peace & Blessings

:sad:

Oh my gosh sweetie. I am so sorry for your loss! Lots of love, and prayers your way!

Hi

It is taking me a lot of courage to post this so please don't judge me, I am looking for advice not sympathy.

I have suffered from depression in the past and spent many years on anti-depressants. I came off the tablets about three years ago and I felt great. About two years ago my weight loss journey began and for a long time I have felt 'good'.

Recently I have felt myself 'going down' again and I am increasingly feeling like I'm on the way to another 'meltdown'. I saw the Dr yesterday and he wanted me to go back on the tablets and to be signed off work. I said no to both, but promised to go back if I don't feel better soon. I want to beat this and see going back on the tablets as a backwards step. Most people I've spoken to automatically say 'don't go back on the tablets'. I need some impartial advice. What should I do?

I just want to ask if anyone who's been a situation like this can give me any advice or suggest any alternatives to anti-depressants. I am going to try to up my exercise to see if that helps (sometimes a real struggle because I just don't have the energy).

Thank you for not judging me.

S :blushing:

Not judging you, but I too have depression issues, my husband and my 14 yr old son is bipolar. Alot of these illnesses run in the family. Depression is an illness just like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. You need to treat it. My husband did the same thing and went off his meds and done really well for three years. But the pressures of work, home, kids, etc. brought him back down again. I would strongly advise to listen to your doctor. You have to have something to balance the chemicals in your brain that has gotten out of whack. Exercise will help, but only temporarily. Eating healthy does too, but the meds are most needed (acutally a necessity). You want to be happy right? Just do it. If you are determine not too, then take St. John's Wart. Have not tried it myself but I have heard it might help. Hope this helps. Good luck to a healthy and HAPPY future. :-)

I have dealt with depression all my life. I am on meds now (they are new ones) and have been most of my life. I CAN REALLY tell when I am out and need them back. Exercise is also great for depression as well as sun (this is according to my doctor as I am not an expert). Personally there is nothing wrong with taking meds for something if you need them..ie high cholesterol, high blood pressure etc. I do not know you or your situation but as for me if I am off my meds I know immediately when I am spiraling down and I go down fast so you have to do what works for you. I also think that if you go exercise you will have more energy the more you do it.

We here on MFP are NOT here to judge but to give support, advice, motivation and encouragement. GOD is the only one who can or who has the right to judge us as a person. I will keep you in my prayers and I hope you truly do find what works for you. You are special and you are unique don't forget that.

Please feel free to come to us again, add me as a friend or just send me a message sometime if you need to vent or anything!!

Hugs to you,
Bev