How can I overcome depression without meds? This is hard for me to talk about :(!
Question: I *know* I'm depressed but I really don't have any reason to be. I have a good job, wonderful husband, and I'm pretty ok with myself. I get a lot of anxiety when I'm around certain people and sometimes I feel I'm like such a failure to my husband and family (even though they've never told me anything like that). Sometimes I lie A LOT so I don't have to face reality. I don't know how to take a *first step* in getting help because I really don't think I feel comfortable telling anyone (even my husband) except my best friend that lives 18 hours away! So I feel I have no support. Maybe it's because I have some esteem issues. I fall in and out of these depressions quite a bit. I'll be "depression free" for months and then all of a sudden it will hit me again. I try to "get over it," but I can't. My insurance kicks in on January 1st so I will then be able to get pills if I need them, but is there anyway I can do it without meds? Thanks
Answers: I *know* I'm depressed but I really don't have any reason to be. I have a good job, wonderful husband, and I'm pretty ok with myself. I get a lot of anxiety when I'm around certain people and sometimes I feel I'm like such a failure to my husband and family (even though they've never told me anything like that). Sometimes I lie A LOT so I don't have to face reality. I don't know how to take a *first step* in getting help because I really don't think I feel comfortable telling anyone (even my husband) except my best friend that lives 18 hours away! So I feel I have no support. Maybe it's because I have some esteem issues. I fall in and out of these depressions quite a bit. I'll be "depression free" for months and then all of a sudden it will hit me again. I try to "get over it," but I can't. My insurance kicks in on January 1st so I will then be able to get pills if I need them, but is there anyway I can do it without meds? Thanks
Depression may be caused by negative thoughts, poor circumstances, loss of loved ones, genetic factors, biochemical imbalance in the brain, emptiness in heart, unforgiveness, addictions etc.
There are some natural mood lifting food and vitamins that you can take with your drugs. They are:
-multivitamin
-Vitamin B complex pills
- Vitamin C
- GABA (you can get this at a pharmacy) it is a natural neurotransmitter in your brain.
- SAMe
- Calcium
- Magnesium
-Evening Primrose oil
- Flax oil
- Omega 3
try to have some exercise daily. Go into the sun. Talk with friends. Pray to Jesus, he gives you peace and lifts your mood. These are scientifically proven to work.
- Listen to soothing music on a couch.
- have aromatherapy
- eat healthily, oats, wheats, brown rice, more fish, chicken, lots of vegetables and fruits and other natural food, less oil, no sugar, no deep fried stuff, less red meat
- drink lots of filtered or bottled water
have a pet
- cultivate new hobbies
- do not take alcohol and avoid caffeine
- tackle your problem that is giving you depression. Problem solve with a counselor or friend to reduce the magnitude of the problem.
- Every time you catch yourself thinking negatively, think what is the most positive way of expressing your feelings and thoughts.
- Forgive others, release all bitterness and release all grudges, love God and love others
- Do a kind deed each day. Volunteer your service to the elderly, orphans etc
- I know I have said a lot. Take baby step, one step at a time. Give yourself time to get out of depression.
Think positively.
You may want to see a psychiatrist and counsellor to work out your problem. Psychotherapy may help. Prayer does help. Claim healing from Jesus. He loves you. Read the Bible, start at book of John. Take note of John 3:16, Acts 2:38. It is God's love message to you.
For anxiety, try deep breathing from your diaphragm and progressive muscle relaxation. You can buy books on how to overcome depression and anxiety.
It takes time to lift out of anxiety and depression. First thing is that you desire to get out of them. Next is the tenacity and perseverance to make changes to your life.
I've been through depression and anxiety, so I understand.
God bless you richly and have a blessed Christmas. Attend a United Pentecostal Church nearby your home. (www.upci.org)
There are brothers and sisters who care and be friends with you.
The thing is your depression could very well be a chemical imbalance. If it is medicine could help it. Tell your husband. He should be there for you, and go to your doctor together. That is the first step you should take to figuring out whats ailing you and how to better it. :)
go to like somone who will help you do stuff that will take ur mind of of stuff go to the beach relax
have you been tested for bipolar disorder you may have that and not depression i am bi polar and i have anxiety attacks and get mood swings etc... its nothing bad its a chemical imbalance i wish there was other ways beside taking meds but its not trust me i asked a few minutes ago try working out most of get a therapist it can help as well
You should talk to your husband maybe he can help you if you get your feeling out there in the open.
You might also want to look into some support groups. Usually local hospitals have them for free or a small fee.
Sometimes it is just normal to have a down feeling no need to worry unless it interferes with your daily living.
try therapy? also i hear passionflower is a great anxiety reliever... you may want to do some research.
there's something wrong only with people who don' t feel depressed from time to time--one way of dealing with depression is realizing it's normal, up to a point, and you can determine whether you've reached that point by asking yourself what is your depression preventing you from having. if you don't receive enough attention and understanding from your husband or your immediate environment, you should open to them, and ask him/them to meet your needs. of course, you should reciprocate. life is hard, and real help is scarce, not because people are inherently bad, but because they have more than they can handle. if you need help, and support, you should ask for it, but also offer it to others.
and, no, the pills won't work.
hey, im maddie, im 13 years old, and i had the sam symptoms 4 about 2 years, and yeah, i said symptoms. this looks like a cause of bipolar disorder. i lie alot just so i get my way and not face the harsh truth that is reality. i have horrible mood swings that will be on 1 month and off the next. i couldnt talk about this to anyone for awhile, but this type of thing can kill people, and if you have it, it my not be urself who gets hurt. this disorder makes people act very very out of character and often question themselves on something that on a daily basis would be confident about. the thing is, when i told my parents about this, they said i was just growing up. but i soon figured that "growing up" wasnt this severe. i took up drugs and alchohol to try and blow it away, and at first i thought it was working, but it came right back. i soon noticed i was on the wrong path, and that even tho breaking a law like that may make you feel better, ur not getting better, just worse. sadly, you cant cure this. u cant get it to go away or stop. but you can talk 2 someone on a regular basis, someone you trust and is easy to talk 2. and necessarily, it doesnt have to be a counsler or psychaitrist. just ask around, and look for a friend you can trust and talk to everyday, and that may be hard, it may force you to step out of a comfort zone or take a risk, but it doesnt have to be a close friend, you could always talk to someone on the internet. but the drugs for this disorder range from something that may make you lose personality, to something that could totally alter your presonality. all the same, medicine could help alot. talk 2 a doctor for recommended pills. im sorry, but there isnt a way to do this without a large drug abuse or no medicine at all.
but you can always talk 2 me, i understand about all of this, and if you ever need someone to talk 2, im always here.
lil_missy_sunshine@yahoo.com
feel free 2 message me if u want to talk
sincerely,
maddie
Yes. My standard posts follow: ANXIETY: See anxiety treatments, at * ezy-build (below) in section 6. Set yourself a fixed limit for worrying about any particular subject, (say; 15 minutes) after which, resolve firmly to refuse to even consider that subject again on that day: realise and accept that to do otherwise would be counterproductive to your mental health, and enjoyment of life. Use the technique for reprogramming negative thoughts and internal monologue (self talk), on pages 2, and 2L, to help you in this, and consider carrying a wide rubber band in your pocket: put it on your wrist; stretch, and release, as a means of reinforcing it, and speeding up the process, re-pocketing it afterwards. Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Also, give the EFT version for use in public places, a good tryout, to see if it helps you (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples) . Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at * http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris also refer. DEPRESSION: See depression treatments, at ezy-build *(below) in section 2, and consult a doctor, to eliminate thyroid problems, etc. as possible contributing factors: also seek a referral to a therapist using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy. It is your decision, and yours alone, as to whether to take any antidepressants offered, but, before you do, read section 1, and check medications out at www.drugs.com so you will be on the lookout for side effects, like sexual dysfunction. My strong recommendation, however, is to follow the advice of my doctor, his associate, and also Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP, and Dr. Mercola, as well, at http://www.mercola.com and avoid antidepressants (pages 2V, and 2Z refer, & antidepressant websites: page 2). The reasons why we all share the same view on this are explained in full, as you will find, if you read the whole section. All of their advice, (except prayer, because many people are not religious) I have incorporated into the "core treatments", including others as options, such as herbal remedies, Inositol, or SAMe. If you are diagnosed with clinical (major) depression, antidepressants may be necessary for a while, which will give the treatments time to become effective. The antidepressants themselves need at least several days, or even many weeks to become effective. It's a good idea to taper off them slowly, with medical advice, after several months, say, to a couple of years, at most, because they are only effective in the long term for about 30% of people. Because of this, you would be well advised to begin the treatments immediately, and maintain them. I'd just thank your mental health care provider, and pocket the prescription, trying the treatments for a few months, to see if they are sufficient for you, before considering filling it (unless clinically depressed, and having great difficulty functioning, or suicidal, in which case I'd take them). If the amount of daylight you have been exposed to recently has reduced, perhaps due to the change of seasons, see Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) in section 2, at * http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris and, instead of taking 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily; replace 2 of them with cod liver oil supplements for the winter months only! (or, as probably a better alternative to the 2 cod liver oil supplements: 1 teaspoonful of cod liver oil, with a little butter, to ensure its use; I take mine on sourdough rye bread, or toast, covered with fishpaste, and pepper, to mask the strong taste). Consider having your doctor test your vitamin D levels. SELF ESTEEM: Practise one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Also, give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you . Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris also refer. Self/esteem/confidence are addressed in section 38. Volunteer, even from home, at first, to provide a solid basis in reality for the daily affirmations: "I am a good person, who is valued by my community, because I.. (insert activity here)..". Section 47 refers. Examine the "finding a therapist" page, and www.1-800-therapist.com website, and use the locators in section 1, and the phone book, to find someone you feel comfortable with discussing these issues, particularly the lying. Psychologists don't prescribe, so are less likely to urge you to take "magic pills".
I'm so grateful you've found the courage to reach out here. It's obvious how much you are struggling. I'm unsure if you've ever sought help, but I suspect not. I'm a 20-year veteran therapist and I help people overcome depression all the time.
I hope you can take your courage the next step and get professional help. It's incredibly sad how alive the "stigma" of depression continues to be in our culture. Depression has no cultural or stratus bounds. I've treated doctors, lawyers, therapists, priests and many others. Depression doesn't care who you are, if it can gain a foothold in an individual's life it will.
There are some good online resources you can try. One of the best books to overcome depression is Michael Yapko's "Breaking The Patterns of Depression." He uses a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) model, which is one of the best to beat depression.
There are some natural remedies for depression and anixety. You can find St. John's Wort at your local healthfood store. It has been proven to help in mild to moderate depression. Also, add 500mg of fish oil (Omega-3) each day. Fish Oil was found, in two studies, to beat out two of the top three antidepressants in each study.
I'd strongly recommend therapy in addition to the natural remedies. Studies show that the best way to beat depression long term is mixing a natural or antidepressant with CBT. The relapse rate is less than 10% when you double team these two remedies.
Depression loves to isolate people, make them feel incredibly alone... like they're the only ones. Part of the power of reaching out, like you did here, breaks this isolation cycle. You can do it. You deserve it. And you have a wonderful family who will benefit from you being in recovery.
Take action today!
BTW, I'm recovering from chronic depression. Have been now for 15 years. I'm in your corner. You CAN do it!
All the best,
Dave Turo-Shields
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