Depression, I won't deny it. . . .

[HvyW8]

For almost three years, I trained my ass off and tried to keep my bodyfat well under 10%. . . . I was only on gear for about 6mths in total that entire time, but I did take ECA and tons of caffeine the entire time with only a few breaks. I starting having trouble sleeping. . . . then went through some stressful times. Now, off and on for the last year I have felt like shit, can't sleep properly and have low libido (haven't touched ECA for over a year, except maybe once or twice a week). I went to the doc for tests and everything was normal (thyroid, free test was 187.5 out of 210). . . been to a few docs actually and they all want to put me on anti-depressants, which I refuse to do. Whenever I start to feel a little better and train a little harder and diet a little harder, it gets worse. I was feeling pretty good a couple of months ago. . then I went to Italy for a few weeks and had a blast. . .but gained about 5 pounds. When I got back, I started training hard to lose it and crashed again. . . .

I won't deny it now, I am probably depressed. . . . . . I think its from the ECA and low carbs.

Two weeks ago, I quit doing cardio and starting eating more and I actually got leaner.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? What's the way to beat this. I even quit drinking coffee now. . . and am training very light.

 

[Bulk King]

Depression can be a hard cross to bare. I go through it from time to time and anti- depressants only fuck me up. I have no answer but wish you well bro.
Oh yeah I've found valium to helpful for really down days if you can get it.

I'll never understand why doctors backed off prescribing benzo's becasue of their addicitve quality's when now instead they push drugs which require addiction in order to be effective.

 

[geoffgarst]

Depression, burn-out - both can be ugly. Personally, you might want to get some Xanax (0.5mg) or Ambien to help calm you at night, so you can sleep better. You may just be experience poor sleeping habits and not really know it. Other than that, I would try to stay away from anti-depressants unless you and your doctor really think you need it. Make some changes in your life. Find a different diet. Change up your daily routine some. Find a new hobby like hiking or something where you can be a little more stress free. I really think if you get something for sleep, it will improve. Good luck, Geoff.

 

[caesar777]

I have the same problem brother. When I'm off I get so deppressed I can go a while without eating right, or even training. (For me this is not normal) I have always battled problems with depression and sleeping and unfortainly there is no easy way to beat it. I refused to take medicine for years. I thought it would make me less of a person or something. I finally broke down swallowed my pride (Thanks to my family and friends telling me I need help) and went to the doctor, started taking medicine and started to fell 100% better. I still go through times when I feel I don't need my meds but I know deep down I do and I do and I feel alot better when I take them. I don't know what to tell you but it might not hurt to listen to what the doc has to say and try it out for a couple months. I can tell you I am glad I got help and hope things get better for you. I know how you feel and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

 

[DP38]

You can ask your doctor if natural products like St-John's Wort can work for you.

It can help for mild to moderate depression, but not for major.

Link to some research:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/stjohnswort.cfm

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/stjohn.html

I hope this can help, but some times medication can't be avoided.

 

[Gigantasor]

I feel your pain man. I went through something similar when I found out my son had cancer. I started to get really depressed and nothing seemed to help. After a while I just gave up and that combined with the fact that I was cycling and am generally an aggressive person led to a lot of problems in my personal/professional life. At one point my Boss even orderd me to have a psych evaluation after I blew up at a meeting. My wife would have to constantly tell me to stop yelling at my kids or to calm down and the suicide jokes were becomming muct to common for my own liking.

After a while I started doing some research and decided that I had to do something before I did actually shoot myself or some other crazy shit. I talked to my doc and got set up on a trial basis of Lexapro. The stuff did wonders for my atitude and my life. The suicide jokes all but stopped and I calmed down a lot. I don't think I get depressed much anymore.

I'm not gonna tell you that this is the answer but it worked for me. I know those meds can cause some problems but you would be supprised to learn how many people actually take them just to cope with life and it's stresses. My advice to you would be to do something before it gets real too bad to do anything. Pride is a great thing but too much can kill a man.

Good luck bro.

 

[Riker29]

Low carb diets tend to limit the amount of Seratonin that you are making, and then cause these problems.

When you are depressed, or even just "down", it takes a bit more effort to "get normal" than it does to STAY normal. Therefore if you have a tendancy towards being a bit low on seratonin, or MAYBE close to it, then once you are IN a depressed state, it may be a bit more difficult for you to get OUT of it.

And trying to get OUT of a depressed state, while on a low-carb diet, may be especially difficult. And if you have been in such a state for a while, it's MORE difficult.

Add to that maybe some over-training, and/or maybe some lack of sleep, and things get worse or at least dont get much better.

Sure, people will want to throw drugs at you. Of course, but I think you are smart to at least make good attempts at other ways to solve this.

First, I would not try to diet-down right now. I mean, don't go low-carb. Don't go wild on sugar either (just as bad) but don't deprive yourself of carbs.

What you need are mild amounts of long-burning carbs. Stay away from sugar, processed grains, etc. Go for stuff like whole grains and pastas and potatoes, oatmeal, etc. This stuff will burn more slowly and help to create more of a long-term (hours/days) effect and help to work wtith your body/brain to create seratonin.

You need things that will help your body to start making seratonin again.

Carbs will help.

Also, do/watch/listen/enjoy things that make you feel good. Not "excited" but GOOD. This is not about feeling "up" as in watching an action movie (like Fast and Furious, which sucked, but you get my point) that gets you all jittery and excitable, its about doing or watching or experiencing things that make you feel GOOD as in like warm-fuzzy good (like watching Forrest Gump). Sorry, but that's the best way to describe it.

Laugh if you want, but that will help, because that "feeling" is all about Seratonin, and if you go too long with too low of a level, you need some help in kicking it back up.

OK - why not just take a pill (which is what all of the quick-fix want-everything-now people want)? Because you may not NEED it. Plus to some extent, that may diminish you body's ability to naturally make or deal with Seratonin. Plus - ever hear of what some people go through when they STOP taking the SSRIs (happy pills of one type)? It ain't pretty for some.

Yes yes yes, before some kid chimes in and yells about how much he likes his Paxil or whatever - fine. If you are on it - fine. But there are risks.

Anyway:

Forget dieting for a while

Get some carbs. Low GI carbs. DON'T gop for sugar.

DO STUFF that makes you feel GOOD. Not excited, GOOD.

Trust me, this all will help.


Note: If you want to do a pill, a natural one, you may want to try 5-HTP. Be sure to read up about it, and also to only get/use "Enteric Coated" pills. Any 5-HTP may cause some abdominal cramps a bit in some people. 5-HTP is a natural seratonin precursor and may help you somewhat.

 

[faller]

I had the same prob for awhile also. I agree with most of what has been said so far! I would NOT go low carb right now. I take St. Johns wort, which helps, but it takes awhile to start working. A lot of people feel better after being more social also. 5-HTP puts me to sleep quickly! Maybe not that good for depression (at least for me) but might help you sleep. Good luck!

 

[Riker29]

I had the same prob for awhile also. I agree with most of what has been said so far! I would NOT go low carb right now. I take St. Johns wort, which helps, but it takes awhile to start working. A lot of people feel better after being more social also. 5-HTP puts me to sleep quickly! Maybe not that good for depression (at least for me) but might help you sleep. Good luck!

Re: 5-HTP - yes, it will do that.

Take it before bed.

 

[MrDurden]

Why the refusal to consider anti-depressants? I hope it is not from the stigma associated with mental health issues. It doesn't sound like you would need any medication "for life". A bad breakup set off depression in me that took 6 months of medication and a change of scenery (to Florida in winter) to break through. I was on Effexor, and tapered myself off with no sides. From what I've heard, Lexapro sounds better, especially if you have associated anxiety.

It sounds like you may also be (or have been) overtraining. Believe it or not, weeks or even months away from the game may do the whole body good. You can have a return plan, say in three months, but while you're off focus on other interests in your life that may be getting neglected. Your diet need not be as strict in this time as well, listen to it as to what to eat. I read an interesting article about this recently, let me see if I can dig it up.

Best of luck.