Is it possible to work out of a depression without meds?

[GoldenDelicious]

brr i went back and had a read of your posts (didnt read them before) and not that ive done a complete mini mental test on you, but youre depressed. the occasional 'bi polar' effects you alluded to earlier (that i assumed were medically diagnosed on behalf of a nother perosn, dont ask me why) seem more to be blips of happiness in a state of overall depression rather than bi-polarism.

anyway i think you should go to your doctor, have a chat with him about getting on some meds, and then have a chat with a counsellor, to learn to identify the triggers of the particulars of your circumstances that lead to poor feeling, negative thought patterns etc so that you can have more influence on your emotional state

personally ive been depressed. not "i dont feel like going to the carnival just now, ill meet you later" type depressed, i mean "im not leaving this room for the next 12 to 16 weeks here take my phone and phone charger i dont need the fucken thing *SLAM*" until there were cobwebs on my doorknob type depressed, and really, i wish i had used drugs. they give you a boost in the right direction, then you get off them. i mean really, if the difference in being depressed for 6 months versus 3 months is taking a white pill everyday, then you take the bloody pill

dont neglect going to a counsellor and sorting your brain out though. you learn to pick whats going wrong (and in your case, it seems to be a lot of disempowerment, because you dont have control over your son, some dissapointment/failure stuff over your relationship) and do whats neccessary to get over/minimise that (have realistic expectations, have more control over socail boundaries etc so that you can possibly form new relationships/get some closure, taht sort of thing)

that getting hit by car thing is pretty intense btw. personally i just sat there willing myself to die

(closes eyes "die! diiieee!! die dammit mother bastard!!!" *kicks wall* "fuck!! owww!! fuuuuccckkkk!!!@!")

 

[Big Rick Rock]

Thanx to everybody that replied... Seems like every time I get stuck with a question about anything, there is a bunch of folks here who have some good answers...


I think my reluctance to run to see a psychiatrist and get up meds stems from my relationship... None of that shit worked for my ex. 14 months of couples counseling and a 3 scripts later... We were pretty much back to square one after all of that... I really felt like telling our counselor to go fuck herself and get another job... LOL... My believe in the behavioral medicine field and its practitioners, is at an all time low right now...


One thing that I do know, is that I need to get my life back... I dropped all my hobbies, interest and stripped myself of a social life in about half a year... All because I couldn't be motivated to do any of the stuff I use to feel passionate about. My life has become a shell of what it use to be...



-BRR

 

[UA_Iron]

I know I'm depressed when even hitting the gym hard for a couple months doesnt shake it...

so far it has shaken everything - its mainly female problems that get me into a funk.

 

[habitualhealth]

maybe if your depression is not chemical...there is so much more to depression than most realize, if u need meds, use them, just dont be afreid to tell the doc if its not working for u, not all meds work the same for everyone.

agreed x100.

bipolar disorder is nothing to eff around with. people who suffer from this only get worse without help. i've experienced it with my father and with my ex.

it's a DANGER disorder and can really hurt those you love the most.

i think mild depression can be treated by a change of pace in thought pattern, daily routine, exercise (endorphins make you happy *spririt fingers*) and your daily dedication to your goal. i'm a big believer in controlling your condition...not allowing it to control you. it take a strong mind and power to do this though.

we all suffer or have suffered from some form of depression in our lives.

 

[Bikini Mod]

Is it possible to work your way out of a depression (with some "Bi-Polar" like symptoms)... Without taking any Meds?


I mean, if you don't have any history of depression or anything... And it hits you hard for 3-4 months... Is it possible to normalize on your own without meds?



-BRR

Yes. But if you get to the point where you are paralyzed, like you can't get off your bedroom floor and have fits of crying and paranoid like hallucinations, can't eat/sleep then go get some meds. Once you feel like your body's reactions to stress have been normalized then slowly wean yourself off. The docs like to keep you on that shit forever and coming off is VERY uncomfortable. But once you get it, you will be fine.

Hit me up w/a PM if you want to chat.

 

[wlmcrae]

BRR, given the upheavals in your life and disruptions in your relationships, I'd be surprised if you WEREN'T depressed. Good advice already on getting a GOOD counsellor and possibly medications - you're dealing with grief, prolonged chronic stressors, emotional hits that are on-going . . yike!

For your original question, yes, if it is minor, but usually the meds will shorten the process of 'getting back your life' and the counselling will help you figure out coping mechanisms that work for you. If you're worried about side effects, 5-HTP (already mentioned) and St. Johns Wort are clinically proven to be effective for mild to moderate depression and are used medically in Europe. Be aware that any SSRI doesn't really 'kick in' for about six weeks and they all require a taper-off process to quit. DO NOT quit cold-turkey, even if you're 'just' using the herbs!

Depression responds extremely well to exercise and natural light - a 1/2 hour walk or run during the 10am-2pm light zone is highly recommended. And, allow yourself to grieve for the relationships. Maybe do some research on the stages of grief - a major loss takes about one year of recovery, with about seven years of 'after-shocks'. I hope you have some 'in-the-body friends' that you can go out for coffee with and just form some good relationships with, to get your footing back. ((((BRR))))

BTW - maybe I'm seeming to betray my sex, but quite often men respond better to behavioural and drug therapy than women. Your ex's results could be quite different from yours. Our hormonal and physical systems are both far more prone to depression and far more sensitive to the disruption of relationships and to medications.

 

[InquisitivePsyche]

Most people are confusing true depression because there are multiple levels of depression. If you have major depression - your ass can't even get out of bed to get to the gym and you feel like your life is over - no reason to live. Most people can't fathom what MAJOR depression feels like.

But, as I said - there are so many different types of it. Definitely not something to mess around with, I agree with previous posters. It's quite heart breaking to be around someone so depressed.

 

[Bikini Mod]

Thanx to everybody that replied... Seems like every time I get stuck with a question about anything, there is a bunch of folks here who have some good answers...


I think my reluctance to run to see a psychiatrist and get up meds stems from my relationship... None of that shit worked for my ex. 14 months of couples counseling and a 3 scripts later... We were pretty much back to square one after all of that... I really felt like telling our counselor to go fuck herself and get another job... LOL... My believe in the behavioral medicine field and its practitioners, is at an all time low right now...


One thing that I do know, is that I need to get my life back... I dropped all my hobbies, interest and stripped myself of a social life in about half a year... All because I couldn't be motivated to do any of the stuff I use to feel passionate about. My life has become a shell of what it use to be...



-BRR

My Brother... there are good mental health professionals and there are SUCKIE mental health professionals. Be a wise consumer and if the therapist is NOT helping, just up and leave and find another until you find someone that IS helping. If you dont feel that the therapy is helping you, it's not your fault, but the fault of that particular professional because they were not capable of doing their job.

You wanna feel about a situation in life?

You and I are adults. Yea we flounder a bit here and there, but we can generally separate fact from fiction. Imagine my kids who are now being told on a daily basis by "all the adult professionals that are SUPPOSED to be helping them" - "JUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOU WILL NEVER LIVE WITH YOUR MOTHER BECAUSE SHE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING PRETTY BAD FOR THE JUDGE TO HAVE TAKEN YOU FROM HER."

CAN YOU FUCKING BELIEVE THAT SHIT?

They call my kids crazy and disturbed because they hate their lying sack of shitforbrains spermdonor of a father and they hate themselves because they were just kids trapped in a TERRIBLE situation that he created, that I was powerless to stop and they hate THE WORLD because they have been forced to grow up without the one parent who loves and gave their life for them.... They can't eat or sleep and two are failing out, while the oldest has managed to pull her average back up to a C! Too bad she is still getting high and being passed around by random boys. She is 14 1/2 years old and is so filled with hate that she returns my texts and notes saying that she is loved with "I hope you die" "Dad should have killed you when he had the chance..." etc, etc, etc....

Do whatever you have to do to attend to your mental and emotional well-being because your child needs your help to find their way in this crazy messed up world.

Like I said, if I can offer assistance, hit me up with a PM.

 

[Nathan]

Is it possible to work your way out of a depression (with some "Bi-Polar" like symptoms)... Without taking any Meds?


I mean, if you don't have any history of depression or anything... And it hits you hard for 3-4 months... Is it possible to normalize on your own without meds?



-BRR

Is it ever. This is my specialty. I find I can do one of two things when my mood drops:

1) I can sink into it and start producing - I tend to turn into way more of a work horse. I write more, do more science, train harder, etc. Eventually, I get bored of it and want a break and bam, I'm on my way - it's almost a natural progression for me. Sometimes I find I just need a break from people and almost need to give myself a hard time. I have found though so long as I direct my energy appropriately during this time then when I coming out of it after a few weeks, I've got a lot of stuff done and eiteh have freed up some time or have accomplished something that excites me.

2) The other option is to start trying new things and meeting new people. Force yourself into change and the rest will follow. I find that when I get depressed, it is my mind's way of telling me I need a change, so however I decide to do it I just have to be sure that I do something different to stimulate some sort of change.

So I guess sometimes I feel my depression is warranted and try to go with it and get stuff done, whereas other times I feel as though I am being silly and try to force myself out of it. Either way, if you throw yourself into new challenges before you know it, youa re completely preoccupied and have forgotten what was making you so unhappy. Hope that helps dude.

 

[Raptorex]

^^^
great post