Royal Yoga wrote: I agree with Nobody that Matters, exercise is always good!! So is yoga and meditation
http://www.royalyogabailey.com/1/post/2 ... ssion.html
and the right nutrition
http://www.ehow.com/about_5387671_foods ... ssion.html
. I also believe that if we have something in our lives that we are really passionate about and that gives us a purpose can dramatically help with depression. For some that can be a pet, for others their grand children, a volunteer project, gardening, writing, cooking... just find something that makes your heart sing and see where it takes you. Wishing you the best!!!
I never have seen the point of meditation. I'm trying to quiet the part of my brain sending depressing messages, not give it time to broadcast it's messages undisturbed.
For me, the best meditation is during intense activity with a good loud pounding beat to keep time with... The road needs work from a few ruts that have developed over the winter. Time to break out the pick, shovel, rake, and iPod with a head banging heavy metal soundtrack... Now that's the way to be centered!
"Whatever you are, be a good one." ~ Abraham Lincoln
<Good luck bailey bud, and thank you for opening up and sharing.>
Concur with the above excerpt. I never knew it was so wide spread. I guess this open touchy feely thing is a generational difference.
I will be 60 in less than two months and in my circles you zip your lip and order a double.
Science Chic wrote: I, too, have coped with it almost all of my life (about to turn 40 soon). All I can suggest is what I've found works best for me: finding something to do that makes me feel like I make a positive difference in the world, that my life has some meaning beyond just sucking up valuable resources before my body goes back into the earth. I loved my career as a scientist, but I truly came alive when I bought this business. I have more energy than I've had since I was a child, and I can tell that because I used to be perpetually cold (consequence of having too little body fat) and now I'm not, and I've pulled more all-nighters in the last year than I ever could've possible done while in college, and I'm happy and energized coming back from Chamber functions and meetings, planning even more to do despite not having enough time to do what I am already responsible for. So mainly I've found solace in my job/work, but I find peace in the few hobbies I enjoy most as well - pilates, reading, having wine with friends, singing and dancing. Exercise does definitely help, as does a good diet (although I've found that hard to measure since I've always been a good eater, not so good at being active).
I also wholeheartedly endorse seeing a professional - they are not experts, they just provide an outside, objective, educated viewpoint for us to bounce problems, ideas, and thoughts off of. Find someone with whom you click, but who challenges you - they are not all the same, but human also and you will get more benefit out of some than others just based on their personality meshing with yours (moving around and changing insurance, and having to change doctors, really helps you figure this out). You may very well find a therapist who shares your love of hunting, but even if not, they should understand how it helps you and encourage that - if they don't, find another therapist. I've always been upfront that medication is an absolute last resort for me, and I've never taken any, but that's not to say that it doesn't help others - it's personal preference.
Good luck bailey bud, and thank you for opening up and sharing.
Blazer Bob wrote: <Good luck bailey bud, and thank you for opening up and sharing.>
Concur with the above excerpt. I never knew it was so wide spread. I guess this open touchy feely thing is a generational difference.
I will be 60 in less than two months and in my circles you zip your lip and order a double.
Nothing wrong with a double shot of good scotch to every now and then either. The old methods still apply, it's not like I talk about this with my family.
Ain't modern technology wonderful?
"Whatever you are, be a good one." ~ Abraham Lincoln
I've watched my mom struggle with "depression" most of my life...then after over a year of fairly intense group therapy I decided even though I had been taught the tools to become healthy, there was something missing. So my therapist referred me to the Psychiatrist and I was diagnosed as Dysthymic and immediately put on Prozac. I was told that I probably wouldn't feel the results for up to 6 weeks, but within a week I was feeling a lot better.
Dysthymia is chronic long-term (like years) depression and is far more difficult to treat than acute, short-term depression. And a lot of times, dysthymia comes from a person being depressed for so long, that the body just doesn't make the feel-good (serotonin, dopamine) chemicals other people's do. Once I was diagnosed, I knew my mom was dealing with the same thing, and I was told it would be with me for the rest of my life.
After a couple years on the Prozac, I plateaued, which is normal. And because Prozac has a long half-life, I was feeling physically, very dragged down, so the doc switched my meds to Zoloft...which didn't work for me at all. After six months they put me on Effexor and I was on that for 8 years. The problems with it are the withdrawals...heart palpitations, swirly-brain, not able to concentrate...and that it inhibits sleep (I was on Trazodone the whole time I was taking Effexor to put me to sleep).
When my dad died and I didn't feel anything...I was flat-lined emotionally, I decided it was time to come off the meds. So for almost 7 years I took St. John's Wort occasionally and didn't put myself in places where I would be on an emotional roller-coaster. Last year, I felt the darkness creeping in and so I asked the doc to put me back on something temporarily...I've been taking Zoloft since November. I'll finish the bottle I have and go off to see how I do.
I've asked those around me to keep an eye on me and if they see something that alarms them, let me know. Usually by the time I realize I'm depressed, I'm so far gone the only thing that'll help is meds.
I've never been suicidal...only wanting to go to sleep forever like Rip Van Winkle and showing no interest in hobbies...especially reading.
The other thing I've learned is that the brain will figure out a way to create different paths to go back to what it was before the meds. So sometimes a short time on the meds will "trick" the brain and the feel-good chemicals will do what they need to after the meds are done...for a while.
I'm not ashamed or embarrassed about my condition. We are told and a lot of us do take care of our physical health...and we take care of our spiritual health...why not do the same with our mental health??
ComputerBreath wrote: I'm not ashamed or embarrassed about my condition. We are told and a lot of us do take care of our physical health...and we take care of our spiritual health...why not do the same with our mental health??
Exactly! Our mental health is equally as important as our physical health, it's just had a stigma attached to treating it which is one of the major things we need to get over as a society - maybe then we'll have fewer of our kids committing suicide, taking drugs, getting pregnant, etc, and troubled individuals committing unthinkable acts of violence, but instead getting the help they need. Thank you for saying this Computer Breath, and for sharing your story. I never considered that long-term depression would have such permanent altering of functionality in the brain like not producing necessary neurotransmitters ("use it or lose it" is just as applicable to the brain/brain cells as it is muscle strength and aerobic activity ability), but it's obvious now that you point it out and I should have realized it before now.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
ComputerBreath wrote: I've watched my mom struggle with "depression" most of my life...then after over a year of fairly intense group therapy I decided even though I had been taught the tools to become healthy, there was something missing. So my therapist referred me to the Psychiatrist and I was diagnosed as Dysthymic and immediately put on Prozac. I was told that I probably wouldn't feel the results for up to 6 weeks, but within a week I was feeling a lot better.
Dysthymia is chronic long-term (like years) depression and is far more difficult to treat than acute, short-term depression. And a lot of times, dysthymia comes from a person being depressed for so long, that the body just doesn't make the feel-good (serotonin, dopamine) chemicals other people's do. Once I was diagnosed, I knew my mom was dealing with the same thing, and I was told it would be with me for the rest of my life.
After a couple years on the Prozac, I plateaued, which is normal. And because Prozac has a long half-life, I was feeling physically, very dragged down, so the doc switched my meds to Zoloft...which didn't work for me at all. After six months they put me on Effexor and I was on that for 8 years. The problems with it are the withdrawals...heart palpitations, swirly-brain, not able to concentrate...and that it inhibits sleep (I was on Trazodone the whole time I was taking Effexor to put me to sleep).
When my dad died and I didn't feel anything...I was flat-lined emotionally, I decided it was time to come off the meds. So for almost 7 years I took St. John's Wort occasionally and didn't put myself in places where I would be on an emotional roller-coaster. Last year, I felt the darkness creeping in and so I asked the doc to put me back on something temporarily...I've been taking Zoloft since November. I'll finish the bottle I have and go off to see how I do.
I've asked those around me to keep an eye on me and if they see something that alarms them, let me know. Usually by the time I realize I'm depressed, I'm so far gone the only thing that'll help is meds.
I've never been suicidal...only wanting to go to sleep forever like Rip Van Winkle and showing no interest in hobbies...especially reading.
The other thing I've learned is that the brain will figure out a way to create different paths to go back to what it was before the meds. So sometimes a short time on the meds will "trick" the brain and the feel-good chemicals will do what they need to after the meds are done...for a while.
I'm not ashamed or embarrassed about my condition. We are told and a lot of us do take care of our physical health...and we take care of our spiritual health...why not do the same with our mental health??
[/b]
YOU are forward thinking and fortunate to have a HEALTHY attitude towards this subject......I honor that honesty and
would hope that OTHERS can embrace the concept of "no shame"......reaching out like BB has done is the critical step
in KNOWING you are not weird or wacky..... :bravo:
Grady wrote: I know this was meant to be a serious thread, but I ran across this the other day. Thought I would post it here.
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Sorry back the original topic. A good taco does make me feel good.
Serious thread is serious... Depression, oh so serious. Must not joke or kid around....
Y'know, unless you want to find a sure fire short term solution to the blues. Yeah, clinical depression is a chemical imbalance. Some of us will have that imbalance, but some won't - they just have the blues. The way to treat a disease is to start with the least invasive cure first. Forget medication, herbs, alcohol, or anything taken orally or even suppositories (shudder). First, just have a good old fashioned belly laugh. Watch a comedy. Go to comedy works. Get with a friend and have a few laughs about the good times in the past.
It won't cure clinical depression, but it'll give you a few minutes relief. And, if you think you have clinical depression, but you don't - it very well could show you how to cure yourself.
At least that's what I keep telling myself. Over and over and over....
Oh, and don't read political threads - that crap will depress even the happiest person.
"Whatever you are, be a good one." ~ Abraham Lincoln
Depression?: 1. glean the messages that the depression is giving to you. There is truth and importance in the subject matter on which the depression focuses; 2. jerk yourself from the depression. (Extreme physical exercise is a very good method.)
Using the information that depression gives you, change your life, your outlook, your actions, your total bent toward life and your fellowman. This may sound simplistic, but it will require total commitment.
