Monday, 09 November 2009

  • Fighting Depression Without Medication

     

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    This post is in response to lindsaya’s “I’m Not Depressed Anymore: Should I Still be on Medication?”  From the time I was 12-years-old I suffered bouts of major depression myself.  Unfortunately, I was too stubborn to seek professional help until I was in my late teens; that’s when I finally gave in and started going to a therapist and psychiatrist.

    Anyway, medication was a big part of my treatment. I was very resistant to the idea of taking medication from the beginning and some of the medicines I was put on only reinforced these negative feelings.  The very first medicine I was put on made me feel like a zombie.  I was awake but not really there, I could not feel sadness, which was great, but I also could not feel happiness and that was not how I wanted to go through life.  Eventually, my psychiatrist found the right medication and dosage for me but after a few years of being on it and having continued with regular therapy I felt I was ready to try life out again on my own, without the aid of medication.

    I weaned myself off of my medication, though I do not recommend doing this, it is always safest to work with your Dr. during this process.  Anyhow, within months of being medication-free I started to feel myself slipping back into a depression, something I desperately did not want to happen.  I was devastated, I did not want to be sad again but I also did not want to be on medication for the rest of my life.  This is when I decided to take treatment into my own hands and started researching alternatives to medicine.  Below is what I have found to help me and what I hope may help others.

     Exercise

    Exercise has always been a stress-reliever for me.  I do five to six days a week of cardio, usually running/walking on the treadmill or doing the elliptical between 30 and 45 mins. per session.  I almost always feel better after a good workout.  Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural opiates, and emulate the feelings morphine might give you.  Simply put, exercising will make you feel good.

    Supplements

    For years people had hounded me about taking a multivitamin stressing that since I was a vegetarian I was probably lacking some vital nutrients.  This drove me NUTS, I did not want anyone telling me that my health might be at risk since I chose not to eat meat.  However, in my quest to end my depression I had been doing a lot of reading on what vitamins and fatty acids one needed for healthy brain function and two things that kept coming up were Vitamin Bs and Omega 3s, two things primarily found in meat.  I decided to start taking a multi-B supplement once a day as well as an Omega 3 supplement to see if I felt any better.  Within a month or two I was feeling great, like I had felt when on medication. 

    I have been on this regiment of exercise, vitamin Bs and Omega 3s for over a year now and have been just fine!  I only wish I had not been so resistant to the idea of taking supplements from the beginning so that maybe I could have avoided years of medication.  I do not think there is anything wrong with taking medication as it helped me and I have seen it help many others but I think that if there is an alternative that works then go with that first! 

    What methods of fighting depression have you found to work?

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Comments (60)

  • bethb031409@xanga

    I have what I call my "church support group" my husband works alot of hours so the people at church help, because they are there for me, and it keeps the depression from slipping back. That and prayer. Oh and vitamins, I drink a ton of orange juice and take care of myself. I also have to lean on my husband for support, hes the greatest ally against my depression
  • LizzyRue@xanga

    I had what I think was mild depression when I was younger. I don't really know because I was too stubborn and scared to see anyone about it. I still get pretty sad every now and then, but I found that simply surrounding myself with positive, healthy people and being in a great relationship has helped me immensely. As well as being a healthier person in general, eating better and exercising like you suggested.
  • Audiofreak18@xanga

    Hold close to Yahweh. He is MUCH, MUCH more effective than medication. And definitely way better for you in the long run.
  • mathematicalbagpiper@xanga

    Thank you. I've suffered from Major Depressive Disorder for 12 years. Antidepressants never did a goddamned thing for me (in my opinion they're just another way that Big Pharma/FDA/Physicians get rich off of the general public). Thanks for your tips. 


    @Audiofreak18@xanga - Not everyone believes in God/Gods, you know. 
  • meeli13@xanga

    Look, when it comes down to it, medication is the best thing. I k ow it sounds like you are depending on it and all, but the doctors know what they are doing. I'm glad that you think this works but if you have a good doctor, don't hesitate about about meds. There are plenty made for all sorts of body types for a reason. It takes a while to find the right one but there will be one. Trust me i know from extreme experience.
  • michcoy@xanga

    Thanks to everyone who responded!
  • anonymous

    @ShimmerBodyCream@xanga -  You're kind of a dick.
  • lindsaya

    @michcoy@xanga - Thanks for writing in response to my post. I also find that exercise is vital to keep my mood up, but I hadn't heard about Omega-3s and Vitamin B having this impact. It's really funny that you mentioned this because I"m also a vegetarian. Good luck with your writing! Great post. 
  • niceBrice@xanga

    @Amber - ShimmerBodyCream has a point.  She is totally a dick.
  • B1ANCACACA@xanga

    exercise!
  • HereInMyVoid@xanga

    great tips!
    i also stopped taking medication a few years ago, i hated the way it made me numb to life. but indeed the depression has creeped back in since.
    i'll try those supplements you suggested, i'm also vegetarian so i wonder if it'll help me as well.
    exercise is a big one. i always feel better when i exercise regularly, also.
    also a help for me: pets. ever since i got pets, my depression has eased. they can make me smile when i'm feeling the lowest. certain music, too.
  • cassiopeia_cc@xanga

    I also found Omega-3's helped me. I heard melatonin really helps also.
    I was on a few different meds, and came off of them...
    The thing is, everyone's depression is different. Some people are chemically imbalanced and really need medication to be healthy, but others have more situational depression. I've been tested for a chemical imbalance and came out negative but I still felt like there was something wrong. For years.

    I started doing yoga, pilates and meditating- generally focusing on being more grounded physically and spiritually. I think my real breakthrough came when I read "Power of Now" by Eckart Tolle. Makes me think that depression is more a continual habit of letting our minds run our lives, but with practice we can gain control over it again.
    I still get depressed from time to time, but I am snapping out of it quicker than I used to.
  • xoxfromtheashesxox@xanga

    thanks for the tips. i used to use st john's wort, which did not actually help, and then stopped taking it when i learned about the side effects. so if anyone reading this is considering using it, make sure you read up on it and consult your doctor (and perhaps a naturopath if your doctor is very much against herbal medicine).

    i found that doing exercise was helpful, particularly yoga. meditation has always been useful, particularly for the anxiety that can sometimes accompany my depression. and social support.
  • michcoy@xanga

    @xoxfromtheashesxox@xanga - I need to start doing yoga! I have heard it works wonders but have been lazy about getting into it!
  • rockawaysurfer45@xanga

    well, surprisingly, i kinda have two worlds on this one... i have MDD, not mild depression, or SAD. i fought taking meds for the longest time, and always ran, my problem was i needed more and more exercise to keep from falling off a cliff. also i never ate, i was looking forward to the next run, how fast, how far. it wasnt good. my second year in college during a routine 12 mile run and drill period after the run, i hit a wet patch of grass, twisted my knee. i didnt know at that point that i had torn apart my knee, but i did. surgically repaired a few months later, but damage was done, no running outside or competetively for a long time/forever. i couldnt survive cause, now i couldnt run, i was in physical therapy for months. so i went on meds, they worked for a bit, and as i got stronger, i started to lift weight, play baseball and pitch. i went off my meds and was fine for the most part, i went back on different meds my senior year of college that worked and have been on them ever since. but through all that i have endured, elbow surgery and messed up shoulder, broken hand. i found that the right meds can make the difference in a lot of ways. it balances out how hard i work out, and keeps me level headed too.
  • Von_Bon@xanga

    I had to "beat" depression on my own when I was in my teens, as my family couldn't (and probably wouldn't) afford to take me to the doctor. I too was very against taking medication. Over the years, I've found that diet and exercise can eradicate most types of depression. I think a lot of the depression issues people have are food/lifestyle related. Eat healthier, exercise more, and more than likely, the depression will go away. 
  • discover_hienie@xanga

    i have to say talking to close friends and i heard supplements should do the work..  i like to write out my thoughts too.. writing out can cope a lot when it comes to depression.
  • chelseanataliex@xanga

    I'm not depressed and nor have I ever been, and I've never known anyone who has been depressed. But, I've heard/read a lot about it and things. I'm sure this was a good help to people who are depressed out there.

  • Titanic_Spaz@xanga

    My biggest method for climbing out of depression was logic and time. 


    Most of my depressed thoughts came from a place of irrationality. I put a strong emphasis on analysing my thoughts and making the decision whether or not a thought process was logical or based on anxiety / emotion. After a while this became a habit and has made the depression I suffered through a long distant past.
    My situation isn't the norm though, and I realize I probably only had a mild form of depression since this coping mechanism likely doesn't have a very high success rate. 
  • off_to_yeslek_land@xanga

    church support, youth group family family
  • hopethatitglows@xanga

    I'll look into your suggestions about vitamins for vegetarians...thank you.
  • Bodhiseeker@xanga

    Can I plug my blog at this point? That's why I am writing :P.

    But what also helps me personally are breathing exercises. It helped me become a calmer more accepting person. As with anything though, it takes time.

    Personally my favorite sort comes from taiji and qigong.

    If anyone wants to try qigong, here is a good beginner's exercise:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fBszKqshWk&feature=fvw

    If you want to go further:
    http://www.acupuncture-and-chinese-medicine.com/index.html
  • veretina@xanga

    I dont have health insurance and my parents are typical old fashioned european when it comes to depression and other mental illnesses. So I have been fighting my depression without meds for 4 years now since my diagnosis. Except for seeing my high school counselor I never  had any therapy.  Its really hard but mostly keeping active is what keeps me sane. And eating healthy too. I am beginning to get back into bellydance and yoga that is helping alot :) Does anyone have any more information on the vitamin program?
  • Sehsun@xanga

    When I was clinically depressed, I went to therapy and was on two SSRIs. I thought that helped a lot.

    I like what you mentioned re: supplements. I am a vegetarian also, and I think a few people think I am not getting all the nutrients I need, but I am pretty sure I am getting most of them. I am very health-conscious. Lately I have been wanting to find what foods I should be eating for healthy brain function because for the past few years, my thinking hasn't always been very "clear." From time to time I will be talking to people and lose my train of thought mid-sentence. When I feel stressed at work, I can't think clearly. When speaking to people, I stumble over my words often. And I have mild OCD. Thus I think maybe trying vitamin Bs and omega 3s would also work for me, to clear my mind a bit? I am already taking an omega-3 supplement, so that is a start. Maybe some "good" fat wouldn't hurt, either.

    Thank you for writing this post!
  • Lilyofdavalley84@xanga

    Sex....joke.

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