how do you handle depression?
- Thread starter Seydaman
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I find that one of these
Helps a lot.
If you can, take a drive around town. Blast the music and just think your thoughts. Though you might not want to be in a crowded city. Zoning out in the boonies with nobody around is one thing, doing it in, say, New York might lead to a court date and a high repair bill.
Helps a lot.
If you can, take a drive around town. Blast the music and just think your thoughts. Though you might not want to be in a crowded city. Zoning out in the boonies with nobody around is one thing, doing it in, say, New York might lead to a court date and a high repair bill.
What do you do for depression? Well, that really depends on what's causing the depression.
Are you depressed in response to something, like a sad event, or a rough time at school, or a crappy home life? Then a lot of these "take your mind off it" suggestions will probably help, as finding someone to talk to about it. Focus on getting over the sad event, trying to get things turned around at school, or finding someone who can help you deal with what's going on at home.
However, if the depression is just THERE, if it's attached to everything and nothing, it's more likely that something is starting to go sideways in your brain chemistry. In which case, a lot of the things people have already suggested will help but they won't cure it. In this situation, there are things that you can do on your own that have been shown in medical studies to help.
--Exercise. My stepfather gets depressed pretty badly, and when he does, he just goes walking until he starts to feel better. Sometimes he walks for hours, but it works. Some studies have shown that 30 minutes a day on a treadmill is as effective as a baseline dose of Prozac.
--Nutrition. Eat a balanced diet, make sure you get enough fruits and vegetables, because most people reading this thread almost certainly don't, including me. This can be hard if you aren't the one shopping and cooking for yourself, but stay away from the white stuff--white sugar, white flour--and processed foods as much as you can. If someone gives you a whole grain option for anything, take it.
Here are some other options you can try. They work for some people and not for others, with is true about most things in life.
--Herbal supplements. St. John's Wort has some good scientific backing showing that it's more than just placebo effectiveness. You can also try Gingko for alertness and focus, and ashwaganda for energy if the depression is weighing you down. You can try valerian, kava, and passionflower for anxiety if the depression is winding you up. Note that ashwaganda is not a straight up herbal stimulant like guarana or ephedra, which I would not recommend. Since herbs go stale and break down, it's important that you get them from a good source, like a health-food store. The ones they have in the vitamin section of the grocery store may have been sitting on the shelf for a very long time and might be no better than dried lawn clippings at that point.
--Nutritional supplements. B vitamins are very important to brain function. They are also noticeably absent from processed food, and they get leached out of your body by caffeine, so if you drink energy drinks, you should consider taking some B vitamins. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which you can generally buy in the form of fish oil or flax-seed oil, have been scientifically proven in a number of studies to improve overal brain functions. They also occur naturally in foods like walnuts and avocadoes.
--Other supplements. These are technically nutritional supplements too, but they are not your usual vitamins and minerals. They are things like Sam-E and 5-HTP. These are thought to be used by the body to make serotonin, one to the neurotransmitters involved in depression. Normally, your body would make these itself, and then use them to make serotonin, but if your body isn't making enough of these on it's own, then supplementing them can help.
You can find more info on treating depression with herbs and supplements here:
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/treatment/alternative/dietary_supplements.asp
But the fact remains that you may require medical treatment. Chronic depression, if left untreated, can slowly eat away at your life and do a lot of emotional and physical damage. There are so many medications for depression these days, I would recommend that you go to a psychiatrist rather than a general practitioner. I knew more about the current medications and their side effect profiles than the last regular doctor I went to.
As you might have guessed, I learned most of this stuff the hard way. I've been fighting depression for over 30 years and treating it medically for more than 10. Feel free to PM me about it if you want.
Are you depressed in response to something, like a sad event, or a rough time at school, or a crappy home life? Then a lot of these "take your mind off it" suggestions will probably help, as finding someone to talk to about it. Focus on getting over the sad event, trying to get things turned around at school, or finding someone who can help you deal with what's going on at home.
However, if the depression is just THERE, if it's attached to everything and nothing, it's more likely that something is starting to go sideways in your brain chemistry. In which case, a lot of the things people have already suggested will help but they won't cure it. In this situation, there are things that you can do on your own that have been shown in medical studies to help.
--Exercise. My stepfather gets depressed pretty badly, and when he does, he just goes walking until he starts to feel better. Sometimes he walks for hours, but it works. Some studies have shown that 30 minutes a day on a treadmill is as effective as a baseline dose of Prozac.
--Nutrition. Eat a balanced diet, make sure you get enough fruits and vegetables, because most people reading this thread almost certainly don't, including me. This can be hard if you aren't the one shopping and cooking for yourself, but stay away from the white stuff--white sugar, white flour--and processed foods as much as you can. If someone gives you a whole grain option for anything, take it.
Here are some other options you can try. They work for some people and not for others, with is true about most things in life.
--Herbal supplements. St. John's Wort has some good scientific backing showing that it's more than just placebo effectiveness. You can also try Gingko for alertness and focus, and ashwaganda for energy if the depression is weighing you down. You can try valerian, kava, and passionflower for anxiety if the depression is winding you up. Note that ashwaganda is not a straight up herbal stimulant like guarana or ephedra, which I would not recommend. Since herbs go stale and break down, it's important that you get them from a good source, like a health-food store. The ones they have in the vitamin section of the grocery store may have been sitting on the shelf for a very long time and might be no better than dried lawn clippings at that point.
--Nutritional supplements. B vitamins are very important to brain function. They are also noticeably absent from processed food, and they get leached out of your body by caffeine, so if you drink energy drinks, you should consider taking some B vitamins. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which you can generally buy in the form of fish oil or flax-seed oil, have been scientifically proven in a number of studies to improve overal brain functions. They also occur naturally in foods like walnuts and avocadoes.
--Other supplements. These are technically nutritional supplements too, but they are not your usual vitamins and minerals. They are things like Sam-E and 5-HTP. These are thought to be used by the body to make serotonin, one to the neurotransmitters involved in depression. Normally, your body would make these itself, and then use them to make serotonin, but if your body isn't making enough of these on it's own, then supplementing them can help.
You can find more info on treating depression with herbs and supplements here:
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/treatment/alternative/dietary_supplements.asp
But the fact remains that you may require medical treatment. Chronic depression, if left untreated, can slowly eat away at your life and do a lot of emotional and physical damage. There are so many medications for depression these days, I would recommend that you go to a psychiatrist rather than a general practitioner. I knew more about the current medications and their side effect profiles than the last regular doctor I went to.
As you might have guessed, I learned most of this stuff the hard way. I've been fighting depression for over 30 years and treating it medically for more than 10. Feel free to PM me about it if you want.
Personally I solve it by fighting. Friendly fighting of course. It follows the rules of the great cult classic Fight Club. Get some close friends, a location and fists of steel, and BEAT THE PUDDING out each other. A little tip though make sure the only rule is no hits below the belt, and don't be afraid to take the pain of getting hit. Build up some anger and punch him twice as hard, don't hold back and feel alive. I'm being serious.
When people are depressed they normally seem to be thinking too much, get all your depressing thoughts and write them down somewhere so they stop swishing around your head and making a mess of things. Worked for me anyway. Oh thats a point, work helps. unless thats what depressed you in the first place.
Anyway good luck.
Anyway good luck.
2 key processes you need to engage in:
1. Smile. Smiling is the imperative, you must smile!
2. Socialise.
1. Smile. Smiling is the imperative, you must smile!
2. Socialise.
Depends.
If it's just general sadness or weltschmerz, then talk about it. To everyone including yourself. Talk, talk talk. Cry if you have to. Every time you talk about it, you may discover a new angle that wasn't there before, or a new way to deal with it. Try to always have people around you. Human contact is so important when you're feeling down, and loneliness is perhaps the most devastating feeling there is. If it's someone you can hug or just hold hands with, even better. Be physcically active. There's nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night and feeling alone, because you just sat around all day and wasn't that tired when you went to bed. Just walking around can make you feel a little better. Last but not least, realize that it takes time. Make sure you notice it when you feel a little better, even if it takes a long time. Don't let it consume you.
And, this is not very nice, but realizing that there are people far worse off than you can actually help as well.
If you're clinically depressed, see a psychiatrist. I don't know if the above advice will help there, but I doubt it will hurt.
If it's just general sadness or weltschmerz, then talk about it. To everyone including yourself. Talk, talk talk. Cry if you have to. Every time you talk about it, you may discover a new angle that wasn't there before, or a new way to deal with it. Try to always have people around you. Human contact is so important when you're feeling down, and loneliness is perhaps the most devastating feeling there is. If it's someone you can hug or just hold hands with, even better. Be physcically active. There's nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night and feeling alone, because you just sat around all day and wasn't that tired when you went to bed. Just walking around can make you feel a little better. Last but not least, realize that it takes time. Make sure you notice it when you feel a little better, even if it takes a long time. Don't let it consume you.
And, this is not very nice, but realizing that there are people far worse off than you can actually help as well.
If you're clinically depressed, see a psychiatrist. I don't know if the above advice will help there, but I doubt it will hurt.
meditation helps my regulate my thoughts,and i've had far less headaches since i started having emotional thought replaced by logical thought. and becuase of this nothing gets to me i'm never depressed (granted i'm rarely happy) and therefore neutral 24/7 so basicly this, ultimate solution to depression=become jaded
normally?¿ I play bass until my fingers bleed, it keeps me concentrated in what I'm playing, so I don't think about whatever it is that depreses me; playing videogames also helps a lot, no that I play videogames to forget the depression, I play videogames even when I'm happy, but if you're having a rough time, nothing is better than a well placed headshot in a random game and lastly LOUD ANGRY METAL MUSIC
actually, chocolate tends not to help so much. it makes you happy in the short term, but miserable in the long term. try finding something that you like doing that takes up all of your brian (like gaming, playing sport reading etc) and just keep doing it.
Well, three things.
1. Get professional help.
2. Don't listen to people on the internet.
3. Kill yourself.
Seriously, I counted fourteen non-moron posts thus far. Real depression - as opposed to just feeling down - won't go away with happy thoughts, chocolate and video games. There's either a chemical imbalance - and you need drugs or dietary changes for that - or a real reason - one you need to deal with.
If you said something like "takes my mind off it", "always cheers me up" or "compare yourself to x" - congratulations, you're not depressed. There is a serious chance of you being a moron, however, so get yourself checked and/or sterilized.
1. Get professional help.
2. Don't listen to people on the internet.
3. Kill yourself.
Seriously, I counted fourteen non-moron posts thus far. Real depression - as opposed to just feeling down - won't go away with happy thoughts, chocolate and video games. There's either a chemical imbalance - and you need drugs or dietary changes for that - or a real reason - one you need to deal with.
If you said something like "takes my mind off it", "always cheers me up" or "compare yourself to x" - congratulations, you're not depressed. There is a serious chance of you being a moron, however, so get yourself checked and/or sterilized.