Tuesday, September 13, 2011

How do I become less depressed on a daily basis?

I've been on anti-depressants for almost 2 months now and I haven't really had a mood change yet. I am still depressed on a daily basis. I wish I could just sleep all day and not do anything. Crying seems normal now and I haven't been able to really elevate my mood. Any good ideas? I would appreciate some really good ideas, not ignorant one's. Thanks.How do I become less depressed on a daily basis?
You need to keep yourself busy, try taking up a hobby, something you like to do. Get out of the house because staying in for so long is only going to make your depression worsen. Go visit family. Stop thinking about the negative part of your life and try tell yourself you refuse to live your life sad. Instead of getting upset about something, say ya that sucks, but what can you do to make this not happen again. Get out of the state of mind you are in and instead of thinking about bad things that make you cry, think about things that will make you better. Ask yourself this: Do i want to have a miserable depressed life and not enjoy anything and be negative all of the time or do i want to live my life happy and enjoy life. Positive, positive, positive, you need to change the way you think about life. Go see a counselor if things get too overwhelming for you. How do I become less depressed on a daily basis?
I take anti-depressants, too. The meds can take a while to kick in, but two months seems long. Talk to your doctor. What works for one person may not work for another. I took Prozac for a while and it made me so tired! Now, I take Wellbutrin and Deplin. Ask your doctor about Deplin. It's brand new. It makes the anti-depressants you take more effective. Deplin did me a world of good.



Good luck! And know that anyone who tells you to ';Just Get Over It,'; will get a mighty stern look from me!!!
Ask yourself: ';Why do I feel depressed, and when did I first start to feel this way: can I associate this with any recent change in my life?'; (if so, it is probably situational depression: counselling, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is indicated). Or, was it a more gradual thing, with no apparent cause? (a nutritional deficiency, hypothyroidism, environmental toxicity, or reactions to some medications, etc., becomes more likely as the cause). Antidepressants work quicker than the following; 2 - 6 weeks, but you may have to adjust dosage, or types, whereas St. John's wort is effective for most people, tolerance doesn't develop, and the few side effects don't occur often, and even then are normally not severe (neither should be relied on as a sole treatment).



It doesn't cause sleeping problems, or weight change, but usually takes at least 2, and generally 4 - 6 weeks to become effective, but can work quicker than antidepressants, sometimes. A recent, independent German double blind study showed it to be as effective as Sertraline (marketed in the USA as Zoloft: a commonly prescribed antidepressant) in cases of major depression, with far fewer side effects, and those were generally better tolerated, with a lower rate of discontinuation. Unlike antidepressants, where sexual dysfunction is a common side effect, it happens much more rarely with St. John's wort (I have noticed no effect in this area).



Remember back to a time when life was full of promise, or a day when you felt particularly good, or possibly excited from a good result. Emotional states are associated with memories, and if it isn't major depression, this method can help. A multidimensional approach to treating depression without medication follows. All except for no. (7.) are safe to use with medication, but not St. John's wort, because of interactions, and it's sensible to check out anything else first with your doctor.



(1.) Take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily: (certified free of mercury) it is best if consumed with an antioxidant, such as an orange, or grapefruit, or their FRESHLY SQUEEZED juice. If vitamin E is added, it should be certified as being 100% from natural sources, or it may be synthetic: avoid it. In the winter months, replace 2 Omega 3 with a teaspoonful of cod liver oil, if not getting sufficient daily exposure to strong light (http://www.mercola.com/ SEARCHBAR: enter: ';vitamin D';). Also take a vitamin B complex which is certified as being 100% of natural origin; a deficiency in vitamin B9 (folic acid, or folate) is known to cause depression. Around 30% - 40% of depressed people have low vitamin B12 levels. Depressed females using the contraceptive pill may benefit from vitamin B6 supplements. ~~~



(2.) Work up slowly to at least 20 minutes minutes of exercise, daily, or 30 - 60 mns, 5 times weekly. Too much exercise can cause stress, which isn't wanted when dealing with depression. ~~~(3.) Occupational therapy (keeping busy allows little time for unproductive introspection, and keeps mental activity out of less desirable areas of the brain). (4.) Use daily, a relaxation method* and/or yoga*, and/or Tai Chi. ~~~ (5.) Initially, at least, some form of counselling, preferably either Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy, or Rational Emotive Behavio(u)ral Therapy. ~~~ (6.) Maintain a mood chart, and daily activities schedule. ~~~ (7.) As options, if desired, either a known, effective herbal remedy, such as St. John's wort, (get a German variety, if possible; local ones may vary in effectiveness. Take with a meal) or supplements, such as SAMe, or Inositol (from vitamin and health food stores, some supermarkets, or mail order: view section 55).



If 5HTP is used to boost serotonin levels, (which are low in depressed people) it is best taken with a high carbohydrate, minimal protein meal, like pasta, with tomato %26amp; basil, and avoid protein for 90 minutes, before, and after, to maximise the amount crossing the blood/brain barrier. Also, 80% of people in the Western world have low magnesium levels, and these are known to cause depression %26amp; anxiety. Try the magnesium supplement types shown in http://www.real-depression-help.com/ Some of these will be available in pharmacies, or supermarkets. Low levels of calcium, and potassium can also cause depression. Have your blood tested, and correct any deficiencies, preferably through improved nutrition.



An improvement can be noticed in as little as a week, if a deficiency is the cause. Also, use iodised salt, as many people are deficient, affecting thyroid function (one of the treatments in books on depression is iodine drops). Try to imagine, as vividly as possible, a time in the not too distant future, when you have overcome this temporary setback, and things are much better. *View section 2, on the first 3 pages, and also pages R, C, I, and section 11, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris

No comments:

Post a Comment