Depression=how to cure it?

Hi guys, I'd like to ask you, how do you cure a deep depression. I am in one, practically whole my life and I have no idea how to cure it, deal with it. I don't really feel like talking about my specific problem(s). But something I feel sharing with you is that I have paranoia, and social anxiety (and both have evolved rapidly mainly over last year), and it has a lot to do with my past (life...)

I am not making this thread only because of me, but also in general, many people are in same or similiar state as I am, and I guess they could find a solution here as well. I hope at least...

If you guys have some stories you feel sharing and are in depression, or perhaps feel like helping, go on.

i've suffered myself, dont do prescribed medication unless your really suicidal, can make you worse half the time.
hows your diet, it helps, personally ive accepted im a morbid twat, i just smoke cough cough to relieve the everyday tension, but probably doesnt help most,
look up herbal medicine too

reply to post by Farnhold


Depression is something everyone faces in life, well this life anyway. Of course their are more severe cases than in others, but it is important that you realize that in life there is Hills and Valley's. When your on your way up the Hill you feel good and on your way crashing down the Valley of course its all down hill from there right? It depends on you....I recommend the movie "The Secret". It talks about the Law of Attraction and how we can change our paths starting with our thoughts and ideas. It works and yes I do use it but not as much as I could or should. I really recommend watching it and hope that helps.

reply to post by Farnhold


Ok I suffered from depression and deep social phobia for a long long time and am currently take citalopram (anti depressants)
Medication isn't popular around here, and you will get people telling you that it makes everything worse, or causes suicidal thoughts, which in a very small amount of cases it can do, they can also have other side effects, although personally apart from some trouble sleeping at first I have never had any of them, If you have proper medical attention then your doctor will monitor how the meds are working for you and adjust them accordingly

At the time I finaly decided to ask my doctor for help I was so badly depressed that I was contemplating suicide on a more or less daily basis. For me the effect of the meds were pretty instant, it didn't make me a blissfully happy zombie, but lifted my depression enough so that I could actually manage to do things other then sleep all day, they also helped a great deal with my social phobia and my meeting people now is actually a good experience rather then the self induced paranoid nightmare it used to be.

Other things that can help are. improving your diet, exercising, I now run most day. I've heard some good things about St Johns Wert too as a natural anti depressant, but havent tried it

Meds aren't a long term answer, but they can help break you out of the terrible cycle that people get into from depression, hopefully I will be coming off of mine at the end of this prescription and I will see how it goes from there

Look up "Run From The Cure".
It was given to us for free, according to this doc.

reply to post by Farnhold


Hi Farnhold,

You aren't alone. I have a (usually) mild form of bipolar disorder and while I usually get the mania, sometimes I get the depression too. For me, a half a tablet of Ativan, as needed, usually really helps with the anxiety part. I have taken various meds for depression over the years, but they slow my mental processes down too much which is not something I can manage with my job (computer programming) where I need to be able to think very clearly, so I haven't bothered with them for years. I hated the meds, a lot of them made me feel really "trippy" and also like my personality would go flat. I prefer to be "me" than a drugged up version of myself. Believe it or not, regular exercise is the best thing I have found to regulate it and make it more manageable. I do a lot of cardio and try to get in some yoga every week as well. I used to weight train, but haven't been doing that the past few years, but any exercise seems to work. I "rapid cycle" sometimes and then is when I generally get more anxiety and use the Ativan, usually just for a couple of days, and then things calm down.

Hope this helps!
Gwynnhwyfar

I had depression for 3 years after losing my son to a brain hemorrhage. I ended up in hospital for a month a few weeks after his death due to a mini-breakdown at work. I went total psycho, tossing tables, smacked the boss... It was all those weeks of being strong for my partner, denying my right to grieve, it all got on top of me.

They gave me pills, which did help for a while until recently the doctors upped the dosage, then the most peculiar thing happened... They made me worse... I became severly depressed, took 6 months off work as a result, made me really ill until one day I said F*** it!!! I'm refusing all medication now... I feel more coherent, stronger and happier.

Depression is a state of mind my friend, and sometimes you have to let the brain know whose in charge!

First of all like brain said dont take medication unless you are really really in it deep and suicidal. I can not give you much help but what helps me is to stay positive. In life there is only the negative and positive to things and when you realize that life is a cycle of problem after problem and that you must accept this cycle. It is my belief at this point you can truly enjoy life for whats it worth and to enjoy the simple things.

Do not get into material things, don't think in order to be happy you must have a high paying job so you can buy a nice car and house. Do not live your life for other people .

Basically what Im trying to say is to take life slow and relax and do not worry about things you can not change. If you can change them then do so. When you wake up and the weather is nice go outside and take in a deep breath and watch the trees move from the wind and watch the clouds go by. Enjoy the simple things, I know this may not help much and all seems like common sense but thats all I can say. Take care of yourself and help others and try and smile.

I recommend the following:

1) Stable, healthy, balanced diet
2) Exercise (particularly cardiovascular) raises endorphin levels: 'feel good neurotransmitter'
3) Spent time with nature, listen to calm soothing music
4) Spiritual practice: provides unconditional source of satisfaction and fulfillment. Look into meditational techniques like mindfulness and work your way up from there (lifetime process which will invert your reality). One of the reasons why sometimes the most impoverished countries are the happiest.
5) Reading inspirational works that tilt your paradigm.

This is just a short list. I do clinic psych.. I don't really know what kind of depression it may be since there is a vast vast spectrum in what we call 'depresssion' and it is NOT easy to do a diagnosis..

Well I read a book called 'stop thinking and start living' which I can highly recommend.

There are all manner of ways that people can suggest you help yourself, in the end though you really have to help yourself. That doesn't mean that advice from others isn't useful, because it can be.

Have you spoken to friends or family? Do you exercise? They do suggest that exercise can be a great way to make depressed people feel better.

Have you spoken to your doctor about this, some people find that professional help really does make a difference.

Easy! Five elements of epicness; Beer, joints, friends, heavy metal and getting laid. That is all the secret.

[quoted post removed]



I would also recomend meditation practice, and exercise...

Beer is fun too

What I can say at this point is that you have made a big step step in the right direction. Depression is something that can and will get worse if not properly addressed. Trust me, I have rode that roller coaster for sometime now. If you are not going to speak with a professional, which I do recommend, than speaking with a trusted peer can be a healthy alternative. Bottling up your emotions only magnifies the problem.

There is allot that goes on just in our daily lives that can cause depression, so don't drive yourself crazy trying to find one key issue. It is also important to keep in mind, from the beginning, that there is no quick fix for depression unless you want to walk around like a zombie all day. (Not fun)

Keep a log of your daily activities, right down to the amount of sleep you had the night before, what you are throughout the day, and make notes of anything that bothers you to the point of having these depressed feelings. Like I said above, you wont narrow it down to one thing, but you may find a trend that can be addressed and fixed. At this point since you are reaching out, you have probably started feeling depressed more often than not and are unsure what to do.

Start a new healthy and active habit, this can be anything from going to the gym, going for a hike, or just a simple walk around the block in the morning or after dinner. Make it a pleasurable routine that you look forward to, nothing exhausting. I know it is hard to get up and out of your chair when having these feelings, but you need to take it into your own hands and tell yourself that nothing can keep you from being happy. Changes in your eating and sleeping habits will help as well.

You need to take the time to honestly assess yourself and what is going on in your life, and make the decision for change. It is not an easy path but the rewards are great. Keep it simple for starters, if you are consistent, there will be a noticeable shift in your outlook and the pains of depression will begin to recess.

*This doesn't work for everyone, and in some cases a professional therapist is a must. But, if you can make a few small changes in your daily life, you will experience great changes throughout your lifetime.

reply to post by Farnhold


www.youtube.com...

heres your cure,works for me ha ha ha

reply to post by Farnhold


Only you know how to get yourself out of your particular depression...I do have this though

www.youtube.com...

watch it...this will get your mood up I guarantee you.

Depression is your feelings and sense's running wild.

Make sure you uderstand those feelings, learn them, use them.
My best tool in life is to write down all my annoing question's, and search the answers, in the writing.

You will be surpriced how much you can heal by writing, write down everything if you can't seperat the question's, and you will find a lot of answers when you later read those words.

It's all about knowing your self..

Stay safe and good luck

First of all, whatever you do, do not take prescription medication. That will only make things more murkier than they are now.

Have you tried writing down your thoughts? You say you do not like to talk about things too much, but if you have a lot on your mind you still need to get it off your chest.

Way back when I was a teenager I was depressed a lot because of my circumstances. I was never good at talking to people so I started writing my feelings down as a way of expressing myself. Finding and listening to songs that reflect what you feel can also help.

Hope this helps

I'm suffering from a depressing too at the moment. I did a study in social work, but my heart was with music. I'm having sessions with a psychologist every 2 weeks (which I recommend) and it seems I suffer from closet narcissism. Narcissism is often portrayed as making people extremely selfish, That alone is not true, and in my case (closet) my depression hit because I did things I didn't want to do and I wasn't (and am not) getting acknowledgment and attention for who I am. I will have to deal with the need to fill my emptyness whole of my life, but at least I know what I have now. There could be more behind your depression too. I choose not to take medications, because I know because of my study (so not because of people on a forum like ATS telling me..) that they create a sort of illusion in which you are happy, and they can make you addicted and suïcidal. I rather work on my problems. Try to do as much fun things as possible. I have the time to do it, but I really don't. I can't take steps which involves risks (the unknown), so I don't get satisfaction either. You won't understand my mind, but I think taking steps is the sollution.

reply to post by WeZet


My friend please study meditation, this isn't a quick fix but the realization of God in your life will cure your depression...

This isn't about religion, nor am i trying to convert you to any belief... this is about reality. Many people are depressed because they can't find a meaning in their life... but the meaning to life is simple, its as nature intended. To live life and experience everything and learn from every aspect of it.

Studying meditation will teach you this, its balance.... Having the physical in your life is only the half, you also need the spiritual to be whole...

With love