For those interested in the effects of exercise and mood, read “Spark” by John Ratay. it has been my experience that knowledge is very helpful for overcoming depression.
I have a website that I use for my patients.The links section has a number of tutorials, self help stuff, and ways to develop coping skills. Check out the CBT section and Mood Tracker in the link section of my website.
www.jslmhc.com
Let me know how it goes with the self help info.
tv x2. also such things as computer games.
i got to reading stuff on ‘flow’. being in the moment… play… like how children mess around curious-like and giggle and have fun. it is like adults forget how to do that. or only seem to have permission to be like that when they are entertaining children. but really it is a wonderful place to be in…
i got a high bounce rubber ball. i never learned to throw as a kid… but i do remember playing handball a bit… spending some time throwing a ball against a wall. find that childlike joy there. headstands. same thing goes, except falling is a bit harder… playfulness.
exercise is often prescribed to people with depression. also to people with anxiety. i’ve had trouble sleeping for years (getting the head to switch off). nothing like a set of heavy squats to get the head switched off. fall into a deep and deserving sleep after that. elevates the mood and calms… i’m a big fan of the whole exercise thing.
i actually think that the reason we have a bunch of emotional problems (depression and anxiety) like caged animals have… is because our lives are kinda like caged animals. we need to move around. our bodies are made to be pushed hard. ripptoe has something about that… it is what we evolved to do… go a bit potty otherwise.
i think that might be normal.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Pgtips - very, very true, the worst thing you can do is deny it’s there.
Hungryone, diet does make a difference. Lots of carbs and/or refined sugar can cause wild mood swings. Grains and dairy are possible problems. Keep protein up, make sure you have vitamin & minerals. As for Prozac deficiency . . . well, it’s not required for health, but people can have seratonin deficiency and Prozac can regulate that.[/quote]
Yes! You’re absolutely right about serotonin!
But, why try to regulate it with prozac, when fish oil, vitamin D, and a proper diet do a much better job of regulating serotonin with no side effects and dependency such as seen with Prozac? I hope you see the point I’m trying to make here… Get to the root of the problem, and don’t settle for just addressing the symptoms.
B vitamins (b-12, i think) was used (high doses) prior to the development of SSRI’s. They still use it some.
SAM(e) is also widely used outside the US.
GABA has been shown to work for some (serotonin precursor)…
Vitamin T works the best for me…
May or may not help for you… x2 on the omega-3’s, staying active, light and every other step you can take. Some work for some people and not others so keep trying.
and proper sleep
[quote]tonypluto wrote:
[quote]silee wrote:
[quote]tonypluto wrote:
Imagine every additional 6-8Lbs lifted
as another baby you can throw off of a cliff.
Less human babies = less human suffering[/quote]
ok well I’ll think about becoming a better person. thanks[/quote]
Welcome.
For real though, I’ve had tremendous success dealing with my depression By practicing Zen Buddhism and consistently working out.
I know it’s tough to get going sometimes but just remember that getting started is the hardest part and it’s Always better to do something than nothing. If you really feel like shit, fine, Fuck it just do SOMETHING productive and be done. Move on to something else.
Also very Important to limit your time in front of your TV. Nothing makes me feel more depressed than watching a lot of TV. So if you’re looking for an escape from reality and your depression I would urge you to do almost anything else than soaking up commercials and advertisements intentionally designed to make you feel like something is missing from your life and it needs to be filled by something outside of you. Happiness comes from within your own mind and TV can very much dull your mind and make you feel lethargic and worthless.
Practice smiling as well.
Whenever you see a mirror smile at yourself, even if its fake and forced. The act of smiling triggers your brain to feel happy whether you like it or not. So Smile, laugh, watch how when you smile at others they’ll start to smile. It’s too easy not to do. Girls are extremely attracted to guys who smile more and all people are more friendly if you show them a nice smile.[/quote]
Yeah you make a lot of good points. I remember hearing that a lot of depression is forced helplessness so the thing about doing something is important. Now i’ve come to understand that it doesn’t have to be much but it should be something.
again what you say makes good sense thanks
[quote]alexus wrote:
tv x2. also such things as computer games.
i got to reading stuff on ‘flow’. being in the moment… play… like how children mess around curious-like and giggle and have fun. it is like adults forget how to do that. or only seem to have permission to be like that when they are entertaining children. but really it is a wonderful place to be in…
i got a high bounce rubber ball. i never learned to throw as a kid… but i do remember playing handball a bit… spending some time throwing a ball against a wall. find that childlike joy there. headstands. same thing goes, except falling is a bit harder… playfulness.
exercise is often prescribed to people with depression. also to people with anxiety. i’ve had trouble sleeping for years (getting the head to switch off). nothing like a set of heavy squats to get the head switched off. fall into a deep and deserving sleep after that. elevates the mood and calms… i’m a big fan of the whole exercise thing.
i actually think that the reason we have a bunch of emotional problems (depression and anxiety) like caged animals have… is because our lives are kinda like caged animals. we need to move around. our bodies are made to be pushed hard. ripptoe has something about that… it is what we evolved to do… go a bit potty otherwise.
i think that might be normal.[/quote]
I like what you say about our bodies are made for movement. for me staying in the same routine day in and day out was and is a form of stress. Also getting overwhelmed by all the little stuff we do in our lives. My diet though is right on. Also i find that is important to tell oneself that one is doing a good job or is good at such and such and to stop if one is, beating oneself up.
The point about playing like a child is great. and of course exercise is important. also listening to music that one enjoys or going outside and walking in the woods noticing all aspects of nature.
I do think ( and this might just be me) that when things get really heavy going, One needs to think that one will get through it. one needs to have a safe place to find peace. and one needs to remind oneself that one can change and start to develop a way of living that is more satisfying.
Also wouldn’t hurt if more people put down the Shake Weights
and started shakin babies instead.
You’re Welcome
[quote]silee wrote:
Its a debilitating thing to have. It makes everything such a chore so hard to do. Some of the new meds well, relatively new take a while to work. Depression goes with anxiety, though some don’t have much of one or the other but just one predominates.
My strategy is to try to do something, walk, lift, even if its baby weights, and use bands.
I had this happen once before back in 2001 and what i can remember was after about 3 to 4 months I just started to feel myself again, felt better. Its like I’ve lost my soul and have to keep reminding myself to do this or do that. right now I am going through the motions to do my monday workout.
Just wondering if others have had any bouts of this trouble or if you are currently having some now. anyway… I am going to try to do something now.
[/quote]
I feel for ya. Iâ??ve been way down low before and at times it seemed like there was no way out. Iâ??m replying this to share my experience with you but also as a catharsis for my self.
The depression Iâ??ve suffered from has been a combination of instances (traumatic events that I can directly identify) and more subtle deeper shit not so easily seen. I like what others have said about getting to the root of why you feel the way you feel about things. Not to get into any psycho babble but talking it out has helped me more than any medication (they help to and donâ??t let anyone yank you off those but your doc).
Since this is a lifting forum and youâ??ve mentioned lifting to ward of depression Iâ??ll stick with that. Seen many post or articles on why we lift weights (or train as I like to be goal oriented). Everyone has their own reason but mine started out as being fucked with as a kid. I wanted to be strong and have people fear (respect me). It wasnâ??t until college that I really began to train seriously.
I made really good progress and dead lifted 585 in less than two years of training. Competed in a few local strong man comps and placed well. I was feeling good about myself and then tragedy struck. I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. This is no shit I WAS MORE CONCERNED A BOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO LIFT THAN ABOUT POSSIBLY DIEING!!!
Lifting was my identity because without it I felt like I had no worth and that people would look at me as just another fat ass weak fuck that they could shove around.
The cancer debacle took five years away from me and I nearly died when it relapsed. In the wake of that Iâ??d love to say I had an Armstrong-esq come back but I didnâ??t. I spent years in a bottle drunk and feeling sorry for myself. When the drinking almost killed me I decided I had enough and got help.
Talking my shit out and making connections to why I felt the way I did changed my PERSPECTIVE. How I view myself is far more important than to how I think others view me. Iâ??ve been sober almost three years now and have been training hard ever since. It has probably kept me from going off the deep end more than once.
I donâ??t train anymore for anyone else other than myself. I need to type this because the past few weeks Iâ??ve been working 12 hours a day seven days a week and my time hitting the weights has been shitty. I had a light lift last night and even though it is was light it made me feel better. I donâ??t know how to explain it other than itâ??s just something I gotta do and itâ??s been taken away, Iâ??ve walked away, and have taken it for granted sometimes. But itâ??s a gift that Iâ??m able to get back at it and I never want to loose that perspective.
Short term goal has been 500 pound dl for 5 reps. Hit 475 for 5 two weeks ago before work got crazy. I know Iâ??m run down and sleep deprived but Saturday Iâ??m gonna pull again and no matter how my training goes I hope Iâ??ll be thankful that Iâ??m just able to be there in that moment doing what I need to do for myself.
Hope this helps. It helped me getting that out. Now back to work.
[quote]RCKM5K wrote:
[quote]silee wrote:
Its a debilitating thing to have. It makes everything such a chore so hard to do. Some of the new meds well, relatively new take a while to work. Depression goes with anxiety, though some don’t have much of one or the other but just one predominates.
My strategy is to try to do something, walk, lift, even if its baby weights, and use bands.
I had this happen once before back in 2001 and what i can remember was after about 3 to 4 months I just started to feel myself again, felt better. Its like I’ve lost my soul and have to keep reminding myself to do this or do that. right now I am going through the motions to do my monday workout.
Just wondering if others have had any bouts of this trouble or if you are currently having some now. anyway… I am going to try to do something now.
[/quote]
I feel for ya. Iâ??ve been way down low before and at times it seemed like there was no way out. Iâ??m replying this to share my experience with you but also as a catharsis for my self.
The depression Iâ??ve suffered from has been a combination of instances (traumatic events that I can directly identify) and more subtle deeper shit not so easily seen. I like what others have said about getting to the root of why you feel the way you feel about things. Not to get into any psycho babble but talking it out has helped me more than any medication (they help to and donâ??t let anyone yank you off those but your doc).
Since this is a lifting forum and youâ??ve mentioned lifting to ward of depression Iâ??ll stick with that. Seen many post or articles on why we lift weights (or train as I like to be goal oriented). Everyone has their own reason but mine started out as being fucked with as a kid. I wanted to be strong and have people fear (respect me). It wasnâ??t until college that I really began to train seriously.
I made really good progress and dead lifted 585 in less than two years of training. Competed in a few local strong man comps and placed well. I was feeling good about myself and then tragedy struck. I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. This is no shit I WAS MORE CONCERNED A BOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO LIFT THAN ABOUT POSSIBLY DIEING!!!
Lifting was my identity because without it I felt like I had no worth and that people would look at me as just another fat ass weak fuck that they could shove around.
The cancer debacle took five years away from me and I nearly died when it relapsed. In the wake of that Iâ??d love to say I had an Armstrong-esq come back but I didnâ??t. I spent years in a bottle drunk and feeling sorry for myself. When the drinking almost killed me I decided I had enough and got help.
Talking my shit out and making connections to why I felt the way I did changed my PERSPECTIVE. How I view myself is far more important than to how I think others view me. Iâ??ve been sober almost three years now and have been training hard ever since. It has probably kept me from going off the deep end more than once.
I donâ??t train anymore for anyone else other than myself. I need to type this because the past few weeks Iâ??ve been working 12 hours a day seven days a week and my time hitting the weights has been shitty. I had a light lift last night and even though it is was light it made me feel better. I donâ??t know how to explain it other than itâ??s just something I gotta do and itâ??s been taken away, Iâ??ve walked away, and have taken it for granted sometimes. But itâ??s a gift that Iâ??m able to get back at it and I never want to loose that perspective.
Short term goal has been 500 pound dl for 5 reps. Hit 475 for 5 two weeks ago before work got crazy. I know Iâ??m run down and sleep deprived but Saturday Iâ??m gonna pull again and no matter how my training goes I hope Iâ??ll be thankful that Iâ??m just able to be there in that moment doing what I need to do for myself.
Hope this helps. It helped me getting that out. Now back to work.
[/quote]
Thanks for sharing. First off great for getting on top of cancer that is a tough tough foe. Also I can identify with your need to lift and to lift for you no one else but for yourself. I understand that. Talking and writing out our thoughts does help and also like you said if you have to take meds so be it. I think a lot of uncommon depression has a chemical aspect. Oh sure everyone gets the blues from time to time but its not like a depression that won’t get off your back. The “monkey” does finally get off ones back, and its calling on (me) or anyone to change to live differently.
I really appreciate everyone here who has commented and shared shows that there are good people in the world as witnessed but the help the many people have provided to others. I know that this line is what gives me hope for a life lived more maturely. Life is tragic but we are all in it and have to deal with it, some having to deal with much much more challenges but still all human.
Hey, great goal you have for the DL. Smart training and you will accomplish it. way to go!!
This book helped me a lot a few years ago, Happiness is a Serious Problem by Dennis Prager
Also, I highly recommend finding a counselor/therapist who does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Best wishes to you, man. It’s not fun being down in the pit. Keep at it and it can get better.
Some good advice on here, as someone who’s had a couple bouts of severe depression i will throw in my 2 cents as well.
First of all, one of the worst things i used to do was be ashamed of my depression. I felt like because i was depressed i was weak and i had all sorts of other negative thoughts associate with this. But the thing is - everyone gets depressed. Its not worth being ashamed about, the shame only amplifies the problem. Negative thoughts, at first are just negative thoughts, but once we repeat them to ourselves enough, while we are in a down state, our body begins to associate these thoughts and hormonal profiles together. If you are not careful it gets to the point where every time you think certain thoughts your body will release a cascade of hormones that make (and keep) you depressed. You then feel so shitty all around that it becomes difficult not to be depressed. The other thing with negative thoughts, is they can become like an itch we know we shouldn’t scratch but the more you try to ignore it the harder it seems to become. The more you scratch this itch, the more ingrained the itch becomes, the itchier it becomes! But, the more you ignore the itch, the easier it becomes to ignore that itch, and eventually, the itch goes away altogether. Ignoring the itch is like getting your second wind while jogging. The first 5-10 minutes of jogging are the hardest (while your body switches from burning sugar in your liver to body fat) but once you get your second wind, suddenly you feel great again and can keep pushing. Remember this when you are trying to ignore that itch - replace it with other happier thoughts (cock block the negative thoughts) and you will get a second wind and feel great about it! Remind yourself how great you are going to feel when you defeat that negative thought pattern.
Secondly - about medication. Anti-depressants won’t “cure” the part of your brain that is making you depressed, but they will suppress it a great deal. If you are only sorta depressed i found they don’t help much, but if you are in the downward spiral of severe depression they can make a big difference, because the drugs will stop the negative hormonal cascade that your body has begun to associate with certain thought patterns. Medication can allow you to take a step back and “see the forest for the trees” While you are on medication is a great opportunity to examine your own thought patterns, to analyze them, and decide how you are going to change them. Don’t over analyze your situation in life, don’t judge yourself about mistakes you’ve made in the past, and don’t worry about mistakes you will make in the future. Instead what i mean by analyze your thought patterns is ask yourself “is this helpful?” and if it isn’t find a thought pattern that is helpful and replace it with that one. When ever you find yourself starting to repeat your mantra of depression, instead replace it with your new thought that is going to help you become the person you want to be. Remind yourself how awesome you will feel when you hit your second wind, and replace that negative thought with a helpful one.
Thirdly - on exercise. As everyone has pointed out exercise can help a great deal, and it can, but i would caution against over doing it. When i was depressed i would still go for my workouts and i would feel so awesome during them that i wouldn’t want to stop and i would just keep pushing myself and pushing myself, but the problem was i would push myself so hard that the next day i just felt like trash, everything i did hurt and made me tired… its hard to be positive when everything you do hurts! Instead i would recommend doing some light to moderate exercise everyday, just enough to get those endorphin’s going, but not enough to wipe you out. I recommend working out everyday because those endorphin’s can really push you through a tough day, but i also recommend moderation because the stress from a really tough workout can push you over the edge.
Fourthly - on music. Music for most people carries a great deal of emotional attachment. Songs that i loved as a teen always cheer me up, and songs that i associate with ex girlfriends or bad memories always bring me down. For me i fucking love the bands nirvana and city and colour, but i can’t listen to more than 1 or 2 songs at a time because they have a profound emotional affect on me that can really bring me down. Especially nirvana. On the other hand i can’t help but feel pumped after i listen to the song “kickstart my heart” or blast other upbeat songs that i have good memory associations with. Music, like medication and exercise can be a very powerful tool for dictating and controlling your emotional state. Use this as a tool, write down songs that make you feel awesome - listen to them when you are feeling like shit. Stop listening to anything that makes you feel crappy, if its something you really love then you can come back to it when you’ve beat this depression thing, but for now its not helpful.
Fifth - stop watching tv, and reading magazines. Don’t watch the news. At least for now. When you are bored and tempted to flick on the tube, instead call a friend (or family), or read a book, or hit the gym, or go for a walk in the park. If you do want to watch something, try to watch something that is going to cheer you up like maybe some good stand up comedy, and watch it with a friend or family (shits always funnier with other people around).
Sixth - don’t be a pessimist, don’t be a realist, work on being an optimist. Listen there are rich people in the world that are depressed as fuck and hate their lives. There are other people who are poor and fucking love life. Economic and social status make life easier, but they are not what makes us happy or sad. What makes us happy or sad is our outlook, our view on the world. We can choose to be thankful for what we have and remember the good times, or we can choose to dwell on what we don’t have and remember the bad times. It is ultimately up to us, its not easy to change how you think, but it is simple. Actually its remarkably similar to weight training. In weight training you put your time in and try to make progressive gains. It wont’ seem like much over the course of a month, but over a year it adds up. Over ten years your stronger than you ever thought you could be - its the same with being optimistic. The first little while seems stupid and silly, then after awhile you realize its working, and after 10 years you’re happier than you ever thought you could be.
anyways i’m going to end here for now. Best of luck with whatever you’re going through. You can do it!
Zen
Those who think that depression can simply be beaten by an act of will need to be hit with a chair in the face then told to suck it up.
[quote]zenontheterrible wrote:
Some good advice on here, as someone who’s had a couple bouts of severe depression i will throw in my 2 cents as well.
First of all, one of the worst things i used to do was be ashamed of my depression. I felt like because i was depressed i was weak and i had all sorts of other negative thoughts associate with this. But the thing is - everyone gets depressed. Its not worth being ashamed about, the shame only amplifies the problem. Negative thoughts, at first are just negative thoughts, but once we repeat them to ourselves enough, while we are in a down state, our body begins to associate these thoughts and hormonal profiles together. If you are not careful it gets to the point where every time you think certain thoughts your body will release a cascade of hormones that make (and keep) you depressed. You then feel so shitty all around that it becomes difficult not to be depressed. The other thing with negative thoughts, is they can become like an itch we know we shouldn’t scratch but the more you try to ignore it the harder it seems to become. The more you scratch this itch, the more ingrained the itch becomes, the itchier it becomes! But, the more you ignore the itch, the easier it becomes to ignore that itch, and eventually, the itch goes away altogether. Ignoring the itch is like getting your second wind while jogging. The first 5-10 minutes of jogging are the hardest (while your body switches from burning sugar in your liver to body fat) but once you get your second wind, suddenly you feel great again and can keep pushing. Remember this when you are trying to ignore that itch - replace it with other happier thoughts (cock block the negative thoughts) and you will get a second wind and feel great about it! Remind yourself how great you are going to feel when you defeat that negative thought pattern.
Secondly - about medication. Anti-depressants won’t “cure” the part of your brain that is making you depressed, but they will suppress it a great deal. If you are only sorta depressed i found they don’t help much, but if you are in the downward spiral of severe depression they can make a big difference, because the drugs will stop the negative hormonal cascade that your body has begun to associate with certain thought patterns. Medication can allow you to take a step back and “see the forest for the trees” While you are on medication is a great opportunity to examine your own thought patterns, to analyze them, and decide how you are going to change them. Don’t over analyze your situation in life, don’t judge yourself about mistakes you’ve made in the past, and don’t worry about mistakes you will make in the future. Instead what i mean by analyze your thought patterns is ask yourself “is this helpful?” and if it isn’t find a thought pattern that is helpful and replace it with that one. When ever you find yourself starting to repeat your mantra of depression, instead replace it with your new thought that is going to help you become the person you want to be. Remind yourself how awesome you will feel when you hit your second wind, and replace that negative thought with a helpful one.
Thirdly - on exercise. As everyone has pointed out exercise can help a great deal, and it can, but i would caution against over doing it. When i was depressed i would still go for my workouts and i would feel so awesome during them that i wouldn’t want to stop and i would just keep pushing myself and pushing myself, but the problem was i would push myself so hard that the next day i just felt like trash, everything i did hurt and made me tired… its hard to be positive when everything you do hurts! Instead i would recommend doing some light to moderate exercise everyday, just enough to get those endorphin’s going, but not enough to wipe you out. I recommend working out everyday because those endorphin’s can really push you through a tough day, but i also recommend moderation because the stress from a really tough workout can push you over the edge.
Fourthly - on music. Music for most people carries a great deal of emotional attachment. Songs that i loved as a teen always cheer me up, and songs that i associate with ex girlfriends or bad memories always bring me down. For me i fucking love the bands nirvana and city and colour, but i can’t listen to more than 1 or 2 songs at a time because they have a profound emotional affect on me that can really bring me down. Especially nirvana. On the other hand i can’t help but feel pumped after i listen to the song “kickstart my heart” or blast other upbeat songs that i have good memory associations with. Music, like medication and exercise can be a very powerful tool for dictating and controlling your emotional state. Use this as a tool, write down songs that make you feel awesome - listen to them when you are feeling like shit. Stop listening to anything that makes you feel crappy, if its something you really love then you can come back to it when you’ve beat this depression thing, but for now its not helpful.
Fifth - stop watching tv, and reading magazines. Don’t watch the news. At least for now. When you are bored and tempted to flick on the tube, instead call a friend (or family), or read a book, or hit the gym, or go for a walk in the park. If you do want to watch something, try to watch something that is going to cheer you up like maybe some good stand up comedy, and watch it with a friend or family (shits always funnier with other people around).
Sixth - don’t be a pessimist, don’t be a realist, work on being an optimist. Listen there are rich people in the world that are depressed as fuck and hate their lives. There are other people who are poor and fucking love life. Economic and social status make life easier, but they are not what makes us happy or sad. What makes us happy or sad is our outlook, our view on the world. We can choose to be thankful for what we have and remember the good times, or we can choose to dwell on what we don’t have and remember the bad times. It is ultimately up to us, its not easy to change how you think, but it is simple. Actually its remarkably similar to weight training. In weight training you put your time in and try to make progressive gains. It wont’ seem like much over the course of a month, but over a year it adds up. Over ten years your stronger than you ever thought you could be - its the same with being optimistic. The first little while seems stupid and silly, then after awhile you realize its working, and after 10 years you’re happier than you ever thought you could be.
anyways i’m going to end here for now. Best of luck with whatever you’re going through. You can do it!
Zen
you said a lot of good stuff. what i think gets at the heart of the matter for me is the “cascade of hormones”. Because I have a tendency to be anxious and to get mad quickly if i get no satisfaction I will play certain thoughts over and over. Plus I’ll be honest. I was on meds 37.5mgs of veneflaxine ok… Because i was no longer getting them in the time released form what i was getting was a tablet and it had to be cut into 2 , take one in the AM. And one in the PM. well i forgot to take the one in the PM and this became a habit ok several months of this. Frankly before some shit hit the fan I was doing ok with only half ok. Then I had an accident outside of the gym, and this impacted me at the gym or in my lifting . a series of events happened. So stress was building up and some of it had no resolution plus some of the things I did to spend most of my day were so routine that I was experiencing nothing new. The straw that “broke the camels back” was me going to the gym and coming in contact with a person who wanted me to “train” him ok. I told him I couldn’t do it at the gym cause I could get kicked out, but i could at my house. This person btw only trains chest and arms lol… But he’s a good kid who with the right help could do just fine. So I am getting ready to leave and he says can you spot me? Sure I said. So i am spotting him and he’s coughing in my face yeah he was sick!! WTF so guess who got sick… yup so besides my accident now i am feeling like shit, I think i might have pushed a workout in this state so that put me in a whole of sorts, then BAM! the cascade of adrenaline ( i am assuming that’s what it is, fight or flight response hit me.) That exhausted the heck out of me, that’s when I started to feel overwhelmed and had some panic attacks and couldn’t rest, how could i with so much adrenaline…
So what you say makes sense. I think its all about managing stress, knowing when to back off but you know failing to know and being hit with the panic and the fight or flight response is a hell of a price to pay. Its taken about 3 weeks to start to minimally feel somewhat better. But again yes you have to get the fight or flight response behind you to start the healing process.
hey thanks for your thoughtful response.
Lies down on the psychiatry couch
Life feels a little more pointless every day.
I think…‘extremely bland’ would be a good term to use.
I dont think im clinically depressed, but its more that nothing really gets me exicted. I just dont care enough about anything to have spark, fire and competitiveness. (whats the point)
A couple years ago now i got fired from my first job out of school.
I dont feel young/wild&free anymore.
I am broke and do not yet have a good job landed again.
The last couple of jobs ive done working for a particular temp agency made me want to end myself.
I know that ego can be a bad thing, but mine is becoming deflated.
This is my current situation and im not very good at far-seeing or visualizing the future , but my negative thoughts have only flashed bleak things.
Some times , such as for a while during today , i would just feel down and have this feeling that i am ‘stuck.’ It takes away my energy , i breath into my chest, its kind of like a mental/physical weight. I just want to go lie down in a grass field by myself.
The ‘woe is me’ mentality i display while living in America with all kinds of opportunity just makes me feel like more of a deuche-bag. Its like a negative feedback loop.
Everyone has problems i guess. My problems are minor.
Thanks for your time.
[quote]silee wrote:
Its a debilitating thing to have. It makes everything such a chore so hard to do. Some of the new meds well, relatively new take a while to work. Depression goes with anxiety, though some don’t have much of one or the other but just one predominates.
My strategy is to try to do something, walk, lift, even if its baby weights, and use bands.
I had this happen once before back in 2001 and what i can remember was after about 3 to 4 months I just started to feel myself again, felt better. Its like I’ve lost my soul and have to keep reminding myself to do this or do that. right now I am going through the motions to do my monday workout.
Just wondering if others have had any bouts of this trouble or if you are currently having some now. anyway… I am going to try to do something now.
[/quote]
Bro, I feel you. I can understand what you must be going through. Life’s been a heckuva roller coaster ride for me, and I tried to keep my head up through it all. Mostly, I would succeed, with LOTS of patience and perseverance. Sometimes, however, the weight’s just too heavy to bear, and it tries to drown you.
Believe me there’s no amount of medication that can help you combat depression the way altering your physiological patterns can. Personally, I’ve never resorted to medications, since it would seriously hamper my progress in the gym. Even if I weren’t an avid gym-goer, I’d still stay away from them. Bad news.
Just try and stay healthy man. Find good friends, and hold on to them. Also, never underestimate the power of faith my friend. Faith heals. There is always a higher power watching over things, and you’ve just got to put your trust in that.
I hope you get over whatever it is that’s eating you up. Keep that head up man!
Cheers!
Hey Dude, how ya doin’? Hangin’ in there? I’m late to the thread, but I’ve been there, down in the depths of despair. Let me know.
[quote]silee wrote:
Its a debilitating thing to have. It makes everything such a chore so hard to do. Some of the new meds well, relatively new take a while to work. Depression goes with anxiety, though some don’t have much of one or the other but just one predominates.
My strategy is to try to do something, walk, lift, even if its baby weights, and use bands.
I had this happen once before back in 2001 and what i can remember was after about 3 to 4 months I just started to feel myself again, felt better. Its like I’ve lost my soul and have to keep reminding myself to do this or do that. right now I am going through the motions to do my monday workout.
Just wondering if others have had any bouts of this trouble or if you are currently having some now. anyway… I am going to try to do something now.
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I for one have to be medicated otherwise I immediately start to become more negative and very narrow sighted. If I go 3-5 days with out taking my meds, I hate to say it, but I just want to die. Not really kill myself, but if being dead would make those feelings of depressing and anxiety go away, then I tend to entertain the idea.
As you can see, that’s a horrible way to think or reason. That’s why I have to stay medicated. People around me know when I am and am not taking my “crazy pills.” I am not saying you have to go this route, hell I wish I didn’t have to. I wish I could find away to eat certain foods or be active enough to combat those nasty lingering ways of thinking. But, I can’t, therefore I medicate.
I’m not a drinker, smoker or a big risk taker. I live a pretty straight edge life and often joke that maybe I need to drink, smoke or take more risks just to get the edge off. But, I don’t like not being in 100% control of myself. There in lies part of my OCD.
I too suffer from anxiety attacks and even though I’ve never passed out from one, or died, I keep thinking every time one comes on, that this is the big one! We build up little fears or ways of thinking when we’re down in the dumps and find ways to help keep ourselves down.
I hope you find some relief and the new things you try are aiding you in finding happiness!
Lots of good info here. I deal with bipolar II disorder so my training yo-yo’s back and forth. Best advice I can give is DEFINITELY keep training if you go through a period of depression. I 100% know what you mean about ‘going through the motions’.
What I try to do is train like a mad man when I am up or ‘normal’ then when I go into a depressed phase - recognize it and almost go into a ‘recovery’ phase - for me this means dropping the intensity back and just focus on getting a nice pump without killing yourself - if you’re depressed you probably don’t have drop sets or supersets etc. in you - so just light weight, slow reps, lots of time under tension to get the blood flowing.
During this ‘recovery’ phase I also go for 30-40 min brisk walks with lots of stretching incorporated - and do it outside in the fresh air. I also try to get a massage every 1-2 weeks if I can afford it. As messed up as it sounds this period is almost good for the body - gives it a chance to heal if you are training hard - even though it is obviously not good for your thoughts and mind. When you then come out of it your body is rested and recovered and ready for an absolute battering until next time lol
I am in strong agreement with others here - get a good dose of Vitamin B’s, vitamin D, fish/flaxseed oil, eat healthy, minimize alcohol. Don’t totally discount medication - for some people mental illness is biological/genetic where your brain structure,chemicals and neurotransmitters aren’t normal or are unbalanced - if you feel very depressed for absolutely no reason at all and there is a reasonable history of it in your family then it is likely a biological/genetic thing. These people benefit from medication that targets the imbalance (problem is finding it, only way to know is to try different meds - so a bit of a gamble). You do not need medication if you feel sad because your gf dumped you or you lost your job - these are normally the people who strongly complain about side effects or lack of efficacy.
I would also strongly advise you to look into getting a Kryptopyrrole test to check for something called Pyroluria - I won’t go into it look it up - very common in people with mental health problems. It is just a simple urine test. I just did one and am waiting for the results.
That was a long rant but hopefully insightful from someone with experience with what you go through.
Enjoy
[quote]zenontheterrible wrote:
Some good advice on here, as someone who’s had a couple bouts of severe depression i will throw in my 2 cents as well.
First of all, one of the worst things i used to do was be ashamed of my depression. I felt like because i was depressed i was weak and i had all sorts of other negative thoughts associate with this. But the thing is - everyone gets depressed. Its not worth being ashamed about, the shame only amplifies the problem. Negative thoughts, at first are just negative thoughts, but once we repeat them to ourselves enough, while we are in a down state, our body begins to associate these thoughts and hormonal profiles together. If you are not careful it gets to the point where every time you think certain thoughts your body will release a cascade of hormones that make (and keep) you depressed. You then feel so shitty all around that it becomes difficult not to be depressed. The other thing with negative thoughts, is they can become like an itch we know we shouldn’t scratch but the more you try to ignore it the harder it seems to become. The more you scratch this itch, the more ingrained the itch becomes, the itchier it becomes! But, the more you ignore the itch, the easier it becomes to ignore that itch, and eventually, the itch goes away altogether. Ignoring the itch is like getting your second wind while jogging. The first 5-10 minutes of jogging are the hardest (while your body switches from burning sugar in your liver to body fat) but once you get your second wind, suddenly you feel great again and can keep pushing. Remember this when you are trying to ignore that itch - replace it with other happier thoughts (cock block the negative thoughts) and you will get a second wind and feel great about it! Remind yourself how great you are going to feel when you defeat that negative thought pattern.
Secondly - about medication. Anti-depressants won’t “cure” the part of your brain that is making you depressed, but they will suppress it a great deal. If you are only sorta depressed i found they don’t help much, but if you are in the downward spiral of severe depression they can make a big difference, because the drugs will stop the negative hormonal cascade that your body has begun to associate with certain thought patterns. Medication can allow you to take a step back and “see the forest for the trees” While you are on medication is a great opportunity to examine your own thought patterns, to analyze them, and decide how you are going to change them. Don’t over analyze your situation in life, don’t judge yourself about mistakes you’ve made in the past, and don’t worry about mistakes you will make in the future. Instead what i mean by analyze your thought patterns is ask yourself “is this helpful?” and if it isn’t find a thought pattern that is helpful and replace it with that one. When ever you find yourself starting to repeat your mantra of depression, instead replace it with your new thought that is going to help you become the person you want to be. Remind yourself how awesome you will feel when you hit your second wind, and replace that negative thought with a helpful one.
Thirdly - on exercise. As everyone has pointed out exercise can help a great deal, and it can, but i would caution against over doing it. When i was depressed i would still go for my workouts and i would feel so awesome during them that i wouldn’t want to stop and i would just keep pushing myself and pushing myself, but the problem was i would push myself so hard that the next day i just felt like trash, everything i did hurt and made me tired… its hard to be positive when everything you do hurts! Instead i would recommend doing some light to moderate exercise everyday, just enough to get those endorphin’s going, but not enough to wipe you out. I recommend working out everyday because those endorphin’s can really push you through a tough day, but i also recommend moderation because the stress from a really tough workout can push you over the edge.
Fourthly - on music. Music for most people carries a great deal of emotional attachment. Songs that i loved as a teen always cheer me up, and songs that i associate with ex girlfriends or bad memories always bring me down. For me i fucking love the bands nirvana and city and colour, but i can’t listen to more than 1 or 2 songs at a time because they have a profound emotional affect on me that can really bring me down. Especially nirvana. On the other hand i can’t help but feel pumped after i listen to the song “kickstart my heart” or blast other upbeat songs that i have good memory associations with. Music, like medication and exercise can be a very powerful tool for dictating and controlling your emotional state. Use this as a tool, write down songs that make you feel awesome - listen to them when you are feeling like shit. Stop listening to anything that makes you feel crappy, if its something you really love then you can come back to it when you’ve beat this depression thing, but for now its not helpful.
Fifth - stop watching tv, and reading magazines. Don’t watch the news. At least for now. When you are bored and tempted to flick on the tube, instead call a friend (or family), or read a book, or hit the gym, or go for a walk in the park. If you do want to watch something, try to watch something that is going to cheer you up like maybe some good stand up comedy, and watch it with a friend or family (shits always funnier with other people around).
Sixth - don’t be a pessimist, don’t be a realist, work on being an optimist. Listen there are rich people in the world that are depressed as fuck and hate their lives. There are other people who are poor and fucking love life. Economic and social status make life easier, but they are not what makes us happy or sad. What makes us happy or sad is our outlook, our view on the world. We can choose to be thankful for what we have and remember the good times, or we can choose to dwell on what we don’t have and remember the bad times. It is ultimately up to us, its not easy to change how you think, but it is simple. Actually its remarkably similar to weight training. In weight training you put your time in and try to make progressive gains. It wont’ seem like much over the course of a month, but over a year it adds up. Over ten years your stronger than you ever thought you could be - its the same with being optimistic. The first little while seems stupid and silly, then after awhile you realize its working, and after 10 years you’re happier than you ever thought you could be.
anyways i’m going to end here for now. Best of luck with whatever you’re going through. You can do it!
Zen
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people should read this again, and then post.
want to cure depression forever?, start reading the seth books.