What do YOU do when you're extremely depressed?

Question

This question is really simple, I know. But, I have been to several therapists and it doesn't seem to help anything. And, medication is the same. I'm looking for a more personal, natural way of healing myself.

Answer 1

Hi,

What I do when I feel extremely down is clean. It might sound silly, but it's something simple that you don't have to think about too much and once it's done, you'll often feel good about what you've just achieved. Clear out a messy drawer, scrub your oven or bathroom until it sparkles, organise your socks by colour or something similar. Just get your head in a zone, and clean. Hope it helps! Good luck.

Answer 2

I cry

Thats all i can do

Hope this helps

Answer 3

Something that makes me happy.

I draw what I'm feeling, take my dog for a long walk, or hang out with some of my funniest friends.

Just things that I enjoy, that's what I try to do very often to stay away from depression.

Answer 4

I look at the world and see that there are people who are worse off than me. I see that I am healthy, rich, and have a lot to look forward to and it makes me feel better. But for more personal things do what you like and what makes you feel happy. Treat yourself to something special... I've also heard that St John's wort is used for depression but you should ask your doctor first before taking anything.

Edit... Necrophilia?  Your screen name....

Answer 5

I'm fortunate:  much of my depression comes from things I can eventually track down.  I know this isn't true for everybody.

Sometimes I need sun.  It sounds silly, but it's the #1 reason I get depressed.  I'll bundle up and walk around even in the coldest January weather, and sit in a sunbeam in the window afterwards.

My significant other has the same problem, and we've

made a pact to take an overnight trip during the worst of it and drive as far south as it takes to reach light!

Spending time with my best friends helps a little.  I usually just sit quietly in the room with them and watch a movie or entertain myself because I'm not much of an extrovert when I'm blue, but they understand.

I work QUITE a bit and have tenuous health, so making sleep and great nutritious food a priority does wonders.  Insomnia and depression have a very high statistical link, and studies have also shown that popping a sleeping pill early in the insomnia cycle can save you tons of trouble later.  Sleeping pills all have their risks, of course, so run that one by your doc!  My drug of choice is benadryl, and that hasn't given any of my docs pause.

That's about it.  I do what I can to stave it off with being social, exercising, getting sun, and eating well, but sometimes it just comes on like an iron blanket anyway!  I withdraw, but I try to stay just enough in touch that I don't miss an opportunity to perk up.  Once I'm fully inside of my shell it takes large outside forces to bring me out of it, and that's no good!

Good luck, hon.  Depression's awful!

ETA:  Oh!  I nearly forgot!  Vitamin B helps a LOT.  Actually, when I was working the most I had to take Oil of Olay Stress Complex every day and night, and I'd drag if I missed a dose.  I take fish oil through the worst of fatigue or depression, too, but I don't notice the same dramatic effect.  Sadly, the stress complex is off the market now.  I've tried to find a good comprehensive B complex and I'm sure they all help, but that stuff was worth its weight in gold!

Also, peanut butter.  I'm a big fan of sugar when I'm depressed and that frankly makes it worse, but protein seems to curb the sweet tooth and help keep me fueled.

Answer 6

glad to hear u doubt medication. its a little strange that seeing a therapist has not helped - was is psychology, psychotherapy?? the latter is a very long process that unless completed, might leave u in the middle of a ..dark place.

i think yoga and budhist understandings might help. What i do - well, what i did was to change my life. personally, i needed diff friends, environment, experiences. i needed to stop hating myself. this is hard and different for everyone.

for me, depression is its worst when i am alone. be careful too - some peopel can make u feel more alone than if u were actually on ur own bc they are so emotionally disconnected. its one of the hardest things u'll ever do - to force urself to be social when u feel like hiding and staying ..safe in ur depression

gl :):):)

Answer 7

Some strategies and a tip:

Light box or lots of sun if its' sunny where you are at.  (Google lite box online.  I have a little goLITE p2.  About 10-30 minutes a day is the usual recommendation if I recall correctly.)

Omega 3 fish oil.  Results of a recent peer reviewed study were that 2-3 grams of the EPA ingredient is as effective as 20mg of Prozac.  It works differently, so how Prozac worked for you if taken doesn't mean much.  It works for many, not for everybody.  My psychiatrist recommended it and it does a little for me. (Note: that's specifically the EPA ingredient and that's 2-3 grams, not milligrams.  Many take a two pills of low EPA octane and wonder why nothing is happening.  So, it's a few pills of a higher EPA octane brand.)

Lots of exercise, preferably in the morning.

Do not over sleep.  Keep a regular slee-wake schedule and power thru any desire to lay in bed or on the couch.

Stick with your normal life schedule.  Get up, morning routine, go to work, talk to people, come home, do whatever you ordinarily would do, go to bed.

Stay social.

Eat healthy, take your vitamins.

Do all the naturally healthful things that you can and stick to as many as possible.  If they don't do it, then see a psychiatrist.  There are many classes of antidepressants besides the popular ones including tricyclics, MAOIs.  There also is supplementing antidepressants with Lithium or other mood stabilizers.  Additionally, there are off label meds for Parkinsons and some other conditions that help with depression.  Many options.  People who do not respond to antidepressants often are somewhere on the bipolar spectrum.  That doesn't me that you have bipolar, just that you respond to bipolar medication instead of antidepressants.  I have bipolar disorder (very clearly) and have lived through a lot of depression, some lasting over a year.  All of the natural stuff adds up to make a meaningful difference.  Hopefully, it is all that you need.