dealing with depression

[lilbear61]

ok, so there are the standards of therapy and medication, but what i'm curious about is what folks do to "naturally" help deal with depression.  i thought of this when i was posting on another topic because a really funny tv show does wonders for me.  what about the rest of you who suffer from any form of depression, from the "blues" to clinical depression.  what do you do to help keep you on an even keel?

[gavinvenom]

I just try to stay busy. Sometimes it doesn't work though and I can't be left alone.

[debraleesparks]

  :sad1:I try to stay undepressed by gardening, and going for rides with my dog. I have suffered depression my whole life, and I hate the meds., so I just try to stay busy.It's hard.. by I try.

[cloudsoup]

shop... excessively.
eat... excessively.
nap... moderately.


they make me so happy! i enjoy getting my fix 
you didn't ask for productive things, ha.


(and yes. i'm well aware that this shows
how deep and wide my issues really are, thank you).

[hjh1974]

I dealt with an ex-boyfriend who was clinically depressed.  I felt that once he started taking the medication, he was never the same ( in a bad way) and it's like he can't every stop.  He's on 4 meds now to counteract each other's side effects.  He is still depressed.  I would recommend trying everything before medication.  I think talk therapy can work wonders, but it can take some time. 

[sheliawheeler]

I think everyone goes through some type of depression.  Dealing with it just requires you to find what makes you happy and doing that.

[rcbrad]

Diet and exercise also can make a big difference.  I think that there are many people who really do not need to be on anti depression medication, but still take it.  Medication is really important for the people that really need it to help them when all else fails.

[oldbuddy]

I lose myself in the Internet, making friends and money and finding new ways to do both. I am so busy I don't have time to be depressed. Then I look forward to the next big trip we can take to enjoy what I earn.

[selerson]

I suffer from pretty bad depression. I am a loner but don't really want to be, just don't know how to make and keep friends. I dont take any medications. I would like to know something that works too.

[hjh1974]

Diet and exercise also can make a big difference.  I think that there are many people who really do not need to be on anti depression medication, but still take it.  Medication is really important for the people that really need it to help them when all else fails.

You are so right about diet and exercise.  Being overweight can change your hormones quite a bit. 

[JessieKateRose]

I pretend I'm happy until I actually am happy.
It actually works. A lot better than moping, anyways.

[lilbear61]

I dealt with an ex-boyfriend who was clinically depressed.  I felt that once he started taking the medication, he was never the same ( in a bad way) and it's like he can't every stop.  He's on 4 meds now to counteract each other's side effects.  He is still depressed.  I would recommend trying everything before medication.  I think talk therapy can work wonders, but it can take some time. 

it's so true that talk therapy works in many cases but as you noted, it takes time ... something we as a society seem not to want to take.  we want the quick fix.  give me a pill, so many say, and don't bother with helping learn coping strategies.  and it is so unfortunate that there still exists a stigma about going to therapy.  some of the folks whom i know have gone the therapy route are some of the bravest people in this world.  they don't medicate, they work on their issues.  this is not to say that medication is bad; sometimes medication is required before talk therapy can be useful.  but very few people should be on anti-depressants for life.

[lilbear61]

Diet and exercise also can make a big difference.  I think that there are many people who really do not need to be on anti depression medication, but still take it.  Medication is really important for the people that really need it to help them when all else fails.

well said.  diet and exercise can help lift many folks out of the mental fog of depression.

[lilbear61]

I suffer from pretty bad depression. I am a loner but don't really want to be, just don't know how to make and keep friends. I dont take any medications. I would like to know something that works too.

i know quite a bit about the being a loner, not wanting to be, and being depressed.  wanna talk?  i'm a newbie here so i don't know how that's done, but let me know, ok?

[princessofgab]

I have suffered with this all my life and have BPD. Every day is a struggle, but it's alot better now with medication and therapy.