All Seeing Eye
Admiral
Hmm, just do one capsule then every couple of days. 
WITH FOOD!
WITH FOOD!
Diagnosed with severe depression
- Thread starter Ultimale
- Start date
I would say that medication may be appropriate in some cases, where it can be proven there's a clinical imbalance, but personally...I would suggest a holistic approach that includes psychological and spiritual counseling as well. Even in a chemically-balanced individual, there will be ups and downs that need to be coped with in a healthy manner, and I think the more coping skills you're armed with, the better.
S
Stone_Cold_Sisko
Guest
A good test I think is... do certain social activites help 'clear up' the depression? If yes, then you should explore trying other approaches than meds.
However if it doesn't, and you just don't get that chemical reaction known as enjoyment at all, then maybe you're dealing with a clinical chemical thing and meds may be a solution.
If someone ever says "god man, go out with some friends, have a beer, and get laid! that'll cheer you up!" you know for a fact they are completely ignorant of what real depression is. What makes you think going out with friends and having a beer is going to even give them any fun and enjoyment?
However if it doesn't, and you just don't get that chemical reaction known as enjoyment at all, then maybe you're dealing with a clinical chemical thing and meds may be a solution.
If someone ever says "god man, go out with some friends, have a beer, and get laid! that'll cheer you up!" you know for a fact they are completely ignorant of what real depression is. What makes you think going out with friends and having a beer is going to even give them any fun and enjoyment?
How are you going to "prove" there is a clinical imbalance? You can meet a certain number of the criteria, and then be diagnosed as depressed, but ultimately it is subjective.
Most meds just keep a steady level of serotonin. If there isn't a problem with serotonin levels, then the meds won't affect you. A problem with this is, not all meds are effective with every person anyway, so plus the fact that there are side effects for some people with some meds, it's often a trial and error approach anyway.
If there was safe, cheap and easy way to constantly measure brain chemistry we could get a better job done.
With major depression, it was all I could do to sit in a chair and stair at the wall. Without meds I would have lost my job, kids, housing, etc etc. So I'm a little sensitive with posts that are slamming meds.
I'm not saying they are the total answer, and they don't completely (for me) make all the symptoms go away (I haven't played guitar or gone out with friends or taken a class in over a year) but they have kept me working and taking care of my family. I am also taking therapy and it is helpful but it is not a sure thing. For me, meditation and yoga help too, as well as tons of exercize.
There is no one cure that works for everyone. My recommendation is to work with a family doctor and a therapist and keep them updated regularly on how you are doing.
At the end of the day, ideally it's a multidisciplinary management of a multifactorial disorder: medications to help settle the brain from a neurochemical perspective, psychological therapy and counselling to help challenge the thought processes, leisure activities including exercise to relax the body and soothe the mind, good dietary measures to maintain good energy levels, social support (family, financial, friends, formal carers if necessary) to help decrease the negative impact of external stressors... they all aim to work together. Some work better than others depending on the individual, your mileage may vary.
I hear ya about the "lashing out at people in my life thing" I see a lot of this in people I know with similar personality disorders. One of the major hardships I see a lot is dealing with going to the movies. It's really the perfect example of where everything can go wrong. You're doing something you normally enjoy, watching movies, but it's a giant social struggle.
Some people have a hard time dealing with all the talking that goes on in the theater. They find that can trigger their disorder. I don't know if you go to the movies, but is that like something that happens with you?
It can be hard on people, all the talking, the loud chewing, the cell phone ringing. It's a very often cited issue with some people.
Probably want to have them adjusted to coincide with your new diagnosis,
Hopefully you will find a way to cope and/or work through it--others have done it. Good luck.
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Chemical imbalances can be proven in some cases: for instance, as I said before, hypertensive patients treated with reserpine. It causes noradrenaline depletion, the levels of which are increased by the TCAs and venlafaxine. The idea that most patients, however, have a 'chemical imbalance' (nevermind their unhappy life situation) is hard to believe on the basis of the diagnosis increasing a thousandfold in the last generation or so. Certainly low serotonin levels is not the problem (it is a neuromodulator not a neurotransmitter except in the ralphe nucleus and takes weeks for the increased serotonin levels to correspond to a mitigation of depression). The best antidepressant I ever tried and made me feel really alive, more than I could ever have believed without trying it, was 20 mg dex-amphetamine. If your doctor can prescribe that, you'll know what I mean ... but it doesn't last forever.
Thespeckledkiwi
Vice Admiral
^ LOL
I don't take meds simply they made me a little more insane. And personally some of my best writing comes when I have my switches (I have bipolar) . All I can say is go with what works and what not other people tell you. If medication work, that's fine. If you find something else that works, that's great to. But keep a close eye and monitor your situation.
I don't take meds simply they made me a little more insane. And personally some of my best writing comes when I have my switches (I have bipolar) . All I can say is go with what works and what not other people tell you. If medication work, that's fine. If you find something else that works, that's great to. But keep a close eye and monitor your situation.
Ultimale, I'm sorry to hear this; but I'm glad you're taking action and dealing with it. I hope the quality of your life improves quickly. 
Wow, this is quite the response. I posted this here because I've found that I just needed to share this as much as possible to try and break the feelings of loneliness and alienation. To answer some of the comments about "looking inside," I've been going to counseling on and off since high school (I'll be thirty-three next month). My dad was an alcoholic during my middle school years and was verbally abusive. Though he stopped drinking, he remained what 12 Step language calls a "dry drunk" and continued to be horrible to live with. Since graduating from high school in 94, I've done various programs to get healthy myself, including Al-Anon. I have gone to spiritual direction, counseling, and therapy for years, and have taken Welbutrin, Lexapro, and now Zoloft. I've been depressed before, and even borderline suicidal (when still living with my parents during my dad's drinking). Eight years ago, I was in an unhealthy engagement that thankfully ended before marriage. That trauma stirred up a lot of emotions and I've been dealing with that ever since. I've been married to an awesome woman for five years now and have two beautiful girls, but my wife and I have our share of issues. I bring my baggage to the table and she brings serious trust and body image issues. As I said, I've been depressed before, but I really thought I was just under extreme stress. In the last two years, my anxiety has affected my job, my marriage, and even my online community life, where I've lashed out at others and have not been the person I know I can be. So having a trusted counselor, who I've known for years and who I just now returned to, open my eyes to see the classic signs of depression (Loss of interest in normal daily activities, feeling sad or down, loss of appetite, loss of interest in sex, headaches and other pains, etc) has been comforting. I wanted to share that here not for any advice so much as the confirmation that I'm not alone and other people care. With some exceptions, I've received that message and I thank you.
I hope that having the diagnosis will enable you to receive treatment that will help you get better.
Depending on the cause of the depression and your reactions, any combination of treatments may help, hurt or do nothing for you...I think that is what makes depression scary.
Sometimes the simple act of recognizing that you have a diagnosed disorder that can be treated is enough to use more homeopathic methods of treatment...diet, exercise, etc.
Sometimes medicines can help you deal with the overwhelming symptoms (early awakening, disturbed sleep patterns, disturbed appetitie, pervasive feelings of sadness,etc.), so you CAN deal with the ongoing situations in your life which may have triggered the depression. Medicines need to be used with caution and under considerable scrutiny because of unwanted side effects, though.
Sometimes counselling can be enough to guide you through the landmine of depression. And some combination of the above may pull you through and back into a healthy life.
Good luck to you. You are not alone in this.
I suspect that your counsellor has already prepared for you that the reatment of depression will take time, so be patient and you will feel better once you hit on the right treatment combination.
Depending on the cause of the depression and your reactions, any combination of treatments may help, hurt or do nothing for you...I think that is what makes depression scary.
Sometimes the simple act of recognizing that you have a diagnosed disorder that can be treated is enough to use more homeopathic methods of treatment...diet, exercise, etc.
Sometimes medicines can help you deal with the overwhelming symptoms (early awakening, disturbed sleep patterns, disturbed appetitie, pervasive feelings of sadness,etc.), so you CAN deal with the ongoing situations in your life which may have triggered the depression. Medicines need to be used with caution and under considerable scrutiny because of unwanted side effects, though.
Sometimes counselling can be enough to guide you through the landmine of depression. And some combination of the above may pull you through and back into a healthy life.
Good luck to you. You are not alone in this.
I suspect that your counsellor has already prepared for you that the reatment of depression will take time, so be patient and you will feel better once you hit on the right treatment combination.
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Consistent therapy with a good therpaist is the answer along with meds if needed. A good therapist is a must, though. If your current one is only doing an okay job then it's time to switch; that can be tough, I know, but in the long run it's for the best.
No, he most certainly won't!
Just will reply that I hope the OP's health improves.
I was actually going to make a quick-witted remark at that moment, but doing so could actually get me in real trouble.Doctors aren't supposed to give medical advice over the internet, and without a face to face consultation... The GMC would deem it unprofessional.
