How to cope and avoid afternoon depression?

[LonerWulf]

I have been functioning for a while now, but some feature of my severe depression has become prominent again. It's a real problem for me. Sometimes I am literally "high on life" in the morning and then everything turns dark in the afternoon. I don't have suicidal thoughts, but I have thoughts like "well, my life is not worth anything. Might as well not be." I try to do things to keep my mind occupied, but I don't seem to have interest in anything nor do I have the energy to do things.

My coping strategy up to now was doing a lot of intense exercise and doing mindfulness meditation. The intense training works until I lose motivation or become ill and get out of my routine.

As I sit here I am also not feeling well because I have been self-medicating with cannabis for a few days. It is obviously a stupid thing to do but yea... gonna try my best to stop that now.

Does anyone have some advice for me?

[nicetry]

Hi LonerWulf, that sounds EXACTLY like my experience except my “low” time is in the morning. Makes it really hard to get to work & to even talk to anyone. Meditation has helped me a lot, I do it every day. I use cannabis (it’s legal where I live) for pain & it does sometimes also help my anxiety. You have to take the right “dose”.

Have you seen a psychiatrist or psychologist? I think that should be your first step.

[LonerWulf in reply to nicetry]

Cannabis has recently been legelized here in South Africa, but my psychiatrist and psychologist do not think it is a good idea. I think it is especially because it is not prescribed so I am "self medicating" and my use of it is not being monitored.

I do meditation, very specifically mindfulness meditation. It does help, I must say, but not enough. I try to keep exercising, but I tend to overdo it.

But I am trying my best. Don't want to only complain. I think I can spend some more time on meditation.

Thanks so much for your reply

[lillyofthevalley37]

Try taking tyrosine an amino acid it should boost your mood

Not to be taken if you have bipolar disorder as it could make you high

[MaskedNinja]

Are you taking meds? If so try searching online for their half-life(s). Perhaps changing the time of you doses might help, or switching to a slow-release version.

[LonerWulf]

Thank you guys. I think I might figure something out with your suggestions included.