Depression

[Milton14]

Having a tough time with depression and this disease. Does anyone have any suggestions on handling this, without anti-depressants?

[joeoconnell]

i practice T M , it is a method of meditation, i find this helps in dealing with depression, but i am also taking anti depressants. they say exercise helps, but i am not able to do much of that, they say Ta Chi is good. the internet may have additional ideas

[Joaniemdc]

I have the same problem., however I'm still taking a anti depressant and anti anxiety pill.it doesn't seem to help.i cry very easy and just want to with draw and go to sleep often.I do seem to relax however when I'm on Facebook talking either people.Also ,if I'm up to it ,I enjoy Thrift store shopping.People don't seem to stare at me too with my little portable oxygen canister.I will share more as I remember better ways of coping however.Good luck in your difficulties.

[LORBIC]

Hi Milton14: I do talk therapy with a mental health therapist, I see her once a week and it sure does help me. I also find that when I get out and do my daily walking which I do for 45 minutes 3 times a week helps. Don't give up ever, we must keep fighting this.

[Sandra1944 in reply to LORBIC]

I can hardly walk a 1/2 or less a block, I have bone on bone in one knee. I am also on oxygen 24/7 and even the lite portable get heavy after awhile, but I am happy for you. I see a council but that does not help either.

[Thorn in reply to Sandra1944]

Don't stress yourself out thinking you have to put your weight on those legs and trying to walk down the street. There a lot of in place exercises that can can help you. It may not be walking, per say, but it can still help your circulation and mobility. Be okay with your limitations. If you stress yourself out trying to do things that you simply can't you won't fully appreciate that you are doing what you can. Doing something, is far better than doing nothing and it will make a difference.

Have a great day!

[Sandra1944]

My depression it really bad most of the time, I have tried about 8 different anti-depression pills, but then I want to do suicide. So I just try and grin and get thru the times it is sooooooooooooooooooo bad.

[Bonzai in reply to Sandra1944]

You need to talk". I'll listen.....anytime, any hour, any day,...doesn't matter. 🙏 I CARE about you'

[Thorn]

I just want say something, you're not alone. Depression is a part of everyone's life. It's darn hard to get through this world sometimes. Some things are harder to get through than others.

Antidepressants can help some times and some times not. I say times and not people because it's usually the hard times that depress me. I've been on both sides of that antidepressant fence. Personally I realized that medicine or no nothing but me changed the way I perceived a depressing situation, whatever it was/is. We are real people, living real life. If you never get depressed in this day and age, well .... I can't see how you'd be living a real life, with ups and downs, good times and bad. Don't try to understand or make sense of everything. Some things can't be understood, can not make sense. Whatever your choose is okay.

Just saying, depression is a natural state.

PS: I haven't taken antidepressants in 19 years. Life still gets darn depressing at times. That's normal ... it's life🙄

Have a nice evening!

[Dgtheel]

Counseling, learn mindfulness, find something that you can do to that will help take your mind off it, reading, crafts

[Jeannemf]

Depression! Two palm fills of cashews equal 1 Prozac! No big pharma! No side effects!

[Muustangman]

This is a tuff question everyone is different and at different levels of depression , some are serious while some are not , Dr's just seem to play it safe and start u out lightly with meds and build them up slowly , I take nothing anymore I think they over prescribe millions are on depression meds who don't belong on it , I don't want another chemical in me I have sever COPD and a fib , they can cause health problems , deal with your sadness and down days with some music treat yourself to things u like lower your expectations in life and u won't feel expect before u get there things will not go your way u have to just let it roll , I know something seem so deep and regression can cause that don't think of the past and look forward to the new day let go of things u can't change we all learn from are mistakes like a hard drive erase it through out what don't matter in your life forgive and do the best u can if u do u have nothing to feel guilty about I could go on about this subject I had to find away to over come my own it works for me is good logic and common sense u have to remember life is a gift and it doesn't come with a warranty this is what makes us grow , I hope in someway u over come your problem it comes from inside u can do it ,

[Muustangman]

I do not take anything for my depression and they said it is bi - polor I don't have depressin that I notice but do feel they may be right ,it harder to diagnose yourself I feel anger more then anything but just at myself but being a where of my problems keep them in check , COPD at six lpm. 24/7 heart A fib , CHF . And other serious health issues has keep me in the house most all the time destroyed my life but all my own fault from smoking and drug use when I was a child , I don't use the meds they prescribed haven't taken anything since being diagnosed with COPD it didn't seem to work anyways I think Dr. Prescribe the drugs way to much and I think they know they have a steady amount of money coming in plus the drug co. Kick backs , these drugs make u very tired and that u don't need with COPD keep busy it works much better keep your mind off of your problems and beawhere of how u behave this disease is terrible and progressive so u must make many life style changes don't mess around it will get the best of u do whatever it takes to stay healthy try and stay away from sick people in pubic use that hand wash when shopping do things like this always if possible and don't take drugs or smoke u can have some wine or a few beers but don't over do it , I hope u read up on this and other health problems be your own advocate ,

[rduffy]

Hi Milton,

Echoing what others have said here, you can deal with depression without anti-depressants. It takes time and work but it can be done. I had a bout with depression and anxiety earlier this year. Not fun! I did a number of things. I started reading as much as I could on the subject. (Feeling Good by David Burns really helped me understand how depression, anxiety and panic work in the mind.) I started seeing a therapist. There are all kinds: psychiatric, hypnotherapy, spiritual, whatever. Find someone that works for you. I've discovered they'll all tell you basically the same thing, but in very different ways. Doesn't matter which route you take as long as you take one. It can all be summed up as mindfulness, objective observation and understanding our mental states and how those affect us. For me, when I was suffering with depression I would go through some version of the following thought process: "Oh my god, I'm feeling short of breath, therefore I'm going to die." The trick is to stop it at the word "therefore." I can't control feeling out of breath. I can't control feeling scared about it. But I can control how I react to that mentally. I've learned to observe and acknowledge those feelings I can't control. Yes, I'm out of breath, yes, I'm scared, yes, I'm whatever. I don't repress those feelings or try to run away from them or even wish they weren't there. (That last part is the hardest to do, but it's possible with practice!) When I started doing that, over time it got easier to do (my therapist really helped!) and now I'm happy to say I got through those couple of months of anxiety and depression. It's an ongoing practice I have to keep working at, but it's better than taking anti-depressants! Good luck to you!

Bob