Cure for Depression

[Alaskagain]

I think the OP has some merit.

Have you seen the movie "Pay It Forward"? There is a suicidal woman ready to jump off the bridge, and a homeless addict begs for her to take his hand, not to keep her from killing herself, but to save HIS life. And she does. It's a movie. Probably would never happen in real life.

Depression is not just a sad feeling. It is a state of being. It involves your whole body and spirit.

When depression is caused by low serotonin or other chemical levels in the brain, and depressive thoughts further suppress serotonin or other chemical levels in the brain, it is a vicious cycle.

Proper diagnosis, medication, and psychotherapy can rechannel the neuropaths formed by habitual thought processes. In essence, you have to re-train your brain. What combination of medication and psychotherapy used to accomplish this will vary, as everyone is different. It can be a very long and slow process.

As far as I can tell, there have been no clinical studies to research the effect of benificence on depression. (Websters: the practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity). Such a trial would be difficult to accomplish. It is too subjective. How could you perform a double blind study on people doing good deeds? How do you measure the amount of emotion behind the kind act? You could only depend on the participants to report their activities, and compare the results of chemical tests to their reports, which may or may not be valid.

That being said, I know how I feel after I have been kind to someone. It is a good feeling, even in the midst of depression. I know how I feel after I go out of my way to help someone who is really distressed. It is a great feeling. Who can say that my brain chemical levels have not been increased to a healthier level because of action I have taken? And when that healthier feeling lasts a few more hours or a few more days, why not Do More Good? (tip of the hat to LDSNana for that one)

I am not discounting the good that proper medication and therapy does. I am not accusing anyone of whining, being full of self-pity, or manipulating others. I understand what it is to be depressed. I am saying that intentionally doing something kind for another person might be a proactive step in the recovery process. Isn't it worth considering?

[crytsprospect]

I totally agree with you . Anything to boost those seritonin levels helps. Walking is really good for me.

I have to say this about sucucide I have felt like ending my life many times but the thing that has stopped me is my belief in the church and I would much rather suffer ( I am very good at it ) on this earth than face my Heavenly Father. I know as long as I am alive I have a chance to overcome or learn to accept and live with this with as much dignity as possible. Cognitive thinking and daily prayer and scripture study are a necessity for my mental health and when I start slipping down that slope its because I am not taking time to help me.

I try to keep a schedule, a list and cross off each thing I have accomplished that day. Even one thing is better than none. Loving myself is the hardest but this is my challenge and today I am up for it.

gotta go peace and enlightenment to you all

[MorningStar]

I've gone through grief, but I've never experience clinical depression. I have relatives who have and I wonder how life experiences and your attitude can alter your brain chemistry.

Years ago I saw a report about these little orphans in Romania who had no one to cuddle them. They rocked back and forth all day to soothe themselves and there were some notable differences between their brains and the brains of infants who were given the attention they needed. I wish I could find a link to that. It was really interesting.

I wonder too how a person could constantly be negative and not eventually become depressed. Not that there aren't people who truly have a chemical imbalance. I just wonder how what we do, say, and think affects our chemicals.

[grannysue]

I have been struggling with recurrent depressive symptoms since my teens, I worked, I socialised for the bigger part of that time, however nothing completely took away the underlying depression that would rear its ugly head, without any notice, anytime, any place, anywhere, under any circumstances.

I have tried submerging myself in voluntary community work, producing information newsletters and such, and still the depression breaks thru...it isn't reactive depression although I have had times when that has occurred too, it's organic, my daughter is going thru hell at the moment, as she suffers from depression too, she's only 19 and constantly contemplates suicide, she struggles to remain in college and wants a career as a Play Therapist, but is afraid that she will not be allowed to have that career if she is labelled 'depressed'...how do you think that makes her feel? How do you think it makes me feel, to think that this is the legacy I have left her...depression..it aint a good feeling at all, and I would gladly give it up tomorrow if it were possible.

Btw, I recently returned to the Mormon church, thinking, in part, that it would help with my depression..maybe 'cure' it once and for all, but no, it's still there, I'm still struggling, and you know what is the hardest thing to do when you lock yourself away all day and avoid people and places? The hardest thing is to reach out to somebody, even your best friend, and ask for help to get outside and DO SOMETHING...if only it were as easy as you make out..

My son is bipolar, with depression being the worst of his symptoms. Like your daughter, he had goals but could never stay stable enough to get through a whole semester. Whenever he would try to take medication for his symptoms, they would give him too much and then he would quit them because he hated the side effects. Finally, he went to a very conservative psychiatrist that gave him really low doses (below what is supposed to be "therapeutic") of the mood stabilizer and anti-depressant. It took three months, but he pulled out of it and has now been doing well for 2 1/2 years. It is a major blessing. He is also in school and excelling.

So there is hope! If medication is needed, a lot depends on finding the right doctor that doesn't just throw medication at them like crazy. And talk therapy is such an important part of it, too. The medication he takes hasn't completely taken away his moods, just made them manageable. The rest he gets through by using coping mechanisms learned in therapy.

Oh, one more thing. I used to be a therapist and my eldest son still is. Your daughter will not be denied a career as a play therapist due to her depression. Quite the contrary. In that world, she will get a lot of empathy and understanding. (Many of the people who are interested in psychological professions become interested because of their own or a family member's experiences with mood disorders.)

[kona0197]

In case anyone is wondering I suffer from ADD and yes depression is something I deal with all the time.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I think the OP has some merit.

Have you seen the movie "Pay It Forward"? There is a suicidal woman ready to jump off the bridge, and a homeless addict begs for her to take his hand, not to keep her from killing herself, but to save HIS life. And she does. It's a movie. Probably would never happen in real life.

I haven't seen it but it sounds like a really good film. However, from what you describe I notice one significant point which is that the homeless addict is the one who makes the move towards her asking her to do something. Would she have been capable, in her depressive state, of thinking of it herself? Would she have been capable of noticing that there was someone who needed her help and who she could do something for? Or even realise what it was she could do? Like you said, it's only a movie but whoever wrote that must have understood that the move had to come from the addict and not from the woman.

That being said, I know how I feel after I have been kind to someone. It is a good feeling, even in the midst of depression. I know how I feel after I go out of my way to help someone who is really distressed. It is a great feeling. Who can say that my brain chemical levels have not been increased to a healthier level because of action I have taken? And when that healthier feeling lasts a few more hours or a few more days, why not Do More Good? (tip of the hat to LDSNana for that one)

When you can get to that stage it's brilliant. You can build on it and keep afloat. It's the getting there from the bottom of the black hole where there are no feelings, no thoughts and no emotions that is the hardest part.

I am not discounting the good that proper medication and therapy does. I am not accusing anyone of whining, being full of self-pity, or manipulating others. I understand what it is to be depressed. I am saying that intentionally doing something kind for another person might be a proactive step in the recovery process. Isn't it worth considering?

Have you noticed that people who are suffering from clinical depression rarely seem to be capable of enough emotion for self pity and whining? The person I am most concerned about at the moment is accused of being manipulative and is completely baffled by the accusation, does not understand what the accusation is all about. If tears come I think "Thank you Lord, a sign of emotion." but others throw out the accusation of whining self-pity so the tears cease again and the dark shell closes, the door slams shut and the lights go out.

Cognitive thinking and daily prayer and scripture study are a necessity for my mental health and when I start slipping down that slope its because I am not taking time to help me.

I try to keep a schedule, a list and cross off each thing I have accomplished that day. Even one thing is better than none. Loving myself is the hardest but this is my challenge and today I am up for it.

It's getting to the point where you actually can think that is the hardest; being able to read a book, any book let alone study the scriptures, and actually making sense of the words on the page; being able to string enough thought together to formulate a prayer..................

Loving yourself is a must, but how hard it is to love yourself when others around make you feel guilty for suffering from depression. How hard it is to love yourself when others criticise. How hard it is to love yourself when it seems like no-one else does. Yes you can know theoretically that Heavenly Father does but when you can't feel that then it's hard to believe it.

I believe all the self help ideas and suggestions have a great deal of merit but that they only become relevant once the first hurdle is past. I have no idea how one gets past the first hurdle but being criticised for not aiming for the second only makes the first one harder.

[tree]

yes, i know it makes me feel so alive and worth while when i help others or accomplish a great feat . but this can only work before a major breakdown(because during , there is no way to do anything, eat , sit up , socialise )or after a certain amount of recovery. so it really depends how deep the depression is as to what a depressed person is capable of accomplishing.

[Elgama]

I totally agree with you . Anything to boost those seritonin levels helps. Walking is really good for me.

I have to say this about sucucide I have felt like ending my life many times but the thing that has stopped me is my belief in the church and I would much rather suffer ( I am very good at it ) on this earth than face my Heavenly Father. I know as long as I am alive I have a chance to overcome or learn to accept and live with this with as much dignity as possible. Cognitive thinking and daily prayer and scripture study are a necessity for my mental health and when I start slipping down that slope its because I am not taking time to help me.

I try to keep a schedule, a list and cross off each thing I have accomplished that day. Even one thing is better than none. Loving myself is the hardest but this is my challenge and today I am up for it.

gotta go peace and enlightenment to you all

I have never been depressed but with my Fibromyalgia there are times if I wasn't LDS I would have died as it is I just prayed that I wouldn't wake up the next day not everyone who is suicidal is depressed they are just very close to the end of what they can cope with, and they can't see the way out of the dark hole they are in - if that is caused by something other than an imbalance then yes I think you can step back,#

-Charley

[tree]

willow you are so amazing, you ought to write a book helping family and friends to understand deep depression and the do's and dont's that would help both ( the depressed and the loved ones ) to better cope and understand. i wish just one of my family members would have understood the way that you do. its so impossible to deal with especially on your own,with two kids. you cant take care of your self much less any one else , my ex took my son to help out but my oldest sister took my daughter, but forbade that i ever see her again , even was going to move out of state to make sure i didn't. i was in the hospital and wasn't able to fight back, so i mustered up a little but straight forward prayer , heavenly father came through for me. i recovered enough in a week to get out and went and took my daughter back with out any problems from her other than gossip and totally trashing me as a parent. it was such a struggle though. only by the grace of god did i ever pull through, the side effects of the meds and the total lack of support nearly did me in. education is key to all involved with this horrifying disease.

[Elphaba]

I look forward to living to a ripe old age, even if just to annoy people as I slowly cross the street with my walker! )

I read your post and immediately thought of this YouTube. I love it!

Elphaba

[Maya]

1. Osmond encounter

2. Osmond consert

3. tripto a warm sunny place with a lot of interesting things to do

[pushka]

1. Osmond encounter

2. Osmond consert

3. tripto a warm sunny place with a lot of interesting things to do

Hahaha, I love it!! Wonderful suggestions Mailis!! :)

Grannysue, thanks very, very much for your reply to my post..your comments are appreciated and have been noted..I'm so pleased to hear that your son was finally given the correct treatment and am encouraged by your information regarding Play Therapists..

[fancy]

opinionated and uncharitable...........leave it to the Lord.......stop judging.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Did that comment refer to every post in the thread?

[crytsprospect]

Willow I think they read only the first post and commented my guess

[Elgama]

1. Osmond encounter

2. Osmond consert

3. tripto a warm sunny place with a lot of interesting things to do

umm can I tweak them a bit lol

1. Michael Ball Concert

2. A Full English Breakfast

3. Warm Sunny Place with nothing to do.

-Charley

[kona0197]

I said it before. I'll say it again. Cure to depression is mountain biking. Grab one of these and go:

[Moksha]

Do any of you find laughter to be a help for depression?

[crytsprospect]

Kona your are right and I live in a wonderful place to do it but need to loose some weight so my bike doesnt cry noooooooo and pedal away.

Mokska yes laughter helps me anyway. I am also fan of re framing

[WillowTheWhisp]

I can't ride a bike because I've got knee problems but give me that warm sunny place please, sitting under a palm tree with a good book and something cold and refreshing to drink....... bliss.

[kona0197]

I weigh 250 and bike to work everyday. Can't be that bad.

[crytsprospect]

Wouldn't be so bad if most my weight wasn't in my rear end/ hips. I'm not 250 but am over 200 . I was told bike ridding was better on your knees than walking.

To be honest I love to walk and ride but haven't rode a bike since my weight went up. Guess I just gotta try

[kona0197]

Too bad you don't live around here. I would love to go out on a group ride with you.

[pushka]

I suppose there's always the exercise bikes for people who don't wanna ride in the open...

[SMG]

I have bad knees, too. I go for a 2 or 3 mile ride every other day and it helps me immensely. I'd do it more often, but homework has this darn habit of not going away until you get it finished.