Post: #26

DO NOT TAKE YOUR SSRIS!

I beg you, do not take them! They will take away your ability to have a sexual release and rob of you any desire as well.

Instead, get a full blood test done. Check to see if your vitamins are where they need to be. Most likely you will be deficient in vitamin D. If you are start supplementing 5000 IUs daily. Next, start taking fish oil or eating some form of fish every day. Omega 3s are so helpful for this.

I'd also consider you start taking ZMA (Zinc magnesium) before bed. This was game changing for me and really helped improve my well being.

Finally, get in the gym and start working out. The more you work out, the more your body will begin demanding you eat high quality good food. Strength train first and foremost. The rest will follow into place.

Depression's "Cures" which involve pills are BS. Depression is a sign that you've stagnated physically, mentally, and spiritually. Start challenging yourself and you will start feeling immediately better. The stuff I posted above helped me get out of my own depression. It will definitely help you as well!

Post: #27

(01-11-2016 09:07 AM)The Beast1 Wrote:  DO NOT TAKE YOUR SSRIS!

I beg you, do not take them! They will take away your ability to have a sexual release and rob of you any desire as well.

Instead, get a full blood test done. Check to see if your vitamins are where they need to be. Most likely you will be deficient in vitamin D. If you are start supplementing 5000 IUs daily. Next, start taking fish oil or eating some form of fish every day. Omega 3s are so helpful for this.

I'd also consider you start taking ZMA (Zinc magnesium) before bed. This was game changing for me and really helped improve my well being.

Finally, get in the gym and start working out. The more you work out, the more your body will begin demanding you eat high quality good food. Strength train first and foremost. The rest will follow into place.

Depression's "Cures" which involve pills are BS. Depression is a sign that you've stagnated physically, mentally, and spiritually. Start challenging yourself and you will start feeling immediately better. The stuff I posted above helped me get out of my own depression. It will definitely help you as well!

I like that.

Post: #28

I like it a lot as well. Its a good quotable.

You guys gave me a lot of good information here and I appreciate it.

I don't plan on taking the Cymbalta unless it gets really, really bad, but since I'm going to start implementing what I read in this thread, I don't think it will.

I am not suicidal, but I do have a decreased appetite, lack of interest in doing many things, and a HORRIBLE sleep routine (I just can't get a good night's sleep and this makes me exhausted).

I do get sun where I live, so I don't think I'll need a bright light box for now. I'll look into it though.

I am a bit of a hypochondriac, and this along with the lack of quality sleep (waking up like 10-15 times a night) has brought about a lot of depression.

I do get headaches a lot recently and feel very weak, so I just got a blood test done yesterday to see what they tell me.

I would love to run for an hour a day, but I'm almost positive it will bring about headaches.

I had a pretty extensive medical work-up done last year (Tilt-Table test, spirometers, sleep study, etc.). My main complaint was that I had an "off-balanced, out-of-focus feeling". So, that issue along with it not getting resolved has given rise to my recent anxiety and depression.

Can any of you recommend a specific fish oil to buy?

I do have the feeling that I should've accomplished more in my life by now and that I could be getting more out of my life right now.

I do live with my girl, but truth be told, she hasn't been a nuisance to me at all within the last 3-4 weeks and has actually been a bright light in all of this huge feeling of "suck".

Post: #29

Gain control of your thoughts. Look up CBT.


http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cognitive-b...ction.aspx

Post: #30

Spiritual enlightenment. It's real.

/thread-46443.html

Post: #31

(01-13-2016 01:47 PM)Mr.GoodThread Wrote:  I do get sun where I live, so I don't think I'll need a bright light box for now. I'll look into it though.

I don't want to belabor the point, but living in a sunny place is not the same as getting the benefits of bright light therapy for the purpose of treating depression. One of the leading experts in this field did a detailed study of the amounts of sunlight that people living in San Diego (one of the sunniest places in the US, or anywhere) were receiving. They were nowhere near comparable to the illuminance received by getting 10,000 Lux from a light box for 30 minutes. Basically, even when people are out they don't spend most of their time looking up at the sky (indeed, especially when it's very sunny).

Bright light therapy, done correctly, has proven and strong benefits for treating depression, so you should definitely look into it.

Post: #32

I second the bright light therapy. It really does work and it is a one time purchase to treat a variety of mental ailments.

If it does not work for you (you'll know very soon if it does), return the light box. You have nothing to lose.

I've used it on and off the last year to great effect. Granted, I'm not nearly as consistent as I should be, but for what it is, it's one hell of a pick-me-up if you're going through a depressive episode. Well worth the $200, no pill popping required.

Post: #33

1) Exercise. Treat it like a medication. I do jump rope, kettlebells, cycling and running.
2) 5-HTP tablets before bed
3) Have meaningful convos wit real friends once in a while
4) Listen to uplifting music...like New Radicals You only get what you give or some shit.
5) Bright light therapy, 30 mins before work as you read stuff on the net.

Post: #34

Exercise. Lift specifically, but do some physical exertion everyday if possible. Do something physical that makes you feel in control, powerful, confident, whatever.

If that doesn't work, go see somebody.

Post: #35

The obvious has been stated:

-healthy lifestyle/sleep/clean diet/exercise

-though control/mind health/meditation

-socialize/get outdoors/meet girls

My only addition is..

Have Some Fucking Fun!

Get drunk, get high, dance, play, fuck, eat, sing, celebrate, be thankful you're not living in some shit hole, etc.

Overthinking and under-playing are the cause of these depressions.

Play is a lost art.

Man was once wild but now he mostly sits indoors. Of course, that's depressing!

A life without fun is depressing!

(12-07-2015 12:41 PM)Phoenix Wrote:  .

I think there is a serious lack of fun and play in the modern, western world. Having fun is almost stigmatized as being "non-productive", "childish", etc.

For me, having fun is an important part of my mental health strategy. If I'm not having fun, I get anxious and angry.

The only reason I am NOT a depressed, drug addict is because I dedicated my life to having fun!

Having fun saves lives!

If you live a life filled with fun, passion, and excitement -- It's hard to be depressed!

Post: #36

There is a lot of great advice in this thread. Be sure you actually apply it.

I would recommend you start doing this as well

Lay down, relax, and get as comfortable as you can. Then do this.

Breathe in deeply then let go, don't expel all the air just let it come out slowly. Focus on the breathing. Deep breaths then let go.

The goal of this is to increase the level of oxygen in your body. You may feel tingles or slight pressure. That is normal and actually focus on this and try to make it more intense.

Do this 30-50 times. Don't feel compelled to do a certain number of reps though. Just go until you feel its naturally time to stop.

After your final deep breath in, exhale slowly and then stop breathing. Hold your breath until you feel its time to breathe then take a deep breath in. Do not exhale that breath and just hold it in for an additional 10-20 seconds.

Exhale then start the cycle again

Repeat this 3 times. You may find at the end that you can hold your breath for a much longer time. I was very surprised the first time I did this and held my breath for 2 minutes after the third cycle. This is not the purpose but its fun to see.

When you are done, go take a warm shower for however long you like. Then finish with a cold shower for 30 seconds. Do not submerse your head for the first couple days.

I guarantee you will feel much better now and positive after doing this. Lastly, this breathing is known as the Wim Hof method. Everything I've given you is freely available on the web and I'd recommend watching his interview with Joe Rogan for additional insights.

I'm not depressed but I find the cold kills any negative or unbecoming thoughts in me. Good luck

Post: #37

I will follow all of the advice in this thread (well, the tips that apply to me). I recently got a blood test done and I'm sure my numbers may be able to explain something, but still, exercise will do me tons of good.

Post: #38

(01-23-2016 05:04 PM)Mr.GoodThread Wrote:  I will follow all of the advice in this thread (well, the tips that apply to me). I recently got a blood test done and I'm sure my numbers may be able to explain something, but still, exercise will do me tons of good.

You'll get there, a lot of us have gone through this, it takes time and effort. Most of the real depression I ever faced was when a girl broke up with me. That happened three times. Now I have a totally different mindset that if a chick walks out on me, I'm not really affected at all. Even if I really like her, I dont have these visceral reactions like I did when I was young. I used to fall in love hard. Now I dont at all, but I treat the women I am with much better than I ever did before. Its a weird paradox.

Post: #39

Just wanted to share some success getting off SSRI's with relative ease.

I was prescribed with 75mg Venlafaxine shortly after my father passed away 7 years. I was really low and admittedly they helped carry on with life.

The difficult thing was getting off them. I tried 3 times, tapering down every time properly not just going cold turkey. Each time, massive panic attacks and back onto them.

A month ago I started researching about how to get natural seretonin, when I stumbled upon 5-HTP.

Life changing. I switched from 35mg Venlafaxine to 400mg 5-HTP daily and I have not fallen off the wagon for 6 weeks. No panic attacks, nicer to people close to me. Motivated to work out. Fark, it has been amazing, feel like a new man!

Look into 5-HTP, it bloody well worked for me!

Post: #40

(01-14-2016 02:59 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  Get drunk, get high, dance, play, fuck, eat, sing, celebrate, be thankful you're not living in some shit hole, etc.

Or, hell...be thankful that you ARE!

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #41

(01-13-2016 07:26 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  I don't want to belabor the point, but living in a sunny place is not the same as getting the benefits of bright light therapy for the purpose of treating depression. One of the leading experts in this field did a detailed study of the amounts of sunlight that people living in San Diego (one of the sunniest places in the US, or anywhere) were receiving. They were nowhere near comparable to the illuminance received by getting 10,000 Lux from a light box for 30 minutes. Basically, even when people are out they don't spend most of their time looking up at the sky (indeed, especially when it's very sunny).

Bright light therapy, done correctly, has proven and strong benefits for treating depression, so you should definitely look into it.

Please listen to the advice Lizard of Oz is giving you. I currently live in one of the sunniest places on earth, yet the lightbox I have been using over the past few months has been hugely beneficial. Unless you're in the sun all day, this device will help you. You say that your sleep patterns are irregular? Use a lightbox for one week and I'm sure you will notice an improvement in your sleep. Simply getting a good sleep on a regular basis will improve so many aspects of your life.

Take out your credit card and buy it now.
http://www.sunbox.com

Post: #42

Try 1.5-2 grams (roughly 4 medium sized vegetable caps) of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) upon waking and at least 30 minutes from a meal (slow absorption and iron induced oxidation of vitamin C isn't considered great - hence taking it on an empty stomach). Though, I admit to sometimes eating right on top of taking it to no ill effect. It's likely not a big deal, but rather something to keep in mind if you can.

I've noticed a significant effect in regard to anxiety and motivation. I can feel the dopamine increase, in a good way. Things are a little more pleasurable.

Adjust the dose and frequency to your liking. Most experienced vitamin c consumers recommend taking it at least twice per day due to its fast action and excretion. Though, I recommend starting at once per day, for at least one day, to see how that feels in comparison.

I only have experience specifically with Ascorbic Acid, and so I can't speak to the effectiveness of other forms of C.

I buy powder, pour a little mound into a bowl, cap my own dose each morning from the mound, and simply pour any excess powder back into the container when finished. It's very fast and this is the process that I recommend over buying pre-filled caps. First, it allows for more specific dosing (from very little to incremental changes in dose), and second you avoid ingesting capsule fillers and lubricants. Note that I do not currently measure my dose, but just estimate by filling 4 caps roughly 80-90% of the way. I don't worry about being exact, but just scoop powder into the caps until I'm vaguely satisfied.

The only real caveat is to be sure to titrate off of C if you have been taking it for any length of time. Some people report "rebound scurvy" after sudden cessation after taking higher doses for a while, but not everyone reports it. Anyway, any negative rebound systems are completely eliminated by simply taking some C, and from there you can more gradually lower your dose.

Effects of Oral Vitamin C Supplementation on Anxiety in Students: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

A randomized controlled trial of high dose ascorbic acid for reduction of blood pressure, cortisol, and subjective responses to psychological stress

Skip to the summary at the end of this:

http://www4ger.dr-rath-foundation.org/NA...tients.pdf

Ascorbic Acid Administration produces an anti-depressant like effect

This book was recommended to me by a good source, but I haven't yet read it:

Ascorbate: The Science of Vitamin C

Post: #43

1. Indoor spinning. Take a class a week. Far less stress on the body than jogging outdoors or on the treadmill, attractive group and mad endorphins.
2. A monthly massage, if you can swing it.
3. Good, informative Podcasts. Someone like Stefan Molyneoux puts out a Podcast once a week and he's so fucking well-informed that you'll probably forget about some of your immediate issues for 30-45 minutes while you listen to him.
4. Sunshine once a day.
5. Small improvements in your health. Get your teeth cleaned at the dentist, get a new electronic toothbrush, whatever you need to do to keep yourself well.

Post: #44

It looks like low potassium could be one cause. Our ancestors ate like a 5-1 potassium to sodium ratio, modern diets are opposite that. This is significant because around 20-40% or your resting energy is spent pumping potassium into cells and sodium into the blood stream. Buy potassium chloride salt alternative, and use liberally or start taking a spoonful a day of black strap mollases(700mg/day!)Increasing alkalinity reduces adrenaline in the blood stream around 30% so eating a more vegetable based diet/drinking alkaline water might be something to try. Anxiety is part of your bodies stress response to for example exercise..but when its happening constantly it shows something is wrong. Sometimes traumatic experiences even long ago ones can cause current anxiety as well. You can monitor your progress by checking your heart rate(feel for your pulse on the side of your neck, count pulses for 15 seconds and multiply by 4) and blood pressure(you can buy a cheap machine that checks this). Also as other people have mentioned, exercise moderates the effect of adrenaline over time.

Post: #45

Been having a few bouts with anxiety recently - here's what I've done with pretty good success:
- Got industrial strength vitamin D from the doctor (50,000 IU)
- Added a pre-biotic (Galactomune). 90% of your serotonin is made in your gut (https://www.caltech.edu/news/microbes-he...-gut-46495). If you're not taking care of your gut you're not taking care of your mental health.
- Upped my zinc and magnesium intake. Started eating more steak and shellfish while supplementing with vitamins.
- Made gym a priority. If I start feeling anxiety brewing I go do a weight circuit and hop on the elliptical for 20-30 minutes.
- Prioritize sleep. 8 hours in a dark room. No electronics.

Diet. Sleep. Exercise (outdoors if possible).

Post: #46

Leaving town.

Everything takes on a different colour.

Post: #47

Try to find the most positive minded people you know and make it a point to become closer friends with them. Make a list of negative influences & people and try to do whatever you can to get those elements out of your life. For me I love working out, reading, & needed an alternative to help me escape the nightclub scene of focusing way too much on girls/alcohol. So thanks to a friend, I became interested in Poker. Some will say its gambling or its a vice. I will respond that there is definitely skill involved, I don't play higher stakes than I can afford, so I'm not gambling away money that will effect my life if I lose it. (Bankroll management). I'm actually saving a ton of $$ by staying in little do they know. My point is to find something new that's constructive/positive that has the same effect on your stress & helps your state of mind to stay clear. For me, Online/Live poker is one of my outlets. If you have the money & time? Definitely travel to a new country.

Post: #48

I'm twice diagnosed as manic (commonly known as bi-polar two). My "ups" last a few days and my "downs" last much longer -- usually a week or so. I'm usually "even" for two-three weeks in-between but occasionally slip between high/low without warning. I've tried medicine twice with no noticeable improvement, only side effects.

When I'm in the low's, I specifically:

- Force myself to at least do mild exercise.
- Force myself to socialize, even if over text or calling up my mom to say hello.
- Get outside in the sun (even moved to a sunnier and warmer climate to improve my mood).
- I don't try and over-correct my current mood (outside of what I do above). If I'm down, I force myself in to some activities (so I don't stay in bed for a week) but often embrace my stasis by reading or learning new technologies and taking it easy and focusing on myself.
- Limit or eliminate alcohol and drug consumption -- if not stop all together. Alcohol is a depressant (after initial highs). I used to drink alcohol during highs which sent me in to lows.
- Force yourself in to some type of structure (e.g. specific bed time, work schedule, workout routine, proper diet).
- I approach things logically and ignore my "feelings" the best I can -- which helps me keep my shit together. I may not be in the "mood" to do some things and bitch all along the way, but keep focused.
- Do what you can to tailor your life to accommodate and allow for the downs (flexibility in work schedule, relationships, etc.).

Obviously what works for me may not work for you depending on exact conditions and diagnosis.

EDIT: If you're currently on the meds, consult your prescribing physician and let him aid you in gradually reducing your dosage.

Post: #49

I'm digging up this thread since I've seen this video by searching for Gold from the man of the Hour: the fantastic Dr. Peterson. Both him and his daughter describe how a change in their dietary habit allowed them to reduce and/or stop their use of anti-depressant entirely. And notice the difference in how they both look compared to 4 years ago... shit they looked like zombies before!





While I've never been depressed quite like the Petersons... I've been feeling so-so since I'm in the tough spot financially. I've been reviewing & analyzing my diet over since my goal now is to be Goddamn Ripped! And this week, without much of a thought, I carbed up on Rice eating 300G on consecutive days... ... and within 10 hours of consumption... my mood really shifted for no apparent reasons just like she describes in the video.

I just felt like being happy about my situation was unrealistic... and just wanted to lay around and wait for it to pass... just like in the past. I'm currently doing a temp factory job until I get back in my field... and felt like a Bum. Then I thought about this video... quickly got off Rice again... and the fallowing day I was back to being positive as shit... and chilling in my temp job even though it's brutal. A complete 180 just by cutting out the Rice!

My easiness in typing on the keyboard is also back. While eating rice for those 2 days, finding the letters on keyboard took me about an extra second to a second 1/2 in order to think about finding the letters... and I'm just firing without a thought right now. Just like Jordan says... there's so much about the Brain that we don't know.

With very low amount of Rice... I look fairly decent and full... but brain wise... feels like shit mentally, and I believe the breakdown of the starches is what caused my extreme mucus issues over the years! And 300G is peanuts compared what I use to consume! This clip was really an eye opening! Food for thoughts for those struggling with a mood disorder or mood swings. I would strongly suggest to try what she did, and see how it goes.

Post: #50

Adhd med ritalin did wonders for, just give it a try but doctors dont prescribe it for depression