I am 23 year old female. I have a 2 year old daughter. I have had problems with depression since I have had her. Because of the depression, I have gained 40 lbs. Is there something else besides medicine that I can take or do? My depression is hurting my marriage. I am out of refills on my medication. I just want something besides my medication to help me, if there is any. Serious answers only please.

Chosen Answer:

My English isn’t perfect but I’ll do my best to tell you how I got out of it. I’d been struggling with serious depression from January till about June this year. I think I am healthy now, but consider myself depression prone and going to pay attention to my life style for the rest of my life.
My answer to your question is make your life as positive as possible and give yourself 6 months to feel better.
1. Watch positive movies, TV programs and laugh a lot. Avoid TV news and newspapers – they are depressing. Avoid thrillers, dramas, horror movies etc. In general avoid anything negative.
2. Read positive, inspiring books.
3. Listen to joyful music.
4. Regularly exercise.
5. Avoid toxic people, even if they are members of your family. / Spend time with positive,uplifting people.
6. Meet friends on regular basis.
7. Make a list of your life achievements, and focus on it every morning and evening.
8. Every night, before going to sleep make a list of good things that happened to you that day. Be grateful for them.
9. Meditate every day.
10. Sleep well, and try to go to bed always at the same tiime.
11. Every day give yourself time to spend with things you love to do.
12. Bless your enemies.
13. Make your home a peaceful place. You should always feel “at home” when you’re at home.
14. Yes, have a healthy diet.

I’d also recommend the following books:
1. Creating Optimism – Bob Murray & Alicia Fortinberry
2. Change Your Brain, Change Your Life – Daniel G. Amen
3. The 4:8 Principle – Tommy Newberry

Hang in there!

by: Jack Brown
on: 16th September 08

Someone i know i feel as severe depression. His mood completely changed when the holiday came around. It got to the point where he lashed out and verbally said some hurtful things. Is this a symptom? How long does a phase of depression last for?

Chosen Answer:

Sweetie, I have had Manic Depression. And that doesn’t sound what your friend has honestly. He sounds more like Bi-polar or something to that effect. He’s having some major anxiety problems, or severe mood swings. That’s what it sounds like to me. Now of course, I’m not a Psychiatrist but I’ve dealt with mental issues all my life. And if it keeps on he needs to seek some counseling and maybe be put on some medication for it. But I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers, and you should continue to pray about it and urge him to see someone. It can get really bad with friends and family because at the time he can’t help what he’s saying. Other people may think that he can control his tongue. But he can not. So, keep that in mind when he says things that may hurt your feelings. But you noticed the change in him before anyone else so he must mean a lot to you. And if you noticed he’s changed then I’m sure he’s noticing it also and maybe afraid or embarrassed to say anything. Talk to him about it and let him know that you care and are there for him, I know that helped me a lot. God Bless You and Him!
by:
on: 10th December 10

I have Social anxiety. My doctor prescribed Zoloft which is a depression medicine. I am just curious, how does the same medicine also treats social anxiety???

Chosen Answer:

They go hand in hand. You get anxious about something and after some time it becomes depressed over that same thing. In both cases, when the nerve ends send messages to the next nerve thru a gap, these messages don’t get there, they sort of bounce back to their origin. This is what’s called a chemical imbalance in the brain. These messages are sent via chemicals ‘jumping’ from one nerve end to the other. If they don’t get ‘absorbed’ by the second nerve, we become depressed and probably more anxious about more things in life.
by: FlowersYes
on: 11th December 09

I guess what I really want to know is if paranoia is a type of an anxiety disorder/part of an anxiety disorder, or are the two seperate things?
Are they a part of the same disorder?

Or are they two completely seperate disorders that just happen to have similar symptoms?

Chosen Answer:

They are 2 separate disorders. Paranoia is the when you think someone or something is trying to do you harm or make you fail. This is all in the mind.

Anxiety is a disorder involving chemicals in the mind which sends adrenaline surges from your adrenal glands. Anxiety is treated as a mental disorder even though it involves actually bodily functions. That is why when someone first starts having anxiety or panic attacks the doctor wants you to have a blood test to check on how your hormones are functioning, especially the thyroid hormone.
by: MeAgain
on: 11th October 10

My boyfriend has severe depression, as well as anxiety disorders. Lately it’s been pretty bad. He’s already on a variety of medications. They lessen the severity, but like I said, it’s still pretty bad. What are some other ways he can bring his depression and anxiety under control? I don’t mean taking herbal remedies or anything like that. I mean something like exercising, which his doctor recommended.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.

Chosen Answer:

Exercise is one of the most potent treatments for depression and there is a growing body of research to support this. In several studies exercise was as effective as antidepressant medication in relieving symptoms of depression. It does not have to be aerobic exercise, but should be done at least 3-4 times per week and it may take up to 6 weeks for him to experience the difference. One of the ways you can encourage him to exercise is to do it with him. Go walking, jogging, biking or even dancing. This may not only help relieve his depression, but will give you more time with him as well doing a shared activity. If his depression is caused by a particular problem he is facing, then medication will not help, He needs to address the problem directly.

Good luck
by: 30kdays
on: 31st May 09

I have Major Depressive Disorder (so I am told). I don’t think I would ever have the guts to kill myself, but I envy those who do. Could this be the depression?

Chosen Answer:

same thing here. but i do not envy those who can do it. i agree that they have some extra stamina or an immeasurable bluntness that moves them all the way to the end. but I appreciate whatever it is that they have. i try my own way. something or the other stops me. i console myself saying, its not your cup of tea. so, endure and enjoy what life has in store for you. if there is nothing but depression, live up to it. the catharsis will give you a pleasure. you know what – there is a pleasure in senses of loss; there is a joy in senses of melancholy; there is everything in senses of nothingness. you just need to feel it. listen to Waka Waka. relate it to you.
by:
on: 13th July 10

I’m asking this on behalf of my friend who is some what suffering from insomnia and this is really affecting her stress rate. Her mom always asks her to sleep at 7pm when she isn’t tired and she ends up staring into mid air blankly in the middle of the night. And this is really adding to her stress rate. Please help by giving some suggestions >.< thank you.

Chosen Answer:

Hi,
You can find something useful to do.

Anyway you can not sleep! Then at least find something useful to do and the pleasure for having done something helpful to other people helps balancing stress.

Another good effect is that when you do something else than usual you might forget about your casual problems which do not let you feel how tired you really are. This is the best way to get easily asleep!

Find other useful stress management techniques at http://www.stress-management-for-health.com
by: Oil Coil
on: 20th July 09

My friend is autistic and has severe clinical depression unfortuanately just about everything his docs give him has caused really horrible side effects. They’re still working on something safe but in the mean time he’s dealing with some really serious depression. What are some safe natural inexpensive remedies for depression. I’m really worried about him and want to help. If you have any suggestions I’d really appriciate it.

Chosen Answer:

a few days ago; I wrote a blog entry on my 360 page about “the five mahalos” a technology from old hawai’i that helps change the way you think consciously and subconscoiously.

Feel free to read the blog entry. I would also recommend fetting two of the following crystals.

Agate, Anethyst, and Obsidian

Take one of each and place them under your pillow, then the other three carry them on your person 24/7
by: Rev. Two Bears
on: 6th February 07

I am a 25 year old female. I have not been to a doctor so I have no been diagnosed with depression, but I know I have it. I have been dealing with low self esteem, weight problems which all led to my depression. I am quite frankly still a student and cannot afford the expensive therapy sessions. What are some ways I can do to get over my depression without taking medicine?

Chosen Answer:

Just know that on the basis of all depression is a FEAR of something. You probably have something in your mind like – ‘i will go crazy’, or ‘i will fail’ or ‘die’ or smth like that. Just know that because u feel depressed, it is normal to be pessimistic, in fact all your fears will NOT materialize.

Don’t pay too much attention to your mood, all people have bad moods, just know that it is impossible to feel good all the time, just like feeling bad all the time, u will come out of it, but not at once.

Take a step at a time, 2 hours of good mood per day, 3 hours, 4, 5, …one week of good mood, etc. Dont expect that one day you will wake up and it will disappear, it will take time and its normal. There is not magic pill from depression, but still, 8 in 10 people get out of it forever, and WHY NOT YOU. You need to convince yourself.

U see depression is like a circle, you ‘FEEL BAD because U ARE FEELING BAD’, get out of that circle, just say to yourself, I feel bad by i will do something to feel better (go for a walk, talk to friends, wathc movie, etc.), just like other people do, they feel bad and they do something to feel batter. dont get stuck ok.
by: PAMIRtheROOF
on: 21st October 10

I’m fairly sure I have Insomnia as I have all the symptoms. I’m acting on all the bedtime rituals and remedies especially suggested to help cure it so I’m not worried about suffering from it anymore. I’ve heard that Insomnia is a relatively common disorder affecting 1/3 of the population of adults, though I’m merely a teenager. Has anybody else had Insomnia before and if you have your experience and answer would be much appreciated. Cheers in adavnce.

Chosen Answer:

First, “worry” is a useless thing to do. You can’t fix anything by worrying about it.

Next, yes, insomnia can be deadly and should be looked at as serious. A person who isn’t sleeping isn’t functioning and can fall asleep driving, or working, and hurt other people.

Bedtime rituals and remedies? Sounds like you’ve been talking to Oprah or Dr. Phil.
Here’s a couple good ideas. No caffeine period. Take all the media equipment out of your bedroom, except an alarm clock, and turn that to the wall so the light doesn’t invade your sleep. Run a quiet fan in the room to circulate the air and act as a noise buffer. Don’t eat within 3 hours of going to bed, and keep the high acid and high fat diet to a minimum. No high energy exercise before bedtime either.
Make certain you have 8 hours or more every night to sleep.
by: Jana
on: 27th August 11