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Depression - Where to start?


Arshness

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So I did some searching and I'm finding so many topics in this forum that I don't understand, so I'm asking a very basic question:

If I want to cure my depression through non-drug means, where do I start?

What threads do I need to read? What supplements can I take? What helps? 

I want to avoid anything that tends to cause anxiety because I'm still struggling with anxiety too, but I figure there's a terribly fine balance to be found here. 

The one thing I'm certain I can't do is Fish Oil. I have a bad reaction to it. 

Tho I've tried to get more Omega 3 and more natural fish in my diet. :/

What can I take or do to improve mood, motivation, and ability to act on interests? 
 

PTSD sufferer with a flare up last year in March with a new traumatization. 
Depression with anxiety caused by the meds I take for depression.

Health anxiety.

Meds:

Wellbutrin SR 20mg mornings, 17.5mg afternoons.
Cetirizine 10mg for allergies

Albuterol as needed for asthma

Ibuprofen some nights for pain (none recently)

VERY rare Ativan (1-2/month at most) for Emergency Panic Attacks
Slipping back into Depression as Wellbutrin is tapered off. 

Went Caffeine-free in the past few months. 
 

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"Depression" is one of those words which appears to mean something, but in reality it doesn't.  It seems to take a collection of normal human emotions and behaviors, and turn them into an illness, without asking the question - "What is the cause of these problematic emotions and behaviors"

 

There are lots of different reasons why people might feel sad, unmotivated, tired, hopeless, and stop doing some of the things they used to do.  So I think its important to first ask the question 'why', what has happened?  Sometimes it might be something obvious and recent.  Other times it could be more complicated, with factors stretching back into childhood.

 

If I want to cure my depression through non-drug means, where do I start?


What can I take or do to improve mood, motivation, and ability to act on interests? 
 

 

I think the first mistake is thinking of depression as an illness, with a possible cure.  Its not, its a collection of emotions, thoughts and behaviors which tend to cycle around in unpleasant ways in response to something else.  What is causing your poor mood and lack of motivation?  My first guess is its being caused by withdrawal from Wellbutrin and from recently stopping caffeine.  Both of those are chemically stimulating, so its going to take some time to adjust.  There is no quick fix for withdrawal related depression.  But living a healthy lifestyle, getting fresh air and exercise, having a good diet, social support and interesting activities will support recovery.

 

Anhedonia, Apathy and Demotivation are common in withdrawal.

 

Sometimes 'depression' has other causes:

 

... often people are prescribed ADs for normal responses to stress and trauma. That's not depression, that's emotion, maybe a little decompensation, some PTSD, some grief, some situational anxiety, all normal psychological reactions of healthy humans to tough situations.  

 

The appropriate treatment for that is therapy and going through the grief process and changing the stressful conditions in life. It's not because their brain's chemistry is broken and drugs are needed to fix that.  A brain that feels appropriate emotional responses in life is not broken and does not need to be fixed.

 

 

If 'depression' was the reason for starting on antidepressants in the first place.  Then it would probably be a good time to start exploring the cause of that original condition.

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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I'm hypothyroid. I may have been hypothyroid for years including when my depression started.
Depression for me started with lack of emotional response and became complete lack of interest or motivation.

It's been better on Wellbutrin but it causes me anxiety so I"m coming off that.
Now I'm starting to experience the lack of motivation, lack of ability to be happy again.

Even if I don't know the root cause yet (waiting for October appointment to get me in with mental health. They are months backed up and my appointment is finally coming up!) I'd love to know if there's anything natural I can take that might help the symptom in the mean time. :/ This sucks to live with and it's making my family unhappy too. I want us all to be happier again. :c

 

 

 

Also, sidenote, I've been off caffeine for like 6 months now. I think any response from that petered out a while back. I was fine for a while after that. This depression is very recent. Since I dropped down on my wellbutrin last (about 2 weeks back).

PTSD sufferer with a flare up last year in March with a new traumatization. 
Depression with anxiety caused by the meds I take for depression.

Health anxiety.

Meds:

Wellbutrin SR 20mg mornings, 17.5mg afternoons.
Cetirizine 10mg for allergies

Albuterol as needed for asthma

Ibuprofen some nights for pain (none recently)

VERY rare Ativan (1-2/month at most) for Emergency Panic Attacks
Slipping back into Depression as Wellbutrin is tapered off. 

Went Caffeine-free in the past few months. 
 

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If it started after a drop it is probably withdrawal depression, or wave. It should settle down 

but could be a sign that you don't tolerate that size of cut. Maybe try smaller cuts and see how 

they go. 

 

I was thinking about depression today, and how I was diagnosed.

I felt very 'depressed' today but for me it is just exhaustion and getting over a virus.

Years ago I was told this very feeling was depression and medicated 

accordingly.  It isn't depression, it is physical and I know it will pass if I take care of myself. 

 

Too many doctors lump everything into one diagnosis of depression.  It's criminal!  :angry:

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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Ashness,

 

Last week, I was very depressed about another doctor's appointment not working out.   I went to my couch with tissues and allowed myself to cry all I wanted with whatever destructive thoughts that came up.  I was finally able to move on.

 

Now, other times, that wouldn't have been a good strategy and when it isn't, I simply tell myself I don't want to go down that path.   But if I know I need to grieve an issue and haven't like with the situation with the doctor, that is the way to go.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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All the above is true. Physically speaking, gut issues can cause both depression and hypothyroidism. I think there is a thread on that.

1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms.

Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12

Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13

Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15

11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble)

9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol

7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol

56 years old

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