This is such a weird question, like, depression is an illness. You’re supposed to see a doctor and follow a treatment plan (meds, therapy, whatever). It’s not a weakness or a failure to go to the damn doctor when you’re sick.
Yes, I studied brain metabolism on my own time until I was able to resolve a lifelong case of it through changing diet and lifestyle.
First: Read “Brain Energy” by Chris Palmer MD
Then, read everything by Ray Peat PhD, especially the book “Mind and Tissue”
Basically, like other mental illnesses, depression is a problem of the brain not being supplied enough energy, on the level of ATP. Since the conscious brain is the most energy-demanding part of the body, any minor disruption can cause problems. That in turn involves the digestive system, diet, and thyroid hormone level.
I used to control depression for a while using working out, but it started to make me manic (probably due to increased stress hormones), so I knew I had to look into something else.
Through this pathway I was also able to eliminate the monthly migraines I used to get, as well as reduce the severity of my seasonal allergies.
While this may work for some, please seek medical care for illnesses. You should not try to overcome a broken arm or pancreatitis. Same with major depressive disorder.
Absolutely not, despite my best efforts- diet, therapy, yoga, exercise, nature, meditation, etc. I need medical help to overcome it, and there’s nothing wrong with that- it’s an illness.
Can it be done? Sure. But there isn’t a great medical reason to not get treatment. What if your question was can you overcome a broken are without a doctor meds. Same energy. There’s no shame in using the modern healthcare we can access
Actually, sort of. I realized My depression/anxiety is almost completely environmentally caused. I’m an intuitive introvert and I realized that my career, school and living situation were all toxic for me and made my life depressive. Not to mention COVID, and a family member passing at the same time. I tried SSRIs, SNRIs, didn’t do much. BUT then I realized… making those big CHANGES to your everyday lifestyle can be just as good of a fix and it is the real sauce to making my life more comfortable. Our capitalistic society was what was actually making me depressed. Now that I know, I can deal with it daily and remind myself that it’s all internal brain work that I need to do to stay sane in this world
I‘ve had the fortune of meeting 2 friends that are absolute glowing spraycans of joy, can‘t be depressed around them at all. I‘ve completely changed my mindset for the better since then and never looked back. Fortunate having this period behind me at 22
I personally wouldn’t still be here today without the intervention of doctors and medication. Whilst I definitely also needed therapy to recover fully, I wouldn’t have been able to benefit from the therapy without the help of medication
For many people, depression is physiological, particularly those with early trauma. Their brains simply have not developed in a similar manner as to that of a normal functioning brain. That’s not to say that non-medical intervention can’t be impactful. It can, but depression really is a biological disease that may require medication for some. So please don’t be ashamed of that if you need it
I was treated quite intensely as a teenager around 14-16, psychologist, hypnotism, meds, brain wave thingies, none of it really worked that i can remember.
The meds made me feel crappy so i just stopped taking them. I got older and I don’t think my depression is gone, but its just become a part of life for me.
Its kinda like a wave, some times im up for days, weeks or months, sometimes im down. its just with depression the down is a lot more impactful than for most people, and seemingly for no reason.
For me now, psychologists/counselling is only there for when i have a life or relationship problem that i cant resolve alone. I feel i am good at identifying when im depressed vs when in just sad about something solvable, which helps me get out of the down a lot quicker.
Depends on how deep you are into it and what’s causing the depression – good healthy lifestyle and keeping busy goes a long way with me but every now and again I do have to check in with a therapist to vent
Untreated professionally in any way? Absolutely not. For years I experienced suicidal ideation, starting when I was around 12 or so, and it got really bad in college.
Treated with counseling but no meds? Yes. At one point I was in remission just by using talk therapy. Like I actually stopped needing to see my therapist after a couple of years, and I had a moment when I was baking bread and realized mid-knead that I didn’t feel suicidal anymore.
Treated with meds? Also yes. During COVID, I went back on talk therapy but it just wasn’t cutting it this time. Getting on the right drug cocktail eliminated the panic attacks I was having and gave me the energy to get up in the morning.
After receiving too many of lousy drugs I switched to cannabis. In turn it emboldened me to make the change in my life I needed to no longer be depressed: Moving further south. My values are such that I’d rather be a functional criminal than an obedient drone.
I dont have depression in the sense that everything is terrible and im sad. Well I do believe the current world is pretty terrible and I do believe there is a lot of sadness in this world, and frankly I’m not super happy with life right now.. my depression forms in the task of suicidal ideation. I am not suicidal, I have friends and family that need me, and I know things will work out. It doesn’t stop the fact though, everyday day, I think about suicide. I think about how I’d do it and I think about how “now is finally the time”.. then i give it a little bit and those thoughts go away. Next bad thing happens, the thoughts come again, I take some deep breaths, give it some time and go away.. i just smoke a lot of weed and microdose LSD when I have the time.. maybe I need the medication, maybe it would help with the thoughts I’ve lived with for 15 years, but I dont know, so, maybe naively, I dont want to try
Not just no, hell no. My ancestry is full of mood disorders and addictions. Add early childhood trauma and being raised by an alcoholic, and it’s no wonder i started having panic attacks in the second grade.
Mostly. I had to change a lot about my lifestyle. I learned that taking Ibuprofen aggravated it, so no more or that. Sugar had to go also, the crash afterwards was notable. I did see a really good therapist for 3-4 months 3-4 times. I moved to tropical Mexico and I’m able to surf in warm water frequently, I think that outdoors exercise is a huge factor.
Also, I visited a dietician and changed my whole diet, 5 smaller meals a day so I’m never hungry and I’ve lost as much as 8 kilos in a month, maybe my 2nd or 3rd month with her. 10 kilos of fat lost and 2 kilos of muscle added. She only charges me about $25.00 a month, but great quality food is expensive and there’s a lot of cooking and dishes to do.
On days when I can’t surf, I walk 1/2 a mile each way to the gym and work out for a couple of hours.
I meditate 2-3-4 times a week. It’s not easy to do, but simply being, breathing, relaxing my body and evaluating how I really am, RIGHT NOW, is super beneficial. Usually, right now I’m OK. I’m older, but pretty healthy and people think that I’m younger than I am. Financially, I can get by with Mexico prices, in the US I’d be living in a singlewide in the desert on my income. I live in paradise, a cool little fishing village on the pacific coast of Mexico and I can walk to the beach anytime in about 10 minutes.
What I left was a super stressful job in expensive AF California running or owning big auto shops with 1000 plates spinning at once all day every day. That was bad. I’d think I should end it all 100 times a day. I’m glad I didn’t.
Every month, depression rears it’s ugly head for no good reason and I have to fight to get my head right again, so it’s not over but it’s 50 times better.
Also, I rarely speak to my family back in the US. They’re all so completely wrapped up in these divisive politics, they’re so all in on their idiot’s cult that talking to them is pointless. All they have now is their stupid cult’s weekly talking points. I get nothing good from any of that.
Now, I spend a lot more time reading and a lot less time watching TV also. Not every much news, maybe 15-30 minutes browsing the internet a day, max. Good news never makes the news, only bad news, so don’t fill your head with more bad.
Honestly, trail running with no headphones was a game changer for me. Just stuck with myself and my thoughts. I basically replaced my morning anxiety spirals with physical movement. And if I got too in my head about something, then I wouldn’t pay close enough attention to my feet and I would trip on a rock. Trail running really requires that you watch when you’re going, on a level that you can’t get on a treadmill or a sidewalk. So it really helped me just focus on my breath and being present. And the endorphins and accomplishment really helped.
Now I’m definitely not a great runner so I’m not going to win any races anytime soon, but I truly changed my life.
10 out of 10 would recommend.
But for the record, though, if you need a medical care, get it. Mental illness is no different than physical illness and deserves to be treated seriously. Give yourself permission to get help when you need it.
Not without. Needed meds. I’ve told this story before…
My wife had cancer and I spent the last months of her life caring for her 24/7. After she died my life didn’t go back to normal. I was put (rightfully) on a PIP at work. I spent all my free hours just sitting in a chair. Months later I had some sort of panic attack at work and went to the emergency room.
Doctor asked if I was suicidal. I replied I wasn’t looking to kill myself but honestly wouldn’t mind being dead. He diagnosed depression and explained how prolonged periods of stress can change brain chemistry. He prescribed an anti-depressant to change it back.
Long story made short: the medication worked. After a few months I was able to wean off and my life returned to normal. I was able to do it without counseling. Once the doctor explained the brain chemistry changes it made sense and I knew what I had to do to get better.
Nope.
I’ve been on meds since 1995. I wouldn’t change anything about it other than I would have reached out for help sooner so I could have felt better sooner. The meds helped keep me alive, full stop. I wouldn’t have made it without them.
Prolonging going on meds when we need them just delays our wellness & recovery.
It depends on the cause. Depression is a symptom of many things, not necessairly a thing itself. A lot of people who have depression have it because of some other malidy or defficiency etc. For example: chronic magnesium or copper defficieny can cause depression. Traumatic brain injury can cause depression.
Also, sadness or mourning is NOT itself depression, but depression can be accompanied by it.
Also, suppliments like creatine can be as effective as SSRIs… but it depends on what is causing your depression.
Years of therapy and prescribed pills didn’t help me w daily depression; albeit minor (never at point of self harm etc … please seek help if that’s your case)
12 yrs ago I made real commitment to daily exercise, good diet and outdoor activities.
Am now a yoga instructor, meditation instructor, and swim teacher as opposed to former (pre-retirement) self who was a sedentary computer guy.
I’ve lost 80 lbs, lost high blood pressure & cholesterol & apnea & ED.
Completely sunnier outlook. Less anxiety and stress.
My youngest got depression during the pandemic. She lost 15 pounds in about a month because she wasn’t finding any food appetizing. Seeing the doctor and getting medication made a huge difference.
It is important to remember that it is one thing to be sad or disappointed or unhappy. Everyone can get situational depression, but you generally recover from it, because it is a temporary thing. Clinical depression, though, is likely a chronic condition that isn’t going to go away; think of it as the mental equivalent of high blood pressure. You are going to need some sort of on-going treatment to manage the condition.
(And, yes, you can deal with high blood pressure through exercise, diet, and losing weight, but some people have genetic tendencies towards it, and others aren’t in a position to alter their lifestyle sufficiently to avoid medication.)
If you are feeling down, sad, overwhelmed, disinterested in things that used to please you, and so forth, talk to a physician.
No. Depression has fully consumed me. I have no motivation or drive to do anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. I’ve tried probably a dozen different medications, but most make me feel either like a zombie, or have awful side effects.
Yeah, by having it so long I got annoyed with it. I’d feel hopeless and like the world hated me, noticed It, and got so irritated I forgot to keep hating myself. Almost like I started viewing it as a separate thing from me that needed to fuck off.
Probably would have been much faster with a doctor but, when in poverty, you make due.
There is no medication that will make up for a lack of emotional/physical safety.
After decades of therapy and a profound understanding of my past and present issues, I’m in the later stages of healing. The hard part where you go back out into the world with all of the awareness and take the steps to teach your nervous system that things can be different.
Overcoming depression is more of an ongoing act than a final destination.
For the most part yes. Turns out my issue was mostly a job/personality mismatch. I was in a manufacturing environment. Boredom will get ya. I now have a service route and am much better. Get to see different folks every day
I don’t take antidepressants and never found a helpful therapist. I also don’t drink. Not drinking helped a lot, but boredom is real. Staying busy is how I deal with it. I also have a great fulfilling job, which keeps me balanced. I try to keep my wife and dog happy, which gives me purpose. Sleep is huge. I should mention that I have no idea how bad my depression is, but I manage it fairly well by doing things that are good for the body and soul. Doomscrolling on Reddit doesn’t help.
I tried for as long as i could, justified whag i could, kept myself busy with work and spent time with my friends here and there. But eventually i felt like i lost too many pieces of myself to keep going .. like there wasn’t enough me left .. so i had a choice … give up or seek help and that’s how i into therapy to help me process and understand things, figure out the things that happened to and how they affected me.
Its been over a year and a half now and i’ve come so far and sometimes it feels like there is no end to this journey .. but its better now than before. I hope others give it a try and seek out help, i wish i had done it sooner.
Comments
Nope, I tried my very hardest to for a very long time but it eventually came to that (wish I would have done it way earlier)
Yes, the gym helped me battle and compress my depression
On two antidepressants and holding strong ✨
This is such a weird question, like, depression is an illness. You’re supposed to see a doctor and follow a treatment plan (meds, therapy, whatever). It’s not a weakness or a failure to go to the damn doctor when you’re sick.
Nope, i’m on the doctor route
I’m trying, so far it’s been inconclusive i gotta admit
Technically, no, since psychologists are doctors, just not doctors of medicine.
Yes, I studied brain metabolism on my own time until I was able to resolve a lifelong case of it through changing diet and lifestyle.
First: Read “Brain Energy” by Chris Palmer MD
Then, read everything by Ray Peat PhD, especially the book “Mind and Tissue”
Basically, like other mental illnesses, depression is a problem of the brain not being supplied enough energy, on the level of ATP. Since the conscious brain is the most energy-demanding part of the body, any minor disruption can cause problems. That in turn involves the digestive system, diet, and thyroid hormone level.
I used to control depression for a while using working out, but it started to make me manic (probably due to increased stress hormones), so I knew I had to look into something else.
Through this pathway I was also able to eliminate the monthly migraines I used to get, as well as reduce the severity of my seasonal allergies.
While this may work for some, please seek medical care for illnesses. You should not try to overcome a broken arm or pancreatitis. Same with major depressive disorder.
Nope. Wish I had sought treatment long before the age of 50.
It would come and go, but the depression always came. I got tired of the cycle.
No. Even with the help of doctors and meds it is and was still a hard journey.
Yes I have. It comes and goes. I dont like doctors or pills so I’m left to be my own doctor.
Absolutely not, despite my best efforts- diet, therapy, yoga, exercise, nature, meditation, etc. I need medical help to overcome it, and there’s nothing wrong with that- it’s an illness.
Can it be done? Sure. But there isn’t a great medical reason to not get treatment. What if your question was can you overcome a broken are without a doctor meds. Same energy. There’s no shame in using the modern healthcare we can access
Actually, sort of. I realized My depression/anxiety is almost completely environmentally caused. I’m an intuitive introvert and I realized that my career, school and living situation were all toxic for me and made my life depressive. Not to mention COVID, and a family member passing at the same time. I tried SSRIs, SNRIs, didn’t do much. BUT then I realized… making those big CHANGES to your everyday lifestyle can be just as good of a fix and it is the real sauce to making my life more comfortable. Our capitalistic society was what was actually making me depressed. Now that I know, I can deal with it daily and remind myself that it’s all internal brain work that I need to do to stay sane in this world
No. I needed the right meds
I‘ve had the fortune of meeting 2 friends that are absolute glowing spraycans of joy, can‘t be depressed around them at all. I‘ve completely changed my mindset for the better since then and never looked back. Fortunate having this period behind me at 22
I personally wouldn’t still be here today without the intervention of doctors and medication. Whilst I definitely also needed therapy to recover fully, I wouldn’t have been able to benefit from the therapy without the help of medication
For many people, depression is physiological, particularly those with early trauma. Their brains simply have not developed in a similar manner as to that of a normal functioning brain. That’s not to say that non-medical intervention can’t be impactful. It can, but depression really is a biological disease that may require medication for some. So please don’t be ashamed of that if you need it
Nope but meds wanted me to off my self even more, so not going near em
Yes and no.
I was treated quite intensely as a teenager around 14-16, psychologist, hypnotism, meds, brain wave thingies, none of it really worked that i can remember.
The meds made me feel crappy so i just stopped taking them. I got older and I don’t think my depression is gone, but its just become a part of life for me.
Its kinda like a wave, some times im up for days, weeks or months, sometimes im down. its just with depression the down is a lot more impactful than for most people, and seemingly for no reason.
For me now, psychologists/counselling is only there for when i have a life or relationship problem that i cant resolve alone. I feel i am good at identifying when im depressed vs when in just sad about something solvable, which helps me get out of the down a lot quicker.
I was trying then I sorta broke, couldn’t hold it any more and now I’m on the doctor’s route.
Nope
Yes. I quit drinking, started engaging with my community in a way that helped people and exercise.
Depends on how deep you are into it and what’s causing the depression – good healthy lifestyle and keeping busy goes a long way with me but every now and again I do have to check in with a therapist to vent
I tried for a really long time.
Untreated professionally in any way? Absolutely not. For years I experienced suicidal ideation, starting when I was around 12 or so, and it got really bad in college.
Treated with counseling but no meds? Yes. At one point I was in remission just by using talk therapy. Like I actually stopped needing to see my therapist after a couple of years, and I had a moment when I was baking bread and realized mid-knead that I didn’t feel suicidal anymore.
Treated with meds? Also yes. During COVID, I went back on talk therapy but it just wasn’t cutting it this time. Getting on the right drug cocktail eliminated the panic attacks I was having and gave me the energy to get up in the morning.
No doctors: yes
No meds: no
After receiving too many of lousy drugs I switched to cannabis. In turn it emboldened me to make the change in my life I needed to no longer be depressed: Moving further south. My values are such that I’d rather be a functional criminal than an obedient drone.
>Did you overcome Depression with no doctors and no Meds ?
More like despite them – doctors will always push temporary measures over permanent solutions.
I dont have depression in the sense that everything is terrible and im sad. Well I do believe the current world is pretty terrible and I do believe there is a lot of sadness in this world, and frankly I’m not super happy with life right now.. my depression forms in the task of suicidal ideation. I am not suicidal, I have friends and family that need me, and I know things will work out. It doesn’t stop the fact though, everyday day, I think about suicide. I think about how I’d do it and I think about how “now is finally the time”.. then i give it a little bit and those thoughts go away. Next bad thing happens, the thoughts come again, I take some deep breaths, give it some time and go away.. i just smoke a lot of weed and microdose LSD when I have the time.. maybe I need the medication, maybe it would help with the thoughts I’ve lived with for 15 years, but I dont know, so, maybe naively, I dont want to try
Yes
Not just no, hell no. My ancestry is full of mood disorders and addictions. Add early childhood trauma and being raised by an alcoholic, and it’s no wonder i started having panic attacks in the second grade.
Mostly. I had to change a lot about my lifestyle. I learned that taking Ibuprofen aggravated it, so no more or that. Sugar had to go also, the crash afterwards was notable. I did see a really good therapist for 3-4 months 3-4 times. I moved to tropical Mexico and I’m able to surf in warm water frequently, I think that outdoors exercise is a huge factor.
Also, I visited a dietician and changed my whole diet, 5 smaller meals a day so I’m never hungry and I’ve lost as much as 8 kilos in a month, maybe my 2nd or 3rd month with her. 10 kilos of fat lost and 2 kilos of muscle added. She only charges me about $25.00 a month, but great quality food is expensive and there’s a lot of cooking and dishes to do.
On days when I can’t surf, I walk 1/2 a mile each way to the gym and work out for a couple of hours.
I meditate 2-3-4 times a week. It’s not easy to do, but simply being, breathing, relaxing my body and evaluating how I really am, RIGHT NOW, is super beneficial. Usually, right now I’m OK. I’m older, but pretty healthy and people think that I’m younger than I am. Financially, I can get by with Mexico prices, in the US I’d be living in a singlewide in the desert on my income. I live in paradise, a cool little fishing village on the pacific coast of Mexico and I can walk to the beach anytime in about 10 minutes.
What I left was a super stressful job in expensive AF California running or owning big auto shops with 1000 plates spinning at once all day every day. That was bad. I’d think I should end it all 100 times a day. I’m glad I didn’t.
Every month, depression rears it’s ugly head for no good reason and I have to fight to get my head right again, so it’s not over but it’s 50 times better.
Also, I rarely speak to my family back in the US. They’re all so completely wrapped up in these divisive politics, they’re so all in on their idiot’s cult that talking to them is pointless. All they have now is their stupid cult’s weekly talking points. I get nothing good from any of that.
Now, I spend a lot more time reading and a lot less time watching TV also. Not every much news, maybe 15-30 minutes browsing the internet a day, max. Good news never makes the news, only bad news, so don’t fill your head with more bad.
No.
Yeah, my depression just vanished as soon as I dropped out of school and started working.
Not overcome, but came to acceptance. Every medical or therapy attempted just made everything much worse.
Finally a GP made the breakthrough that rather than being manic bipolar, I had acute SAD in summer (all my suicidal episodes were August/September)
Now I know what it is I can manage it to a degree. This time of year is still terrifying though.
Honestly, trail running with no headphones was a game changer for me. Just stuck with myself and my thoughts. I basically replaced my morning anxiety spirals with physical movement. And if I got too in my head about something, then I wouldn’t pay close enough attention to my feet and I would trip on a rock. Trail running really requires that you watch when you’re going, on a level that you can’t get on a treadmill or a sidewalk. So it really helped me just focus on my breath and being present. And the endorphins and accomplishment really helped.
Now I’m definitely not a great runner so I’m not going to win any races anytime soon, but I truly changed my life.
10 out of 10 would recommend.
But for the record, though, if you need a medical care, get it. Mental illness is no different than physical illness and deserves to be treated seriously. Give yourself permission to get help when you need it.
Not without. Needed meds. I’ve told this story before…
My wife had cancer and I spent the last months of her life caring for her 24/7. After she died my life didn’t go back to normal. I was put (rightfully) on a PIP at work. I spent all my free hours just sitting in a chair. Months later I had some sort of panic attack at work and went to the emergency room.
Doctor asked if I was suicidal. I replied I wasn’t looking to kill myself but honestly wouldn’t mind being dead. He diagnosed depression and explained how prolonged periods of stress can change brain chemistry. He prescribed an anti-depressant to change it back.
Long story made short: the medication worked. After a few months I was able to wean off and my life returned to normal. I was able to do it without counseling. Once the doctor explained the brain chemistry changes it made sense and I knew what I had to do to get better.
Yes
Nope.
I’ve been on meds since 1995. I wouldn’t change anything about it other than I would have reached out for help sooner so I could have felt better sooner. The meds helped keep me alive, full stop. I wouldn’t have made it without them.
Prolonging going on meds when we need them just delays our wellness & recovery.
Nope! Medication saved me.
No, I had counseling, then finally found the right medication for me.
It depends on the cause. Depression is a symptom of many things, not necessairly a thing itself. A lot of people who have depression have it because of some other malidy or defficiency etc. For example: chronic magnesium or copper defficieny can cause depression. Traumatic brain injury can cause depression.
Also, sadness or mourning is NOT itself depression, but depression can be accompanied by it.
Also, suppliments like creatine can be as effective as SSRIs… but it depends on what is causing your depression.
No. Zoloft pulled me from the darkness.
Years of therapy and prescribed pills didn’t help me w daily depression; albeit minor (never at point of self harm etc … please seek help if that’s your case)
12 yrs ago I made real commitment to daily exercise, good diet and outdoor activities.
Am now a yoga instructor, meditation instructor, and swim teacher as opposed to former (pre-retirement) self who was a sedentary computer guy.
I’ve lost 80 lbs, lost high blood pressure & cholesterol & apnea & ED.
Completely sunnier outlook. Less anxiety and stress.
My youngest got depression during the pandemic. She lost 15 pounds in about a month because she wasn’t finding any food appetizing. Seeing the doctor and getting medication made a huge difference.
It is important to remember that it is one thing to be sad or disappointed or unhappy. Everyone can get situational depression, but you generally recover from it, because it is a temporary thing. Clinical depression, though, is likely a chronic condition that isn’t going to go away; think of it as the mental equivalent of high blood pressure. You are going to need some sort of on-going treatment to manage the condition.
(And, yes, you can deal with high blood pressure through exercise, diet, and losing weight, but some people have genetic tendencies towards it, and others aren’t in a position to alter their lifestyle sufficiently to avoid medication.)
If you are feeling down, sad, overwhelmed, disinterested in things that used to please you, and so forth, talk to a physician.
Yes, I did. With meditation.
No. Depression has fully consumed me. I have no motivation or drive to do anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. I’ve tried probably a dozen different medications, but most make me feel either like a zombie, or have awful side effects.
Yeah, by having it so long I got annoyed with it. I’d feel hopeless and like the world hated me, noticed It, and got so irritated I forgot to keep hating myself. Almost like I started viewing it as a separate thing from me that needed to fuck off.
Probably would have been much faster with a doctor but, when in poverty, you make due.
I have the doctors and meds and still haven’t overcome it wtf are you talking about 😅
There is no medication that will make up for a lack of emotional/physical safety.
After decades of therapy and a profound understanding of my past and present issues, I’m in the later stages of healing. The hard part where you go back out into the world with all of the awareness and take the steps to teach your nervous system that things can be different.
Overcoming depression is more of an ongoing act than a final destination.
For the most part yes. Turns out my issue was mostly a job/personality mismatch. I was in a manufacturing environment. Boredom will get ya. I now have a service route and am much better. Get to see different folks every day
I don’t take antidepressants and never found a helpful therapist. I also don’t drink. Not drinking helped a lot, but boredom is real. Staying busy is how I deal with it. I also have a great fulfilling job, which keeps me balanced. I try to keep my wife and dog happy, which gives me purpose. Sleep is huge. I should mention that I have no idea how bad my depression is, but I manage it fairly well by doing things that are good for the body and soul. Doomscrolling on Reddit doesn’t help.
I tried for as long as i could, justified whag i could, kept myself busy with work and spent time with my friends here and there. But eventually i felt like i lost too many pieces of myself to keep going .. like there wasn’t enough me left .. so i had a choice … give up or seek help and that’s how i into therapy to help me process and understand things, figure out the things that happened to and how they affected me.
Its been over a year and a half now and i’ve come so far and sometimes it feels like there is no end to this journey .. but its better now than before. I hope others give it a try and seek out help, i wish i had done it sooner.