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Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

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Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#331

Post by jpgvm »

ceasesurthinko wrote: post #160

Had generalized anxiety and mild depression since middle school. 10mg Lexapro/escitalopram (SSRI) has done wonders for my anxiety and subsequently helped my depression. I tried CBT alone for some years and it helps a bit but the medication was really what helped me get out of my head and start living life. CBT while on medication was even better which I highly recommend you do both together. I personally didn't have…

Thanks for sharing your experience. Hearing from real folk that have had a range of outcomes is why I asked here on HN and have been hesitant to place much weight in what I have read elsewhere online.

So far experiences seem to have ranged from the medication did nothing, it supported them through therapy or completely changed their life. Overall though hearing that for most people any side-effects were either minimal or worth the improvement in quality of life has given me a renewed energy to seek treatment again.

So thanks again, everyone here has been so very kind.

Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#333

Post by mFixman »

honksillet wrote: post #145
emerged wrote: post #123

Depression runs in my family but daily exercise completely reverses it. I’m referring to 60m+ of cardio average per day. Anytime I go more than 2 days without exercise, I’m immediately under a dark cloud. I’ve heard plenty of people say it doesn’t work for them. I have to assume they’ve actually tried it for a length of time and it’s true. But it’s at least worth finding out of it works for you before resorting to me…

That’s a lot of cardio. Especially as you age? Do you have a contingency for injuries?

If you think 60m per day is a lot of cardio, you need to improve how you get your heart rate up.

Treatmills and stationary bikes are boring; going for a run or hopping on a bicycle works much better.

Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#334

Post by hoseja »

throwseusi34 wrote: post #316
wheelerwj wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think the reason you are getting so many "I disagree" responses is because many of us have had awful experiences when it comes to medical professionals and mental health. > I've heard it said that giving antidepressants to a depressed person, without any therapy, is like giving amphetamines to a tired person: yes, they may temporarily cure your "tiredness", but what you really need is to go to sleep. I don't even…

I've never had a serious health issue, so maybe doctors are better with them, but my experience is doctors don't ask enough questions to find the best answers. Severe pain in testicles: ER doctor asks about blunt trauma, sees nothing, prescribes antibiotics. Family doctor later agrees. Year later, same pain! See a nurse-in-training, second question: "When was the last time you ejaculated?" ....oh... Sure enough, no a…

I'm sorry but you seem to have some really weird issues.

Like "I worry about your executive function" weird.

Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#335

Post by tsol »

inter_netuser wrote: post #95
Trasmatta wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doctors aren't always effective at treating depression. Especially if they use a therapy modality or medication that doesn't work for you. That doesn't mean you shouldn't talk to them, but it's also helpful to read experiences from from other people. My opinion, doing both is good. Consult a professional and read about other people's experiences. At the very least maybe somebody mentions a form of therapy that you've…

50% of doctors are by definition below the average. In reality, roughly 3-10% are good, the rest just go by standard guidelines only and/or punt you off to someone else.

50% of everything is below the average.

Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#336

Post by thenerdhead »

> For these reasons I am completely shit-scared of them. I see them as my option of last resort but increasingly I feel my options running out.

I couldn’t even take ibuprofen or daily vitamins at a certain point of being depressed out of fear it would make it worse. There were a few things that helped me calm the storm:

1. Exercise (30 mins elevated heart rate each day)

2. Talk about it (Friends, family, strangers on the internet)

3. Moderation (screen time, work, diet, etc)

4. Read about different philosophies (stoicism, buddhism, taoism, etc)

5. Sleep (Make it a top priority to get the right amount 8+ hrs)

Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#337

Post by hoseja »

joeman1000 wrote: post #69

Honestly: go and talk to a doctor you trust. My opinion (not a doctor): What is wrong in your life? Are you: + Working too hard + Commuting + Not exercising and taking care of yourself + Eating a diet with lots of processed foods + Using drugs and alcohol as a crutch + Overweight + Not resting regularly + Sleeping poorly + Have other health issues not addressed + Without genuine friends + Without a good partner + A c…

Most of those are symptoms and not causes.

Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#338

Post by hoseja »

pasabagi wrote: post #47

> For these reasons I am completely shit-scared of them. I see them as my option of last resort but increasingly I feel my options running out. I was in the same boat. Don't listen to the haters. Anti-depressants are amazing. Most of the people who 'cured' their depression through some kind of cheap trick turn out to have been self-diagnosed. Anti-depressants, if dosed and chosen properly, have basically no side effe…

There's MANY classes of antidepressants. You probably got prescribed one of the more pleasant modern ones.

Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#339

Post by renewiltord »

weakfish wrote: post #302
renewiltord wrote: post #283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Clueless comment. You don’t understand explore vs exploit. You are not qualified to give advice on the subject of whom to consult. Please do not try. Your advice is really bad.

This isn’t really a charitable response imo

I believe it is the most charitable interpretation of the GGP: that OP is ignorant of their ignorance. They aren’t malicious, merely innocently unaware of how clueless they are on the subject.

By the way, is the Hunt library still open 24x7? I remember it being a fun time when it was. Spent many a night there.

Re: Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?

#340

Post by gdfgjhs »

afr0ck wrote: post #144
throwawayboise wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know if I've ever been clinically depressed. I've never been diagnosed, but I've never seen a therapist or talked to a doctor about it either. I have defintely had periods of unexplained very low motivation and lethargy. I've done the "listen to music and get really drunk alone" thing a few times. It did seem to help, though I didn't do it with that intent. It kind of slapped me in the face with a "you are pa…

I had been, not long ago, through a crippling depression that I fought by myself. Initially, it crippled me to the point of not being able to get up from bed and start my day (I spent the whole weekend on bed, feeling terribly sad, regretful and helpless. I only get up for biological needs). After 5 or 6 months of suffering, I decided, at some certain point, that I need to do something about it and that I need to get…

I didn't get formal diagnosis either. At the time, I really didn't know what was wrong with me. It was later in life when I realized what had happened.

The thing with depression is that one is unable to properly think. Nothing really matters. So suggestions like go for a walk or eat healthy are really hard to put in practice.

I used to run 5K almost daily when depression hit me. It was induced by trauma. Initially, I kept going out to run, though my pace was slower and I didn't run as far. Like how they say about going broke; slowly first and then suddenly, that's how my depression progressed.

Also you reminded me about weekends. I did same thing, spend whole weekends in bed, avoided any social contact. Just drank, ate, prayed, listened to music, and cried out loud. I tried playing video games and watch movies but they could not hold my interest. Stopped running. If friends invited me, I made excuses. Luckily for me, it lasted only a few weeks.

I don't think it was any of healthy suggestions here that helped me. I already had some healthy habits like running and eating right. Maybe if I had gone to doctor, it would have helped me faster.

Just like how it started, that's how it ended. First, I started a to feel a little bit better and then suddenly I was not depressed at all. Then I had really bad case of anxiety, which I still suffer from a bit but CBT methods really helps me here. I am back to running, working out, taking vitamins etc. And feel great now.

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