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The Depression Thing

zachholman.com

131–140 of 348 posts

Re: The Depression Thing

#131

I was diagnosed with "major depression" when I was 14, did the medication and therapy thing for a bit but the medication made me a zombie. Therapy helped me learn to cope a little better, but I was never "cured" of my depression. My 20s have been pretty bad, but in the last year and a half I've lost 100+lbs and have been running and lifting. It turns out the common sense advice to depression was really what I needed…

Personal anecdote, semen retention has some surprising benefits and make your a more social being. Recommend trying this method to see if it benefits any depressed folks.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doc, don't take my word on anything or listen to me.

Re: The Depression Thing

#132
In the same way pain can indicate something is wrong with our body, depression indicates something is wrong with our psyche. Lifestyle changes have helped me, but reasoning about the pain, trying to release it to God, and getting my life right have also helped. An older Catholic told me mental illness increased dramatically when people stopped going to confession regularly. Looking back, a lot of my depression came from guilt, and still does. Ignoring and rationalizing the guilt by believing free will did not exist did not help, it just made me unable to accept responsibility and fix the problems in my life.

Re: The Depression Thing

#133
post #6
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It currently feels like we're stuck in the stone-age when it comes to treating depression and mental illness in general with drugs. Things do seem to be improving however. For example, second generation antipsychotics like aripiprazole seem to be a significant leap.

From my experience, we're in the stone age when it comes to treating depression without drugs as well. I reached out to my PCP at my HMO, they made me talk to a specialist who cleared me for treatment and referred me back to my PCP. My PCP seemed skeptical that anything was wrong and went against the recommendation that I had been given by the specialist office by strongly recommending that I don't try anti-depressan…

[deleted]

Re: The Depression Thing

#134
post #131

I was diagnosed with "major depression" when I was 14, did the medication and therapy thing for a bit but the medication made me a zombie. Therapy helped me learn to cope a little better, but I was never "cured" of my depression. My 20s have been pretty bad, but in the last year and a half I've lost 100+lbs and have been running and lifting. It turns out the common sense advice to depression was really what I needed…

Personal anecdote, semen retention has some surprising benefits and make your a more social being. Recommend trying this method to see if it benefits any depressed folks. Disclaimer: I'm not a doc, don't take my word on anything or listen to me.

Is that when you store it in bottles for later?

Re: The Depression Thing

#135

People: PLEASE STOP recommending depressed people to take psychedelics. There is no such thing as "psychedelic therapy." Psychedelics can easily make people with mental health issues MUCH WORSE. Nobody needs a full blown existential crisis on top of major depression. I get it if you like the idea of doing psychedelics, but they are mind-altering in significant and poorly understood ways, and can easily cause others h…

There is indeed a thing called "psychedelic therapy", however it is not developed enough to recommend it to nearly [1] anyone at this stage.

Pilot studies and clinical trials are being done and more prepared [2] for treating treatment-resistant depression with psychedelic therapy and there is a growing body of literature suggesting it really might be a significant help, we are not just there yet.

[1] A relevant quote from: Robin L Carhart-Harris and Guy M Goodwin, The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs: Past, Present, and Future:

"However, there is an important corollary to the continuing illegal status of psychedelics. It seems to me paradoxical, even incredible, that such drugs should not be available for medical use in conditions for which euthanasia is already available. In Belgium, neuropsychiatric disorders were first reported under euthanasia legislation in 2004/5. Of the first such 100 patients considered for euthanasia between 2007 and 2011, 58 had depression. Forty-eight of the total were accepted for euthanasia (35 completed) and 6 others had died by suicide within 12 months from the end of the study. Most patients were female, aged 40-60 years. Euthanasia for psychological suffering is similarly available in the Netherlands and Luxemburg."

[2] https://www.ft.com/content/16209090-9589-11e7-a652-cde3f882d...

Re: The Depression Thing

#136
post #37

I was diagnosed with "major depression" when I was 14, did the medication and therapy thing for a bit but the medication made me a zombie. Therapy helped me learn to cope a little better, but I was never "cured" of my depression. My 20s have been pretty bad, but in the last year and a half I've lost 100+lbs and have been running and lifting. It turns out the common sense advice to depression was really what I needed…

People who can just sleep, diet and exercise and the depression simply goes away, that's not real major depression. I really hate how people spread this stuff so condescendingly. No, it might have worked for you, but it does not work for millions of people who suffer from it.

[deleted]

Re: The Depression Thing

#137

I was diagnosed with "major depression" when I was 14, did the medication and therapy thing for a bit but the medication made me a zombie. Therapy helped me learn to cope a little better, but I was never "cured" of my depression. My 20s have been pretty bad, but in the last year and a half I've lost 100+lbs and have been running and lifting. It turns out the common sense advice to depression was really what I needed…

Yes, I was quite annoyed by them calling out, and seeming to try to shame, the advice of going for a run. Mental stuff can be pretty bad my way, and these days sticking to a good workout routine is doing wonders for keeping me grounded. Depressed people should try going for a run.

Yes, I was quite annoyed by them calling out, and seeming to try to shame, the advice of going for a run.

People mean well, and I never try to belittle people trying to do good, but in these situations people project their own feelings and motivations and then declare what needs to change in the other person's situation. But physical exercise and taking the trouble to eat right itself is a major barrier when you find it tough just getting out of bed.

It is essentially saying "stop being depressed and you won't be depressed".

Re: The Depression Thing

#138
post #75

Cutting gluten out of my life basically "cured" my depression, which sounds crazy, since it is just something I'm eating... I'm not allergic, but probably intolerant. I ate wheat for most of my life. I'm pretty sure it is related to inflammation, and how eating wheat products probably screwed my digestion up. I also rarely get sick anymore. Not trying to suggest that medicine, therapy, etc. does or does not work, jus…

1 hour hold account 1 hour old comment. I am not trying to be negative but i have seen no science to state that cutting gluten is going to do anything at all for anyone unless they have Celiac disease. You want to back that up with study or something? Its just WOO if i am wrong i will be happy to eat some crow. Further more the comment near this one about some imaginary threshold of MEME count gives something legitim…

I don't want anyone in my professional life to know I have suffered severely from depression, so I made a throwaway account.

Regarding science and evidence, this is anecdotal, and just my personal experience. It has 100% changed my life, so I thought I would share.

Re: The Depression Thing

#139

I was diagnosed with "major depression" when I was 14, did the medication and therapy thing for a bit but the medication made me a zombie. Therapy helped me learn to cope a little better, but I was never "cured" of my depression. My 20s have been pretty bad, but in the last year and a half I've lost 100+lbs and have been running and lifting. It turns out the common sense advice to depression was really what I needed…

I'd add one more to that list: * Meditation / Prayer

I can't even express how much these simple things have changed my life (and the lives of those around me).

Re: The Depression Thing

#140
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1 hour hold account 1 hour old comment. I am not trying to be negative but i have seen no science to state that cutting gluten is going to do anything at all for anyone unless they have Celiac disease. You want to back that up with study or something? Its just WOO if i am wrong i will be happy to eat some crow. Further more the comment near this one about some imaginary threshold of MEME count gives something legitim…

I don't want anyone in my professional life to know I have suffered severely from depression, so I made a throwaway account. Regarding science and evidence, this is anecdotal, and just my personal experience. It has 100% changed my life, so I thought I would share.

Honest question, you attribute all of that to simply removing gluten for your diet?

edit: typo's

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