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Ask HN: How did you manage your stress or recover from depression?

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Re: Ask HN: How did you manage your stress or recover from depression?

#21

Post by eshwar »

Shift in perspective. Facing the facts.

1) Every creature (you and others) is going to the grave no matter what. No one gets out alive. 2) You're alive for now. That in itself is enough to start taking control of what you wish to experience inside yourself. 3) The current moments cannot be changed at this point in time, but they can be used to start looking at possibilities in situations ahead in life. 4) You are actually responsible for everything that is happening within you. So it is definitely possible to change that.

Re: Ask HN: How did you manage your stress or recover from depression?

#23

Post by drakonka »

I did not have depression but was very stressed and generally agitated/unsatisfied/tired. This year I decided to take most of my yearly vacation in July, like many people here do. In the past I'd take 2 weeks at a time - this time I took 5 weeks. At the same time I read a book about the importance of sleep, which also explained that sleep deprivation leads to stress, anxiety, and other emotional and cognitive problems. During my vacation I practiced good sleeping habits which I maintain today. I think next year I'll take 4 weeks off instead of 5, but just pausing to take some time off and get my sleep in order has helped tremendously with stress and general life satisfaction.

Re: Ask HN: How did you manage your stress or recover from depression?

#24

Post by sanefive »

thwy12321 wrote: post #5
sanefive wrote: post #2

antidepressant. I know it's a bit controversial but... at some point your nervous system is not working properly, and there is no way you can heal if your nervous system continues to overheat. Antidepressant allowed me to calm it down, regulate it, to be able to sleep again, and start the (needed) psychological work with a therapist. Both have to go together. It can take months or years. But you'll fight it ultimatel…

Curious to know if you ever got off anti depressants? Or youre still on them?

No i got off it. I thought it would take 3 months (naive hope). It took 18 months. It was a liquid solution, I had to take 7 drops per day. I had to decrease the dose VERY progressively. I took my time. It was rally a small dose at the end. But I wanted to be safe. Again, it goes together with a proper therapy. One without the other is useless. So I progressed a lot during my therapy, which allowed me to decrease the dose. It's been 2 years I dont need antidepressant, and I dont think I will ever need it again. I am completely cured :)

Re: Ask HN: How did you manage your stress or recover from depression?

#25

Post by thwy12321 »

sanefive wrote: post #24
thwy12321 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Curious to know if you ever got off anti depressants? Or youre still on them?

No i got off it. I thought it would take 3 months (naive hope). It took 18 months. It was a liquid solution, I had to take 7 drops per day. I had to decrease the dose VERY progressively. I took my time. It was rally a small dose at the end. But I wanted to be safe. Again, it goes together with a proper therapy. One without the other is useless. So I progressed a lot during my therapy, which allowed me to decrease the…

Ah well congratulations! Sounds like everything went as planned.

Re: Ask HN: How did you manage your stress or recover from depression?

#26

Post by Random_Person »

I joined the Marine Corps. That was ~20 years ago now and it helped me in immeasurable ways. I was a pretty crappy teen - suicidal, drugs, problems with authority - and decided I wanted to fix that.

The Corps taught me to be confident and that helped me leaps and bounds... until my wife became unfaithful and financial stress started to pile up.

For the past 4 years I leaned on medication to help me with the anxiety and depression and only this week I have begun working with my doctor to taper off of the medication. I'm at a place in life now where I don't need the crutch anymore and the medication severely impacts my creativity. It was the right choice at the time, but I'm ready to take on the world again.

Re: Ask HN: How did you manage your stress or recover from depression?

#29

Post by muneersn »

depressionguru wrote: post #16

I was very depressed for a very long time. Here is my philosophy. First, I have learned to define depression as “A captulation to loss of control.” By that I mean, to be depressed you must (a) feel like your life sucks and (b) believe you can’t do anything about it. This is effectively the story of the elephant who spent it’s life chained to a wall who, when the chain was removed, still acted like it was chained to t…

Thank you for this very well written and helpful comment.
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