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Depression and SAD

mephisto

Well-Known Member
Greetings FC,
Its that time of year again that the light cycles are getting to less and less daylight. Being a person who has battled (quite well) the effects of Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder, I felt it only proper to post some easy to enlist concepts that might help someone get the upper hand on these types of issues. There are several other threads here that speak of these conditions also.

Some simple things that help me keep depressive symptoms in check.

Daily light box use in the morning for about 20-30 minutes. There are many good brands of light therapy boxes, the one I have is made by Logan. It is the Medlight. The exposure to high lumen light for short periods each day is said to cause an increase in serotonin and dopamine production. These neurotransmitters decline in production as the natural light cycles move to more darkness, less light daily.


Some type of exercise.....whether it is a simple walk, running, cardio, yoga, whatever gets your blood moving faster than just sitting still. This will pay off both physically and mentally. The brain tends to relax a bit when the body does as well. I am not a doctor, though my mother wanted me to be, PLEASE get a physical and your physician's OK before changing to a more physical daily routine. I find that regular exercise really helps me from starting a downward spiral of negative thoughts and constant analysis. I can process heavy thoughts as I exercise and then I don't seem as likely to become caught in the negative thought loop as often or as easily.


Natural supplements such as Magnesium, and B vitamin complex play a large role in maintaining proper neurotransmitter levels. I also like Magnesium for the ability to regulate heart rhythym, and promote muscle relaxation. Holy Basil is a fine daily supplement as well. I take this with Magnesium as they pair well together.
The action of Holy Basil is as an adaptogen. Like ginseng, and Maca, Holy Basil promotes a balancing effect within the body. It is not overly sedating, yet for me helps promote a sense of calm, well-being.


Monitor your herb consumption with regard to your general state of mind. Many times I reached for Mary Jane seeking comfort, only to find anxiety and racing thoughts. Generally in the heaviest part of my depressive cycle(s) less vaping lends to a better head space for me. When I do consume, I try and spend more time with the ritual of adjusting my attitude/altitude. One can always take another hit easier than chasing away the results of one too many hits.


Try and limit your exposure to toxic people and negative atmosphere in general. It is easy to become a
victim of someone else's misery or negativity. Dealing with depression is heavy enough. Trying to play the role of support for these "energy vampires" will leave you with zero resources to fight your daily battles.


Reach out to others for help when you feel overwhelmed, there are so many people who used to be victims of depression. These same people will gladly lend their support to pull others out of the dark (paraphrasing @DDave). Don't be afraid to find someone to tell how you really feel dealing with how you really feel. I can't tell my wife how I really feel when I am depressed because she depends on me for strength. That does not mean I don't reach out to others when I am down. My depression is so difficult at times, yet I know that I will cycle back out of the valley and get back to reaching a peak. After you win a few battles with the darkness and despair, you start to develop a stronger will to fight. If you need to be on a SSRI to help, so be it. Please do your research before you begin a pharmaceutical treatment. Even the newest and best anti-depressants carry some really massive withdrawal symptoms that most Dr.s don't mention when they casually fill that prescription. Don't get me wrong, I needed a 8-10 month daily dose of Paxil initially to help me. Once I started to find alternative methods for treating depression, I got off of the prescription. If I ever feel myself reaching the bottom again, I have no shame in going back to a SSRI until I can get things right again.

Perhaps this helps shed some light on the burden that is depression. I hope that this change of seasons brings positive growth and personal strength.


M (practicing manic depressive since '92)
 

DDave

Vape Wizard
Accessory Maker
Very well-written....I like it!‎

Daily light box

Never heard of this, but can see how this could be really useful in areas that receive extended darkness or long periods of bad weather.

Some type of exercise.....
Absolutely! It's so easy to get to a point during a depressive cycle low of no energy/no escape.

Exercise is great to remove the no energy condition. Enhance this by a change of scenery. If you go to a park, go to a different one. If you take walks, walk a different path. "Variety is the spice of life" isn't just a cute saying... it works.... (if you don't believe me, try vaping the same strain for a few years... or watching the same movie alone for a week..... )

There are others on FC far more qualified to discuss herbal supplements... on this topic, I defer to them.‎

Herb Consumption (quantity) - agreed and we'll said... to quote "One can always take another hit easier than chasing away the results of one too many hits.". Spot on with this one! Even if not depressed or down, can't tell you how many times I've thought to myself, man I wish I wasn't so ripped! Now, after strict monitoring, identifying the done I needed to address something, and avoiding the idea of "this much made me feel good so this much more should make me feel even better", I can now measure out the amount needed without getting wasted.

I'll add choice of Strains: there are some mmj strains that do far better than others in addressing depression. Plain old Sour Diesel takes away the pressure behind the eyes buildup that occurs right before a good cry. (Your results may vary, but I know there's a strain out there that can be your Sour Diesel too).‎

This one can be tough.... "limit your exposure to toxic people and negative atmosphere in general.". If you have a job that forces you to be in the presence of negativity or if you have a life event that is a downer but must be depressed. In this case, see next point..

Help Someone Else : this will provide Exercise, a change of scenery, and somehow helping someone else really does wonders in helping one's self.

Reach out to others for help when you feel overwhelmed: this one's a tough one too. Finding another who's not on their own downward spiral, who cares enough to listen or better, to help. Be willing to expose to another what hurts. Risking a rejection, which definitely doesn't help. If you have someone who offers you a shoulder to lean on, treat them as a rare prize! ‎

The SSRIs, I am not qualified in this topic and actually jaded towards them. Tried once. Yeah, it took away the bad feelings. But.... it took away the good feelings and any other feelings in between. A hollow she'll, sure didn't feel bad...but also didn't feel anything.


Well wishes to anyone feeling depressed. Whether going it alone, with a friend or a community of friends like FC, just keep in mind that YOU can change... YOU can change things, and YOU are not alone....‎
 
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OscarBoscar

New Member
Wow. This thread left me thinking. Depression, anxiety, running, SAD lights, D vitamin, weed.
Philips golite blue here
Btway, D vit is best with magnesium and K7. And i don't know if is working for me but i just noticed is the first Xmass i don't get depressed.

Still waiting for my first vaporizer.
 
OscarBoscar,

invertedisdead

PHASE3
Manufacturer
Real vitamin D (from the sun) works in ways not at all possible in an isolated supplement. Do seek that warmth when possible, it's so soothing and regenerative; once you can tune in to your body you will know when you need it. Connecting with nature will help build that intuition. You have to understand that we get these SAD feelings because we are so far from home. The invention of heaters which makes life possible in cold climates doesn't change our physiology and the fact we are meant and designed to be in warm environment. Any place where you would freeze to death overnight without artificial warmth is really not suitable for hueman life. We are tropical beings. Nature puts species in habitats and ecosystems that support each other. I lived in the Northwest for many years and experienced lots of SAD, it rained nearly every day. Realize there are MANY creatures this doesn't affect at all, and these creatures thrive, but it's not for us. I understand many don't have the ability to just uproot and go somewhere else, but do keep these thoughts in the back of your head; because I realized at some point we either have to do what works best for us or keep paying the price.
 
invertedisdead,
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muunch

hotboxing the cockpit
I will thank this thread for serving as a reminder to take my d3 capsules again.

I have been anxious/demotivated to the point of being idle - like I'm so wrapped up in pointless theoretical inner monologue that I'm disinterested in near everything and didn't realize it could be SAD; which I wouldn't be surprised if I had
 
muunch,
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