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)
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)
