Dude,

Depression is one of the constant phenomena that life has. But always remember that it is just a phase and what keeps it to haunt us over and over is our own motivation and outlook. It is also important that you identify the things that trigger your depression and accept it fully. It is only then that we take full control of the situation and champion our life. I’ve had several moments of depression before but I always see to it that I conquer it by means of acceptance and make sure to keep going.
I think you are a brave man and you haven’t lost all your confidence yet. The fact that you can write about your problem and seek advise to the public is a solid proof of your strong will to overcome it. And ALWAYS remember my friend that Suicide is NEVER a solution to a problem it will just perpetuate the problem. Often suicide victims thought that taking away their lives ends the misery, the pain the chain of problems, but the truth is they just let problem rule over them forever.. which is a big NO.. 🙂 All of us are champions and the mere fact that we are alive is a great proof that we are worth to enjoy life.
I would suggest that you keep on doing the things that you love the most. If it is creating music or video blogs on youtube then GO! Just convert all your frustrations and depression to music.. I would also suggest you try to catch some fresh air and a good jog at the park ( I always do that every weekends) it will help release hormones to help you naturally deal with ebb moments. PLUS.. make lots of friends.. it is always great to have someone to talk to and share thoughts on anything about everything..

Cheer up Dude 🙂

Your friend,
Redz

Hi Dude,

Get a full physical with blood tests. Sometimes one hormone can be off or you can have a severe vitamin deficiency because your body has trouble absorbing certain things. This is not a minor detail and I’m not making light of your depression. It happened to me. It turned out that my body wasn’t absorbing enough Vitamin D. Sounds minor, but it made a HUGE difference once it was taken care of!

So get a physical with blood tests. And follow your doctors orders. Go to a naturopath if you want to stay away from Drugs.

Also, Nature is a great healer. Now that it will be getting warmer, take your shoes off and bask in the sunlight and earth. Being outdoors will re-stabilize you on a basic level.

We All Got You and are Here for You, One Click Away!!!

Inky

I’ll probably get nailed to the wall for saying this, but I have to speak my Truth as I see it.

Dude, you haven’t tried medication in ten years, and the last time you tried it, your brain structure was VERY different. Antidepressants are known to be problematic in adolescents, and have anyway come a LONG way in a decade.

IF you’ve tried everything else – excercise, meditation, talking therapies, changing diet, cashew nuts (yep, they’re good) then for your own sake, and the sake of everyone who cares about you, stop being so proud and take your damn meds.

There are SO many myths surrounding deep, clinical depression, the most toxic one of which is, we can just snap out of it. Wish it away with positive thinking, or by changing our attitudes. Believe me, I’ve been where you are. I “fought” depression for 15 years until I had a massive breakdown in work. It debilitated me completely for over 8 months, and a year later, I’m *just* putting myself back together. The sooner you get help, the sooner you’ll start not needing it. Yep, you could fight this thing yourself, and maybe, in another 3 or 4 years, you’ll get a handle on it. Maybe forever, maybe just for a while. But you’ll NEVER get those 3-4 years back again.

All the advice about diet, attitude and exercise is good advice and you should follow it, just as any other sick person, from cancer to a cold, should. But we don’t expect anyone to get over any other life threatening illnesses without meds – why do we think “mental illness” is so different? The brain is a part of the body, no different to the pancreas or the liver. Try everything else – then take your meds.

I know it’s frightening. I didn’t want to do it either – I thought I’d lose myself, become somehow less authentically “me”. I can assure you, that hasn’t happened. I’m me, just with less bad days, and the ability to feel my passion again.

Good luck x

@inky said:
Hi Dude,

Get a full physical with blood tests. Sometimes one hormone can be off or you can have a severe vitamin deficiency because your body has trouble absorbing certain things. This is not a minor detail and I’m not making light of your depression. It happened to me. It turned out that my body wasn’t absorbing enough Vitamin D. Sounds minor, but it made a HUGE difference once it was taken care of!

Inky

I agree with Inky. I personally have health issues that cause me to feel exactly as you described. I would in particular look into getting your thyroid tested and any vitamin deficiencies.

Also, there are so many ways how we eat, sleep, exercise, socialize, etc. can contribute to depression and/or anxiety or contribute to eliminating depression/anxiety. There’s an excellent book called The Depression Cure by Stephen Ilardi that discusses these basic needs humans have to prevent depression and anxiety. There is also a book called Feeling Good by David D. Burns M.D. that assists in working through some of the thought processes that contribute to depression.

I have personally experienced many times how making changes in medical treatment, nutrition, sleep, socializing and changing thought patterns can improve the depression and anxiety you are feeling without antidepressants. That being said, sometimes when we’ve been miserable for so long, or when we’ve tried everything and nothing is helping, it can helpful to try antidepressants to get over that hump while trying other approaches at the same time, but it’s ultimately your decision to go that route.

Please know it is never hopeless. There is always a way to feel better, you just need to find it. Don’t give up hope that you can find it. Our bodies and minds are amazing, intricate machines that are constantly capable of change. Good Luck.

Hey Dude. I just got out of a “partial hospital” for depression. When I went to go to it I freaked a little. WTF partial hospital. Turns out it wasn’t in the hospital at all. It was a building down the street from the hospital in an office. Basically every day from 8:30-3:30 we sat at tables facing each other and talked about certain depression type of topics. I was there longer than most..not because I was worse off but because my insurance paid for 20 days. I learned so much in how to cope with my depression (which I hated even admitting that I had…I have a male type of ego). Have you heard of dialectic behavior therapy? Most of our handouts were learning about this.
Anti-depressants are not the solve all problem. I am on them too. In fact I had learned that my depression had went back to year 2007 and I had been on anti-depressants since then for my anxiety attacks. Obviously it worked for the anxiety but not the depression.
See if there is a group through one of your hospitals that has a wellness group for depression. Most likely it is where they send the people that tried to commit suicide after they have been hospitalized. Some in my group were there from the hospital. Others of us were either referred by a doc or one lady came on her own. I thought that was pretty cool.
((hugs))

Dear @Dude,
Wherever you are, a drawing from me to you.

“Hold Yourself Up (Perception Is Key, Key Is In You) Auspicious Beginnings”