View Full Version : Anti-depressants & alternatives
Well, for the first time, I am considering taking anti-depressants to kick myself out of the depression that has waxed and waned for years. I'm looking for first hand info about your experiences on meds, and your recommendations for alternatives. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to disclose medical info in public! And thanks...
Hey redfox, sorry to hear that you are struggling with a bout of depression. I have limited experience with taking anti-depressants because, years ago, when I did take one, I had a pretty bad experience and have refused to ever take them again even though it probably would have been helpful at various times. I can tell you that I have spent years educating myself about depression (I also have several family members who suffer from depression, some of whom have sought treatment and some of whom continue to live in denial) and, essentially, testing out various interventions on myself.
Here are a few things that I have learned that have helped me. Everyone is different, so I'm offering this up only as a story of my personal experience that might help you to think about different things you can try in addition to therapy and/or medication.
1) Good sleep is critical for me and I function best when I go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. This is incredibly hard to achieve, but I strive for it nonetheless.
2) My screen time (computer, TV) needs to be monitored and managed. Too much screen time effects my mood and my sleep. See point number 1. :)
3) Caffeine intake needs to be monitored. I do not drink coffee and never have, but was a huge Mountain Dew addict for years. I now drink green tea (which is lightly caffeinated) daily, but generally only before 3pm and generally a maximum of two (large) cups a day. I do also eat chocolate, but in limited quantities because there is caffeine there as well. Too much caffeine disrupts my sleep. Again, see point number 1.
4) I exercise almost daily and at a minimum 3x per week. Although I greatly prefer to work out on my own, I have found that studying martial arts with an established martial arts school has given me a set routine and a group of workout companions that have been incredibly helpful in thwarting my depressive episodes. For me, vigorous cardio workouts are best, but sometimes when I just can't pull it together to do them I go to a yoga class and just the movement and the fact that my heart rate gets elevated a little bit is enough to help my mood improve. Regular exercise also has the benefit of helping me sleep better. (Starting to see a pattern? Yep, it took me a long time to figure all this out!)
5) I have 3 dogs and 2 cats. Caring for them gives me a reason to get out of bed every single day.
6) I do not watch the news on TV nor do I listen to it on the radio. I do read some news online, but I stay away from the doom-and-gloom stuff as much as possible. It's not that I don't want to be well informed, it is more that I can too easily get started down the path to reading everything I can find about some horrible thing that has happened that I cannot control. When major events happen, I try to read the updates once or twice per day, but that is it. And then I make a point of donating money to a cause because that is something I can control and I can feel good about helping, even if it is only in a small way.
7) I try to eat to live as opposed to live to eat. This is a challenge for me because I love food. :|( I have been a vegetarian for years and just recently had to give up gluten. It made a huge difference for me. My doctor recommended that I also give up dairy a few weeks ago. Although some days I feel like there is nothing I can eat and every meal is a challenge, I have to admit, it is actually making a difference for me. I take an iron supplement, daily, as I have an iron absorption issue and I also take a daily multivitamin. Both of these things seem to make a real difference for me, but it could just be the placebo effect. :D
8) I focus on ways that I can use my character strengths both professionally and personally. Character strengths are values-based strengths, very different from our learned skills,which we are accustomed to using every day. You can learn about your own character strengths by taking a free character strengths assessment (called the VIA Inventory of Strengths or VIA Survey) here: http://www.viacharacter.org/www/en-us/home.aspx
9) I try to practice gratitude every single day. I have so many things in my life to be thankful for and remembering just a few of those things every day helps to keep me on track.
Okay, I'm sure I have more, but those are the ones that come to mind as most critical this morning. I will also say that the following two books were very helpful for me in thinking about small things I could do regularly that would help my life be filled with more positive emotion.
Positivity, by Barbara Fredrickson
The How of Happiness, by Sonja Lyubomirsky
Both women are positive psychologists so the stuff they write about is all grounded in science, which was important to me. I was well beyond where the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" approach was going to help me. Both books were fairly easy reads, but there was some heavy-hitting, "oh hey, this is how your brain works from an evolutionary biology perspective" stuff that really helped me to get on track.
Hope some of this is helpful for you!
Wow cdttmm! That was a great post. Well laid out with good information. Thanks!
Vitamin D supplementation really helps me; I take 2500 units a day.
I've had bouts of what I would call mild depression and anxiety issues over the years. I think it was passed down on both sides of my family. When I was at my worst and went for help I tried zoloft and prozac, mild rx of only 10mg. But I have an even bigger issue with taking rx so I never stayed on them longer than a few months. Diet, exercise, and hobbies, and being thankful (I'd keep gratitude jourals and write down 10 blessings a day) get me back into more managable state than anything. Its easy to spiral down in thoughts and takes work to be content. If I got so depressed that I couldn't get out of bed or take care of myself then I would go back to get an rx, absolutely.
Redfox,
I do all of the things that CDTTMM does above (awesome post!) and when those aren't enough, I take St. John's Wort, the standardized version, 250mg capsules, one per day.
I've been threatening to take something pharmaceutical now and then, but I find if I lose a few pounds and get my stress under control, I am once again fine.
The weight control thing is very important for me. I can tell how much I weigh by how clear my head is. With every pound I stray into "overweightness," I get more agitated, more negative, and more hopeless. Lose ten pounds and I feel like I'm on top of the world again. Has nothing to do with my appearance, who cares really, but my mood and my energy suffer, suffer, suffer. It's extremely strange, but it's the body I was dealt.
fidgiegirl
11-5-12, 8:01pm
Redfox,
I do all of the things that CDTTMM does above (awesome post!) and when those aren't enough, I take St. John's Wort, the standardized version, 250mg capsules, one per day.
I've been threatening to take something pharmaceutical now and then, but I find if I lose a few pounds and get my stress under control, I am once again fine.
The weight control thing is very important for me. I can tell how much I weigh by how clear my head is. With every pound I stray into "overweightness," I get more agitated, more negative, and more hopeless. Lose ten pounds and I feel like I'm on top of the world again. Has nothing to do with my appearance, who cares really, but my mood and my energy suffer, suffer, suffer. It's extremely strange, but it's the body I was dealt.
That is so interesting. I am being a bit blue now, and I had chalked it up to SAD, but I have also gained back the little bit of weight I lost this summer . . . hmmmm maybe that has something to do with it, too. Thanks for sharing . . .
Also enjoyed your post, cdttmm . . .
ApatheticNoMore
11-5-12, 8:20pm
I've been at my most depressed when thinest. It's why I guess I kinda really believe in the old saying "fat and happy" (quite honestly it might just be well nourished and happy - ie not dieting!),other than that there seems no relationship.
gimmethesimplelife
11-5-12, 11:38pm
I have had issues with depression on and off over the years.....and I have gone the pharma route - getting generic Prozac in Mexico very cheap - though it can be obtained here quite cheap now too (if) you have a script for it. I have gone the herbal route, taking St. John's wort with some success, and have also taken tyrosine and ashwaganda for depression. No great cures there but these two supplements did help. What I am coming to realize is that partly what I have been doing for a living messes with my head a great deal and wears me down (food and beverage). That coupled with financial stress is a recipe for not feeling especially good about anything. What I am doing now as my financial situation has improved a bit is planning on going back to school for real, and I am also going to the Art Museum here in Phoenix at least twice a week, For me, just doing this seems to be more centering and grounding and calming than any pill I have taken to date. Couple that with the thought of not waiting tables any more, how could I not feel a bit better and have a least a bit sunnier of an outlook? I also think that diet has something to do with this, and the catch-22 here is that if I don't feel very good about anything, I tend not to make wise food choices, which just keeps the cycle going. Wnen I do feel better about things, I have the energy to care about what I am eating, and it just builds upon itself. Common sense - if I eat better it's quite likely I am going to feel better. Just some scattered thoughts about a problem I have had myself for years. Rob
Redfox, I have had depression issues all of my life. I went into therapy in my 30s because my marriage was falling apart and I thought something was wrong with me. Well, marriage didn't last (thank god) but I stayed in therapy for years. Best thing I ever did for myself. I also took Paxil for years but now I am taking Cymbalta (for depression and anxiety). I am a strong believer in medication because I have experienced good results. There is no magic drug and I am not happy all the time, but the drug evens me out and I feel much more in balance.
I also totally agree with cdttmm's recommendations. Good sleep, diet and exercise are paramount. Counting our blessings is also a great benefit. One more thing: when I get down now, I always know that I will rebound very soon. I have faith in knowing that.
Depression and anxiety are epidemic in our culture. In fact, I almost think it is the new normal. Sad to say.
cdttmm -- sounds like you are pretty much vegetarian paleo. there's actually a fair bit that you can eat (though its mostly vegetables, fruit, and eggs -- still, i find a lot of value in my quiche recipes, which I do dairy free and crustless).
I also would bring in the concept of the group fitness. I would, of course, recommend yoga, but martial arts can work (and often do work) in much the same ways.
good luck with it all, redfox.
i found i was much less moody when i gave up watching/listening to news.
I ditto giving up news and magazines and anything that is media related, if possible. These outlets are focused on making us feel either bad or unfufilled.
For example, for me it is home decorating magazines and shows and even home tours. Makes me feel that I am not "doing it right" or "doing it better". I feel I can never compete and will never have enough of the "right" stuff.
The news is too often slanted toward only bad or extreme news. It is an amazing day that a great human interest story is told or written. I have my favorite columnists and read their stories and I may look at the headlines and pick those stories that give information rather than the hype.
rant for today.
Tussiemussies
11-6-12, 7:34am
The only alternative that I can add is that a therapist once put me on Omegabrite which is processed differently than regular Omegas that are available. The regular ones won't do it, it has to be the Omegabrite...eventually after trying many things I went on meds which have helped me.:)
http://www.omegabrite.com/
I do agree with sweetana, I have eliminated all media and feel just overall better...
Good luck to you, I hope you find something that will work for you quickly.
Thanks, all. I have an appt with a therapsit who does biofeedback, which I have always wanted to try! A well as more traditional therapies. I am continuing to gather data about meds, and am going to see a naturopath who specializes in mood disorders. I am not suicidal, so I can take the time I need to make the right choices. Keep the advice coming!
Tussiemussies
11-6-12, 11:00am
Oh Redfox, I forgot to mention that you can try SAMe by Nature Made, you can try the double strength. I wouldn't use a less expensive brand. It is known for being a mood elevator mainly and helps with joints and liver too and it is natural.
Glad to hear you are taking some steps that you feel comfortable with.
cdttmm's list is excellent. I might have to take notes from it.
I went through a sort of long period of mild depression after the loss of a close family member and still have some occasional down times. I would not want to discourage anyone from seeking professional medical advice. Personally, my faith in traditional medicine and prescription drugs is sort of low. I decided to try most of the over the counter herbal type remedies and eventually plunked down a couple hundred dollars on my "test". My conclusion was/is that our brain and bodies chemistries have subtle differences from one person to another and what works for one person won't work for another. About half of what I tried, like 5-HTP and Ashwaganda, basically put me to sleep. St. John's Wort did nothing for me. SAM e had a slightly positive effect. What worked best for me was Rhodiola Rosea, which I still take many mornings.
All told, I think a good diet, fresh air, and exercise are among the best natural remedies out there.
....
All told, I think a good diet, fresh air, and exercise are among the best natural remedies out there.
I agree with this. You have to experiment to find what "good diet" is for you--some people experience impressive improvements after giving up grains, for example. Make sure you're flush with B-vitamins, critical for nerve function. (Pate' anyone?) And I'd add for those of us subject to situational depression, changing the situation is key. Walking in nature is good therapy, especially with enough skin exposed to synthesize vitamin D.
fidgiegirl
11-6-12, 6:59pm
I agree with Jane. Generally, when I've been feeling crappy, I have to make a change. You've said work has been weighing on you . . . and you know you want out . . . hold out for it . . . it will happen . . .
try2bfrugal
11-6-12, 10:21pm
Check out this article -
Magnesium and the Brain - The Original Chill Pill
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201106/magnesium-and-the-brain-the-original-chill-pill
I think I have been a lot happier since I realized I needed to eat more magnesium rich foods.
St. John's Wort did nothing for me.
Prozac is the best mental buffer (not a wall) against recycling anxious thoughts.
I pretty much had to change my approach to life to get stable. Being able to get to FI3 before total economic burnout helped.
Readings that I considered useful include:
"Undoing Depression" Richard O'Conner
"What You Can Change and What You Can't" Martin E. Seligman
"Learned Optimism" Martin E. Seligman
"Feeling Good" David Burns (cognitive behavior therapy principals)
Took St. John's Wort for 2 years. It helped. Then, out of the blue I started getting hives on the palms of my hands. Stopped taking the St. John's Wort and after about 2 weeks the hives finally went away. Six months later started the St. John's Wort again and within a week, hives came back. Then tried this entire cycle again and the hives came back again. Asked a physician about it and was told no connection. But I didn't imagine those hives.
Also, at various times tried Prozac (after a month, you got it, hives--went into anaphylactic shock) and Welbutrin (twitching) and Zoloft--another weird side-effect and finally gave up on the meds. Oh yeah, I also took Buspar several times for anxiety but could never get the dosage high enough to do any real good because of dizziness. Man, I've taken a lot of those crappy drugs and none of them helped!
Have been in therapy on and off (but mostly on) for over 20+ years and I have to say it has changed my life. I love it. It's as self-indulgent as getting a massage and I've learned many skills to help me deal with life that I hadn't learned in my childhood. I am happy, grateful and enjoy my life. Anger and frustration are in my past (most of the time--we all have our moments.) I can't recommend strongly enough the benefits that can be found with therapy. I would suggest you find a good therapist and start going. If you're devoted to being honest with yourself to try and get a handle on what's making you unhappy, I am convinced you will benefit. If you first don't get a good therapist, dump 'em and try another.
Good luck.
Maxamillion
11-8-12, 10:17pm
I've battled depression and anxiety most of my life. I've been on and off various psych meds since I was 17 and it's taken awhile to find a combination that works. Some of them had pretty horrible side effects. But now I'm on Pristiq and Celexa and the combination is working well for me. I also stopped listening to the news. I don't have cable. I'll read some news online but that way I can help limit the effect it has on me. I've been getting Reiki treatments the last year or so and those have really helped. I've been in and out of therapy most of my life and I've yet to find a therapist that I really connect with. The one I'm seeing now I'm not real happy with but insurance-wise I don't have much other choice in who I see. Still, I'm thankful to at least be able to see a therapist right now. There's a good book I read a couple of years ago called "Happy For No Reason", I need to go back and reread it.
Vitamin D supplementation really helps me; I take 2500 units a day.
Right now I hear that Vitamin D stuff everywhere! I surged online and on a doctors site I found, no matter what you have, its always due to a lack of Vitamin D, if its cancer, MS, depression, no matter what. I think this is bull* and someone just want to sell this stuff! If it would just be that easy.
Taffy, this is my personal experience.
My vitamin D levels were extremely low on my lab test results, which were ordered as part of a general checkup. The megadoses of 50,000 IU a week for 12 weeks failed, and failed again. In fact, my levels dropped 3 points with each prescription! I bought a huge bottle from Costco and started taking 2,500 units a day, every day, and within 12 weeks I got to the low end of normal.
I wasn't taking it for depression, but I'm very happy to have that side-effect after all the years that I took one anti-depression medication after another, some with horrible side-effects, and nothing ever helped. I also did CBT, biofeedback, group therapy, individual therapy, and acupuncture.
Yes, it could be that easy! My completely unexpected lift out of chronic depression spurred me to read some of the studies for myself - go to PubMed.gov and type in Vitamin D and hundreds will leap up. For years the research that showed the central importance of vitamin D, which acts like a hormone and plays a very important role in many of the body's functions, was pooh-poohed by mainstream medicine. It was wrongly believed that 15 minutes of sun a day on face and hands would provide all the vitamin D that a person needed, and the bar for normal serum levels was set very low.
Now there is a growing body of incontrovertible evidence of the vital functions of vitamin D, which is hardly surprising when you consider that about 60% of our brains and nervous systems is fat. Vitamin D is fat-soluble, and it's needed in large amounts to maintain this fatty core in good order. It's necessary for the production of serotonin. It's also vital in the maintenance of our bones, as calcium cannot be efficiently absorbed without it, and this finding explained why countries with high dairy intake, but lying far north, had a high incidence of osteoporosis - especially when people eat lowfat or fatfree dairy.Again, no surprise. Even bones with little marrow have a startling amount of fat in them, and it's not much of a stretch to match fat-soluble vitamins with fatty tissues. We evolved our big brain through eating the bone marrow and brains of other animals, and that is a whacking good source of the fatty acid that builds our brains and nervous systems as well as of vitamin D. Now that we have the brain and nervous system, we have the need for vitamin D, as well as the other fat-soluble vitamins.
It sounds as if you think there's a conspiracy to sell vitamin D by faking thousands of studies and experiments by researchers worldwide. Who do you think is behind it and why? Vitamin D is very cheap and available from a number of sources, which weakens that hypothesis, as nobody's cornered the market or is making obscene profits. You can get vitamin D for free by exposing plenty of skin for reasonable periods every day, provided you live near enough the equator to get the right kind of rays. You can get it through careful selection of foods - just remember that vitamin D2 is only 60% as effective as vitamin D3 and many people aren't efficient converters of D2 to D3, so you need to eat more but in small, spread-out amounts.
Alright Suzanne, yes it sounds reasonable and at the end of you post comes the next questions. Our body needs so many vitamins and minerals and what else to funktion right, but why is Vitamin D right now the favorite one? I wished doctors would treat the whole body and not just parts. But what if I have more laks than just Vitamin D? Does that gets tested right away? No it dosen't.
A couple years ago I startet taking Vitamin C, because its said that we need that. I took it and got a cold, a bad one. I switched to echinacea and got a broncitis. After that I stoped taking extras, because I believe that the cells in my body work very hard and when I throw extras into the system, my body is dealing with those and doesn't care about the important things.
But as it always is, 10 doctors with 12 oppinions and I don't believe a study I have not forged myself.
What helps one person, must not help another one.
If the Vitamin D is helping you, that I am very happy for you.
In Seattle, we all need lots of Vit. D, becuase of the lack of direct sun. I wonder if sunblock is limiting folks' Vit. D absorption? I too get suspicious with the so-called silver bullet, but this vitamin is pretty basic to our health.
I have upped my dosage & started taking fish oil at my PCP's suggestion. And I am sitting under a full spectrum lamp at my desk. I start yoga on Monday, and a therapist the week after. I am improving!
Tussiemussies
11-16-12, 12:23pm
That is really great to hear Redfox!:)
Vitamin D is the favourite right now because so many people are deficient after years of avoiding the sun and cutting back on fats. The vitamin D in fortified foods is D2, which is, as I said before, less effective than D3, and if it's in lowfat foods is probably not going to get absorbed anyway. With the hard evidence rolling in of the effects of even mild vitamin D deficiency, its visibility has risen considerably from its previous near-invisibility.
As far as studies go, it's good to approach them with an open mind and settle down to do some analysis of one's own. I don't have the medical knowledge, the clout, or the money to run blood tests on hundreds or thousands of people suffering, say, from Alzheimer's, or to perform random assortment, placebo controlled, double blind, replicated experiments with supplemental vitamin A on large numbers of people. So I bring my basic knowledge of statistics and my research skills honed as an anthropology major student, and I read with a pencil and highlighter at the ready and look up tons of information. I read everything I can find, studies with both positive and negative outcomes, and then I weigh everything up and make a decision. Of course, in this case, with the completely unexpected lifting of very longterm recalcitrant depression, I wasn't free from bias! Nothing else had changed in my life, so it seemed likely that the vitamin D was the cure. With the reading I've done, I now have an idea of the probable mechanism. For people with SAD, it may not have been getting extra light that did the trick - sunlamps are designed to emit the same kinds of wavelengths as real sunlight, and just maybe the time under the lamp was boosting their vitamin D production.
It's true that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. If you don't have a deficiency, it won't help you to supplement! Some people may have much higher requirements for a nutrient than others, so even "normal" levels on test may be deficient for that person; if your requirement is extremely low, "normal" may actually be borderline toxicity. That's why it's so important to get to know our own bodies, be sensitive and alert to their responses. However, I think it important not to dismiss out of hand anything that I haven't checked out for myself, and I will continue to read and evaluate the literature as it becomes available.
pony mom
11-16-12, 11:37pm
Many years ago I took St. John's Wort (a liquid extract version) for depression. I can eat a lot of sweets and not get hyper; however, while taking this I was quite antsy and spoke as if I was on speed. I remember one instance of raving about what a beautiful day it was and jumping up and down--this was after eating two Entenmann's chocolate donuts.
Zoe Girl
11-16-12, 11:54pm
I say that anyone who can improve their mood issues with lifestyle changes should do that. When I have exercised and worked at the different things that are beneficial that has been a help. However I have been so grateful for medication for me and my family. My sister has been on medication much longer, I was really stubborn, and even though I think she coudl do some things different she is really doing very well. I recently however had a long bout of basic sadness. It was not budging and I could not see a simple fix that was possible. So I weaned myself off the anti-depressant and stayed on the mood stabalizer. I have been on anti-d meds for a long time until we figured out the mood stabalizer was the essential deal. So it is interesting to have some sadness lift when i went off of that medication. That is all beside the point.
What I can say is that medication did not change my personality, it did not give me side effects that made me be a different person, but with a good balance of medication I was able to get done what I get done without feeling like I slogged through quicksand to do it. Even the motivation to exercise, which is really good for depression, was almost impossible before I got some effective medication. I know people have lived this way for many years but I am grateful to live now and have so many options.
Any antidepressant has the inherent risk of causing mania in those predisposed to it. St johns wort included.
I've been on Zoloft since 1993 and tried to go off it three or four years ago with disastrous results after 3 months off. This time I'm going very slowly (it will take at least 7 months) and introducing blue light therapy (my light box is by Phillips--tiny, maybe 3x3 inches. I use it only 15 minutes each morning and think it is helping. I can't imagine the Zoloft is good for my brain and other chemistry so really hope this works. I get lots of exercise in a state where we get sun 300 days a year, but I seem to benefit from the blue light.
Also, my rheumatologist told me a few months ago that I'm getting stiff and should start swimming, so I do that at the local community college twice a week for an hour each time and that's seems to be helpful also for depression and anxiety.
Along with a Lakota prayer I found in Living the Lakota Way (audiobook) by Joseph Marshall, a Lakota. I say it at least once a day and that definitely helps me be less depressed, among other things because it makes me feel connected to every single person, animal, and thing in the universe.
Part of my determination to get off Zoloft if I can is financial--preparing for the days or years of living on only SSI. I take various meds, eg blood pressure, and this is the one I have a possibly good natural alternative to.
Gardenarian
11-19-12, 5:27pm
So glad you're feeling better Redfox!
I have seen a therapist a couple of times this year and it has been so very helpful.
What is most helpful for me when I'm down is to increase my physical activity. My body seems to be programmed for movement at least 6 hours a day. It took me a while to figure this out, and of course when I'm feeling blue going for a hike or working in the yard is the last thing I want to do. It can get in a cycle where I feel a bit down so I curl up with a book, and that brings me down even more. And of course it is difficult with work, but I make myself take frequent breaks where I move around a lot, and I do some physical activity before and after work. Being outside seems to be a key too, whether it is the Vitamin D or just getting in touch with nature, whatever, it works.
I guess I'm saying nothing new - once again, listen to your body.
frugalone
12-2-12, 12:54pm
Well, here's my thoughts.
Exercise can be very helpful--while I'm actually exercising and shortly thereafter. It never took long, though, before I fell into a funk again.
I have been on one anti-depressant or another for about 8 years now (I think). I'm trying to get off the last one I swore I'll ever take. It has killed my sex drive (though maybe the rest of my life is so depressing that why should I want to have sex anyway?). My experience has been that the drug works for a little while (Cymbalta was GREAT, initially) and then it's business as usual. It didn't help with the suicidal thoughts I've struggled with for more than 30 years. Behavioral therapy helped...but again, for a short while. I eat a vegetarian diet, almost no sugar, practice gratitude, and go for a walk every day.
There are times where I still think if I died tomorrow, it'd be a relief.
And the hell I have gone through trying to get off those drugs? Anyone know what The Zaps are? Well, I'm on a teensy-tiny dose of Lexapro and STILL have the Zaps.
Nothing seems to work for any long-term basis. Right now, I'd say, I'm at a real low. I'm effing tired of pretending to be happy, trying to be upbeat and positive despite some overwhelming circumstances...Tired of telling myself things are going to be better, when there's no real evidence that they will.
Would drugs help? I don't know. I really don't want anything further to do with them.
Sorry to be Debby Downer, but that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.
Gardenarian
12-2-12, 2:21pm
I had only a couple hours sleep the other night (door blew open/dog got out/met skunk) and remembered a trick I used to use when I felt very depressed. I would stay up all night and somehow this would cause a shift in mood. It's best if you can spend the day after outdoors or doing something pleasant - wandering an art museum, hiking, cafe hopping and people watching.
I don't know why the lack of sleep helps, but it can really make a difference. I experienced this after the skunk incident - a sort of euphoria, and seeing things with new eyes, stepping outside of my usual thought patterns.
@frugalone: I know how you feel. I right now feel the same. I don't know if this is just the sunday blues or a pre xmas blues or years end blues. My thoughts are really bad, just like yours. I feel like on an teeter totter every day, trying no fighting to keep the balance.
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