What has helped you? Therapy, medication, exercise, meditation?

Let me star by giving you a warm welcome to mylot! I have struggled most of my adult life with depression and I have done it all. I have been on meds, I have gone to talk to a therapist. I was on medication for many years. I think I talked to someone for about a year. It got to the point where I out grew my therapist. When I was taking meds and they would stop working I would blame myself. It got to a point where I didn't want to take anything anymore. I stopped taking my meds. You should always tell your Dr if you want to stop! You may not like my answer at all. But when I made the decision that I no longer wanted to take meds I knew that I could never do it alone. So I prayed I got down on my knees and I asked for help. WHen something is just too much for me I just give the power to my lord and savior Jesus Christ. Let me tell you that I have not been on meds for over 7 years. Sure I still get down at times, but it never lasts for very long. When I was on those meds I felt like I never really felt anything. I think you need to feel the lows in life to feel the highs in life. Yes I know this may not work for others but I wanted to share my story in the hope that it may help someone. Best of luck to you!

it seems that you have a family, that's OK. do you have a job as well? sometimes people are looking for the cure in the wrong places. i believe that a person's job is the FIRST thing that connects him/her to life. have you ever experienced having a job you really enjoy? and you know what, sometimes having fun is not the most important thing. jobs are there for us to earn more money, to be more succesful and to have a more satisfactory life. is life just about the business? well for me, mostly. but in general, no, it's not the only thing. but the other things that you ache for, will come after once you are so busy and occupies with the thing you try to achieve in your life. please think about this.

Meditate yourself for about 5-10 minutes early in the morning and always be postive in your life.

my bro has same problem of depression, he got fracture in his leg when he was 13, he was so depressed that he tried to hurt himself at times, and suddendly became angry at times, the best medicine is LAUGHTER , which would definately give releif

This will sound like a strange answer, but I recommend Massage Therapy. Massage returns the body to homeostasis - balance - something we all need. It releases endorphins and gives an over all sense of well being. It not only helps with physical aches and pains - which seems to come along with depression for many - but has been shown to alleviate both depression and anxiety. When we're depressed many times we stop moving - just want to sleep - if we can sleep - massage will also get your circulation going as well and stretch out tight muscles. For those who have trouble sleeping, massage can relax you to the point where you're ready to go home and sleep! Stops that racing mind. To reduce the stress on your purse strings, try going to a massage school - and or accupunture school, etc - at the end of intensive training, students work in a clinic and see real clients. The school charges a nominal fee - and of course - its always nice to tip your therapist!

I to from time to time depending of my life suitation have suffered from depression, but it comes and goes and was first brought on by having my first child, which I was put on some high meds just to help me through the day after six months of being high and low I got sick of it and took myself on the pills and went of the st john watts which helped me out. My second lot was when my marriage broke up and ready to drop the second child, so I was back on medication again. I have managed to controll my moods and episode which have seemed to not be so bad any more so mine was more to do with children and family problems.

I had struggles with depression as well, since I was 11, but I read comic books, sing, dance, walk, write, and take care of my cats to fight it off. I do not like to use medication, it just makes me more depressed.

My approaches to depression depends on the situation. Sometimes, I will eat too much food, sometimes I will cry for a long time and sometimes I will read a book, and sometimes watch movies. Well, if what catches my attention and will forgot my problem then I'll go for that.

Depression has varying degrees of severity and sometimes it takes a long time for physicians to be able to find the right combination of medication to balance the biochemstry of the brain. I am a life coach and group leader and always suggest the a multi-layered approach to resolving most mind-body-emotional imbalances. Therapy helps if a person is able to find the right one for their particular challenges. Meditation is a wonderful tool to assist healing on all levels. Yoga is a great mind/body balancer as is movement, fresh air, exercise. During times of depression we often suggest that people journal their feelings or draw them if they cannot access what they are experiencing. Chinese Medicine with a qualified practioner who incorporates accupuncture, herbal remedies is another route that some of our clients have found beneficial. Naturpathic physicians can also help and they promote natural healing and finding ways to assist the body in healing itself. If you look under your yellow pages you might also be able to find other reliable pracitioners that could work in tandum with your regular doctor.

Well I don't know if my case is mild, but when I am feeling down, any kind of exercise is what makes me feel better. My favorite when I am angry is cutting the grass because I get the exercise the produces adrenaline (I guess that would be my medicine), and I can talk without feeling like I am crazy for talking to myself.. If I am just down, dancing and running also make me feel better.

I too have had problems with depression. I find that medication works best, but I use as little as possible. I also find that meditation helps, and if you can, take a long walk. If you have a good friend who will listen rather than give advice, that is best of all. Good luck.

My depression is a low grade long lasting type. I don't FEEL depressed but I don't do what I should, I don't want to get out and do things, I have no ambition, no energy... I have battled anxiety and panic attacks since I was a kid and I guess depression can come from that or maybe that is how my depression manifests itself. I find that I go through bouts. Sometimes, I am OK I workout and go places and feel decent. Other times, like lately, I work and don't do much else. I don't feel sad or anything, I just don't have the energy to DO anything. I tried several antidepressants over the years and none worked. They made me very tired or did nothing so I am sort of stuck. But if I force myself and get out socially, I feel 100 times better. The longer I stay in and just work and do nothing else, the less energy I have and the less motivation I have. If I FORCE myself out, I end up feeling so much better after. I wish there was a medication that actually made me feel better but I guess I am not a candidate for antidepressants. My sisters are on them as was my father but I just can't find anything that doesn't make me worse. So I sort of live life doing as little as possible and trying to get my butt out now and then and finding happiness around me whenever I can. It's ain't great but it's all I have.

I have been dealing with depression, anxiety, and anger issues almost my entire life and just recently I have been more able to get it under control. I am going through therapy and taking antidepressants. But over time I have learned what triggers the depression and anger the most so I try to avoid those things. Honestly though I think that once the depression has started it won't ever completely go away. The best thing you can do is just try to be around more positive things and avoid negavity.

Well for depression, medicines are not solution. Do Meditation, try breathing exercise, it will help you balance and handle depression.

i need to walk,when i am depressed but coz of my fybromyalgia i cant walk very far. but i need to go out,if i am depressed and i dont need so much stress the stress is killing me if i dont have stress,or not so many stress,i am not depressed. but the depression keeps coming back pffffffffffft