Meds to get over depression and obsessive thoughts

[NCEA]

What's your views on taking meds?

[Sunfl0wer]

I think a certain amount of depression can be useful in some situations.  It can help us think through things and working with it can be beneficial.

However, sometimes depression can make us continue cycling into depression.  We can have a hard time finding our way out as it can overwhelm us, overwhelm our thinking and behaviors.  I think meds can be helpful for times that we feel we cannot be productive because of the depression.  They can helps us calm down the downward spiral of our negative thinking and help us clear some of that so we can gain perspective and get to a better 'working' place within ourselves.

[thisworld]

I don't know about the extent of your depression but I know that people with obsessive thoughts respond well to certain CBT techniques and mindfulness. (I'm a recovered OCD patient, pure "O", no compulsions and happily for me, my attachment scores have always showed very low anxiety in relationships.) The point with obsessive thoughts is not to get rid of them completely (that's great if you can do that, too) but learn to tolerate them, to cope with them so that they don't affect you the way they used to do. Basically, you come to a point where you notice the thought and are able to say "Bleh, you again" and carry on with your life without needing to show your usual emotional reaction to this.  This can be achieved by changing certain thought patterns, distortions, automatic emotional reactions etc and CBT techniques help people a lot (despite some research saying otherwise). The point of medication is to bring people more or less to that point where they are soothed a bit so that they can do CBT.

In one sense, what we are going through is different from obsessive thoughts of OCD because they are about things that are mostly "unrealistic" - 99% improbable risks but sometimes we can't distinguish that at that time. Our situation however, is more or less a natural response to hurt and trauma - it's probably not something generated by a malfunction of the amygdala and the frontal lobe and other OVD-related zones of the brain.

That's why, I believe in dealing with this at an emotional level with CBT and mindfulness techniques, which are mostly based on catching the bull by its horns that trying to bury it.  

[NCEA]

I'm sure CBT can help but after 3 months of this crap I better just kill it . I can't believe I've come to this I've been against pills all my life. I'm obsessive anyway and this isn't going anywhere. I'm functioning but it's like I have an extra radio channel in my head going 24/7. I usually wake up at 6 am and for a few seconds think about something else, then the channel goes on and I think "oh great" and it's on until I fall asleep. I have a very active life, been dating, sex with other partners, all the while the channel is "on" and people around have no idea. I'm sure another 3-5-8 months I'll be ok but why wait... .

Anybody here thinks meds are a bad idea?

[fromheeltoheal]

Meds under the supervision of someone who has diagnosed you and knows what they're doing can help, although to me they're something to turn to as a last resort.

What works for me are:

-Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

-Eat a clean diet, not too much, not too little.

-Soak a t-shirt with sweat every day.  Doesn't matter what you do, just do it enough to get your heart rate up and break that healthy sweat.

-Drink at least 2 quarts of water every day, and more if you're ambitious.

-Minimize or eliminate caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.

-Not meds but supplements, calcium and magnesium are calming minerals, make sure you're getting enough, and I've had good results with 5-HTP and SAM-e, which help with serotonin production.

-meditate for 20 minutes every day, which doesn't have to be some exotic ritual, just sit and do absolutely nothing.  Thoughts will come up, and practice focusing on your breathing or the physical sensations in your body and watching the thoughts from a detached place, just watch them and feel them float in and out.  You are not your thoughts, and it can be fun to watch them float in and out, see what you can learn from them, and thank them as they leave.

And realize that depression is a stage of grieving, don't make it bad or wrong or something that needs to be fixed, just feel it all the way, the only way out is through.  And while you're going through, start to visualize your bright future, and make that vision compelling enough that it will pull you through.

"If the coarse gets rough, still steer." - Jimmy Buffett

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill


And if things don't get better by doing all that, strong people turn to other people for help when they need it, weak people sit and stew.  And there's a difference between processing something that needs to be processed and sitting in it stuck, up to you to decide where you are with that, and professionals and their meds may be a temporary solution to help you through.  Take care of you!

[once removed]

lots of great advice here.

sam-e did absolute wonders for me (its considered as effective and in some cases more than an antidepressant). it should have done enough, but i was having a lot of difficulty rebuilding my life, which was exacerbating depression, suicidal ideation popped up and i decided it was time to see a doctor.

when youre struggling, its a good idea to see a doctor and/or therapist. i consider it responsible, and taking good care of yourself.

what, specifically, is ailing you? you say you are functioning, is it mainly obsessive thoughts and ruminations? what kind?

[LostGhost]

I was on an SSNRI drug prescribed by a psychiatrist after my marriage ended and went on it again after my BPDex discarded me like garbage the first time. I was also doing everything else suggested here... .daily exercise, nutritious food, supplements, talking with friends and family, seeing a psychologist once a week. I'm not sure I would recommend meds. I had some very serious side effects and when I went off them I experienced terrible withdrawal including convulsions, twitching, inability to sleep. I'm not taking drugs this time around but it's a personal choice. I'm almost 5 months out of the relationship.

Like you, I have an extra radio channel playing 24/7. I do still think of her daily but the thoughts are changing. I mostly think now I'm not sure I ever want her back. I recognize her and the relationship as unhealthy for me. I know her current relationship will likely end somewhere between the 6 to 12 month mark. I'll be very shocked if it endures longer than that.

Most days I feel pretty numb. I've considered meds again for this reason. I know I'm depressed in a significant way that is impacting my ability to enjoy life. I will struggle another 3-4 months before I will use meds. They are to me a last resort, behind the "break in case of emergency" glass.

I should also say... .the ONLY thing that snapped me out of my depression the first time truly... .was falling in love with my BPDex. The only thing that snapped me out of it the second time was her recycling me.

So for me, I think simply finding a new, meaningful relationship with someone you connect with on an intense level can override the pain. Only a greater love can replace the pain of the love lost.

Hope my experience helps.

[thisworld]

Oh, and I've just remembered. Inositol is a natural and proven antidepressant that also soothes obsessive thoughts. It's a bit expensive in some countries and you've got to eat spoonfuls but a lot of people use it nowadays.

[fromheeltoheal]

Oh, and I've just remembered. Inositol is a natural and proven antidepressant that also soothes obsessive thoughts. It's a bit expensive in some countries and you've got to eat spoonfuls but a lot of people use it nowadays.

Yes, and that and GABA together are indicated for anxiety and compulsive thoughts, kind of a 'chill out bro' combo, and they work well for me.  And what I like about them is they are both naturally occurring in the body, unlike something created in a test tube in a lab somewhere.  Theanine is good for mellowing you out too, and it's found naturally in green tea or as a supplement.

Going binge shopping at the supplement store and gobbling a bunch of stuff is not recommended either though, better to educate ourselves on where a supplement comes from, what it does, what the recommended dosage is, and what side effects to expect, if any, and every label on all of them says check with your doctor before using.  My experience is start slowly and only take one thing at a time until you know what it does or doesn't do for you, but there is plenty of age-old wisdom available that is far more time tested than the current glut of pharmaceuticals available.

[thisworld]

For a protocol with more than one component, I'd advise starting these slowly and one by one. Inositol's sucess is related to methylation levels, some substances may trigger headaches etc. If you take them one by one, it becomes easier to find out what works and what doesn't.

[krazyblue]

I've needed all the help I could get.  I have a therapist who I have been seeing weekly for almost six years.  I have a psychiatric nurse practitioner who prescribes meds (antidepressant, anti-anxiety) and evaluates my overall mental health (sleeping, eating, work, life). I also attend AA meetings (16 yrs sober) and the occasional Al-Anon meetings.  I try to do yoga a few times a week and do other active/exercise.  All this and I still couldn't leave my very emotionally abusive BPD partner of 14 yrs (wife of 2 yrs) until 12/7/15. 

[NCEA]

Thank you, I'll check these out tomorrow.

I'm already eating clean, no wheat, gym 3 times a week etc, have been doing for years.

[sirensong65]

I have been anti meds all my life.  But, like you, once I get up and start moving, the radio station starts up (good analogy by the way).

I am almost three years out so this is just plain insane.  But I am depressed and feel stuck. I was taking St. Johns Wort and seeing a therapist to talk stuff out 6 months ago and I was on my way out of this mess.  Then my therapist got cancer, and I didn't want to start over with another telling my story.  I also went off the St. Johns Wort (big mistake).

I went back on it a few days ago, along with a Magnesium supplement.  I know it will take about 4-6 weeks to "kick in".  But I anxiously await... .this time, I will stay on the train...

[NCEA]

I started  St. Johns Wort today. I woke up at 3:30 am. It's 4:46 now... .

They say not to use it more than 6 weeks. Also started HTP 5.