Jump to content

How do you treat your depression?


[Su...]

Recommended Posts

My depression is so bad at the moment, I don’t know how much more I can stand. I feel empty, numb, hopeless and weird feeling like it’s the end of the world. I don’t want to start antidepressants, I’m worried more meds will effect my recovery, but I can’t take much more of this. Has anyone used something, whether medication, supplement or lifestyle factor that’s actually helped depression in benzo withdrawal? This black depression is destroying me.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Following.

 

I started 5-htp but then I felt worse I think so I stopped. And someone said you have to withdraw from it also.

I do not want to do another ad either. I am almost two months off Lexapro/Pristiq.

I'm not even sure what I have is depression

I just do not feel like myself and feel totally off. I have a LOT of interest in things I used to do, but yet I can't do them for some reason. It makes no sense to me. I would live to travel and do things but it's so mentally overwhelming. Is that depression?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sunshine,

 

I was actually thinking of posting something similar to this today because my depression has been bad. I have yet to find things that help me feel better, as in I do something and notice immediate relief. I haven't found anything that brings immediate relief, accept maybe eating something. I usually feel just a little better after eating. The depression just seems to come and go, but I have it much more than I don't. I had a brief window on Friday, but I have had it all weekend since.

 

I tried 5-HTP a couple times but now am scared to try it again after hearing some negative things about it. I also don't want to start ADs because I'm worried about being setback but I'm wondering what option I have left at nearing six months off. Never experienced anything this soul-crushing before. I want to follow this thread. Can anybody who healed from depression give a timeline of how that happened?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’s a real problem in benzo withdrawal in that we become so incredibly sensitive to medication/supplements and often they just make us worse. Also activities such as exercise, socialising etc which help the average person with depression are harder for us because of physical exhaustion and anxiety etc.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, that's how it is, for the ones of us that seem to get it the most with the Benzo w/d's. It's the depression that is just hideous - feels as though we are cursed! Everyday is an ordeal of getting to the next. But it's not real - the perception of the world or the thoughts behind it. So I'm told - and I tend to go with it since the alternative is just insanity. As far as meds, some people swear by AD's or supplements - I have no idea. I started taking AD in 2010 since I was in a crisis. It did not lift the depression but it did turn my world from black to grey. So I still take it and Gaba. and not sure how it affect to Benzos, if at all. Nobody seems to know and I can't try to get off those until I get through the Benzo thing. It's a hell of a situation to be in - as I know is yours. But just avoid stress like the plague!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am in the same boat. my depression right now is so deep and dark and black and I'm almost a hundred percent convinced that this just has nothing to do with the Ativan anymore. I don't understand how people can go this long with this quality of life. my teenage daughter needed me last night so bad and all I could do was sit on her bed and cry and I just hide how bad I'm hurting myself. I helped her as best I could and I cried with her but God I wish I could have been present a hundred percent. It devastated my psyche and I only got about 1 hour sleep last night because of the stress. I'm going to be back to non-functioning at all and I'm over 6 months out.

I just wish there was one person one doctor one anybody who in my real word life believe that it could be the Ativan. I lay in bed at night thinking I'm really going by the word of a group of albiet wonderful people they are people I do not know and I'm trusting with my life.

I believe the success stories I believe every person here and what they're going through. I just wish I could believe my own self when I convince myself that it's damage Done by the Ativan.

I want to believe that one day I'm going to wake up and I'm going to feel better but I just keep waking up feeling like I'm going to die and I'm never going to get better and I'm going to be like this for the rest of my life.

I can't stop obsessing over it 24 hours a day 7 days a week this is my life and I don't know how to get back to real life. I even went back and looked at when I was on an antidepressant and I said that I can write a success story if I could just stop obsessing over the whole thing. So even if I go back on the antidepressant I don't know maybe I will feel better but I'm still going to have these ruminating thoughts and obsession over it. I guess I need to go back and read my blog and post again to see just how much better I was feeling on the Pristiq.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How do you treat your depression?

 

5-HTP, exposure to sun, exercise, Omega 3s, dark chocolate, and meditation.

 

How much 5-HTP and do you take it twice a day?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How much 5-HTP and do you take it twice a day?

I take 100mg in mid-day and 100mg in the evening.  Besides lifting my mood, it also helps with me with sleep, as it's a natural precursor to melatonin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been up all night tonight. Had the thought of committing myself to a psychiatric ward for the first time since June. I've gone backwards as far as sleep goes, and I think it's time for me to start taking something to help me sleep. Not sure what I can do at this point. I think it's related to my job because the first day going back to my classroom, my sleep got bad. Without sleep, the depression is much worse. Can't tell if I need to quit my job or not. Sorry to highjack this thread.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How much 5-HTP and do you take it twice a day?

I take 100mg in mid-day and 100mg in the evening.  Besides lifting my mood, it also helps with me with sleep, as it's a natural precursor to melatonin.

Thank you  I was taking it and I thought I was feeling worse. So I didn't take it one day and then I had a window the next day. I may try to give it another shot. Do you give yourself breaks every couple weeks because I heard that you have to withdraw from it. Is that true?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been up all night tonight. Had the thought of committing myself to a psychiatric ward for the first time since June. I've gone backwards as far as sleep goes, and I think it's time for me to start taking something to help me sleep. Not sure what I can do at this point. I think it's related to my job because the first day going back to my classroom, my sleep got bad. Without sleep, the depression is much worse. Can't tell if I need to quit my job or not. Sorry to highjack this thread.

 

I only got one hour of sleep last night also I've been laying in bed since 1 this morning. I broke down and cried to my husband which I hate doing and he keeps telling me to stop obsessing over it. The sad part is he's right. But how do you not obsess over not sleeping and feeling like you'd be better off I don't even want to say it.... But yeah how do you not obsess over that? but I feel like I've been doing it so long I don't know how to get unstuck out of it either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you give yourself breaks every couple weeks because I heard that you have to withdraw from it. Is that true?

 

Yes, I use 5-HTP intermittently, so no problem when I take breaks.  But if it's taken long-term continuously, a gradual reduction is best, as it may produce some withdrawal symptoms, mostly brain zaps and some nausea.  I have experienced that, but I didn't really mind it, because it was mild and temporary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you give yourself breaks every couple weeks because I heard that you have to withdraw from it. Is that true?

 

Yes, I use 5-HTP intermittently, so no problem when I take breaks.  But if it's taken long-term continuously, a gradual reduction is best, as it may produce some withdrawal symptoms, mostly brain zaps and some nausea.  I have experienced that, but I didn't really mind it, because it was mild and temporary.

Just wondering if you have a history of depression or antidepressants? Your sig is inspirational as far alas benzo use/quit. And you’re coping well. I have a history of depression & very med resistant, currently on lexapro, generic, been on a month, am at 7.5mg, started b3cause my regular just barely functional human being depression turned into suicidal ideation etc. so far my depression has been worse.

Anyone have experience feeling worse on antidepressants as your trying to get them to start up then feeling better than prior to Meds as one should?

Thanks sorry rambling, SC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scardie,

 

That's why I haven't started an AD, fear of getting worse. I have dealt with the ideation myself. Not sure what will help me at this point. I'm 5.5 months off and there are little to no signs of improvement from the depression. I would say that I always suffered from low mood before all this, so maybe that's why I'm so bad right now. I can't risk getting worse than I already am. It's already been scary enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scardie,

 

That's why I haven't started an AD, fear of getting worse. I have dealt with the ideation myself. Not sure what will help me at this point. I'm 5.5 months off and there are little to no signs of improvement from the depression. I would say that I always suffered from low mood before all this, so maybe that's why I'm so bad right now. I can't risk getting worse than I already am. It's already been scary enough.

Hi Boom,

Sorry to hear you’re still struggling. I don’t know if your able to push yourself with your depression, but there’s all the obvious things you could try if you havnt already. My depression is so overwhelming there is only one thing I could push myself to do & cant even do that with these lexapro start up effects right now, therapy.

So if your able, you could try counseling, socializing, exercising, yoga, meditation, journaling, volunteer work. I don’t know your history with antidepressants, but they’re a gamble for us all, I’m very sensitive & resistant to them, more so than when I was younger & incidentally either took a lower benzo dose or no benzo dose at all. If you work or are responsible for another human being the start up can & discontinuation can be difficult for some, not all.

I would always try therapy first unless I was ready to check in somewhere, especially if your an antidepressant virgin, so even if you have an easy start up, you don’t have to go through another withdrawal. I’ve been dysfunctionally depressed for so long & have such a long taper ahead of me, I opted to try Meds. So far not so good, holding out hope.

You have to decide if you can continue on with the quality of life your living, do some of those other things to help your depression or if you need the extra leg up of an antidepressant. This is only the 3rd time I’ve gotten emotionally worse starting up or trying an antidepressant & I’ve tried all of them except Luvox. I’ve gotten other side effects that I couldn’t tolerate or they simply didn’t work, but usually don’t feel this emotionally worse...this ones worked 3 times for me in past, trying not to give up before the miracle happens

Best wishes, SC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...