I have decided to get rid of depression from me but I am not sure whether it is curable or not.  I want to know the fact from those who experienced it.  Does sport help a little bit?  What is required from the person other than taking a medicine.  I am taking imperamine (Tofranil is the Trade Name of it)
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you're always going to be at risk of recurring depression, it's similar to being a recovering alcoholic in that you can never really say you are cured, but that doesn't mean you can't feel better, with the right treatments, or that you can't live a full and exciting life.\nYou need to be aware of what triggered the depression, and have a plan in place whenever you feel those depressed thoughts coming back.\n  Exercise and sport are excellent methods of keeping depression at bay, as well as keeping fit :)
342215
I was on edge at all time and really didn't help w/depression. It made me shakey and like I was on a caffeine rush at all times.\nEveryone is different though.\nGood luck.
218788
Therapy (and during desparation, drugs) will help the symptoms, but the root causes of depression have to be eliminated.\n\nI disagree with it being a brain diorder.  Your serotonin level depends on how good your life is going.  If you're going through a tough time, your serotonin is low.  Watching funny shows on TV and exercise allow you to make your own serotonin.\n\nThe best way to beat depression is to stay on a routine, betting up at the same time of day no matter what, have morning and bedtime rituals, and journal like crazy (I prefer notepad on my laptop.  Surround yourself with things that you feel are your identity.\n\nAbove all, stay around people.  What saved me was starting to hang around a church group.  And in them I found a ton of people to trust and feel comfortable around.  Gradually, my identity resurfaced, and I was back to my old self.
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Depression is a condition.  It can have a known cause or not.\nIt can usually be healed so one might call it a sickness.  It is associated with chemical imbalances in the brain, but this does not mean that it is caused by any chemicals or hormones.\nCurrent medical practice seems to want to deal with depression by the use of drugs.  Our society has both the most cases of depression and the most prescriptions filled to "treat" it.  Somebody is getting very rich.  I don't know if they are depressed about this or not.
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I know everyone tells you this, but I really think you should speak to your physician to talk about your medical problems as your question has a complex answer. Depression is a serious problem that many people overlook. Don't overlook it, don't ignore it make contact with your doctor VERY SOON. There are well meaning people online who want to help, but the best thing to do is to seek medical attention.
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As first answer. Depression is better talked over with a doctor and your family. Good luck.
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Exercise is a great remedy for depression.  Give it a try for a couple of weeks.  Really get your heart rate up; work up a sweat!  Of course, check with your doctor first.\n\nI went through a depressive period a while back and tried a few different antidepressants.  They all blunted my mind.  Exercise has been the only thing to help.\n\nGood luck!
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Depression is more than just the normal, temporary feelings of sadness and hopelessness associated with difficult life events. The symptoms of depression are often subtle at first. It can be hard to recognize that symptoms may be connected and that you might have depression. Common symptoms include:\n\nDepressed mood. \nInability to enjoy activities. \nProblems concentrating. \nChanges in eating habits or appetite. \nWeight gain or weight loss. \nChanges in sleeping habits. \nDifficulty going to work or taking care of your daily responsibilities because of a lack of energy. \nFeelings of guilt and hopelessness; wondering if life is worth living (common). \nSlowed thoughts and speech. \nPreoccupation with thoughts of death or suicide. \nComplaints that have no physical cause (somatic complaints) such as headache and stomachache. \nAll of these symptoms can interfere with your quality of life. Even if you don't have major depression, if you have experienced a few of these symptoms for at least 2 weeks you may have a less severe form of depression that still requires treatment.\n\nHow is it treated?\n\nDepression is usually treated successfully with professional counseling, antidepressant medication, or a combination of the two. Often a combination of the two is most effective. People with depression usually can be treated as outpatients, but in severe cases a period of hospitalization may be necessary.\n\nIf you have mild or moderate depression, you may be diagnosed and treated by your family health professional and a therapist or psychologist. If you have severe depression or other psychological disorders or do not respond to treatment, a psychiatrist, a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems, may be helpful.\n\nLet your health professional know if you suspect that you have depression, because it is often overlooked. If you are diagnosed with depression, you and your health professional can decide on the best treatment. The earlier you are treated, the more quickly you will recover. 1
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i've been on zoloft, paxil, amitriptyline, and others, in the past years. i was rx'd cymbalta about 4 months ago, and it has been like a miracle drug for me. it is also helpful if you have nerve pain, from nerve damage due to back injuries, etc. ask your doc about it. i also take xanax for my anxiety/panic disorder. i hope this was helpful to you. best of luck.\n**clinical depression CANNOT be overcome by will power, etc. that person prob had situational depression. clinical depression is a chemical imbalance. ppl who say, get over it, think happy thoughts, etc do not know what it's like to suffer from diagnosed clinical depression!!!
590424
Your friend is right. There are many people out there on anti-depressants and just as many more who SHOULD be but won't. I have been on them on and off since I was about 23 and I am 32 now. I am getting ready to go back on shortly and I will be taking Celexa. It isn't a sign of weakness it is a sign of strength to admit you have a problem with depression and seek the help you need. Depression is a disease, like diabetes or cancer, and you have to seek medical treatment to get better . End of story.
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Yes it is a very good technique to use for anxiety/panic/and depression. I have used it and it has worked to decrease anxiety and also to prevent panic/anxiety attacks. The more you use it the more natural it becomes. I wouldn't say that it is a cure,but I would say that it is another way to get control of your panic/depression instead of it controlling you.
260496
It has been known to help although theres not many studies that have been done on it and it can differ from person to person depending on what form of depression and whether you are taking medication or not.\nBest of luck though.
548193
I have had depression for many years and have tried many things.  The counsellor is very important and necessary.  As far as medications go, it takes a while to find one that will work for you. If you are not suicidal, I would try other means of treatment if you do not want to take medications.\n\nI have had good results from accupuncture and vitamins.  Unfortunately neither are covered by my medical plan.  \n\nIf you go see a naturopath, they might be able to help you find some vitamins and other supplements that would help.\n\nExercise is also very important as it releases natural endorphins, and helps burn off stress.  Try to get your heart rate up for half an hour at least three times a week.  \n\nTry avoiding chemicals in the food you eat, as this can throw off your brain chemistty.\n\nTry not to sit at home and watch TV a lot.  Get out and do things because this will help take your mind off things.\n\nIf you don't go to church, try to find one...studies show that people with religious beliefs tend to be happier than those without them.\n\nAlso, do you live in a northern climate, or a place where it rains a lot.  I live in Vancouver, BC, and it rains most of the winter here.  My depression is worse in the winter because of the lack of sunlight.  If the lack of sunlight is a factor for you, get yourself a SAD light (SAD = seasonal effective disorder).  If you do buy one, make sure that the light that comes out of it is white.  Many products say that they are a SAD light, but they have an orange light.  In order for the product to work, if has to be a full-spectrum light, which is white.\n\nOkay, I hope I have been some help.  I wish you luck.
451854
Celexa is a newer SSRI (serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) and I think it works quite well within a certain population of people.  These types of medicines work well about 50% of the time (one doc quoted to me) when prescribed, which is pretty good, considering you might benefit from easing your symptoms of depression. (which can certainly be debilitating) If you do decide to take the med, make sure to discuss the side effects with your doctor. You can never know if it's right for you unless you try it, and the good effects can take up to 3 weeks to start working. When you first start you may feel a bit odd, as the medicine is working within your own chemicals. This feeling can occur and usually goes away within a few weeks. Anything beyond that may signal this may not be the right med for you. I am psychiatric nurse by profession, and also I have a friend who swears by Celexa as it's changed her life (as she says). Either way, you should address your symptoms until you find something that works. Depression can't be ignored because it can be a downward spiral. I also suggest therapy, as those combined, we have seen the greatest amount of efficacy for the treatment of depression. Good luck and I hope I've been helpful.
75386
I understand your desire to stay away from "sledgehammer" solutions. When it comes to your health, remedies that are stronger are not always better. I have three things that have gotten me through times when I've been depressed, and they're all gentle solutions that I think will suit an intelligent person like yourself. \n\n1 - The first is what Freud calls the "talking cure". He insists that it must be performed by a psychoanalyst who you are paying for, but actually I've performed it by writing in a diary. The key is to be very honest, and try to find connections that you might otherwise be supressing, because these are the areas that need work. For example, what's the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of "depression"? If the answer is "flying a kite", then follow the chain... What do you think of when you think of "kite" and "flying"... You'll be surprised how quickly this takes you right down to an event in your childhood or an unresolved conflict that might have happened a year ago.\n\n2 - Looking for lies. A chair cannot make you depressed. A lampshade cannot make you depressed. Only another person can make you depressed. I believe it is because a chair and a lampshade cannot lie. Only a person can lie. Depression, it seems to me, comes from believing a lie. That conflict (between reality and the lie) takes up so much mental energy to maintain, it drains you as a whole. You may find, after using technique #1, that it leads to you to this conclusion #2. For example, after free associating your way to an event, you might find that it was when someone told you that you weren't worth a hill of beans. The problem is not that they insulted you, the problem is that you believed the lie. Beware, giving up on a lie that we've believed in for a long time is tougher than it sounds.\n\n3 - This one is going to sound goofy, especially after wading in deeply with the other two techniques. Get some light to shine on the cells in the back of your eyes. Go outside for an extended period of time without sunglasses (no need to stare at the sun or a light-bulb, indirect light will do). Use one of those gentle light therapy products like www.everlyte.com . Take a trip on a sailboat. Spend a few hours in open fields on sunny days. It's those cells in the eyes that produce much of the chemical that those pills seek to replace.
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Depressive disorders make one feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. Such negative thoughts and feelings make some people feel like giving up. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and typically do not accurately reflect the situation. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. In the meantime: \nSet realistic goals and assume a reasonable amount of responsibility. \nBreak large tasks into small ones, set some priorities, and do what you can as you can.\nTry to be with other people and to confide in someone; it is usually better than being alone and secretive.\nParticipate in activities that may make you feel better.\nMild exercise, going to a movie, a ballgame, or participating in religious, social, or other activities may help. \nExpect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately. Feeling better takes time. \nIt is advisable to postpone important decisions until the depression has lifted. Before deciding to make a significant transition--change jobs, get married or divorced--discuss it with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation. \nPeople rarely "snap out of" a depression. But they can feel a little better day by day.\nRemember, positive thinking will replace the negative thinking that is part of the depression and will disappear as your depression responds to treatment.\nLet your family and friends help you. \n\nSelf help for depression\n\nEffective therapy needs to incorporate everything that works in lifting depression. You may be able to help yourself effectively, although often it is useful to get the help of a professional.\n\nHere we'll go through what you can do, as well as what you should look for in any therapy you choose to undergo.\nWhat you can do to help yourself\n\n1) Know about your condition - what you know about your depression has been shown to have an effect on well you respond to treatment. Take the Depression Learning Path - it's the best way to start helping yourself.\n\n2) Cut down on rumination. Do whatever you can to decrease the amount of rumination you are doing. (Ruminating is 'chewing over' emotional issues in your mind without coming to any decision to act.)\n\nIf possible, decide to put off difficult decisions for 1 or 2 weeks while you get your energy back.\n\nWays to cut down rumination are to:\n\na) Stop yourself when you spot yourself doing 'all or nothing' thinking. (See thinking styles)\nb) Read novels when you have nothing to do, to occupy your mind. (Make them exciting novels, not romance or self help books!)\nc) Do exercise (see 5)\nd) Work if you can\ne) Keep yourself occupied as much as possible in ways that stop you thinking too much!\n\n3) Find ways to assess and monitor your depressive episodes - The way depression makes us adopt all or nothing thinking is a unique and crucial part of understanding depression. The way depression makes us generate seemingly hopeless outcomes to our situation can make it almost impossible to see a way out of it. \n\nFinding ways to gauge your depression can help to show the shades of gray, that will ultimately defeat the black and white thinking on which depression thrives. This is often done in the form of a diary, where you grade how bad your days have been on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the worst and 10 is the best. Then, after 2 weeks or so, you can look back and see how things have varied over that time. \n\n4) Lower your emotional arousal levels calming down emotions such as anxiety and anger helps your brain function more subtly and decreases the amount of catastrophising you do. Along with getting proper rest, being able to relax is incredibly important.\n\nRelaxation therapies are effective in overcoming some of the other issues that can co-occur with depression. The effects of panic attacks, anxiety and anger, etc can be lessened and overcome with the ability to relax properly and deeply. Physi
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MAJOR DEPRESSION IS A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE OF THE BRAIN. YOU NEED MEDICATION TO CORRECT THE DISORDER, MOST LIKELY YOU YOU NEED TO CONTINUE TAKING THE MEDS TO REMAIN STABLE, AS MAJOR DEPRESSION IS ONGOING. THERE IS NO SHAME IN THAT, YOU NEED TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO BE AND STAY WELL. PLEASE NOTE THAT DEPRESSION THAT GOES UNTREATED WILL MOST LIKELY LEAD TO AT SOME POINT SELF- MEDICATION (DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDITION) A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN, A LIFE OF MISERY, AND/OR SUICIDE. YOU NEED TO SEEK TREATMENT THAT INCLUDES INTENSE THERAPY, ALONG WITH TAKING AND STAYING  ON YOUR MEDS.\nTRUST IN GOD,  HE MADE YOU THE WAY YOU ARE FOR A REASON. HE ALSO MADE DOCTORS FOR A REASON. PLEASE TAKE THIS ADVISE FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN WHERE YOU ARE. I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM REOCCURRING MAJOR DEPRESSION SINCE 1993. MY UN-MEDICATED LIFE WAS NOT PRETTY, BUT WITH GOD'S HELP, AND WITH THE AIDE OF MY MEDS AND YEARS OF INTENSE THERAPY. I NOW HAVE A WONDERFUL LIFE, FULL LIFE, EVEN THOUGH I AM LEGALLY DISABLED BE CAUSE OF MY  DEPRESSION. GOD WANTS ALL OF US TO BE WELL AND HE GIVES WHAT  US WE NEED TO GET AND STAY THAT WAY.PLEASE TAKE YOUR MEDS !