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misery
Ales2:
i went back to my T today that i have not seen since november. i stopped therapy last may because all i was hearing was take anti-depressants. i think i had as much progress as i could with talk therapy.
i went to see him to tell him how i was doing - especially since the last 9 months have been out of control for me emotionally because i got involved with a N business partner and it triggered alot of unfortunate things - a romantic obsession, drinking, overspending, foolish decisions, lethargy, malaise, insomnia, crying spells and chronic anxiety and 15 lb weight gain, i'm at my highest weight ever.
guess what that leads to - yeah, the suggestion of anti-depressants. great. just what i did not want to hear. i cant take anti-depressants. they dont help, they make things worse for me. i took them last time in 1991. i never want to do them again. very important things that should have been dealt with then weren't which caused more problems long term. i'm miserable, but better that than take drugs.
i think i will get on the no stimulants/sober/vegan diet my friend suggested... i think it might be the only way.
Twoapenny:
Ales, I have been exactly where you are now and it is a hard and lonely place. There are a lot of people out there who think anti-ds are the only answer. For some, they are. For others - myself and, it sounds, you - they make the problems worse.
I found changes to diet and lifestyle really helped. I read a very good book - Optimum Nutrition for the Mind - by Patrick Holford - which really helped me to sort my diet out and take some good quality supplements. Exercise is great - I've always found walking the best for me but it doesn't matter what the exercise is, whatever suits will help with your mood etc.
I've also used complementary therapies - I don't know what your circumstances are but some people find them helpful. I think homeopathy has been the one that helped the most, but also reflexology, acupuncture, Bach Flower Remedies and osteopathy - I carry a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders and having someone free that up helps. I tend to use homeopathy almost constantly and dip into the others as and when I feel the need. Personally I have found talk therapy extremely effective but it has to be a therapist who 'gets' you and is able to work with you in a way that you find acceptable. I don't know whether you have any choice as to who you see or if you're assigned someone, but if there is any choice involved maybe at some point you may be able to get someone who won't keep trying to prescribe you pills. Good for you for sticking to your guns, though. I think after being brought up in families where the word 'no' wasn't allowed (or heard) it's really important to be able to voice your feelings and insist someone listens to you.
Ales2:
Thanks Twopenny for your suggestions. I know my diet needs to change, my waistline tells me that - and I know there is a lot of benefits with whole foods and Omega3s, antioxidants etc. The book looks very interesting, thanks.
I'm an exercise addict, I was a runner for many years but can only run when I feel clear - when there is depression or anxiety, I get out there and its literally like I am carrying a 200 lb pack. Then I can only walk. And, even thought I get out every morning at 6:30 and walk until 8am, sometimes again in the evening, the exercise isn't helping much at all, but then again, maybe it does help, maybe it would be worse if I didn't exercise. I also tried acupuncture and Dr. Bach's remedies, but still have not found anything that helps. All good advice though, very helpful, thanks for posting and thinking of me.
Ales2:
sorry meant to say Twoapenny! Thanks :D
Twoapenny:
Ales, I know what you mean about carrying that back pack! It is really hard work finding your way through that maze - I've been working on myself for twelve years now and have tried so many different things in different combinations - sometimes I feel like trying to get better has been just as tiring as being unwell! Is swimming an option? Some people find that easier, especially early in the morning - nice quiet pool, ploughing up and down. I think it's really important to recognise that you are already working really hard at it - sometimes we forget how much we're already doing (and my waistline goes up and down depending on how I'm feeling as well!). The right combo of vitamins and minerals have been shown to be more effective than anti-ds for a lot of people - the book I mentioned talks about studies where vitamins were used to treat people with schizophrenia with quite incredible results. Does take some time for it to get into your system and stay there though. The other thing to bear in mind with complementary therapies as well is that you usually have to do a number of treatments before things start shifting - sometimes it takes a few sessions before you can feel things happening (and sometimes it's instant, it's funny how all these things are different). I hope you start to feel a bit better soon, it is a horrible situation to be in.
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