I have battled depression probably most of my life, starting in childhood, for many different reasons. I tried most meds and they didn't work for me, but they are wonder drugs for many other people.

I go to counseling when I feel the need to sort things out, my counselor can help me sift through the issues and get to the core of the problem and help me figure out how to dig my way back out of the pit.

I am a firm believer in massage therapy, and my depression is usually accompanied by an increase in my migraines, so I go to massage which helps relieve the headaches and just plain makes me relax and feel better. My therapist has become a friend and talking to her makes me feel better too.

Make sure you are eating right, when I am depressed I head for garbage type food, that only makes me feel worse, so I have to work hard to eat right.

Comedies are great, I love to watch them and just zone out and laugh for awhile.

Put on some music that you enjoy.

Play your guitar, if you have friends to play with, spend more time with them playing.

Have friends around to talk to, that is really important. I am something of a loner, so have to force myself to find people to talk to. Most of my friends are at work, I have become something of a hermit as I work at home too, so I take some time at work to visit off and on. It makes me feel a little better.

Get out in the sun, fresh air, exercise is great.

Make sure you are getting enough vitamin D - they are finding people are not getting enough and it is important for your well-being. Talk to the person at the health food store - I take 5000 mcg a day, a Dr. told me to take that much, I live in a northern, more gray state, so he said they are finding we need higher levels.

The other suggestions are all great, but keep talking, to your friends, find a counselor, if you are close to family, just keep the communication going and it will make you feel better. And try the massage (it is great). I hope you feel better soon. Take care of yourself.

There is a fine line between anger or depression and PTSD. If trauma is involved you have PTSD. Post traumatic Stress Disorder is different from handling classic depression. Classic depression is constant. PTSD comes and goes and strange things can trigger episodes.

Treating PTSD involves counseling period. Drugs will do NOTHING to cure the problem. Classical depression CAN be chemical but like a diet it takes Behavioral Modification and that has to be done by graduating off of drugs once you can identify when you are engaging behaviors. Once you can identify YOURSELF doing them you can then stop yourself.

Ultimately drugs is not the answer unless the problem is so bad that there is no other recourse to get past it. Some people do have a serious chemical imbalance but with proper treatment and a combination of counseling, drugs, and behavior modification people with sever depression have weaned off of the drugs and moved on to live happily ever after.

Everyone is different so there is no one answer but it takes real effort, period!

When I was 23 and 2 mo pregnant with my 4th child, I had a total breakdown from depression.. I was treated with 7 electroshock treatments and much medication. When I got out of the hospital (12 days) the meds didn't work well for me and I had young children to take care of so after 6 mo I got off all meds and decided to do it on my own.. Don't recommend that.. Get someone to listen to you and give you lots of support. Sometimes family don't see whats happening to you, they are in denial.. I promised myself never to go there again but a couple of times I have. But I do know when to get myself to a dr and get on some medication short term.. I used to counsel high school kids, most times all they needed was someone to talk to, to know others have been there, done that....Keep busy, take it one day at a time.. Winters are the hardest for me.. I need the sunshine!! I'm also here if you need to talk...

Loneliness is a monster
It lives on tears and lies
It tells you you are all alone
And grows strong on your cries

But it’s a lie that no-one cares
For they are just like you
And if you did not care for them
Then you would not be blue

Every person on this earth
With you would like to pair
To learn from you what you can teach
And with you their troubles share

But we’ve been taught it is dangerous
To show people that we care
So we hide just how we feel
Instead of learning to share

Only the pain you cause your self
Is the pain you feel
The fear that you may be hurt
Is a fear that is not real.
Jack Stowe

Honey, if you're having the blues because you broke up with your g/f....you must remember that this is natural and normal. Only time can heal a broken heart.

rigorous exercise, daily

&

St john's wort

Coping with depression is not as easy as many folks pretend .
Depression is a mental issue and therefore it is left to the professionals in the field .
Some need medication for a short time , some need it for a long time . People are different and their depression and its affects are different too . I suggest seeing a qualified doc, have contacts with friends and family members, try to go outside to have fresh air in parks and nice places .....Good luck with your struggle .

For me exercising is the best med. Go out for a walk or take a hike. In other words - "Get out of the house...."

Heather is right.

I have dealt with depression off and on for about 11 yrs since my husband was diagnosed with cancer and died. It waxes and wanes. I would advise against the "happy pills" unless you absolutely feel you have no other choice. I took that route once and although they did do what I needed them to do at the time, they were difficult to wean from. We often, not you specifically in general I mean, confuse grief, whether from a death, or a breakup, loss of job etc with depression. They call it "Situational Depression" caused by a particular event. As Heather said, time generally takes care of most things. Best to you.

I have been off and on with depression since I was 15 for a number of reasons. When I was younger I didn't know how to deal with it, so I'd put myself in stupid situations. But now being older and looking back, i've found the best way to battle it and get over it is to learn to love - not just my son, but love who I am and doing what I love to do keeps me happy.

forget about that break up. That's just another person who isn't in your life, you learned from her, you are now stronger. Do what you love to do and make yourself happy.

Thanks I'm going to see another band tonight. Something I love doing.

Honestly I advise going to a doctor, I'm not big on prescription medicine but I'm Bi-Polar and tend to be depressed more than Manic, and I've not been able to afford my medicine in a while and what I found is cheapest and works well (for me) is smoking a joint(but i would rather be able to get my prescription)! I also find that putting myself around people I love and doing things I enjoy also helps alot.

this is different for everyone i think..depends on the situation. i certainly suggest surrounding yourself with positive people and positive input. think of things that make you happy or do things that make you happy...if you arent sure what that is...keep trying different things, maybe you will find it or even discover something new you didnt even know you liked....good luck

also try a journal...its a great form of release as well as being able to go back and reflect on things. i alway try in my journal to list blessings for that day, then i can focus on them instead of the negative.

Exercising and getting outside is a very rewarding factor for health in general . Nature is beautiful and offers us plenty of nice things to see and live .

I hope these double posts do not make me depressed soon.... .

I hope you had fun seeing the band, who did you see?!

lol!

I went to the a doctor when I was battling the baby blues, after I had my son I felt so worthless, I had NO help from my own family, none from my sons piece of crap sperm donar, it was my son and I 24 hours a day, I had no sleep, no rest, no job, I was losing the car insurance on my car because I couldn't pay it and on top of it I was losing my apartment, not even the state could help. My doctor put me on welbutrin Xl and some other one for the hormonal imbalance, after two weeks of taking it I got suicidal thoughts, I knew it wasn't good for my me or my son. So I stopped taking them and never saw that doctor again. Now 5 years later I do whatever makes me happy and keep myself around people that are good for us.

Medicine they give don't do anything but brainwash you and make you a zombie, they make you into someone you are not.

I have a friend who is bi-polar manic depressive..sometimes she gets into bad ruts and then puts herself in horrible situations, such as unprotected sex with multiple men...she even started drinking for awhile. Her doctor and Therapist put her on Xanax and Lithium...She finally got better and then had a panic attack and cried to the hospital that she needed meds..so she is back on them.

I am sorry, but taking medicine is an excuse to make yourself better (I hate medicine and only take it when I need it, such as a bad flu). I never ever suggest a doctor, they don't fix anything. If you have a will and you are strong you fix whatever you want.

Bi polar/manic depressives NEED their meds. It's when they come off of them that there is a problem.