Resources for depression
Hi fellow mama struggling with depression. First of all, big hug to you! Know that you are not alone. There are tons of us suffering from this crappy mental health issue.
I've struggled with depression (ranging from mild to severe) off and on for my entire life. I've taken prescription meds before, but the last time I got depressed I didn't want to try those, mainly because I had anxiety really bad for the first time, and most of the meds I had taken in the past were anxiety causing. This was never a problem in the past because I never had anxiety before, but with the new combo of anxiety and depression, I knew I had to look for something new.
The problem is that many supplements are pretty expensive themselves, but with fewer side effects than prescriptions.
I recommend checking out the book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. She writes about all the different kinds of supplements helpful for depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
What I found helpful for me was taking 5-HTP and also taking a fish oil capsule that has a high ratio of EPA to DHA (much higher EPA has been found more beneficial for depression). The kind I take is specifically called a "Mood Formula" or something like that. It's also important to buy one that has been carefully filtered to remove dangerous heavy metals that are found in most fish.
Another thing I found very helpful was acupuncture. I never was really big on alternative medicine before, so I was a big skeptic. When people told me they'd have someone stick a bunch of needles in them and then they'd get really relaxed and go to sleep, I thought they were nuts. But, believe it or not, I had the same experience. I was fortunate enough to have a school of Chinese medicine in the town where I live, so I could go to the student clinic. If you haven't tried this before and want to try it, make sure to ask them to use the depression protocol. There has been research on the proper points to treat for depression, and this has actually been scientifically proven to be helpful, even as helpful as traditional prescription drugs!
You probably already know this, but eating a healthy diet and getting as much exercise as possible is helpful too. Getting out in the sun can boost your mood. Yoga and meditation have also had measurable positive impacts on the mood. They could actually see changes to the brain on brain scans with increased activity in areas associated with well-being! Pretty cool!
I also highly recommend dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) developed by Marsha Linehan. She originally developed it for people with borderline personality disorder, but it's now used for people with depression. It can be very helpful in teaching you ways to see things differently.
Finally, I also really liked the book Happy for No Reason. It had really specific, concrete steps for changing the way you view life. I loved this book and need to read it again and really work through the ideas. It did make me feel like it was possible to be happier than I am.
I know you were asking for supplement help mainly, but I couldn't help but add that in too.
I hope that some of this is helpful. During my last bout, I researched alternative treatments like my life depended on it. It probably did. Feel free to message me if you'd like any other resources.
Our stressful modern lifestyle doesn't do much to help us. We are more isolated from others than ever before. We no longer have tribes or close-knit extended families, in most cases. I think this unhealthy way of living socially combined with our high stress jobs, technology, environmental pollution, and a slew of other factors all combine to lead us to where many of us end up.
Hang in there. I do believe that we are all capable of extraordinary happiness. Some of us just have to fight harder to get there than others.
I wish you happiness, love, and unending joy.
:
~"Bisou"
