I've read a number of people say things like, "It's
completely normal. You just have to deal with it like
everyone else." That's wrong, and really, really
dangerous advice. Suicidal ideation is very different
from feeling 'blue' every now and then. Suicidal ideation
is an indication of something more serious, and if left
unchecked can get much worse (did you read my opening
line?). Not everyone can get out of depression on their
own or with 'natural remedies'. Depression is an illness
just like diabetes or hypertension. Sometimes medication
is necessary to get better.
Er, FWIW, I wasn't saying "just deal with it." Just giving the OP some thoughts based on my own experiences. The only reason(s) I didn't list "Go see a professional" is because A. I never did (and doubt I ever will) and B. it had already been said by others in this thread.
But yes, I would certainly advocate that anyone who has serious questions about their mental state see a professional therapist.
I'm glad to hear that you have an appointment with a
doctor. That's an important step to take, even if you
don't start medication or therapy.
Doctor? Not me... maybe that bit was meant for somebody else? I don't go to doctors unless I see large amounts of my own blood or there's a bone sticking through the skin. :-)
As a side note, if you're interested in trying any
natural remedies for depression, there are basically
three options: 1) SAM-e, 2) 5-HTP, 3) St. John's Wort. I
have listed them in the order of their generally accepted
effectiveness for treating depression and, how would you
say, time before affect? St. John's Wort typically takes
2-3 weeks (IIRC) before you start to feel it's effects.
SAM-e is supposed to work with in a few days.
Interesting stuff. What's SAM? Never heard of it. 5HTP is interesting, but from what I've seen there isn't a lot of research on it. I used to drink an "energy drink" before my workouts that had 5HTP in it, but it's hard to quantify how much (if at all) it helped my mood.
Originally my comment was in reply to yours because I was going to build on your third point, controlling your thoughts. I ended up talking about a few other things, though, so I can see why some of my comments where unclear.
The comment about 'just dealing with it' wasn't directed towards you.
The comment about seeing a doctor was meant for the OP.
Perhaps I should have commented on the original post and not in reply to your comment.
SAM is S-Adenosyl Methionine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Adenosyl_methionine#Polyamine...). "SAM is required for cellular growth and repair. It is also involved in the biosynthesis of several hormones and neurotransmitters that affect mood, such as dopamine and serotonin."
I tried 5-HTP for a short while and felt like I had a very slight improvement in mood. I was quite depressed at the time though, so I doubt a dietary supplement would have cut it anyway.
5HTP definitely has therapeutic effects, especially taken sub lingually under the tongue. However, no one should regularly swallow large amounts as it will elevate free- serotonin levels in your peripheral blood stream, which is very bad for your heart. Increasing serotonin is good in the sense of brain synapses, not bloodstream. You will also build up a tolerance to it and it will stop working. I only use it infrequently as recovery from migraines or drinking.
"SAM-e" is S-Adenosyl-methionine and is messing with methylation rather than neurotransmitters directly. It can have very different effects on different people and I believe is generally more dopaminergic than serotogenic and can actually increase anxiety in some people.
If you want something 10x as effective as any listed above, look into low-dose 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine .
But yes, I would certainly advocate that anyone who has serious questions about their mental state see a professional therapist.
Doctor? Not me... maybe that bit was meant for somebody else? I don't go to doctors unless I see large amounts of my own blood or there's a bone sticking through the skin. :-) Interesting stuff. What's SAM? Never heard of it. 5HTP is interesting, but from what I've seen there isn't a lot of research on it. I used to drink an "energy drink" before my workouts that had 5HTP in it, but it's hard to quantify how much (if at all) it helped my mood.