After reading the threads about prescribed meds and over the counter meds for depression/anxiety I was wondering if anyone kinda self managed their depression problems?
I have been down the medication road but for the last ten years have chosen not to take medication. Though recently considered St. John's Wort but unable to take it because of possible reaction with a med I have to take.
I think these last few years have been made easier by accepting that I suffer from depression and not always fighting it but more going with the flow. I try to enjoy the better times and accept the not so good times.
I know there is a danger of getting so low in myself that it might not be possible to get myself back up there again, but that's not happened.
I'm glad I found this site, I often read other peoples posts and think "yeah thats how I feel", but have been unable to express it.

I lived through depression for a while. It hits me on and off, thankfully I don't feel it very much at the moment. I listened to a lot of music to pull me through it, and I talked to other people that understood or were going through it. I had to pull myself off of the over the counter anti-depressant that my parents got me, because it had the side effect of making me worse X_X and when I thought again about suicide, which I stopped doing about 6 months previous to taking these, I stopped. So I just dealt with it. I told myself "My mind is trying to trick me, life will get better" and it has. Even though I still feel depressed, I realize that it is all a trick.

So. Music and talking should be good for you. If you find some people you can talk to you will feel MUCH MUCH better! Trust me. My coven talked to me about it and helped me through it, it did a lot.

Hi Scotsgirl,

In reply to your question, I would like to believe i have... i would say that i have had depression now for around 5 - 7 years now.. reaching its peak 3 - 4 years ago. -- Trouble is i have never talked to anyone i know about it... my parents don't know and i have yet to see a doctor / councellor or therapist for an official diagnosis.

I have at times ... and still am... considering it, going to the doc and seeing what he/she says.. I'm extremely stubborn when it comes to medication, i've never had an asprin or paracetemol because of my refusal to take medication for illness...

This is to say that i have considered... and wondered whether or not taking anti-depressants would be a good thing for me... i have over the years grown accustomed to my depression...learning to control it .. i have made significant progress but its still there, this thing that just won't let go and its something i would really really like to be rid of.. im tired of feeling this way.. good one minute and the next extremely low.. i understand it might never go... or its going to take a long time for it to go... just .. id rather it be tomorrow if you know what i mean..

anyway ... im rambling.... feel free to drop me a pm if you want to discuss this further..

all the best - L.wolf

That's how I feel too.
I'm so thankful for this place, and the silly little games help take my mind off the pain too.
And I've made a very special friend here as well.

Thanks all for posting

Sleepflower, I have heard mixed things about St. Johns Wort. High cholestrol runs in my family and diet alone is not enough to keep it in check so I take meds to lower it. Unfortunately, these meds do not go well with St Johns Wort. Shame, because I would be keen to try it.

Blackcat, you sound positive,pleased things are a bit better for you and it's brilliant that you have people you can trust to talk things through with.

GHOSTNYOURMIST,Yes, thankful is the word I would use too. I have met some kind people here and it kind of restores my faith in human nature.

lonewolf, PM on way!

Hiya

I am not sure about self medication...I kind of think you should go to see the doctor...the only problem is that they are that busy these days that you wonder whether they will actually listen to the problems you have...or whether they would just prescribe because they do that for others.

Hmm.. I've been going through it for 5 years I think. I'm pretty sure I suffer from depression. When it was severe (I had a break down) I went to the doctors who was pretty sure I had it, but wouldn't give me prescribed medication because I was too young. They tried to send me to therapy, but I refused to go (I guess I'm stubborn). Since then I never went back to the doctors because my parents (they went crazy about it) keep saying I don't have a problem. But I know I do, I take St Johns Wort and it worked wonders for me. At first it didn't really do anything until 2 months of taking it (yeah I took it anyway even if there was no effect XD)... So now it's been more a year of taking it and I've been cutting it down... I tend to take 1 tab every week or when I'm down (and not 1 a day). So I feel more or less normal, I do get my depressed period sometimes. But if I think positively about everything, I won't get into that state. So I guess you could call this self-management. And yes I accepted I have depression, just live with it and forget about it (as in, don't think about it). That's my attitude.

This post was last modified: 07-14-2008 01:49 AM by capricious.

I tried to self-manage my depression by not taking any medication at all, and boy was I wrong. Totally hit a brick wall, several times in fact. I've noticed when I'm not taking my meds, my thinking starts to scatter and my thoughts start racing, as for the depression it's like walking through a gloomy fog. Instead of St Johns Wart there's also HTPP, my brother in-law at the time swore by it.

I didnt get better till I tried to kill myself by eating all my meds.

Made me realize I wanted to live. Now when I get depressed I fight it instead of wallowing in it. There's just no point to being depressed.

There was, probably still is, a site where people using St. Johns Wort would write about how well it worked for them. The results did seem to be rather mixed. Some claimed great results, others had none. Then there was pretty much ever shade in between.