Health Depression

[James23]

This has been a great thread for the 'silent types' among us. Yeah, we come on here and post funny shit and spray others but it's BigFooty, and we're largely anonymous.

Anyway...long story short:

Feb 2009, worst time of my life: My long-term Mrs -- love of my life, soulmate, etc -- wants out. Never saw it coming, how to deal with this? Hmm, there's some rope in the shed, or alcohol and heavy meds might do the trick. "But the kids, my friends and family would be devo'd." Depression beginning... then: "Nope! **** this, I can survive this!"

Took a look in the mirror. Ugh, not very fit! Gradually, I: bought a bike, bought some weights, bought some jogging shoes, improved the diet, cut down on (my occasional) alcohol intake, read up on relationships, women, mens health, etc...

...Almost 2 years down the track, I'm the fittest I've ever been, look and feel GREAT, back playing footy, have some lady interest, well and truly over the initial shock of Feb 2009.

Bit of a confessional here but to smasha and co.: Like that saying in footy, "Raise your eyes", i.e. have a look around you. Push through every day because, as obvious as this may be, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR YOU AND YOUR WELL-BEING! Take whatever steps you see fit to improve what's going on upstairs. With every breath you take, there's hope.

Hope some of this helps...

Mate, I think what you had was situational depression caused by events in your life.

Clinical depression is very, very different and is not as simple as getting yourself into shape and moving on with your life.

Clinical depression can be as devastating as cancer, and its a shame that alot of people dont view it as such.

 

[raskolnikov]

Mate, I think what you had was situational depression caused by events in your life.

Clinical depression is very, very different and is not as simple as getting yourself into shape and moving on with your life.

Clinical depression can be as devastating as cancer, and its a shame that alot of people dont view it as such.

I think situational depression can cause clinical depression though. It did in my case. I had never suffered depression until my dad and brother were killed in a car accident.

I was at uni at the time and for about six months I could not get out of bed. I had mates come around and give me lecture notes and somehow I managed to pass all my units, and somehow got a distinction for a couple.

That was about ten years ago. I still suffer from severe depression, which I would describe as clinical depression rather than situational depression.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Haven't read every page in this thread but my way of dealing with 'black dog' is to remember it is cyclical, whenever i'm in a trough I always remind myself that it will turn upwards, another thing an old girlfriend said to me is that 'the sun always comes up in the morning', simplistic I know but at my worst times, I often go to bed and 'sleep it off', the next day things are better.
Drugs and alcohol only compound the problem, exercise and company help.

 

[James23]

Personally I think the pharmaceutical industry is a scam, and are more focused on maximising profits then they are at maximising remissions.

Anti-depressants so call work by increasing the re-uptake of serotonin in the brain, however, i would bet that the majority of depression is not caused by a lack of serotonin, but rather a dysfunction of serotonin receptor transmission.

I think most clinical depressions are caused or triggered by stress-related events. Studies should focus more around the hormones related to stress, such as the stress hormone cortisol, which is found to be hyper in most clinically depressed patients. This, i believe is central to depression.

 

[Power King]

Personally I think the pharmaceutical industry is a scam, and are more focused on maximising profits then they are at maximising remissions.

Anti-depressants so call work by increasing the re-uptake of serotonin in the brain, however, i would bet that the majority of depression is not caused by a lack of serotonin, but rather a dysfunction of serotonin receptor transmission.

I think most clinical depressions are caused or triggered by stress-related events. Studies should focus more around the hormones related to stress, such as the stress hormone cortisol, which is found to be hyper in most clinically depressed patients. This, i believe is central to depression.

They actually decrease the reuptake, but a thoughtful post nonetheless. Interested to read the foundation behind your strong belief.

I think another point to consider is that in the management of the condition, GP's in my opinion do not stress the importance of other supportive mechanisms enough. Yes, antidepressants have good evidence for what they are intended to do, but patients need to be educated more by health professionals on what they should expect, and furthermore, what else they can be done in the management process.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

I think situational depression can cause clinical depression though. It did in my case. I had never suffered depression until my dad and brother were killed in a car accident.

I was at uni at the time and for about six months I could not get out of bed. I had mates come around and give me lecture notes and somehow I managed to pass all my units, and somehow got a distinction for a couple.

That was about ten years ago. I still suffer from severe depression, which I would describe as clinical depression rather than situational depression.

Mate, that's heavy, sorry to hear it.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

This might sound simplistic and maybe even offensive but when I was going thru my stuff back in '09, only then did I begin to understand what people who suicide felt like.

Look, from what I've been reading, what I went thru was nowhere near as heavy as what others have been thru, mine perhaps on the 'lighter' end of the scale, however I have known blokes who have killed themselves over a woman (sadly, a brother of a former AFL player who I've known as we've grown up).

On that front, I tell you what has stayed with me, was when I was a teen, one of my best mates was upset at a chick, his ex, who was keen to get on with me, I didn't notice, anyway he comes over and ****en punches me in the face, black eye, and dazed, couldn't do much cos I was pretty drunk.

Anyway, another mate of ours*, who had some serious alcohol issues even then and who was on a downward spiral as a teen, said: "Should never fight over women, plenty more of them out there". THAT has stayed with me all this time, with me changing it to: "Should never die/be depressed over women..."

*Thank you, Ray!

 

[James23]

They actually decrease the reuptake, but a thoughtful post nonetheless. Interested to read the foundation behind your strong belief.

I think another point to consider is that in the management of the condition, GP's in my opinion do not stress the importance of other supportive mechanisms enough. Yes, antidepressants have good evidence for what they are intended to do, but patients need to be educated more by health professionals on what they should expect, and furthermore, what else they can be done in the management process.

Depression, in the majority of cases, is not caused by a lack of serotonin. The serotonin simply isnt being transmitted as it should through the receptors. This example might sound stupid, but the drug MDMA, or better known as ecstasy.. now known as a party drug was originally used in depression therapy as it forces the transmission of serotonin and opens the flood gates so to speak.

I'm not saying for those with depression to go out and take some ecstasy, as that would be stupid. However, IF a depressed person was to take MDMA, the flood gates are opened, and the transmission of serotonin will occer. That there is evidence that there is plenty of serotonin in the brain, it is just not being transmitted properly.

Transmission of neurotransmitters produce tiny electrical signals, and guess what? It is now possible to get a reading of these electrical signals, and further more - this data, known as 'brain waves' can be altered and trained through a therapy called neurofeedback. Read up on it - it basically involves connecting a few sensors on your head to gain an overall brain wave reading, you then go through a series of sessions where you literally train your brain to alter its faulty signals.

The most advanced neurofeedback is Zengar Neuroptimal - go to www.zengar.com and if you have depression (or ANY kind of mental illness for that matter) , i suggest finding someone who offers this training and go in for the training. It can perform 'miracles'.

Now, where the cortisol connection comes in. Depression is caused by your brains transmission being caught in a 'stress response', can also be known as the 'fight or flight response'. When seemingly trapped in this 'stress response' state, adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol become predominant and can and will inhibit the transmission of feel good chemicals such as serotonin.

Neurofeedback, particularly Zengar neurofeedback can stop this stress response and will normalise, so to speak, the efficiency of the transmission and brain waves and with it, symptoms can be significantly reduced or eliminated.

The reason you dont hear much about neurofeedback is because it pretty much makes antidepressants redundant, how many billions of dollars would the big pharma companies lose then?

Anyway, dont take my word for it, go and see for yourself.

 

[nicky]

Thankyou so much james23. I have been reading up on how to reduce my cortisol levels because I'm convinced they're too high, i will definitely follow up on your recommendation

 

[James23]

Thankyou so much james23. I have been reading up on how to reduce my cortisol levels because I'm convinced they're too high, i will definitely follow up on your recommendation

No probs, everyone with any sort of mental illness should be made aware of the neurofeedback technology, its criminal that it is not in the mainstream.

Reading back through my post i didnt mean that to come across as some sort of advertisement for that specific neurofeedback, truth is theres many different models for it - but the research and experience i've had that one is the simplest and best. Assuming you're in Sydney you should have no worries finding a trainer, if you decide to seek one out. Infact a quick look on the trainers page i can see one from Sydney straight away.

 

[James23]

I forgot to also add if you would like to get your cortisol levels tested, its important to get it done by a 24 hour salivary test. Simply going to your GP and asking to have your cortisol levels tested, they will probably ask for a blood sample. This is not very accurate because your cortisol levels vary throughout the day.

http://www.pathlabim.com.au/page.jsp?p_id=2&action=display&testID=9

This link here offers an 'Adrenal Stress Profile" , where you can order the test, they will send you 4 tubes, you simply place a salivary sample in each tube at 8am, 12pm, 4pm, 8pm and send it back to them. Their labratories then test the saliva for cortisol levels, and send you an electronic detailed copy of your results. You will need a doctors referal for this.

 

[Power King]

James23, out of interest, what are your qualifications?

 

[James23]

James23, out of interest, what are your qualifications?

No health qualifications. I just consider myself reasonably intelligent with a passion for mental health which is very close to my heart. I've done many, many hours of research.

 

[Hu$tler]

**** life, Sunday's over and i'm back into a week of nothing except work (can't see most mates coz they work fulltime and my hours are completely different).

Actually so sick of feeling like i'm not going anywhere.

 

[happy_punter]

Who couldn't care less if they were run over by a truck today?


Who lives in the past and doesn't see anything good in todays society?


Music down the pooper,sport becoming a big business,over population.


Feck,not much to be happy about today.


Not ****ing much at all.

Being a drummer(drummers are now extinct)Richmond supporter doesn't fecking help.


Who gets really down that you don't care?

Anti depressants do feck all.

All they do is help you write yourself off.

Tried alot and none of them work.

are you stalking me, why do you know so much about me?

 

[happy_punter]

As a depression sufferer all my life, I have been able to stay on top of it in recent years without using any drugs.

It hasn't been easy, but I used something very simple to get my head around that has been fantastic.

Make a concious decision to be happy now. Not when you have hotter partner, a bigger house, a more satisfying or higher paying career, or a faster car, but right now.

With depression, if you can't be happy without those things, you won't be happy with them. Likelyhood is with depression running rampant you'll never get them anyway.

So yeah, teach yourself to be happy now, right where you are (and who you are). It's not easy to do, but it's not complicated, and if you keep it at the forefront of your mind every time you start slipping, it becomes easier to keep the demons at bay.

It also helps ease some of the self loathing too.

im going to read this again and give it a try tommorow when i wake up sometime around lunch

 

[bubblegoose]

I still cry when I see Jarman kick goals in 97 GF

yeah, me too man

 

[nicky]

No probs, everyone with any sort of mental illness should be made aware of the neurofeedback technology, its criminal that it is not in the mainstream.

Reading back through my post i didnt mean that to come across as some sort of advertisement for that specific neurofeedback, truth is theres many different models for it - but the research and experience i've had that one is the simplest and best. Assuming you're in Sydney you should have no worries finding a trainer, if you decide to seek one out. Infact a quick look on the trainers page i can see one from Sydney straight away.

I'm in melbourne and the website you mentioned said they have no consultants in australia, i will google neurofeedback instead.

 

[Hu$tler]

I told a mate today about having Bipolar, she probably thinks i'm a ****ing weirdo but who cares.

For the rest of 2010, my goal is just to stay happy, no matter if i'm at work, home, out whatever.

Shit always works out

 

[Stocks_go_Up]

Group hug guys
[youtube]ujZsFOGT-Ko[/youtube]

 

[rocker_oz33]

l run into a girl at the gym l knew her from way back.she seemed abit more nuttier than normal anywoo.we got talking and l asked her how did you get in here pay as you go or a membership.she said she's got a free membership l said how did you scam one of those she said she'd got depression l didn't know it.anywoo anyone with depression could prob get one l think its a good idea help with lots of different thing's like self esteem etc.

 

[nicky]

http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/series/3063978

This is a program on the abc website and also offers a program to follow

http://makingaustraliahappy.abc.net.au/gethappy.php

 

[Nardz]

l run into a girl at the gym l knew her from way back.she seemed abit more nuttier than normal anywoo.we got talking and l asked her how did you get in here pay as you go or a membership.she said she's got a free membership l said how did you scam one of those she said she'd got depression l didn't know it.anywoo anyone with depression could prob get one l think its a good idea help with lots of different thing's like self esteem etc.

would defintely help.

not only the benefits that the actual exercise can have on clearing your head etc.....

the ability to set yourself small achievable goals and focus on working towards them

the self esteem boost when you start to feel and look in better shape..

 

[Hu$tler]

Yeh I need to join one or get back into weights at home.

Just can't get motivated

 

[aNty]

would defintely help.

not only the benefits that the actual exercise can have on clearing your head etc.....

the ability to set yourself small achievable goals and focus on working towards them

the self esteem boost when you start to feel and look in better shape..

Plus the ability to give your life some structure.