[siempre nada]

Does medication really make you feel better, or is it one of those things that only last for so long until even they can't stop the sadness? Oh, and are there any natural/herbal supplements that help fight depression?

[NuckingFutz]

There a lot of things that help depression. Just taking meds is kind of selling the quality of your life short. There is a kind of personal recovery process which includes educating yourself about depression, building up a support network, exercizing, therapy, becoming more self aware, journaling and so much more. Meds help balance the chemicals in your brain so you are able to do all the rest of this stuff.

[beautifuldisaster78]

Originally Posted by NuckingFutz

... There is a kind of personal recovery process which includes educating yourself about depression, building up a support network, exercizing, therapy, becoming more self aware, journaling and so much more. ...

but why don't normal people have to do all this stuff? i mean think about it, the "mentally ill" probably know more coping skills than those who are not. why is it that even with meds... all this other stuff comes into play?

[ECHOES]

Meds for me just numbed me emotionally. Didn't work so I switched to therapy.
Therapy to talk about feeling sad and learning where that comes from within you, is what will help your entire life.

[lonegael]

It took a long time before I could find a combination that was able to give me back some kind of normal life. In many ways I was out of control, and antidepressants alone don't help me. I have a system that has a hypersensitive adrenaline response, which means every little stressor sends me off as if I were on meth. Same with caffeine or decongestants. On top of that I have the usual bipolar ups and downs which are largely, but not completely biological. SO, most people don't have this problem, like most people can drink one gals of wine or beerand stop. some of us need meds, like some people need to stop booze completely. It's just part of the wonderful world of genetic and behavioral variation

My theory (sort of) is that we are guinea pigs advancing the cause of science to help later generations who survive global warming.