@inky said:
Hi Dude,

Get a full physical with blood tests. Sometimes one hormone can be off or you can have a severe vitamin deficiency because your body has trouble absorbing certain things. This is not a minor detail and I’m not making light of your depression. It happened to me. It turned out that my body wasn’t absorbing enough Vitamin D. Sounds minor, but it made a HUGE difference once it was taken care of!

Inky

I agree with Inky. I personally have health issues that cause me to feel exactly as you described. I would in particular look into getting your thyroid tested and any vitamin deficiencies.

Also, there are so many ways how we eat, sleep, exercise, socialize, etc. can contribute to depression and/or anxiety or contribute to eliminating depression/anxiety. There’s an excellent book called The Depression Cure by Stephen Ilardi that discusses these basic needs humans have to prevent depression and anxiety. There is also a book called Feeling Good by David D. Burns M.D. that assists in working through some of the thought processes that contribute to depression.

I have personally experienced many times how making changes in medical treatment, nutrition, sleep, socializing and changing thought patterns can improve the depression and anxiety you are feeling without antidepressants. That being said, sometimes when we’ve been miserable for so long, or when we’ve tried everything and nothing is helping, it can helpful to try antidepressants to get over that hump while trying other approaches at the same time, but it’s ultimately your decision to go that route.

Please know it is never hopeless. There is always a way to feel better, you just need to find it. Don’t give up hope that you can find it. Our bodies and minds are amazing, intricate machines that are constantly capable of change. Good Luck.