RE: Re: Help for mom - Barb

[Guest guest]

First of all, your e-mail itself cheered me up; I got a couple of laughs at

your honesty. Thanks for your time and response.

Can you expand on the Light Box and the Chinese Emotional Remedy? And what

does TCM stand for?

I love that you said " depression in itself is depressing " . There is

definitely a cycle in it. My friends that do not " get it " are always asking

me, " what are you depressed about? " I always tell them that there is

nothing in particular that is making me depressed; that is the

point.depression in my mind is a sadness that comes with no cause (no death,

loss, separation, etc.). That is what makes it so bad for me.that my life

is good.great family, wonderful friends, a beautiful home, etc.I feel so

ridiculous sharing with people that I am depressed. It does not make sense

to them, and it does not make sense to me!

Anyway, the word bi-polar has never been " thrown out " there by any of my

doctors. I am on Cymbalta; I am not sure if that is used for bi-polar also.

I did try Wellbutrin a couple of years ago and it did not agree with me.

Although, I did not take it in conjunction with something else. I hate to

add another drug, but I also hate feeling the way I do. Life is too short

to feel bad; right J?

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Barb Nesrallah

Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 11:09 PM

To:

Subject: Re: Help for mom

Hi there,

I also have times of depression, spring/fall in particular.

Medication has never helped for me so I have tried many other

alternatives. It is individual I know but here are a few things that

I find really help-

Light box, by Apollo(can assist with sleep too)

Vit D - 2000mg (sunshine vitamin)

Chinese Emotional Remedy - (best to get TCM practioner who will do an

assessment)This one I am amazed at how quickly and well it can help

Accupuncture

20mins of natural light, walk, no sunglasses, light need to hit the

retina

CBT - Talk back to negative thoughts, or not listen, not asign

meaning to the depression, just be with it

Make myself get out even when I don't want to

Do something for someone else(ok, I sound like my Mother...)

Watch comedies or something uplifting

And when all else fails eat chocolate, it's a natural mood booster,

likewise coffee, my drug of choice!

Depression is in itself depressing, I know that maybe sounds stupid,

but it's how I feel. It can limit your life, your ability to

function, the choices you make because you are not sure you will be

able to follow through... Your brain is mush, don't care about

anything, and it feels impossible to move, but move you must I find.

Basically the behavioral part of CBT.

If I make myself do something, anything, clear a counter, clean out a

drawer(pathetic I know), but I think it is the distraction as well as

having an end result. Force myself to go out to a store and talk to

someone, or phone someone and ask about them. Alternately I lie down

and die for a while, and then get back up and start moving again.

The idea being to let the feeling wash over you, not try to fight it,

the fighting is what can get you stuck in it, I find I can cyle

through the feeling of it easier.

I remind myself that I LIVE with depression, unwelcome guest that it

is, I walk with it but it is not who I AM. The separation helps a

lot, very Zen, the " isness " of it and all, if I can separate and look

at it then I know it is not me that is the depression. I imagine it

is much like the OCD, it lives in your head, but it is not who you

ARE. Ok, so I'm not sure if that makes any sense to you, but it is

very powerful for me.

I find if I focus on what I CAN do rather than what I can't, and try

to hold a positive focus, which I had to learn is mainly a choice.

Ok, so I feel like I am getting too Polly again, hope it's not

too annoying to you. When I'm depressed I find these sorts of

suggestions annoying myself, so I'll understand if you are swearing

at you computer screen right now...

Has bipolar been considered? My understanding is that repeated

cycles of depression, even without mania is considered bipolar. Not

sure if it is medicated any differently though. My sister (bipolar

depression) found Wellbutrin and Effexor helpful at various times,

after many years of drug trials. I keep trying medications myself now

and then, just to see if something new will help, no luck yet, but I

am lucky in that it cycles and moves in the other direction...and

that I can function still.

Hang in there. I hope you DO find a medication that is helpful.

I send you a big hug!

Barb

>

> My daughter pretty much has her " issues " (OCD, ADD) under control;

however I

> do not. So, I was hoping to reach out for some advice.

>

>

>

> I have battled depression for 10 years. I started on Zoloft way

back then,

> and it worked for about 5-6 years, although, over the years I did

have to

> continue to up the dosage. I tried the vitamin supplement route

for about

> one year, and decided that was just not going to work for me. Just

within

> the last couple of months, I started Cymbalta. I am taking the

maximum

> dosage of 90mg. It has helped a little bit, but not as much as I

would like

> it to. I have tried taking it at different times of the day; I

tried

> dividing the dosage between morning and evening, still no

improvement. I

> still have issues with sleep and my mood still needs improvement.

>

>

>

> I hate to have to wean myself and start over, but I am thinking

that might

> be necessary.any insight???

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, just a silly question....Is your given name ?  This is the first

time that I have heard this name used for a woman so I have been confused as to

whether you were a man or not until you just mentioned that you are a mom.

Re: Help for mom - Barb

Craniosacral therapy saved my life when I was in the midst of the horrors of mom

depressions due to stress and OCD in my house. It is a form of gentle bodywork

that helps the body to release held emotions and when used in combo with talk

therapy has done wonders for me. I am a new woman! So much so that I went on

and learned to do CST and am opening a practice in it (in addition to my job as

an ER doctor and mother of 3).