re: What do you guys do about depression?

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What they don't tell you, is that for the first few weeks of this medication, it REALLY can frick with your head.

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Understatement. I got on some and it royally fricked me up worse than anything ever in my life. It was unbearable to the point where my friends and family almost immediately took notice and had to help me out of the 5th circle of Hell. Felt as if my soul was continually being stabbed like Julius Caesar. Had to get off of them. Trying something new now, as well as exercising more and drinking less. Also strongly considering a career change and a move to do what I've actually always wanted to do instead of sales.

So my advice Lacour:

1) Get a therapist. It helps having an unbiased ear listening to your problem and giving you advice.
2) Find the meds that are right for you. Prozac may not be what you need,
3) Reach out to your family and friends. God only knows where I'd be without them. They love you and want you to succeed, so they're more than willing to help. Don't think you are burdening them.
4) Exercise! Feeling down, run around the block. Gets the endorphins flowing!
5) Find new hobbies. Think of stuff you haven't done that may be rewarding to you.
6) If your job has you down, find a new one. Maybe even a career change if that's what it takes.
7) Travel when possible. It's exciting to go to a new place and is very distracting to your woes. When you come back, you will often feel refreshed!
8) Stay away from the booze as much as possible. Alcohol is a depressant, so while it may take the edge off for a while, it will spiral downwards once you've got a 6 pack in you.
9) Don't let yourself go down the path of bad thoughts. Whenever they enter immediately go to a happier thought. Also it might help if you write down what you actually love about yourself and are thankful for.

So there's my advice for you Lacour. I actually have enjoyed our banter going back and forth on the M/TV Board and took notice when you left for a while. Keep your head up, buddy!

If you need to someone to talk to, feel free to email me at omlandshark@gmail.com

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LSU football I don't care about it

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The shite has hit the fan

Bang your chick in the front porch like a boss

It's crazy how the facts are right in front of you yet you still get on your knees like a slave because of a book with many historical inconsistencies in it.

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How the frick do you know how Indians felt?

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I'm thinking they might have gotten a tad depressed as the genocide and smallpox swept through the population. That would have made me a little blue.

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Also, try smoking weed. It's not the gateway to hell most religious nuts try to convince you and it's much healthier than alcohol, pills, and anti-depressants..

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Problem with weed, though, is its tendency to enhance your current emotions. It can help you find the joy in life, but just as easily inflate all the despair and anxiety.

On the topic of antidepressants, none of the SSRIs or SNRIs I tried were ever helpful to me. A nontraditional approach was more effective, but it's self-medication and the substance I used (tianeptine sulfate, unscheduled in the united states) can be harmful if you aren't careful and consistent with dosage.

The thing that really knocked me out of my funk, though, was the recent flood. It completely uprooted my life and, being uninsured, has forced me to be proactive and goal-oriented. I'm putting things back together without the use of contractors, so the whole process has been sort of metaphorical for my life. Every minute I'm not proactively trying to fix my house is a wasted minute, because nobody else is hanging cabinets or floating sheetrock in my absence.

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Anybody else ever feel like this. If so, what did you do

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Probably everybody at some point.

I personally think God is a little busy to be interested in me all the time, but I've gotten a few nudges in directions I never would have guessed 30 or 40 years ago.

I decided to just live. Instead of hunting for excitement I let it come to me. You'll be surprised what little things give you a lot of satisfaction.

Making that 10 footer with a wicked left to right break you completely whiffed on last week.

Big things are made of lots of small things most are just too busy to notice. Slow down and pay more attention.

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How the frick do you know how Indians felt?

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I don't know. Some psychologist believe this to be true. But can you argue, helping someone doesn't give you a sense of happiness?

The death and war and disease of their time was as natural as your phone battery being drained. It was a shock to them.

Here are some small things to do that can release the tension and to get your body to release some of the endorphins that help boost your mood naturally and make you feel better.

To me, music helps a lot. I will get on Youtube, look up favorite songs (especially ones with those old MTV videos) and they always lift my spirits.

Try listening to (or watching) clips from your favorite comedian. Ron White, Mitch Hedberg and Robin Williams can always make me laugh.

Finding a new passion or pastime is good too. If there is a hobby you love, then get back to it. If there is something you have always wanted to learn to do then do it.

Like another poster mentioned learning to play a musical instrument was helpful to them. Or maybe you have a talent for art (sketching, painting, whatever) that you have not pursued. Woodworking, carpentry, and things like that are also good.

Or even something as simple as an adult coloring book which can help relax you and keep the depressing thoughts away.

There are also support groups and even free counseling online. People also suffering depression (or counselors) can help to assure you that you what you are feeling is ok and that is will get better. They can give you the chance to completely vent and express yourself and it can all be private and anonymous.

Please find things that make you laugh. My sense of humor has pulled me through the most devastating and sad times in my life.

Sorry for such a long post. I hope at least one of these suggestions helps.

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In this thread, I'm not sure people understand the difference between feeling depressed and suffering from depression

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OP said he feels depressed in his 1st post. Has he been diagnosed as suffering from depression, or has the doctor just given him a prescription?

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I don't know. Some psychologist believe this to be true. But can you argue, helping someone doesn't give you a sense of happiness?

The death and war and disease of their time was as natural as your phone battery being drained. It was a shock to them

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If you believe that drivel I have some ocean front property in Kansas I think you'd be just the right buyer for.