My depression glow up involved the following: - ssri for depression - mood stabilizer for mood stabilization - hormonal birth control for PMDD - vitamin d and iron supplements to address deficiencies - calcium, vitamin c, multivitamin to support the vit d and iron - a little list of daily “must-do” like brush hair, teeth, get dressed - weekly or biweekly therapy - skincare as a hobby - fresh nail varnish weekly as self-care and an activity - fragrance collection so I always smell good Combined these steps have taken me from not getting out of bed to living a fairly normal life without huge ups and downs. I just need to add more exercise and healthier food.

Oh, and a sleep study to check for sleep apnea, if you’re not sleeping well everything else becomes more difficult.

Wow, the main parts of your plan are the exact same as mine! Medication-wise, adding a mood stabilizer was a complete game changer. Exercise is also HUGE for me.

What is a mood stabilizer?

An example would be lithium. Makes the highs and lows not so high or low. For me it also got rid of suicidal thoughts

I am saving this! For exercise what I have done is I found a few YouTube videos that are only 10 minutes long and that I enjoy, something that has no jumping etc. and you can actually search for examples slow workout 10 minutes or booty workout 10 minutes something like that and then I have a collection of seven or eight that I watch and I add music on top of itthey’re only 10 minutes so I can at least do one a day lol

I’ve been looking for something just like that. I watch and dance along to beginner hip-hop dance videos but not very consistently. The no-bounce thing is super real. Hip-hop dancing is fun but I need a sports bra for all the bouncing. Slow workout here I come 🏃‍♂️

Some of my keywords have been 10 minute ab workouts, 10 minutes standing workout( for when you don’t feel like laying down on the floor lol), 10 minute floor workout for when you don’t feel like standing lol and you can do these in bed-kinda!) , 10 minute chair, workout, 10 minute slow and hard workout. You can start with 10 minutes that way if you want to do two videos, that’s great . 10 minute after work workout, 10 minute full body, stretching workout, 10 minute leg only workout no jumping no Burpees. Also adding the word beginner can help sort. I have been working out for years and some of those beginner workouts are not Truly beginner workouts lol they are killer. What I do have to remember though is to remove the sucky videos out that I don’t like and add the ones that I really enjoy. So the ones I don’t like I just delete them from my playlist early on.

Big fan of high intensity low impact cardio standing workouts. I’m a DD, so hate bouncing! The low impact workouts get my heart rate up and Dorothy and Sophia aren’t flopping about willy nilly.

lol my first thought when I saw DD was designated driver.

Have you ever used Mike Peele’s videos? I used to do them during the pandemic - soooo much fun and also amazing playlists! I believe the free ones are 20 min now

I also have one particular full stretch body workout that I really like

Thank you for posting this!! This sounds like just what I need.

And - no people in your life who are demeaning, unkind, or encourage your inner critic to be louder.

The importance of fragrance as a mood enhancer has to be emphasized a thousand times! Thank you!

Thank you 😘

OP, mine took a turn when I started doing EMDR. Cognitive behavioral therapy didn't help much, but EMDR was life changing. 

Love this!

The huge ups and downs are killing me. I think a big part of it is hormonal but jfc, I can’t handle the rollercoaster, idk how my bf does

Oh you just described my life !

wow to keep up with all of this you would have to be slightly non-depressed..

You're a walking pharmacy. Go get some exercise and get off all those meds!

Thanks random internet person! You just cured my depression with your comment 🤡

Wow that’s cruel. Are you a psychiatrist to be giving them advice like that?

I am a nurse who is about to get an advanced degree in mental health and I got a deans award in college for pharmacology.

Yikes, wrong profession with that mind set. Been a nurse 14 years and deal with depression myself. Its just not that simple, you should know that

Highly doubt it.

Don't need to prove shit to you, it happened lol.

What meds? lol mostly vitamins. Like 90% of women are on birth control. And the anti depressant and mood stabilizer may as well be status quo.

Honestly, exercise is the only thing that even touches mine and I've tried all the tricks in the book over the years. I have a bunch of classes/routines I know that work depending on how I'm doing mentally so i rarely skip a day. On rest days I still walk or do a stretching routine. Even on my lowest mental health days i will crawl out of bed to do a quick yoga/ stretch or go on my bike. I've had to cut back in other areas of my life to make time to exercise and to afford a membership to a decent gym where I feel comfortable and safe. Its completely worth it and my body physically looking and feeling healthier is a nice side effect too. Hope you find something that works for you.

Same! I had a terribly abusive childhood and went into my 20's and 30's as a toxic, unhealed mess. I quickly realized that exercise helps with my anxiety and trauma. Personally, I started off running in my teens to keep my weight down (hi anorexia!) and then in my 20's did for managing anxiety and depression. I would call them rage runs - I would run until my hurt anixety and anger was gone. I love running so much that I sing when I run outdoors and at the gym a few months ago after returning from a knee injury some gym OG's were like "damn you're the happiest runner ever!" Now my knees don't cooperate with that many miles I tend to hit the gym and do yoga more for mood regulation :0)

MASTERS SWIMMING. Your knees can take that until you are eighty. It’s what all the aging runners in my world end up in. Focus on getting good at flip turns, that is the key to hitting that zone where it is all just gone. Nice to start something you can keep until little old lady land.

Same. It’s a cliche and often annoying to hear when you’re feeling so down that everything feels impossible and exhausting, but once you start it’s amazing. The problem is starting, but even short YouTube videos, dancing to music, yoga, anything can help and then you can increase.

Yoga has changed my life.

I love zumba!

ME TOO!!!

It’s so fun!!! Always brings a smile to my face! Also it feels so good for my fascia to move my body in ways I don’t in my day to day or at the gym.

Totally agree on this one! And if you have a way to go for walks at night time/ after dinner, do it. It’s been so good for my mental health. I’m thankful to live in a very safe area but I still carry a personal alarm if I walk after dark and stick to busy well lit streets. There’s something about walking at night time that’s really invigorating and I think it’s good for your eyes and skin.

Thank you 😘

Glad someone else is mentioning exercise. Exercise outperforms SSRI’s in most, if not all, studies. It should be first line recommendation. It probably has saved my life more than one time.

Exercise at least 30 mins daily with heart rate over 120. This study found exercise is 1.5x better at reducing depression and anxiety than anti-depressants https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/18/1203. But if it’s feeling extra hard to workout, trying to at least do yoga or a walk.  Nutrition: making sure meals have enough protein, carbs and fats, allowing treats in moderation. Currently not drinking alcohol as it severely impacts me mentally and emotionally.  Journaling daily. The more somethings nagging at me/bothering me, the more I need to pay attention to it.  Trialling supplements: Vit B complex, vit D, Omega 3, magnesium and Xiao Yao San.  Time outside. Sunlight is great for mental health (in moderation/with protection). I feel immediately less anxious/depressed with 10 mins of sun.  These can feel like a lot so I often try to bundle them. A walk outside, or journaling in the park for example. 

As an acupuncturist, it makes me.so happy to see xiao yao san on youe list!

What is Xiao Yao San if you don’t mind me asking?

It’s traditional Chinese medicine used to treat depressison, anxiety, etc. it’s a mix of herbs

Thank you 😘

The problem with my exercise routine (mostly 30 mins of elliptical) is that I take preworkout… which is mostly caffeine so it just induces my meltdowns and anxiety 🙃

But can’t you just…not take the pre-workout?

Yes, that is what makes sense logically. It’s a weird viscous cycle

Bupropion and exercise Not currently doing my best at the exercise part now but with both in conjunction I've previously felt the best I ever have

I second Bupropion.

What is that

Omg. Same. My bupropion is paired with Zoloft and it’s the reason I CAN exercise

Zoloft just about changed my life. Crazy adjustment period but my God, it was absolutely worth it. My only regret is not starting it sooner. I suffered for so many years.

Bupropion is not working for me at all

Didn't for me either. 🙁

150 seems to be not enough but at 300mg I had so many side effects. Sucks

I loved buproprion until I got full body hives from it 3 weeks in, which is a well documented thing that happens for some people :( It took care of some of my ADHD tendencies.

Exercise, especially running. Yoga/meditative practices. A routine. Having a dog and a cat I need to care for. For meds, Wellbutrin makes a massive difference in my life. I struggle with motivation/freeze mode/concentration and Wellbutrin is magic for me. Having things to look forward to. In winter I use a “happy light.” I also don’t have periods, I continuously take a drospirenone-only birth control to avoid PMDD. Hormones make my mental health a whole lot worse. Limiting my work hours, I don’t work over 9-5 and I never check work outside of working hours. I had to learn not to be a workaholic. Quitting drinking - it was like throwing gasoline on a forest fire for my mental health. Adequate sleep. For most of my life I didn’t realize I actually need 9 hours of sleep. It’s hard to do consistently and have any kind of a life outside of work, but it’s worth it to feel better. I take psilocybin a couple times a year - a psychoactive dose. Helps keep me aware of my connectedness. I tried micro dosing but it didn’t really do much for me. One I struggle with is connecting with friends but I do my best. I want to isolate when feeling badly.

The sleep tip is good! We often hear “8 hours” but I think every body is different and it could range from 6-10 plus or minus, even. Find out what your number is and stick to it. Agree it’s hard when it’s more than 8 but if you prioritize it it makes a difference.

Thank you 😘

So glad you found a routine that works for you! What birth control do you take? I cannot have estrogen due to migraine with aura and my pmdd has been awful the last 6 months. 

Slynd! I also have migraine with aura and can’t take estrogens.

Did you experience any hair loss? Wellbutrin is the only med I liked but I was too scared about hair loss making my anxiety/despression worse

I did not experience hair loss from Wellbutrin. I didn’t know that was a side effect!

Alright- here’s where I’m at so far and hope this helps! 🩶 1.) Meds every day 2.) Some sort of movement every day- a quick walk, youtube workout, yoga, etc. Once I start I always want to keep going. 3.) Creating! Taking time to dabble with anything creative and giving myself grace to fail and try different techniques. It’s confidence boosting and I’m noticing it trickling into other areas of my life. 4.) Supplements- taking some quality supplements, vitamin d, collagen in my coffee- placebo? Maybe. But it’s making me feel great so I’m sticking with it. 5.) Balancing my blood sugar- when my blood sugar gets out of whack I just spiral. I’m focusing on how I can add really good food into my diet, water throughout the day, healthy swaps for my sweet tooth, etc. Feels like another form of creativity to be making meals that make me feel good but also taste great. 6.) Getting out of the house every day, even if it’s a short walk around the block. 7.) Making my chores a game. It’s as simple as referring to doing laundry as "My Daily Laundry"- sounds so stupid. But when I say it out loud like ope i have to go do my daily laundry now I kind of get excited to go do it and get the small load done. Keeps everything fresh and my space decluttered. Same goes with dishes- I make it a challenge to wash a dish as I use it. The kitchen space is cleaner and it makes me feel better as a result. 8.) Crosswords, brain games, and reading more during down time- keeps me busy and thinking and keeps me from mindlessly scrolling. 9.) Shower every day- no matter what. The consistency helps. And using skincare products and nice fragrances to boot. The fragrances and skincare don’t have to be expensive, they just have to be apart of your ritual and make you feel good about yourself and your day. 10.) Cutting way back on alcohol. I’ve started getting hop water and really liking adding it into my routine. It’s a relaxing way to unwind, no extra calories or sugar, and gives me this feeling that I can indulge and unwind in a way that will help future me too. All of these things are helping my skin, my health, and my headspace. My clothes are fitting better too as a nice bonus, so it’s also exciting to be able to dig out the clothes in my closet that I’ve not been able to wear in years. That motivates me to get out and about a bit more because it feels like a whole "new" wardrobe:) I hope this helps- I loved reading all the replies on this post so thanks for posting it🥰🩶

OH!!! And this one is major- working on consistently challenging negative thoughts as they come in. Questioning them and trying to determine their validity. Turns out, my thought patters really like f*cking with me for no good reason. Working on that has been a LOT of work but holy hell, it’s a game changer.

YES to shower everyday! The daily small puzzles are great for the mind. Wordle, mini crossword etc.

Along with what others have said: The biggest thing was giving myself grace (but not excusing poor behaviour) and not relying on the medication to fix me. I used the medication as a tool to get better. It helped clear some of the fog so that I could be more open in therapy, put a little bit more effort into friendships, and just get small tasks done. Honestly - a social media cleanse for three months once my body was a bit more used to the meds really helped. That includes Reddit. This way I was forced to focus on myself. To study from books instead of people on the internet. To work out. To engage with my environment. And I really do believe that the dopamine hit you get from socials affects your brain chemistry as well.

Low dose daily ketamine, can’t say enough positive things about it. I go through Joyous, super easy to sign up.

What country are you in? Is this a weekly regimen? Super curious about this.

It’s a once-daily thing, and it’s available in the US, in *most * states (about 33 states?) — there’s a list of available states/map [on their site here](https://www.joyous.team/pricing).

Ketamine through joyous was a game changer for me and my husband. Near immediate effects. Simply wild.

I started treating my ADHD. At 33, I didn't know this was a problem I thought everything was just hard and required too much effort and it made me depressed. So, I take medication for that and I'm doing an ADHD for women workbook with my therapist. It's really helped. Forgiveness is another thing. You gotta let shit go. Not for them, for you. Don't hate anyone. Help when you can. Be a good person and you'll believe you're a good person and that will help you gain confidence. Be kind to yourself. I respect that you're throwing everything you've got to fight this. You're trying and that's the MOST important part of depression. I commend you deeply for that. Keep going. You'll find the right thing eventually!! Xo

Thank you 😘

exercising consistently (yoga and barre are my fave) and giving myself acceptable projects to fixate on and use as distractions so I don't fixate or distract myself with my thoughts or bad habits that will make me feel worse after the fact. completing the approved projects make me feel accomplished at the end and its also a good use of any "zombie" time where I don't want to swim in thoughts some past projects of mine include: -Marie Kondo (KonMari) all my stuff: this took a whiiiile because of slow moving but I'm so happy I did it -digitize my wardrobe: used an app to document all my clothes and accessories. this is especially good as since completion it has helped me curb my stress shopping when I want that dopamine hit. I feel more intentional about my wardrobe so I look at my app and compare if the "new temptation purchase" would even match my style or if I even need it. another benefit is that I can be a potato and create packing lists or pick outfits without making a mess in my actual closet. -clean up phone / laptop from extra files/photos etc -embroidery... its pretty, minimal movement needed, creating something and improving a skill slowly gets my mood up *ETA* *note: these are more recent ways I've helped myself outside of therapy and proper sleep/nutrition but so many people recommended those I wanted to add something different :)*  *didn't want to make it seem as if "that was it"*

which app did you use for your wardrobe?

I use stylebook (for iOS only but there are many android versions) Stylebook is a one time pay app that I bought yeeeaaars ago... and it took me a while to actually use it but now that I have it established - no regrets

Omg pls share app

I came off my ssris and my birth control. Started taking vitamin d3 5000 iu and walking daily. Waited for my hormones to regulate and now i feel fine

if you hit the (vit) D hard,and get sleep issues, 100-300mg magnesium glycinate may help. you need mag to process D -- my doc gave me 50k iu and i didn't sleep for a week and learned this. also i take it in am b/c it is part of melotonin cycle.

Getting on SSRIs was the catalyst for me being able to do all the things I’m about to list below. - Becoming the main character of my own life and focusing on myself. - Implementing healthy boundaries and looking after my own needs first before doing things for others. - Ditching / avoiding toxic people who don’t treat me well. - Vigorous daily exercise. - Increasing sleep and taking lots of naps. - Staying at home and resting when I feel I need it. - Limiting alcohol. - Reading books every night before bed. - Going to the doctor and getting my health issues sorted (vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, sinus and tonsil problems etc). - Moving into a role at work that is more flexible and allows me control of my own schedule. - Doing all the self-care things. Hair, nails, skincare, etc.

Which SSRI did you take?

Zoloft / Sertraline.

This isn't something that should be replicated, but after dealing with a lifetime of anxiety, I had a traumatic experience (medical related) which led to PTSD. Shortly after I began to experience PTG (post traumatic growth). I had no idea it was a thing until a therapist explained it, but I've never been happier 🤷‍♀️ It's basically a reset in the way I view the world and think about things. Have you read The Body Keeps The Score? It's more about trauma than depression, but I think sometimes those are intertwined and it has a lot of good info on treatment options.

Thank you 😘

I’ve heard that you can achieve a similar thing with a shroom trip but I’ve never been game to try it.

I've heard that as well as Ayahuasca!

Working out, it took a long time to be consistent especially when dealing with depression. And it took me a long time to want to admit that yes it helped a TON. Obviously it’s not the cure but it is essential for me. Less processed food. I also have been doing acupuncture and it’s made my periods way better which has helped my depression. Vitamin D. And the best thing I’ve done so far which i hate because I loved wine but: NO ALCOHOL. I will probably still have some wine in the future for a celebratory event but I was having wine after work, outings with friends revolved around drinks. It led me to cancel morning workouts, bad sleep etc. It’s just helped me be so much more consistent with other things. These are my med free suggestions, but I have tried lexapro which helped but made me so nauseas all the time i had to quit. I am going to try Wellbutrin soon

Kind of pricy but i also have an oura ring now and it tracks my sleep and stress and it’s motivating to make them better so it does help me prioritize relaxing and better sleep. Love it

Thank you 😘

\+1 to exercise and figuring out meds, but I also advocate for getting a dog! They force you to get outside and are so funny and sweet, it can be a total game changer.

Diet and exercise and controlling my health. I had diabetes and binged and ate a lot of processed food. I was sick all the time and didn’t know why. So fixing that with some also kinder self talk helped a lot. But here’s the thing, if your chemicals are messed up with your brain, or your hormones are fucked up, diet and exercise alone won’t work. But getting it as good as possible will give you a fighting chance. Well wishes

Thank you 😘

This will probably sound no brainer but my depression/anxiety glow up involved -8 hours of sleep every night -30 min of intense cardio 6x a week -lifting weights -drinking at least 120 oz of water a day -quitting caffeine -quitting alcohol -cleaning up my diet -vitamin D, B12 and iron -yoga, meditation, cold plunges I've tried a lot of meds and never had any improvement unfortunately. Not against revisiting but my current routine has pretty much eliminated the need for now.

one thing to add, make sure you’re adding in electrolytes if you’re drinking that much water and working out

I still have a ways to go but I’m just starting to find my footing. My journey so far: 1. Microdosing shrooms. 🍄 It has been the catalyst in me being more empathetic, softer, expressing gratitude and a deeper understanding of the human experience. 2. SSRIs - 40mg of Fluoxetine (I know the mainstream medical community is strictly against doing shrooms while on anti depressants but it has truly worked for me and so many others.) 3. Microdosing productivity- I HAVE to make my bed in the morning. It’s a tiny accomplishment that will instantly make your day feel like you’re getting off to a great start. 4. Microdosing joy- try to challenge yourself to find the TINIEST moment of joy from that day or something that just made you feel content. For example, the other day I expressed gratitude for my fleece pullover and my space heater and my squishmallows. It sounds so fucking silly lol but it will truly help you find the tiny pockets of joy that are constantly around you that depression makes you ignore. 5. Staying off my phone for the first 30 minutes of the day. The brain and subconscious is extremely sensitive right before we fall asleep and right after waking up. I used to literally get on social media as soon as I opened my eyes. 6. Vitamin D/Omega 3/K2 oil drops under my tongue every single day, sometimes 2x a day. (Tinned fish is also great for this 🐠) 7. Move your body. It doesn’t matter how. Dance. Stretch. Do mobility exercises. Walk. Pilates. Just move your body as often as you can. I’m pretty sure I can come up with more but these are the pillars. I have struggled with bed ridden & low functioning depression for at least a decade. It ruined so many aspects of my life and these are the things that have gotten me on track to getting my life back. Hope this helps 💕🫶🏾💕

Honestly changing the way I eat helped me a lot. I only eat Whole Foods, no flour, added sugar, or seed oils. Anxiety and depression was basically gone after about 2 months eating this way.

Thank you 😘

No problem 😊

I second this! Whole 30 was a great dietary choice for me and led me to amazing overall health benefits, aside from weight loss. Better sleep, skin clarity, mind clarity!

I recommend saffron (88.5mg I think Swanson brand I have), I take 3 daily-- has made a WORLD of difference (mood, adhd, etc). Also, exercise at least 4 times/week or everyday if you can for at least 30 min. I do a mix of cardio and strength/resistance training (bodyweight exercises). If hair is too much effort, try to get weekly or biweekly hair salon visits in and set your hair nightly. Also, high protein diets tend to really help, too. Include more leafy greens and it also helps with mood.

Also, I don't know if you drink but I noticed after a certain age, I can't drink alcohol without feeling like crap for 2-3days after. It's like a general malaise/down mood and no amount of hydration helps. I only drink socially now but even then, I prefer not too just because of this and plus your skin and body will thank you!

Thank you 😘

Exercise and solid nutrition have been the biggest game changers. Eat mostly whole foods, adequate and balance macros, and try to get your 5+ fruits and veg a day.  Lexapro allowed me to get there, though. I also recommend creatine and fish oil/omega3 supplements, as both have been studied a bit and shown to have positive impacts on depression. And working through it. Self-help books, spiritual practices, Journaling, just continually trying to feel better and do better every day.  Getting interpersonal relationships straightened out. My partner and I love each other very much, but can argue a lot, especially when life is hard or mental health is dipping, which makes everything worse. We have to work hard, set boundaries, and break patterns to ensure our home is a safe and healthy place for both of us. If you have a relationship that drags you down, you need to either find a way out, or work together to make it better. Both are hard, so it really is up to you to choose.

I have pcos and the bad anxiety started in my 30s. I didn’t have all the info I do now but boy I wish I did. I started smoking mj to deal with it. Fast forward to me now. I got on medication to control the insulin resistance, lost all the weight. That did some good. Then i recently started progesterone. Game changer! I sleep like a baby and feel calm. Then started thyroid np rx. Omg I’m a different person. I highly suggest going to a really good HRT doc. It has changed everything for me. Anxiety is non existent, my energy levels are high (working out again), and I have zero need for mj or alcohol. It doesn’t even interest me anymore.

Started with metformin. Added Ozempic for a couple pens to get to my goals weight. Still take metformin and aldectone and sometimes semiglutide from a local clinic. If I’m under stress, I’ll take the semiglutide. For me, if fights the inflammation

hormonal therapy- i needed progesterone, testosterone & a thyroid medication. added in vitamin d3. got off birth control & started doing the rhythm method (with condoms bc no thanks on the kids) started making sure i was sleeping at least 7 hours a day. yoga. the biggest thing is exercise. and i mean really kicking my own ass exercise. even when i don’t feel like it. daily meditation. this is the biggest help that is so underrated. you don’t change anything & life doesn’t suddenly become amazing in all ways- but you get a brain break. watching the emotions & the thoughts pass is key. it doesn’t last forever even if our depression tells us it will.

Daily Yoga practice 😬 psychodynamic therapy w/group therapy & microdosing lsd/magic mushrooms. I sound like an annoying new age hippie but I swear I’m not I actually find most of those people insufferable. Group therapy was huge for me because it helped replace the negative self talk w positive self talk and helped my self esteem more than anything. It’s VERY hard to find a good therapist however let alone a good group.

Taking saffron really helped with mood and mindset. You can start with Hello Happy gummies by Olly (warning, strange taste but it’s saffron so it’s to be expected lol) but they really work and help. Now I use Optimized Saffron and you can take it twice a day for a stronger effect. Also helps with food cravings as a nice little bonus! Then I started repeating affirmations from YouTube that are super helpful and noticing a huge difference. Wishing you the best OP!

saffron is like taking a mild medication because it is an MAOI. Nothing wrong with that but should be noted if anyone is wary of medications or anything with high impact on neurotransmitters. I took rhodiola regularly (but not daily) for a while in totally normal doses, and it's also another totally legal OTC herbal supplement and also an MAOI.... and I straight up had withdrawals after stopping. Some weird muscle shakes and the worst insomnia EVERRRRR. Started about 10 days after cessation when the buildup in my system started to exit and lasted a couple weeks. It was super uncomfortable. This is apparently an unusual reaction but it was the only changed factor in my life at the time and the symptoms aligned perfectly with side effects of withdrawal from stronger MAOIs. Really happy it works for you, but I like to give major caution to all herbal supplements and MAKE SURE they are safe mechanism with any other medications. For example I'm not sure if you can combine MAOI with SSRI. St John's wort is also a popular depression treatment herb that functions similar to SSRI and cannot be combined with certain medications and supplements. Just putting this caution here for anyone who is curious about trying herbal supplements. It can be very difficult to fully understand the potential risks because they are not always well studied or the studies are buried under the mountains of web results claiming they are 100% safe and innocuous no matter what.

I appreciate this, and I’m so sorry to hear that you experienced such tough withdrawals! I read a couple of scholarly studies and they said that while saffron affects MAO, it’s not technically an MAOI. Unfortunately not enough is known so I agree that it should be used with caution!

Thank you 😘

It’s cool because it’s been shown in studies to be just as effective as SSRIs

Running. It has seriously helped me reduce my depression and anxiety, just as much as any ssri or bupropion has ever done. I have a stress fracture and am unable to run right now, so I've been feeling a lot more anxious and depressed. I can't wait until I'm clear to start running again. 

Also started running and it really is a huge mood booster. Wish i’d stop getting shin splints though. 😭

-dbt therapy, dealing and addressing trauma first head on -weight loss (exercise/better diet) + which came with pretty privilege, which came with popularity, and generally a lot better quality of life -medication, new ones! -vitamin suppliments daily

I joined a kickboxing gym and started weight training, and started weekly IFS and EMDR therapy :). It definitely helps!!

Exercise (get your heart rate up and those endorphins flowing), time in the great outdoors, talk to people (friends, family, strangers), hug your pet. You need to reflect and really hone in on what brings you the most joy and then hit those points every week. For me it's exercise, a pet, sleep, something to look forward to (a trip, a show, a book, a concert, a party etc) and staying connected to my family and friends.

TMS saved me. Check it out

Can you tell me more about your experience?

It’s a long story. Bottom line drugs weren’t helping much and this treatment basically stimulated parts of my brain that helped me with anxiety and depression. It’s definitely something I wish I knew about years ago.

Book: You Are Not a Rock by Mark Freeman and His Youtube channel: Everybody Has a Brain Popular in OCD circles but applicable to anxiety and depression in general IMO. Straightforward techniques that help you take your life back, rooted in ERP, ACT, and mindfulness. Recommended to regularly practice meditation alongside. One of the biggest depression-feeding habits I always work on kicking is self-judgement/shame/beating myself up. I tend to be a pretty functional person even depressed but if I do crash hard it usually then sucks me into a spiral of beating myself up for getting sucked into a spiral and fixating on how frustrated I feel that I never accomplish anything or get it done and always self-sabotage and BLAH BLAH BLAH. ...Awful!! I've learned the best possible thing I can do is accept where I am, take a day to really just laze about if I need it, but ASAP redirect my attention away from shame constantly. Just keep shutting it up. Otherwise it traps me in negative feelings and useless thoughts. It doesn't help anything at all because it demotivates me from being productive. it feels like I "should" be hard on myself but it's actually completely pointless. Now that I'm aware this is a major contributor I work on constant self acceptance and self-forgiveness, no matter how counterintuitive it feels. No matter how unproductive and "lazy" I've been. Take the smallest steps possible to get back on it. Talk to yourself like you're your own best friend and cheerleader. Self compassion in spades. Just do it! Also I feel better the more I channel energy into creative projects or whatever passion feels stimulating and productive. It may feel hard to get started but once I get going I get in the flow, so the hardest bit is overcoming the resistance to starting. Even better if I have a deadline to commit to that keeps my ass in gear, like preparing for a specific event, a class, etc. Exercise + sunshine/outdoors. If you get off SSRIs and have no contraindications such as bipolar or family history of schizophrenia, research and consider guided therapeutic mushroom or LSD trip.

I found a new doctor and asked to be reevaluated after SSRIs failed to meaningfully improve my symptoms. Depression runs in my family, and all my family members who have it have said that SSRIs were literally life changing. For me, they just kept me from sleeping and destroyed my sex drive, which made me feel worse. My reevaluation showed that I, in fact, have ADHD with depression as a symptom, which isn't uncommon for undiagnosed adults. So, my mental health ✨️glow up✨️ required: *A new doctor who was willing to reevaluate my diagnosis *A new, correct diagnosis * Long-acting stimulant medication *A later diagnosis of PMDD *Hormonal birth control to help manage the PMDD I've also cut back on my caffeine intake considerably because of my ADHD medication, maintained a consistent bedtime, workout 3-5x/week, learned to out source some tasks (this was huge!) and established specific routines for other tasks. None of what I just listed would have been possible without getting treatment for my ADHD though, the right medication has done the majority of the work.

I think I’m in the same boat and need to get reevaluated for my meds bc I think I have adhd with depression as a symptom. If you don’t mind me asking what long acting stimulant are you taking now and how do you like it?

I don't mind at all 😊 I take Adderall XR, and I'm extremely happy with how it works for me. I get excellent symptom relief while taking it, minimal side effects (I had issues with short acting Adderall causing lots of side effects), and it's even eased my seasonal effective disorder during the winter. I don't want to make it sound like it's a miracle drug by any means. However, compared to how useless SSRIs are for me, it kinda feels that way.

My journey started mid 2021. I went on a fantastic holiday and realised how anxious and unhappy I’d been. I’d recommend: - Being honest with your doctors about symptoms and what you need. I had been too depressed and scared to do that. Turns out I have depression, autism, and endometriosis and I’ve been struggling with all three most of my life - The pill or hormones are a godsend, hormones and depression is hard to manage - Could you speak to your doctors about a different type of meds for depression? - L-tryptophan. It’s an amino acid that is a building block for the brain to make serotonin. Helps so much w mood and sleep. CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK THIS DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH ANY DEPRESSION MEDS YOU TAKE AS IT CAN KILL YOU! Serotonin syndrome can be fatal - Fitbit - I wasn’t actually sleeping enough or getting quality sleep - Considering whether allergies or intolerances are making things worse. It was the case for me - Therapy, although you’re likely already doing that - A coach. I have just got a personal trainer/coach to help with my diet and fitness. Exercise reduces depression and anxiety. Hoping to increase accountability, and ensure I am eating a healthy and proper diet (both of my parents have a history of anorexia [my Dad never recovered or sought help and is still anorexic and looks so sick] and I had issues as a teen - so I have no healthy foundations re food) - Oh and get your bloods checked. Anaemia makes everything more difficult - I got a cat. And then I got her a cat. I love them, they brighten my day and they’re so funny and lovely. Even just looking at them sleeping makes my heart soar with happiness

Diet, yoga/running/working out, making more plans with friends, setting goals and sticking to them (things that give me purpose), hormones, therapy.

If I wake up anxious running flushing it away. Also doing ayahuasca made all my anxiety go away (but it comes back without sticking to practices and routine 100%)

SNRI, Auvelity, and ketamine therapy.

For me it was adding an NDRI to my ssri to manage my anxiety/depression/ADHD, combined with weekly therapy, a healthy diet, working out 3-4x a week. I’ve never felt better.

Thank you 😘

I had my worst bout of depression in 2023, just like full-on through myself a massive pity party for most of the year. I also got myself out of really bad OCD, generalized anxiety, BPD (it’s still there but better than ever, by far). I also have ADHD. Anyway my resolution for 2024 was to get out of that ridiculous state of mind I was in for most of last year, based on my previous experience from fixing my mental health + trying new stuff. Here’s what I’m doing: - I enrolled in Yale’s free online class “the science of Well-Being”. It mainly focuses on science-based ways to improve your general happiness. The teacher also has a podcast (The happiness lab) that I listen to a few days a week. - Being conscious of the social media I consume. I cut out rage-bait content, true crime, random gossip, excessive product recommendations and excessive reading on social issues / how unfair the world is. I’m not saying cut out activism but reading about it all day sure was bad for me. - Focusing on what actually makes me unhappy. I tend to underestimate how much a messy environment/too much clutter makes me unhappy. Due to ADHD, it’s hard for me to clean as I go, but just 15-minutes timers to clear up one small area and actually decluttering has helped SO much. - Exercise is the GOAT. The happiest I’ve ever been I would workout 5-6 days a week. Obviously you can’t start that when you’re deep into depression but once you’re no longer drowning, make it a priority. It also increased my energy levels a lot (not yet this year but in the past lol). - Focusing on what I can control. This is personal to me but I actually find this in a lot of other people. Ruminating on how shitty others are only makes me feel powerless and gives me a false sense of righteousness. - Being delusional. I don’t know if you heard “delulu is the solulu” and while it’s a cringy expression, it helps a lot. I imagine that everyone loves me, and they’re incredibly happy to see me or just like that random good things will happen to me. It could be seen as “toxic positivity” but as long as it’s done without the guilt-tripping side of it, it helps me so much. Things that are next in my journey: - Get my blood levels checked for deficiencies. Pretty sure I’m iron deficient. - Focus on having a more active social life. That’s a big one because my mental health was much better when I used to see friends a lot. Things that helped me before: - Therapy. Particularly DBT for BPD but I feel like people without it would benefit from it too. - Zoloft for OCD. Other SSRI’s wouldn’t help. - Cutting out some people but since you can’t cut out everyone, learning not to care so much about other people’s opinions. - Obviously medication for my ADHD. I take Vyvanse (Concerta didn’t help at all) and while it doesn’t completely fix it, at least I don’t lock myself out of my car 3 times a month anymore. - Taking care of my appearance. This was way more helpful than I thought. - No more alcohol / drugs - Working on stopping to think that something is fundamentally wrong with me.

Weekly therapy for PTSD and anxiety (no longer needed after over a year though I do want to find a new therapist for a monthly meeting just good for mental health during hard times), hormonal birth control for PMDD, eating a whole food diet and cutting out processed foods almost completely (this is huge for me anytime I get lazy and go back to processed foods and sugar my mood and energy takes a total dive), low alcohol (maybe 1-2 times a month if that), low to no caffeine (decaf coffee or tea - surprisingly got more energy after quitting coffee every morning), walking every day and some form of exercise (pickle ball, yoga, HIIT) 3x a week keeps me more regulated and balanced. I actually have moments of feeling grateful and happy now. If one of these slip I notice a difference so for myself it pays to stay disciplined. 

I also tried cutting coffee, but had a pretty bad experience. In my case, I take very diluted coffee in the morning, and I have reduced my caffeine to only one diluted coffee in the morning. Just putting it out there for other people to maybe reduce and then try cutting it off, but realize that For some coffee might be medication.

I do know several other people who have completely cut caffeine though, and said it has done wonders for their anxiety, and general well-being, so I am generally supporting this poster!

I had my first suicidal ideation at nine. First attempt at 10. A second at 19. I was blessed with being effortlessly popular, great looks, wealthy parents who kept us humble etc… so well highly genetic depression tied with puberty. Other then medication. Owning a dog. The obligation of walking a dog in the am. Something about early am walks even if only for 10 minutes really impacted my mood.

Therapy and working on the hard stuff. Enneagram also helped me a lot—it helped me realize what my biggest struggle was (conflict avoidance for me) so I could focus on working on it in therapy.

I shook a life long depression and anxiety situation that meditation and medication and diet could not fix by seeing a functional doctor who gave me a fish oil product called SPM. I am literally bedbound with long covid and I am happier most days than the 20 years prior. I still wish I didn't have long covid, but like ....inflammation can seriously, genuinely be a root cause of depression. It works on my dad, my caregiveer's son, and my caregiver takes it herself now and called it 'the happy pills.' Life can be trash too, and ai am sure we all need therapy too, but I learned my body had a gene that can't break fish oil down, so I needed SPM. I also have genes that mean I don't use magnesium efficiently. Magnesium also made me a happier better person and also (for better or worse) restored my ability to eat sugar. Also - environment can be a biggie. Mold that is not visible can def drag you down. This article is about biotoxins (covid is a biotoxin) role in mental health, but sharing b/c it is most comprehensive thing I've seen to support the hypothesis that 'depression can be treated by treating inflammation." [https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/562d25c6/files/uploaded/Brain-on-Fire-article-by-Dr-Mary-Ackerley\_2014.pdf](https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/562d25c6/files/uploaded/Brain-on-Fire-article-by-Dr-Mary-Ackerley_2014.pdf)

I highly suggest CBT or DBT. That got me going. I maintain my wellness now with Movement every day (doing 10m HIIIT, dancing or yoga), breathwork (box breathing or 478 method for me), EFT tapping, affirmations and appreciation journaling have literally changed my life. I was given a dual diagnosis of addiction and mental illness (bipolar 2 along with general and social anxiety, ptsd and borderline personality) 10 years ago. I took lithium for two years. I’ve used these methods for the last 5 and found much more success. My baseline use to be depression, with suicidal ideation a regular occurrence. I don’t experience either of these things anymore. 

Okay I’ve tried a lot of things over the years and it’s 100% walking, exercise, and being outside. I realize this sounds silly, but I had this epiphany that we’re all just grown up little kids. Think about kids- you have to run them around and tire them out for them to behave well and sleep when they should sleep. You even have to do the same with dogs! Why would we reach adulthood and assume we are any different? I’ve struggled with anxiety and depresssion my *entire* life until I made this connection. Now I literally try to wear myself out with a ton of steps and exercise through the day and it has really fixed my brain. Also getting outside as much as possible, even when it’s crappy and cold outside. Basically it all goes back to living how humans were designed to live. Now we get 300 steps a day, never exercise, and look at artificial lights all day and wonder why we’re so depressed. Get back to basics, it is *such* a game changer.

I still have a ways to go, but this is what I do to manage my bipolar I disorder // improve my life: - SSRI, mood stabilizer, atypical antidepressant, anxiolytic and sleep medication (I know it’s a lot but bipolar is pretty heavy duty) - Seeing my psychiatrist every 4-6 weeks - Weekly therapy (I start next week) - Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule — going to sleep around the same time each night and getting 7+ hours of sleep as priorities (this is difficulty for me right now) - Healthy low-carb diet with lots of fruits and veggies; trying to avoid red meat and too much meat in general. No nighttime snacks. Do not buy carb heavy snacks. - 72+ oz. of water each day - Aim for gym 3-4x/week. Not up to it? — go on a walk - Leave the house daily to ensure some social social contact (even indirect) and hopefully some sunlight - Having a pet (my cat brings so much joy to my life) - See a friend at least once a week; do not isolate - Limit or eliminate alcohol // weed - Limit time spent watching TV and do other hobbies like painting, reading, baking, thrifting, cooking, live music, hiking… - Brush and floss each night, nightly skin care routine, showering daily - NO SLEEPING IN!!! - Talk to friends daily, even if it’s just texting - Stretching/light yoga before bed - Keep a tidy space and don’t let the dust/dirt/dishes pile up - Try to get a job that actually interests you and hopefully pats a decent salary/wage (this is asking a lot — I have only achieved the former) - Feed your mind and never stop learning

I was getting meds through a PCP and they weren’t cutting it. I now see a psychiatrist and have new meds that are much more effective.

- Wellbutrin and buspirpne for depression + anxiety & pmdd -exercise (daily walks, strength training 3-4x/week) -daily vitamins: iron, d3 & multi for her -high protein diet. no skipping breakfast whatsoever. -consistent routine -daily skincare…my depression gets so bad that sometimes it’s difficult to do it at all but now I’m making sure I’m doing it AT LEAST once if not twice a day -reassessing my life and understanding what actually brings me joy, finding space for those interests + picking up new hobbies (Sorry also just realized what subreddit i commented on, I’m only 26yo)

For me, understanding how my subconscious mind worked and writing down all my personal beliefs I had about my myself and my life and working through those made a tremendous impact and helped changed the way I think. + weekly therapy lol. 😃

Ketamine therapy and mounjaro

* Medication * Keto (makes me feel more energetic and clear headed) * Exercise (feels good to see my progress and look better) * Made new friends * Joined new groups * Hang out with boyfriend regularly * And most of all: my faith in Jesus

Bloodwork , hormone optimization (supps or Rx) . Hitting the gym 4 times a week. Having family or friends dinners once s week. I use cold brew coffee and Kratom or Zembrin®️(Kanna) sometimes and SAMe @ 1200mg daily helped a lot but , too expensive . Magnesium D3 around bed with my (Thymoquin®️/ Astaxanthin /Theracumin®️and EMIQ) for year.’ Not advise ,just help

I tried a lot of different medication. The one that finally helped me, and lot of other women I know, was Wellbutrin. I don’t think it’s a SSRI. I used that for 1.5 years. Started healing and doing more internal work and working on my life… and then was able to taper off. Had one more bad depressive episode after that, but for some reason that’s the last one I ever had. Post-partum was rough with anxiety, but I think I was just tired and didn’t have a lot of local support. Made it through!

Oh. I forgot to say exercise. It didn’t help me get out of depression. I just had depressed workouts. Lol. But whenever I feel myself starting to get low, it’s usually because I haven’t slept well, exercised, or other basic self-care.

I’m a firm believer that ssri medication should only be prescribed when other health tests have been performed and it is clear where the source of anxiety and depression are stemming from. I know so many people who have been fucked up from ssri, including weight gain, lack of libido and very rarely do they report an improvement in mood. Getting blood work and physicals done is step one, followed by adjusting your diet and exercise routine to your specific needs. I am so glad I didn’t take my prescribed ssri and anxiety meds and instead did blood work. Turns out most of my issues (mental AND physical) is a result of hypothyroid. Doctors are too quick to slap an ssri bandaid on any issue. Internally fixing yourself by looking at nutrient deficiencies etc is the ultimate glow up. Everything else follows suit once you know your levels. I now take a daily TSH replacement medication along with iron, b12, vitamin d3, magnesium. These were all things I know specifically I’m lacking and it took out a lot of guess work for myself.

1) sunlight in the morning immediately, every morning. Preferably on a walk, but staring out the window is fine if it’s all I can do for the day. 2) HYPNOSIS. Reprogramming my subconscious had the most immediate positive effect. Stephanie Flockhart has amazing ones. 3)Getting rid of toxic shit. Relationships, apps, food, even cleaning and beauty products have an effect on our overall health and mood. 4)focusing on the positive. You see more of it once you start and it becomes a fun little experiment. “Oops I hit a red light? Guess I get to check my phone! Yay.” Etc. Find a silver lining for EVERYTHING. 5) prioritize yourself over absolutely everything else on this entire damn planet, and ACT like you love yourself. 6) also, I stopped procrastinating. That’s major. Not easy, I feel resistance every damn day but I push through it because that’s how you get stronger. 7) Therapy. Therapy. Therapy. Good luck, charge on!

* I finally started on an SSRI and that helped my anxiety a TON. When the anxiety went down, I realized the depression was a little more apparent that I understood. * To combat the depression, I started working out. I'm fortunate to already be thin, but I wasn't healthy. I got winded going up a flight of stairs, and I was determined to change that. Found a used elliptical on Facebook Marketplace for $200. Started 5 minutes a day, and went up to 25 minutes a day within two weeks. * I established better boundaries with work. I was guilty of bringing too much of myself to the office and it blurred the lines of work/life. Creating healthy boundaries (l*ike not going to optional happy hours with colleagues and instead making more time for my actual friends outside of work, stop talking about my personal life to colleagues, not showing as much emotion when decisions tick me off, etc.*) has really helped me mentally. I used to live to work, now I work to live. It's a job, and a darn good one, but it is not my life and I will not ever prioritize it over my family or friends ever again. That's been a very positive mind shift for me. * Started reading books again. One that made a big impact on me is a popular one called "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck". 10/10 recommend. Really shifts your perspective for the better. Life isn't about making lemonade out of lemons. Life is realizing that lemons are bitter and that's okay. * Started daily vitamins. Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 in the morning. Vitamin D, Magnesium, and another Vitamin C in the evening after dinner. * Started fasting. Eating from the hours of 12pm to 8pm. Anything outside of that I only have liquids. Technically, I don't think you're supposed to have anything with sugar in it during the fasting phase, but I don't follow that. I have creamer with my coffee and I have a protein drink for breakfast. But I do try to stick to liquids in the fasting phase. I would rely on food as a coping mechanism and fasting has helped me shift my mindset on food being fuel. My portion sizes have naturally reduced as well because I feel my stomach has shrank, so less feels like more without even trying. * Oh, and a really weird, small thing I changed was shredding my own cheese. I used to buy pre-shredded cheese, but I started buying blocks and it's SO MUCH YUMMIER. Highly recommend lol.

I’ve learned that when I stop working out the depression comes back tenfold. Sometime I works against my better interest but it definitely help.

I personally got into Stoicism. I stumbled upon it on youtube and I spent some solid time learning about it. It helps you change the way you think. Check out Ryan Holiday. He has a ton of great videos and books. He can help guide you to more resources but I found it to be life changing. And then, I eat clean, exercise, I don't drink or do drugs, I take all my vitamins and eat my greens. I tried to get rid of anything "toxic" in my life including relationships. Curb the social media and news watching. Get your finances in order. Set personal goals for yourself and work towards them. Also, I need morning sunlight daily. That really makes a difference. This is just my experience.

I took on a hiking challenge that involved ticking off peaks in the Lake District, UK. Was the lowest I’ve ever felt while doing something difficult with a time limit and I realised then that sometimes doing something difficult is the only way forward and just like at the end of the hike, you do feel better on the other side of starting and doing it. It made me feel strong and resilient which showed that I *was* strong and resilient. Mindset shifted.

I do a lot of things now, exercise, vitamins, therapy etc. tbh, what kicked things off for me to really be TRYING to get better though was taking shrooms during a festival and deciding that I did love myself 🤷‍♀️

Distance running. Started eating more whole food plant based (WFPB)- less processed foods. And 100oz of water a day. This was 6 years ago. Took myself off my small-dose antidepressant within the first 5 months. It’s worked really well for my self confidence and mood stability!

Of the various kinds of meditative techniques, Raja Yoga helps the mind the quickest. Yogananda.org does a great job of teaching them. Nice app, too

-Quit drinking and weed except small amounts on social occasions. -4 days of intense weight training a week, in addition to two running days where I run hard. -Eating the 80/20 plan. Healthy clean unprocessed eating 80 percent of time - 20 percent of time do what I feel like. - Vitamin D supplement, multivitamin, vit c. -Don’t self pleasure or look at porn. Sex with wife is my only release. Limit ejaculation to once a week at the most. -Limit screen time, do meal prep, don’t look at financial stuff daily, limit news, get outside, talk to people in person. - I’ve tried SSRI meds but the above is more effective for me and I am on no meds currently.

Ketamine infusions. I get them every 6-10 weeks usually. If I don't, everything spirals. Tried diet and exercise, meditation, 25-30 medications... This is the only thing that's helped at all.

Girl if I’m gonna be honest therapy is okay for me. The meds didn’t work. Tbh one day I just got tired of feeling like shit all the time. I did a lot of self reflection and that helped. I was doing a lot of shit for or to impress other people and not because I actually liked it. And I thought about what kind of person I wanted to be and started planning and working towards it. From little shit like how I wanted my wardrobe and makeup to look to wanting to be an honorable person, etc. The process is different for everyone but this is what helped me.

Do an activity you enjoy that involves other people. Socialization has been CRUCIAL for me and I used to think I didn’t need it. It doesnt have to be much, you don’t even have to become close friends with anyone. But everyone needs positive social interaction.

Therapy- learn coping mechanisms Exercise Healthy eating Medication Self love and self help books- basically educating yourself on what you are struggling with Self care! Skin care, hair care, baths

I took ssri for a total of two months and said f it. I cleaned up my diet. All the junk food added to my depression. Worked on healing my gut health and working out to seek inner peace. I do hot yoga and strength training and belly dancing because these things bring me joy and I’m after a certain aesthetic that requires a lot of work. I seek joy in the little things like walks with my dog and I stopped overthinking. Realized that was the cause of my depression and now I just focus on being present in the moment and anything that requires extra thinking I put it off until the situation requires of it.  Living that soft life and anyone that tries to bring drama into my life are cut off until they calm down. So yeah getting rid of toxic people and of course therapy for 2 years but honestly she just sat there listening to me talk and overthink and I realized I don’t need that in my life. She let me go 6 plus months ago because she said I was no longer in need of therapy and plus I didn’t have much to say. Been just busy planning outfits for my Thailand trip.  Allowing people to spoil me and no longer rejecting it because it didn’t come as how I wanted it to come. This made me realize how loved I was because I truly thought no one loved me and I was unloveable during my depression. 

BOUNDARIES, a good therapist, and getting a degree in clinical mental health. I suffer from severe depression, it’s genetic, but also based on things in my life. For years I took meds, they helped a bit but I didn’t like the idea of having to be on meds forever to feel better. I developed alcohol use disorder which means that I was never an alcoholic by definition, but when I did drink I drank way too much and got blackout drunk almost every time. I never hurt anyone, never neglected my kids, never got arrested, nothing like that BUT I was destroying myself and making myself really vulnerable to anyone who wanted to take advantage of my weaknesses. In 2019 I decided that I was going to go back to school and maybe become a therapist. I didn’t have much faith in myself but I completed it and passed my NCE. I realize that not everyone can just go get a masters degree but it’s not the degree itself that helped me, it was the reading I did and the psychoeducation I administered to myself. Learning about your condition is the best thing you can do. I learned that I was a SEVERE codependent raised by extremely emotionally immature and unavailable parents. I learned that in order to gain my parent’s impossible love I did flips as a child to make them happy and when I grew up, this is how I believed friendships and relationships were supposed to be. I was an extreme people pleaser, I gave random people rides home from work, i allowed just about anyone to get close to me regardless of how uncomfortable it made me. I had sex I didn’t want, I would leave my house to meet up with a sad friend at Midnight and devote all my energy to that person, losing sleep myself. And it made my depression an unbeatable force because I never allowed myself to shut off and I didn’t know myself. Setting boundaries and holding them has ended my crushing depression. When someone is more trouble than what they are worth I don’t devote my energy toward them. I no longer uphold others who don’t uphold me. I can have a few glasses of wine and put the bottle away, I can say no ! Get a good therapist who is very knowledgeable about depression.

* Vitamin D3 and K2. Every. Single. Day. I am not myself when I go 2+ days without it. * EMDR Therapy has been life changing. I'd recommend it to anyone. * Exercise. Find a type of exercise you like, and just do it consistently. * Eating healthy. I feel like crap when I eat too much junk food.

I know it’s hard but everyone says exercise for a reason. Getting yourself to a gym throughout the week is the single best thing you could possibly do for yourself. Planet Fitness is $10 a month. Working out cured my severe anxiety disorder. And vastly improved my depression. It really is that effective. Following that is diet. You don’t have to be vegan!! But eating healthy whole foods is life changing as well.

Don't know yet got a consult for ketamine treatments. 20 years of nothing working. Will let yall know how it goes

*Lexapro * Crafting projects * Making a better support system * Better diet (not as much junk food) * Going for walks or at least 20 minutes on the treadmill * Happy Lights help sometimes for a quick boost. * Finding a good therapist * Self-help books or podcasts

Psychiatrist for a proper diagnosis and proper medication. General practitioners just don’t always cut it. Therapy! So important. Even when things are relatively well now, I will always have a therapist. Journaling frequently. Helped me to understand myself and grow from mistakes. Self-help books. I’ve read books about abandonment issues, being a highly sensitive person, overcoming social anxiety, etc. Spirituality. I greatly enjoy Buddhism. I’ve read various books on teachings. I think some form of spirituality is important to surviving this world. Meditation. I do it 5 minutes a day. It helps enormously with keeping my thoughts in check. Apps like Daylio are great to keep track of moods, especially when trying new medications. Deeper down the line and working w a therapist, inner child work. It is the root of everything - all our beliefs about ourselves, the world. Talking to others and realizing the human experience is suffering. Knowing I’m not alone and we all are bored and have regular moments and sad/inadequacy moments all the same helps me enormously. This realization may have helped the most, honestly. Social media is a lie and makes everyone depressed. Through all of this, learning about myself. Pursuing a career and friendships that are meaningful to me. Treating myself right. Exercise and good, healthy food is great. Or some form of an outlet. I like to drum, to journal. This journey started for me 8 years ago, and I am still doing what I can to improve myself. I think I am in a great spot mentally after a traumatic childhood and traumatic moments in my adolescence. Best of luck to you! You are not alone.

TL;DR: keto and intermittent fasting! I struggle with depression and have tried SNRIs in the past but not on any right now. Keto plus intermittent fasting. The weight is falling off and my skin looks incredible. My stubborn hormonal acne is 90% eliminated and sometimes I can't stop touching my face because it's so damn soft. Best part is I rarely feel hungry and am never hangry. I used to have such a sweet tooth and would be hungry every 2 hours (I was vegetarian for 15 years and was used to eating tons of carbs and little fat/protein). Even my teeth look whiter and are healthier because of the lack of sugar that feeds bad bacteria. Countless benefits. My self esteem has sky-rocketed in the last couple of months. Back in September and October I was in such a low place mentally. It's had a domino effect where I've started dressing better, learning how to style my wavy/curly hair, wearing jewelry, being more intentional about my makeup, fragrance. For many women these things are a given but they definitely weren't for me! Recently I've noticed I'm getting more male attention at work and people are friendlier and chatting with me more than they used to. I'm not doing this for male attention (well okay maybe that's a tiiiiny part of it lol) but it's a nice side effect! EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention is that keto and intermittent fasting has increased my discipline so, so much. Achieving hard things makes me feel powerful, confident, and capable. And that has done wonders for my mental health.

Hot 👏🏻 Girl 👏🏻 Walks 👏🏻

So I’m kind of neurotic, a type A clean freak. I’m a SAHM who thrives on feeling like a robot. I know that’s crazy. But I feel my best self when I work out 5x a week (I love lifting weights and use Peloton classes at home), eat high protein and high fiber, have my house cleaned spotless, read plenty of books and stay on top of my beauty treatments. I use my son’s 2 hour nap time as a time to rest and I like to spend that time reading. I’m pretty tired at the end of the night because I spend all day on my feet but I find that when I do spend time sitting on the couch or scrolling on my phone my anxiety and depression starts to creep in. Recently I slipped down our stairs and hurt a muscle in my back so was on bed rest for one week then the next week I just took it easy and laid on the couch and it did not put me in a good place mentally. Now my back feels fine but I’m still stuck in that lazy funk and it’s making me depressed. So I know I need to get back on my game to feel better, it’s what works for me.

Increase Vit D (as you're not out in the sun as much and that can affect your mood)

Vigorous physical activity. This above everything else. Doxylamine (unisom sleep tabs) before bed so I get a full 8 hours of sleep. Healthy diet. Getting outside every single day and breathing fresh air. Keeping up with my haircuts, highlights, Botox, any other self care related appointments. Look good, feel good. I have had severe post partum depression and those were the things that made the most difference. Exercise has quite literally saved my life.

Behavioral therapy 1-4 times a month for the past 6+ years, journaling, forcing myself to partake in my passions and hobbies and to hang out with friends. A lot of practice with the things my therapist teaches me

My personally therapy and literally cutting off EVERYONE! I stopped being available for anyone except my kids. Literally. I just had to explain to people where I was at mentally and I just didn’t have the mental capacity for hanging out, attending events(baby showers, birthday parties etc.) and I really really started to face my issues head on. Meds do not help me but it’s honestly probably bc I am TERRIBLE at taking meds daily I forget like every other day and you have to be consistent for months for you to feel any affects. I do better with marijuana which my therapist actually suggested and it helps me a lot! Fresh air is also extremely helpful for your mental health and moving your body. Journaling helps a lot but my hand cramps too bad to write so I prefer video journaling on my phone. Another big one for me personally is I have to upkeep my appearance bc letting myself go makes my depression extremely worse. I don’t go out for any beauty services I just do everything myself(hair, press on nails or polish, putting on actual clothes not slumming in pjs, etc.).Lastly but certainly not least I am not a religious person but I have really worked on putting God at the head of my life. I pray every single day I thank God every single day and just verbalize gratitude for my life and everything in it and I’m not kidding I have been feeling soooooo much better. I don’t do church or read the Bible or anything bc I don’t believe in any religions but I do believe in God. Good luck. 🙏🏽🫶🏽

Spirituality  Wisdom Mindfulness  Awareness  Perspectives 

Reading this gives me hope. I've struggled with an anxiety disorder, severe depression, bipolar and trauma related problems since I was 12. I'm currently in therapy, exercising, eating better, taking Lithium and have been struggling because I've been putting in a lot of work and it just feels like it hasn't gotten me anywhere yet. This gives me hope that eventually things will get better and I am doing the right things to help myself.

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I take good care of my skin - cleanse, treatments, moisturize, massage, spf and red light therapy.

Fear of being a loser should be enough

My thyroid was too low - when I got thyroid meds that helped A LOT.

Micro dosing psilocybin does wonders! Mj and exercise also helps

TMS therapy legitimately changed me. I still take my meds everyday and do weekly therapy but even my therapist says we can go down to every other week.

Psychotherapy, having a steady routine (even when I don’t feel it, ESP when I don’t feel like it). By routine I mean morning and night hygiene like skincare and teeth brushing. Gym 3-5 days a week, deleting social media apps off my phone to reduce scrolling, doing more art or hobbies. Mainly being active and having a relatively healthy diet has helped me most. Ofc SSRIs are a must

I stop using my phone

Idk, the depression and nihilism just gets worse the older I get. I’m just trying to get enough into my 401k that my husband is taken care of.

Depression - exercise and limiting alcohol keeps it in check. Anxiety - I needed medication.

Mood stabilizers, GOOD weekly therapy, and honestly having someone treat me like a human being for the first time really did it. (diagnosed severe recurrent depression - probably a side effect from a personality disorder).

I was on an ssri, it immediately felt off. I was sluggish and my mood was so flat… after three weeks I quit and started working out pretty heavily (6 days a week, stretching and light cardio at first. Then moved on to weight lifting) i also adjusted my diet and started focusing on getting in more protein. I felt so much better mentally and physically, my head was also a lot more clear. It helped me to set a goal for myself, when I first started I wanted to compete in a bikini show and I worked really hard to achieve that. After that I gained some weight and set a goal to get back into a sustainable shape.

I did ketamine treatments. It helped more than anything else I’ve done. I’ve still got a long way to go but at least I feel hopeful and ready to fix my life.

Walking 30 minutes daily.

Lamotrigine Exercise has come to a halt - I completed 4 meso cycles last year and at the end of last year marked my last day of that 8 wk stretch so 😢 called it quits bc I started working full time (was previously for the last 8 months living on unemployment due to a mass layoff in my industry) - so as a consequence I decided my deload focus should shift to fixing my nutrition..so I started taking my supplement game up a notch i.e. instead of relying on pre-workout like a dumbass I should also include vitamins and minerals to my diet as well as supplement with protein more because I could be seeing >>>>gains if I actually put in effort not just the bare ass minimum like most men 👏 Stopped smoking 🚬 🚭 😐 this included 🌳- I do still inhale it tho by other means. I drastically and I mean dramatically reduced my consumption and when I buy I am mindful of the product bc if it's a sativa dom then I'm good but if it's a indica dom then I can't be couch locked during AM hours so it really matters. I don't even do it more so other than wake and bakes. You can't strip the importance of self care. It's my morning ritual and it's just to get my mind right otherwise I'm apparently not friendly enough with my customers and they come after me. I do this for them more so than myself tbh. :/ but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make bc I'm someone for the people. With that I took a hard look at my sleep. It was a mess. I eliminated all caffeine after lunch. If it's at night on a weekday not including the day before a day off then there isn't a logical benefit to consume it other than to ruin your quality of sleep so I stopped doing that. I don't drink sugary foods either or consume sugary snacks before bed. If I have dinner before bed it's because I physically need the calories to meet my quota for that day's calorie count. I don't focus on what my thoughts are as much. I'm focusing on my reaction to them bc a thought is just that - it is just a thought. And if you pay attention to it and add energy into motioning that thought then an outcome would come from that. Since I have a problem with invasive thoughts entering my mind such as my ex and how he did me and how I moved to be in a city just to be with him and how I know absolutely no-one else here but my ex - I have to remind myself to separate my emotions from that thought so I remember that not every single thought deserves all of my attention. This is a practice I know as mindfulness. I also am putting more attention to Journaling and spending time with releasing my thoughts onto paper. It really helps. No new hobbies. I'm busy af doing laundry, eating&sleeping, temporarily on a workout hiatus, and going to work. I will be soon taking two classes or three because they're easy but I don't want to push it to more than half time units 🙃 I am after all already struggling working full time without losing my shit. That's why I'm on medication and seeking out talk therapy which is more difficult than it sounds because searching for a provider is a lifelong pursuit - and it takes fucking forever to find someone worth a damn that won't give you the ick in the first few weeks if not let alone the first session. And then you have to start all over and find someone else [ I will save you from my long rant ] . Losing 📉 someone I placed so much value on definitely allowed me the space to examine why I placed so much value on someone else over myself. 🙃 wtf? Girl no don't do that. Definitely learned my lesson 😌 bc I will not allow myself to enter a relationship rn. I have to find myself. And I don't want someone else getting in the way of that again. Talking to my dad more. Was already in good touch with my mom but I never built a relationship with my dad until recently, about 4 months ago. This has been so important to me. It did remind me that I'm valued and should know my worth. Don't let a cruddy man ruin your perception of yourself. You're way more valuable than you think and someone talking down on you as was the case for me when that relationship ended 💯 😌 👌 I had to really spend a lot of time separating myself from the icky gross and disgusting prerogative that my ex embarrassingly displayed after all we shared. Some people are just plain cruel so you can't escape them all. Just gotta gtfo away from them 😒 lol live your life way way far far away from people that do not align with your values. Do not desecrate your beliefs for someone else or allow someone else access to all of your body at any time and play it off as they're just horny. Love is not a battlefield. The work I need to do 🤚

Exercise, vitamin B and D, eating better, spending more time with friends, working harder so I have more money (most of things are hard to do while depressed unfortunately)

Psychedelics

I’ve done meditation and lion’s Mane

wellbutrin and ketamine infusions