How do you avoid sadness and other mood swings when you're already on a mood stabilizer?

Question

I'm convinced I don't need an adjustment in my psycho drugs, that I just have a pattern of getting moody and sad at this time of year every year. No drug can fix it. It's "all in my head"! I take my Seraquel and Topamax religiously as directed but I still get depressed on my birthday in October every year and it lasts until March (throught the tough holiday season which is touch for a whole lot of people). There's got to be another answer besides more drugs! Any ideas??

Answer 1

The following will help you: Natural Highs or
Things That Will Help Make You Feel Good!
Think about them one at a time before going on to the next one. It does make you feel good, especially the thought at the end #45.
1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting a card or letter in the mail
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.!
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).
12. A bubble bath.
13. Giggling
14. A good conversation.
15. The beach
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Looking into someones eyes and knowing that they Love you
19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
23. Laughing at an inside joke
24. Friends.
25. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
26. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
27. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).
28. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
29 Playing with a new puppy or kitten.
30. Having someone play with your hair.
31. Sweet dreams.
32. Hot chocolate.
33. Road trips with friends.
34. Swinging on swings.
35. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
36. Making chocolate chip cookies.
37. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
38. Holding hands with someone you care about.
39. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
40 Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
41. Watching the sunrise.
42. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
43. Knowing that somebody misses you.
44. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
45. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

Answer 2

You may or may not also be suseptable to what is called "Seasonal depression". This happens to me. I have found that at that time it is difficult to even go outside and do something (which really bites, because if I did, I know I'd feel better). But, I have found that if I go and spend 15 or 20 minutes in the tanning salon, the high sodium beds, it honestly helps quite a bit. I don't do this all the time, but maybe once a week when I can't really get out of the blue mood. There is also a light bulb that you can get at the health food store which really, really helps. It emits different spectrums of light that other bulbs don't have, but that the Sun emits. They are about $10-. I put one in the light by the couch and just sit under it for a few minutes a day, perhaps reading, or watching TV. This really makes a difference.
I hope you give one of these suggestions a try. You are difinitely not alone it this, so hang in there.

Answer 3

Do something that makes you happy.

Go out and buy a hamburger and fries and give it to the first street person you see.

Long term - throw the drugs away, and also get rid of all other chemicals from you home, your bathroom, your life. We poison ourselves, and these things attack major organs. I would guarantee yours is a chemical problem.

Try to eat fresh food only, cut down processed foods. Cut out caffeine, or if that is too hard, just 1 coffee to set you up for the day.

It always seems strange to me that the medical world's answer to the pollutants we ingest, pour on ourselves and breathe, is to give us more chemicals in the form of drugs. Those things you are taking won't cure you - they just relieve temporarily. But they are chemicals all the same. There is a body chemistry side to your immune system, especially in protecting major organs like the brain, and all the chemicals in our lives interfere with this vital immune system chemistry.

I am 61 and I have never taken any drugs, other than the occasional aspirin, and those rarely. I have never been to hospital, except to have some stitches when I cracked my head open as a kid.

I am not American, but I have lived in American society, and I am amazed that nearly everyone in middle class America is on some kind of medication.

The drug companies have got you over a barrel, believe me.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Sounds like you are soreness from melancholy. I went by way of this sort of factor too. Especially whilst you mentioned approximately taking it out for your boyfriend. I use to get so irritated at him over the smallest matters. I know the way you are feeling. For a protracted even as I used to be satisfied I would repair this myself, however then I had to confess defeat and take delivery of I used to be depressed and wanted support. You will have to cross to the medical professional, he's going to mostly get you organised with a councillor in the beginning, after which positioned you on a moderate dosage of anti-depressants. I do not know even though, however you will have to obviously do and spot a medical professional. I've now been on anti-dperessants for simply over every week and they have got labored up to now. I'm a lot more comfy and the matters that use to make me quite irritated, simply do not hassle me now. I do not allow little matters get me down. I desire this is helping you, well success x

Answer 5

Although drugs can be a helpful tool to treat depression, they are only a tool, not the answer. The answer is in all the things you already know you should be doing but don't. Things like excersize, eating right, and working hard. If you do these three things, you wont have time to sit around and feel sorry for yourself. Please don't take this answer the wrong way, as I myself have just recently won the battle with depression. The better you feel about yourself, the better you will feel period, and the answer to feeling better about yourself is to put in the hard work and discipline it takes to improve your quality of life.

Answer 6

Maybe you should try some therapy... its not always a good idea to just use the medicine to fix things, sometimes you have to use a therapist too. And I know that my psychiatrist sucks to talk to, she always suggests a psychologist for that area... the psychiatrist mostly is there to adjust your meds. Good luck

Answer 7

well talk to your best friend take all the sadness from oyur hart and head and i am shore that you will find a great answer that will cary you thrue your life and that you can do whenever you are depressed

Answer 8

try not to think about your problems as much just think about what makes you happy...... good luck