I think im depressed but dont want to take meds?

Question

I think im depressed but i dont want to take medications. Ive talked to different doctors and they all said its a stage im going thru but it must be a really long stage because ive been this way since i was 14? What are some ways to help with depression without taking meds for it I want to feel better not feel nothing and be like a zombie

Answer 1

Oh dear! While I understand your fear of medications, there is no way around it. Sure, you can exercise or get involved in activities to keep your mind occupied; however, since you seem to be suffering from clinical depression, once you are in the downtime mode, your depression will only return. I have been involved in two very serious accidents within 5 weeks of one another back in 2002 and, as a result, am suffering from severe Fibromyalgia and MS. One of the treatments for Fibromyalgia does involve an anti-depressant and it took quite some time to get the right one for me. I am now, aside from all the other meds my condition requires, taking Cymbalta. I am not going to lie and tell you that I am my old self again, but it has really improved my mood by much. I still go throught stages of despair and hopelesness, but with the type of excrutiating physical pain, the mental pain is never far. I too was afraid that the anti-depressants would turn me into a Zombie, as you call it, but that really is not true, once the right dose was balanced out. Don't expect miracles overnight, but in the long run, I don't think I would have been able to keep my mental stability, had it not been for the meds. I am a single Mom, raising a teenage boy on nothing but disability income and am considered way below the poverty line; however, my child is what keeps me going. Because neither one of my accidents were my fault, I have sought legal help and enlisted the help of an attorney. Gosh, he alone is enough to make me take anti-depressants :) It's been 5 yrs. and I haven't been paid as of yet, but I will not give up hope and trust that I will, somehow, overcome all of the obstacles and get my health under control. At least enough to being able to guide my son into manhood until he can stand on his own two feet. Without the aide of the medication that would have never been possible. Ms Finley, don't give up and please do get medical help. A good anti-depressant, as I said, it takes a while to find the right one, will help you regain your normal life. You have suffered long enough, dear. Don't wait any longer. Go see a good doctor, one you trust and talk about what is bothering you. You can also enlist the help of self-help and/or support groups, but the medication is what is going to get your chemical imbalance in your brain (and that is what depression is) under control. Please, do this and you will see just how much better you can feel. God Bless and I hope and pray that you will feel better soon. MsB.

Answer 2

There are many things you can do to help treat depression. Exercise can help as it releases endorphins in the brain and helps to relieve stress. Counseling can also help. Spiritual fulfillment, such as church or meditation, is another outlet. If nothing else helps medication may be your only option. You should also be talking to a psychiatrist and not a regular doctor. If someone is telling you it is a phase, they are obviously not listening. Just so you know, antidepressants don't have to make you feel like a zombie. There are quite a few on the market with minimal side effects. Ocassionally it takes trying several different ones, but if you work with your doctor, you should be able to find one that makes you feel better without feeling like a zombie.

Answer 3

There are many medications with varying strengths. I was always against medication for depression, I always thought it meant you were weak. I was in an abusive relationship and started to have panic attacks. When I went to the doctor's he asked me if I was depressed, I really didn't think I was. He said that depression and stress are major causes of panic attacks, and he put me on Paxil. I didn't want to take it, but the panic attacks were coming so frequently, it was getting so that i couldn't leave my house. I was on a very small dosage, and when i started taking the medication, the panic attacks stopped, but it didn't change my personality or make me a zombie, it actually worked. After being on it for a year or so, the doctor took me off it. I have had no panic attacks, and I feel really good now. (I also ended the relationship) So, if the docotr does prescribe you something, take it, if you find that you are zombie like, report it to your doctor and see if he or she can lower the dosage. Chances are you will not need the medication forever, and hopefully you will feel better. Good Luck!

Answer 4

Well, maybe you are going to the wrong type of Doctor. You should try alternative medicine, such as a DOM (Doctor of Oriental Medicine), or a Nautropath (ND). Their are SO MANY natural "meds" that help your body to bring hormones, cortisol, serotonin, and other bio chemic levels in the body back to the normal or natural range, you'd be amazed. If you really don't want to go to the Doctor but are willing to try something natural you should try St. John's Wort, or Valerian, Black Cohosh, or even the over the counter Relacore, which is sold as a weight loss medication but has no appetite suppressant in it. These medicines work in a natural fashion, replenishing the body to it's natural balance thus making you feel "normal", and even happier. All of these supplements are sold at Walmart at a very reasonable prices, making them really accessible to you. I also would recommend spending some time each day outside, and also time exercising. The endorphins that are let off during these actions do wonders for you, and how you feel. I've been border line depressed at many times in my life, and like you don't want to be "disconnected", so I go the natural route, and it does wonders. I wish you a renewed happy heart, good luck!

Answer 5

Ok, I know exactly how you feel because I've dealt with the same thing. I hated taking anti-depressants. I don't want to live on medication for the rest of my life just to be happy, or even normal. So, when people tell you that you do not have a choice, please do not listen to them. It is your choice. Now, the next step would be to find out how to feel better..naturally. You need to really spend some time and figure out what makes you feel even remotely better (positive things please :) and focus on them to expand upon them. It could be anything like walking, talking to someone on the phone, taking a shower (it's been proven that showers are very therapeutic) taking care of something (like a pet) etc. All of these things would not harm a person to do more of, if they make you feel better. I would also just talk to a doctor about different medications and what your options are. If you find a good doctor, they will be willing to sit and talk with you about side effects, options of dosage and discuss the concerns you have. This way, the doctor will know to keep an eye on you and if you are feeling like a "zombie" then they need to either change the meds or lower the dosage. Either way just please remember, it's your choice and you shouldn't be forced one way or another. Good luck to you and know that even though we are all strangers, we are all here for you.

If you need to talk, it might be easier to talk to a stranger. My email is below.

Answer 6

Take it from someone who's been there - meds can help, but try going to www.healthyplace.com - they offer a lot of help with depression, plus have a advice on natural ways to help with it. B vitamins, St. Johns wart, folic acid, etc. There are alternatives to try, so give them a shot. I also have to say that I'm surprised at your doctors - in todays world, most professionals know better than to say "it's just a stage...". Clinical Depression can be very serious, not to mention an extremely lonely place to be. Good Luck.

Answer 7

Hello there.. I have had so many problems since I was 13. When I was 15 I had shingles because of the depression and nerve brake downs. Then age 15 I went to a doctor who wrote me Xanax type of medicine which supposed to make me feel better and more relaxed. I didn't know that doctor gave me that medicine because my mum didn't tell me. My mum wanted to try on herself (she had problems too). The medicine paralyzed my mum for 1 week. This was a side effect (!)

Medicenes has side effects.. A medicine should heal us not put our lives in danger and have SIDE EFFECTS!

So, my advice to you is instead of using medicines, try NLP (neuro linguistic programming). Everything is in our brain. Our brain has two parts. One is conscious and the other sub-sonscious. Sub-conscious is the one that keeps every little detail that we had in the past. The other is the daily things that we remember or we do. So everything is written in our sıb-conscious and the problem lies there without knowing it.

Let me give you an example. People have fobbies. Why fobbies occur? In childhood, or even in mother's womb, we are alive but without knowing or understanding what we are doing. My friend who is age 32, has always been scared of door bells or phone rings. He was always irritated with the sound. He took the session and it turned out that when he was age 2, his parents had a huge fight and his father slapped his mother and at the same time the phone started to rang as well as the door bell. Therefore whenever he heard the bell or phone ringing, his sub-conscious remember it and irritated him. But now he knows where the problem based on and he is not irritated or scared of it anymore. This is only one example.

All big companies use NLP coaches to achieve more and most of the soccer teams has their own NLP coaches to achieve their goals.

This is what I can suggest you. I had self-sessions and now my life has never been better. (it has been 4 years) I am a pro-snowboarder and I had a board accident. I was disabled for 6 months and still suffering but if i didn't had the NLP, I wouldnt survive. I am a person who suffered from nerve attacks, try to suicide, alcohol and drug addiction. Nothing was better than solving my sub-conscious and dealing with my innerself.

Always think positive and try make people happy so that you feel happy.

When our times come, we will all going to other world. So try your best and LOVE, BELIEVE and TRUST yourself.

Hope you will feel better and better everytime you wake up and go to sleep. Good luck with your journey. :)

Load of smiles for you...

PS: I hope I was clear. I am sorry about my english :)

Answer 8

i can answer this for you because i suffer from clinical depression, some of the ways you can treat it without meds is....know what your warning signs are, the trigger.like what sets you off, each day you can write 10 or as many as you want good things about yourself,if you have a hard time talking to people or friends or family try a journal so at least you can get these bad thoughts at least its out of your head and on paper,talk to theripst or a counselor if still in school....well thats all i can say about that if you still need more help im always here and i know what you mean about being a zombie from meds, drop me a message if you ever want to talk or need some one to talk to okay......hope this helps and stay safe

Answer 9

You probably feel like nothing and feel like a zombie right now. Antidepressants are formulated to make you feel better and make you feel like living life again. It's not going to get better on its own, especially if you've felt this way since you were 14. You are waiting on the depression to pass, but meanwhile, life is passing you by. I was in a deep depression and took Prozac. It really helped me feel happier in general and I felt like living again. I wanted to get out and do stuff and I didn't feel like just laying around all day. Meds for depression don't make you zone out, they perk you up (mentally). You should at least give it a try. Good Luck!

Answer 10

If you truly are depressed, as in a chemical imbalance, there is no way to fix it without medication. If you continue to ignore it, the symptoms will simply get worse until you can't think and can't stay awake-trust me, I know. If it is a stage you are going through, then if you change your lifestyle to do the opposite of what you are doing now, you should feel better. I would also suggest keeping a journal to keep your thoughts and feelings in. It helps you sort things out. Hope this helps!!!