If you've overcame depression and anxiety or coping well, What's helping you the most?

Answer 1

Walking everyday..sunshine..a positive attitude and love for my self and forgiveness of myself. I read the four agreements and am trying everyday to live them..It takes every min of your day to concentrate and to relearn to love yourself and to not take things personally that happen in your life.

Answer 2

I have a great support system made up of my closest friends. When I was having a really bad couple of weeks last year....they all jumped in and helped me with my kids, which was a life saver. I am also taking an anxiety/depression medication that is working wonders for me. I've tried a few different ones, but finally got it right. I've been more active around the house in the last couple of months than I have ever been...had no idea I could organize a house....guess what I can. I enjoy my kids so much more than I could have imagined possible. I've even decided to get in shape and take the exam to become a police officer. A year ago I would never have imagined that my life would go up and down and badly as it did, but now I finally see a brighter future for myself.

Answer 3

Social anxiety can cause these feelings, which can also lead to severe depression,
http://www.socialanxietyinstitute.org/ds...

There is hope; I've been there, and still am there, it is a long, hard struggle. I recommend
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cognitive_b... worked best for me, with mild anti-anxiety meds. I suffered from social anxiety for over 15 years. I've tried individual therapy, and group therapy and studied psychology for 10 years, as a profession, but also with the hope to cure myself.

Depending on your comfort level, you could go to a psychologist that practices CBT and specializes in anxiety disorders, seek a group therapy, or create one. Usually those that do attend the group therapy are a bit more high functioning because as you know, it can be difficult to speak in a group.

Another idea is to see if there are any local research studies being conducted that you could participate in.

The program that finally worked the best for me is this one: http://www.socialanxiety.us/findinghelp.... and I was lucky enough to have a structured behavioral group to go along with it. Sometimes the people that actually attend this program come back home and form groups.

I recommend a mild anti-anxiety med in addition to CBT therapy.

Any questions, let me know ... I can't tell you how much this has improved my life!


Another great website: http://www.markway.com/acceptance/menu.h...

Answer 4

Nutrition and exercise. The typical american diet really depletes some very important minerals from the body particualy calcium and magnesium as well as vitamins like b12.
Changing my diet has done wonders. I don't have that constant feeling that something is going to run me down. I was always running pushig myself because of my anxiety and depression.
You need to learn about two parts othe nervous system. The Sympathetic Nervous system taht deals with flight or fight and the Parasympathetic system that deals with rest and digest. Some foods will trigger the Sympathetic Nervous system and makeyou anxious and trigger depression. Some foods are relaxing.
Aslo exercise is great. Just don't get addicted tot he adrenalin rush.

Answer 5

I've over came anxiety. I had it for about 3 years and it was horrible. I finally got a mind set that I could beat this and worked on things slowly and didn't expect things to get better over night. I spent 30 minutes each day out in the sun having relaxing "ME" time and that worked wonders. I quit taking the meds and got near supportive people that I could talk to if I felt anxious. Good luck ! It can be done! Keep a good mind set!

Answer 6

I have overcome depression. I still have anxiety but it is greatly reduced. Started off on meds but after a few years, the anxiety was getting worse. Exercise, Omega 3s, B Complex, alot of prayer and self talk are what have been working for me.

Answer 7

understanding the way you are, you can overcome depression, here´s a great essay written by the chief psychiatrist of duke university, about depression and the all chemical imbalance theory.

"Can anyone miss the heavy advertising on television of the various antidepressants? I watch these commercials and note the careful language they use in suggesting that depression "may" be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Then they go on to tell you how the medication can "correct" this biochemical imbalance. Are they just being careful in the way they talk about the antidepressant medication, or are they somehow being evasive in not stating their case more forcefully? I can't really tell. Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain?

I have often used this column to point out the confusion that people experience when they are given incomplete or even contradictory information about depression, its causes and treatments. And I will do so now.

If we ask the question straight out, "What causes depression?" the most accurate answer I can give is, "Many things." There are biological factors (including a degree of genetic vulnerability and biochemical factors), psychological factors (such as your coping style and temperament), and social factors (your family atmosphere and presence of a support network).

Those that suggest an entirely biological view of depression, even declaring it a "serious disease only your doctor can diagnose," as some of the commercials state, ignore the huge amount of irrefutable evidence that depression involves much, much more than just "bad chemistry." They lead people to believe that depression is entirely about a "chemical imbalance in the brain."

There are many reasons why the information about other factors in depression, some at least as important as the biochemical, is not as available to the general population as the "chemical imbalance" theories. Advertising budgets of the pharmaceutical companies for depression medications alone was in the billions of dollars last year. That's an enormous amount of money being spent to promote the view of depression as a "disease" requiring drug treatment.

First and foremost, drug companies want to sell drugs, and physicians still have the unique privilege of writing drug prescriptions. Thus, the general population is inundated with pharmaceutical advertising in magazines and in newspapers and on television, all advising you that if you have "this" symptom, then you should ask your doctor for "that" drug. It's a very successful marketing strategy, but it may not serve people as well as it should, in my opinion.

Another reason the "chemical imbalance" theory has such strong support is that doctors are intensively trained to define and treat most problems biologically. There is a great tendency, almost reflexive, to prescribe physical treatments.

Last, but not least, there is a cultural shift to explain all our problems by biology ("I have a shopping addiction"). The result is that we don't have to take personal responsibility and make personal changes. It's not unlike the joke Jay Leno made on his show one night when he said, "They came out with a new weight loss drug this week. Thank God! I was afraid I was going to have to watch my diet and exercise!"

The chief problem with the view of depression as a consequence of a "chemical imbalance in the brain" is the fact that depression can be both triggered by and resolved by life events. The misconception the commercials foster is that the brain somehow develops a chemical imbalance and the result is depression, occurring in a single directional process.

In fact, the relationship between brain chemistry and experience is a two-directional phenomenon: Life experience affects brain chemistry at least as much as brain chemistry affects life experience. There is a growing body of evidence that psychotherapy, so-called "talk therapy," can alter brain chemistry in ways similar to drugs, without the adverse side effects.

The "chemical imbalance" hypothesis is not wrong. It's just not entirely correct."

my anxiety was due to a crash diet, i just freaked out, lost 18 pounds in a week!!, im lucky just to be a live! but, everyday im getting better and better, with the help of exercise!! do it, trust me! it works, harvard university just did a study and it showed that exercise was just as effective as antidepressents (in the long term) at curing and preventing depression.

Answer 8

Chronic depression is not something you ever overcome. It is something that you have to learn to manage, like high blood pressure.

I've tried changing my diet, more exercise, talk therapy and medication.

Of all the things I've done, only the medication seems to really help.

If you suffer from depression - and take medication, dont let anyone talk you about of taking it.

Answer 9

I will always have depression and anxiety. It is keeping it under control. I take Effexor XR 75mg and xanax 2-3mg a day if needed. I also take a small dose of restoril & serequel at bedtime so I can sleep which helps me immensely.

Answer 10

Enjoy your Work, Job, Duty & Life
-How-
Do your Job, Lead your life with honesty and Dedication, leave result on God.
There might be many other things beyond your control to get desired result.
You enjoy the result whatever you get out of your input.
Thank to God and work to reduce errors.