a sad story

mine. i had a major depression in mid 2008 after flirting with untreated depression since my mid 30s. it was so bad that i had to embrace the world of (inexact) science that psychiatry is. i knew i could not return from its (inexact) clutches once i emraced it but i was feeling pretty hopeless then. i was put on lexapro 10 mg and then to it was added mirtazpine 15 mg. i recovered and within a month became normal. fast forward to today. since the last 3 months, the effect of the meds has waned a bit. i paid a visit to my pdoc a week ago. i told him about my alcohol use too -- drinking 3/4 times a week. he has upped my dose of lexapro to 20 mg and also advised me to totally quit alcohol but only after after i am stable. i am feeling worse 7 days into the new dose. my depression has severely intensified. fortunately, even in my worst spells of depression, i get a 3/4 hour window of normalcy before hitting the bed (like right now). i can live with this bloody illness with such a window. the road before me is tortuous, i know. it might take me many months to find the right medicine. but i have to buy time from the maker. i bought 4 years the last time i bought my first ssri. i hope i can buy another 4 years this time. feel free to post whatever you like, including "get well soon" etc. yes, i am also active in a depression forum elsewhere.

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:mine. i had a major depression in mid 2008 after flirting with untreated depression since my mid 30s. it was so bad that i had to embrace the world of (inexact) science that psychiatry is. i knew i could not return from it's (inexact) clutches once i emraced it but i was feeling pretty hopeless then. i was put on lexapro 10 mg and then to it was added mirtazpine 15 mg. i recovered and within a month became normal. fast forward to today. since the last 3 months, the effect of the meds has waned a bit. i paid a visit to my pdoc a week ago. i told him about my alcohol use too -- drinking 3/4 times a week. he has upped my dose of lexapro to 20 mg and also advised me to totally quit alcohol but only after after i am stable. i am feeling worse 5 days into the new dose. my depression has severely intensified. fortunately, even in my worst spells of depression, i get a 3/4 hour window of normalcy before hitting the bed (like right now). i can live with this bloody illness with such a window. the road before me is tortuous, i know. it might take me many months to find the right medicine. but i have to buy time from the maker. i bought 4 years the last time i bought my first ssri. i hope i can buy another 4 years this time. feel free to post whatever you like, including "get well soon" etc. yes, i am also active in a depression forum elsewhere.

1. exercise daily for 30 minutes
2. avoid high fat (for instance deep fried) and high sugar foods
3. make sure you are getting sufficient sleep. but do not over sleep.
4. reading some relevant books might help. for instance this book:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Stop-Worrying-Start-Living/dp/0671035975/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330878489&sr=1-1

thanks rashmun

Well, the best thing is that you recognize the issue.

Other than that, feel free to take more opinions and diagnoses, until you find a dose that suits you.

alcohol is a complete no-no.

Feel better soon!

I find our SuChat to be pretty vibrant and fun-filled. It could relax and relieve you from stress and possibly from depression too. Of course, if you overspend your time here, it could be counterproductive.

You have our support, Huze .

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:mine. i had a major depression in mid 2008 after flirting with untreated depression since my mid 30s. it was so bad that i had to embrace the world of (inexact) science that psychiatry is. i knew i could not return from its (inexact) clutches once i emraced it but i was feeling pretty hopeless then. i was put on lexapro 10 mg and then to it was added mirtazpine 15 mg. i recovered and within a month became normal. fast forward to today. since the last 3 months, the effect of the meds has waned a bit. i paid a visit to my pdoc a week ago. i told him about my alcohol use too -- drinking 3/4 times a week. he has upped my dose of lexapro to 20 mg and also advised me to totally quit alcohol but only after after i am stable. i am feeling worse 7 days into the new dose. my depression has severely intensified. fortunately, even in my worst spells of depression, i get a 3/4 hour window of normalcy before hitting the bed (like right now). i can live with this bloody illness with such a window. the road before me is tortuous, i know. it might take me many months to find the right medicine. but i have to buy time from the maker. i bought 4 years the last time i bought my first ssri. i hope i can buy another 4 years this time. feel free to post whatever you like, including "get well soon" etc. yes, i am also active in a depression forum elsewhere.

I am sure Maria Amma will respond to this... Perhaps, Sandilya will respond if you posted it "There" (Not even sure if it is YOUR story or just doing a Rashmun).

Did u talk to a Psychologist? It is my narrow view that the psychiatrists dont know much about what the heck is going on inside the brain (heck...no one knows...it is 50 years behind heart in terms of knowledge). All that the psychiatrists know are Serotonin and gaba, and empirical relationship between some medicines and observed results (whatever the pharma reps blabber.) Once you walk into a Psych doc's office, you will never come out of it all your life.

Try to talk to a Psychologist (same as psychiatrist but without meds). Also, rule of thumb - if you have a reason to be depressed about (loss of job, bankruptcy, etc) then you are not under depression. MOST people will cite a reason for their depression. That is nothing but lack of skills to deal with life's challenges and failure to accept the outcome of their action (inaction).

There are legit patients of depression who needs treatment (like Rashmun). But even by the AMA studies Psych drugs are over prescribed and another study showed that almost all psych drugs have only placebo effect.

P.S. Now Maria will respond - certainly more useful bcz you are already hooked on psych meds.

kinnera wrote:I find our SuChat to be pretty vibrant and fun-filled. It could relax and relieve you from stress and possibly from depression too. Of course, if you overspend your time here, it could be counterproductive.

You have our support, Huze .

lol kinns. i will bore you guys at chat be rest assured.

huzefa: i listened to this story on NPR some weeks ago. hope you'll find it useful. hope you feel better soon.

here is the link to the story:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/01/23/145525853/when-it-comes-to-depression-serotonin-isnt-the-whole-story

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:Did u talk to a Psychologist? It is my narrow view that the psychiatrists dont know much about what the heck is going on inside the brain (heck...no one knows...it is 50 years behind heart in terms of knowledge).

yes.

All that the psychiatrists know are Serotonin and gaba, and empirical relationship between some medicines and observed results (whatever the pharma reps blabber.) Once you walk into a Psych doc's office, you will never come out of it all your life.

true.

Try to talk to a Psychologist (same as psychiatrist but without meds).

OK. i will try therapy. let me feel better first.

Hello HK!

*I assume your Doctor explained the possible side effects of Lexapro to you, especially extreme mood swings and insomnia.*Obviously, talk to your Doctor right away about your symptoms who can best
evaluate you and perhaps consider a dosage adjustment (which is quite common) and other alternatives. As you know- even if you don't want to take Lexapro, or other antidepressants, it has to be a gradual withdrawal.

*I assume you are also gradually decreasing the intake of alcohol.

*In the meantime..as others have mentioned..changes in life style are also important (healthy diet, exercise, sleep etc are important).

*I always suggest some- mental relaxation techniques for a few mins a day, completely "detaching onself" from everything be it tech gadgets, people, trying to control all thoughts.. to meditation, prayer..just general a calm "state of mind"

*In my view..the basic "taking one day at a time"..goes a long way. Be around environments/people which/who are positive and uplifting are enormously beneficial.As they say "trust the journey". From all that I have seen, the simple cliches', which offer hope and encouragement genuinely seem to be powerful in any recovery and rehab process.



Like all stories..your story perhaps has sad and happy moments..hope this is just a temporary "sad phase"..and there are many more happy moments ahead as your story continues to unfold !

Take good care.

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:huzefa: i listened to this story on NPR some weeks ago. hope you'll find it useful. hope you feel better soon.

here is the link to the story:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/01/23/145525853/when-it-comes-to-depression-serotonin-isnt-the-whole-story

Wow...thanks. and i do not mean that in a sarcastic way. but having submitted myself as a guinea pig to the psychiatrists, there is little i can do now but trust them. maybe i was born in the wrong century. but what to do -- at the end of the day you have to follow contemporary science. i hope i get well soon.

maria, your post is good -- i will respond tomorrow.

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:mine. i had a major depression in mid 2008 after flirting with untreated depression since my mid 30s. it was so bad that i had to embrace the world of (inexact) science that psychiatry is. i knew i could not return from its (inexact) clutches once i emraced it but i was feeling pretty hopeless then. i was put on lexapro 10 mg and then to it was added mirtazpine 15 mg. i recovered and within a month became normal. fast forward to today. since the last 3 months, the effect of the meds has waned a bit. i paid a visit to my pdoc a week ago. i told him about my alcohol use too -- drinking 3/4 times a week. he has upped my dose of lexapro to 20 mg and also advised me to totally quit alcohol but only after after i am stable. i am feeling worse 7 days into the new dose. my depression has severely intensified. fortunately, even in my worst spells of depression, i get a 3/4 hour window of normalcy before hitting the bed (like right now). i can live with this bloody illness with such a window. the road before me is tortuous, i know. it might take me many months to find the right medicine. but i have to buy time from the maker. i bought 4 years the last time i bought my first ssri. i hope i can buy another 4 years this time. feel free to post whatever you like, including "get well soon" etc. yes, i am also active in a depression forum elsewhere.

>>>Based on what you are saying, it doesn't seem like this was triggered by a particular event, but is rather an innate condition ( I don't know the technical terminology for this). It is good that you are aware of it and talking to professionals. In addition to what you are doing, my only suggestion is to maintain an ongoing journal where you write down your feelings. This could be therapeutic as well as give insight in what may be exacerbating the issue. As someone has alluded to below, being on forums like this and interacting with people regularly is hopefully of some help. I don't know if you are of a spiritual bent, but even if you are not strong on religion, there are religious works that help with positive thinking. These may be worth exploring,as they give you a sense of hope. Best wishes.

Wow, thanks:)

Seriously, only respond, if you feel like it.

*Since this is a personal situation..Kindly take what I said as in "general".

I am aware and sensitive about boundaries and limits about personal situations in a public forum, if you feel like responding- please do so about anything in "general".

Maria S wrote:Hello HK!

*I assume your Doctor explained the possible side effects of Lexapro to you, especially extreme mood swings and insomnia.*Obviously, talk to your Doctor right away about your symptoms who can best
evaluate you and perhaps consider a dosage adjustment (which is quite common) and other alternatives. As you know- even if you don't want to take Lexapro, or other antidepressants, it has to be a gradual withdrawal.

*I assume you are also gradually decreasing the intake of alcohol.

*In the meantime..as others have mentioned..changes in life style are also important (healthy diet, exercise, sleep etc are important).

*I always suggest some- mental relaxation techniques for a few mins a day, completely "detaching onself" from everything be it tech gadgets, people, trying to control all thoughts.. to meditation, prayer..just general a calm "state of mind"

*In my view..the basic "taking one day at a time"..goes a long way. Be around environments/people which/who are positive and uplifting are enormously beneficial.As they say "trust the journey". From all that I have seen, the simple cliches', which offer hope and encouragement genuinely seem to be powerful in any recovery and rehab process.



Like all stories..your story perhaps has sad and happy moments..hope this is just a temporary "sad phase"..and there are many more happy moments ahead as your story continues to unfold !

Take good care.

>>>>Good post, Maria. Hope HK gets better soon.

Thanks Kris.

Join you and other well wishers of HK and hope for the same.

Huze,

Depression is tough; especially when you look OK and seem OK to the world but, vonly ju know what the flippity frick you feel inside

I was on drugs as a 11 yr old kid (for a related ailment - which I don't want to bring up here as peepal will *use* it in their "aruguments").

You know what you're dealing with. And you're doing a very good job with it. If I may, my only suggestion is when you're in that dark place to not give in to any urge - esp. Alcohol.

And dude, what 4 years - here's to another 40! All the best...

just saw this. i do not offer to pray for a lot of people[not that it is a big deal] but i will definitely remember you in my prayers in the coming weeks.
one thing though. i can categorically state that exercise will only help you in this. trust me when i say this because for me, it is the only reliable thing in my life right now, not people and not anything else. it is human nature for people to find something to hold on to for support. i found mine. you will find yours.

impy grabbing the ciggy at the end of the lecture:-)







hope you feel better.

Maria S wrote:Hello HK!

*I assume your Doctor explained the possible side effects of Lexapro to you, especially extreme mood swings and insomnia.*Obviously, talk to your Doctor right away about your symptoms who can best
evaluate you and perhaps consider a dosage adjustment (which is quite common) and other alternatives. As you know- even if you don't want to take Lexapro, or other antidepressants, it has to be a gradual withdrawal.

yes, i am aware of the side effects. sadly, these meds. aggravate the condition in the first few weeks before resolving it. then, it might not work also and your pdoc will try another med. i am keeping my fingers crossed. mine is a dose increase right now so i am hoping it will work.

*I assume you are also gradually decreasing the intake of alcohol.

yes i am. but i will quit only after i feel better.

i think this time around i will try therapy too.

Impedimenta wrote:just saw this. i do not offer to pray for a lot of people[not that it is a big deal] but i will definitely remember you in my prayers in the coming weeks.

thank you impy.

one thing though. i can categorically state that exercise will only help you in this. trust me when i say this because for me, it is the only reliable thing in my life right now, not people and not anything else. it is human nature for people to find something to hold on to for support. i found mine. you will find yours.

agreed. let me feel better. today is a bit better than the last couple of days but then the day has just begun. but it is a good sign.

Richard Hed wrote:I was on drugs as a 11 yr old kid (for a related ailment - which I don't want to bring up here as peepal will *use* it in their "aruguments").

wow. this is making me feel better.

If I may, my only suggestion is when you're in that dark place to not give in to any urge - esp. Alcohol.

i know. this time i will make most of the opportunity.

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:

Richard Hed wrote:I was on drugs as a 11 yr old kid (for a related ailment - which I don't want to bring up here as peepal will *use* it in their "aruguments").

wow. this is making me feel better.

If I may, my only suggestion is when you're in that dark place to not give in to any urge - esp. Alcohol.

i know. this time i will make most of the opportunity.

one other suggestion: listening to religious music, like bhajans or sufi music, or any music you find soothing might help.

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:mine. i had a major depression in mid 2008 after flirting with untreated depression since my mid 30s. it was so bad that i had to embrace the world of (inexact) science that psychiatry is.

read this for info:

http://www.yogadoctor.com/4.html

then find someone near you who can teach you and help you to practice kundalini yoga.

here's what dr. rollins says about depression and yoga in the article linked above:

"Kundalini yoga is also different because teachers use sets or sequences of exercises called “kriyas”... Each kriya has a specific purpose. For example, there are kriyas for the liver,... There are kriyas for depression, insomnia, to relieve internal anger, and to heal addictions just to name a few. In fact there is an ocean of information in this ancient technology that fills a void in our culture’s concept of fitness."

i have no personal experience with dr. rollins, and am not in any position to recommend her, but she's known to a friend of mine.

you might also read this little, 132-page book:

"understanding and overcoming depression - a common-sense approach" by tony bates; published in 2001 by:

crossing press, p.o. box 7123, berkeley, ca 94707

www.tenspeed.com

thank you JM!

Hope it turned out to be a little better day.

It's all about small steps.

*Certainly Therapy/Counseling is a piece..which can be enormously helpful if the Therapist/Counselor, is the "right fit". It's kind of interesting, how different and individual that can be. The last thing one wants to do is..spend time and money, and 'feel worse' and more confused and hopeless when they started.

The "personality/persona" of the Therapist (more than all the credentials and training) ..is the most important factor. Obviously we immediately establish comfortable levels with people..we feel safe with some right away or we can never trust them and open up..For some, Therapists with much in common (*culture, religion, race, family background etc) works better..the Therapist can relate and understand..how to perhaps navigate the course of therapy..On the other hand, a Therapist with hardly anything in common, may be the best fit, people feel so comfortable/safe - confiding to a stranger ..someone who is so "different" from them from a very different world..it opens up a whole new world with possibilities..the recovery process works very well.

Ok, have said enough at this time..take care.

huz/huf,

sorry to hear about ur troubles

and wish with all my heart they all go away

Maria S wrote:Hope it turned out to be a little better day.

yes, today was a much better day than the last three days of hellish depression.

we really don't know how these ssris work. it's definitely not about serotonin (and i agree with max's link above) but the fact is that they work. my last 4 years on this starter dose of lexapro is testimony to it. i have not had a 4 year spell since i turned 30 without a single bout of depression. the last 4 years were also the most productive and fun-filled years of my life. but now i have crashed and have become extremely cautious. what is in store for me is a ssri poop-out every few years and then a change of ssri. and this is being optimistic. coming back to the point, we don't know how they work. with me, this crash was simply a fleeting depression that i had been having off and on for the last 3 months. so i visted my pdoc. he upped my dose. and i crashed. i became severely depressed. that's characteristic of these meds. they increase anxiety in the first few weeks! technically your serotinin level goes up right after you ingest the medicine -- but why the increase in depression and relief many weeks later is still a mystery.

anyway, i am not going away. somehow or the other i will cope. and i will continue to stalk this forum and even contribute when i am having a good day. although this is a bad time to make decisions, i am of the mood to consolidate my business -- put off ventures; concentrate on the existing business, my health and the nurture of my kids. fortunately i can afford to do this.

*Certainly Therapy/Counseling is a piece..which can be enormously helpful if the Therapist/Counselor, is the "right fit". It's kind of interesting, how different and individual that can be. The last thing one wants to do is..spend time and money, and 'feel worse' and more confused and hopeless when they started.

i'm still skeptical of therapy. frankly, no one understands this illness (only those who suffer do). not the pharma companies, not the pdocs and not the therapists. anyway, let me feel a bit better first before i evaluate these options.

HK, very sorry to hear about this. Wish you a very swift and smooth recovery.

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:

Maria S wrote:Hope it turned out to be a little better day.

yes, today was a much better day than the last three days of hellish depression.

we really don't know how these ssris work. it's definitely not about serotonin (and i agree with max's link above) but the fact is that they work. my last 4 years on this starter dose of lexapro is testimony to it. i have not had a 4 year spell since i turned 30 without a single bout of depression. the last 4 years were also the most productive and fun-filled years of my life. but now i have crashed and have become extremely cautious. what is in store for me is a ssri poop-out every few years and then a change of ssri. and this is being optimistic. coming back to the point, we don't know how they work. with me, this crash was simply a fleeting depression that i had been having off and on for the last 3 months. so i visted my pdoc. he upped my dose. and i crashed. i became severely depressed. that's characteristic of these meds. they increase anxiety in the first few weeks! technically your serotinin level goes up right after you ingest the medicine -- but why the increase in depression and relief many weeks later is still a mystery.

anyway, i am not going away. somehow or the other i will cope. and i will continue to stalk this forum and even contribute when i am having a good day. although this is a bad time to make decisions, i am of the mood to consolidate my business -- put off ventures; concentrate on the existing business, my health and the nurture of my kids. fortunately i can afford to do this.

*Certainly Therapy/Counseling is a piece..which can be enormously helpful if the Therapist/Counselor, is the "right fit". It's kind of interesting, how different and individual that can be. The last thing one wants to do is..spend time and money, and 'feel worse' and more confused and hopeless when they started.

i'm still skeptical of therapy. frankly, no one understands this illness (only those who suffer do). not the pharma companies, not the pdocs and not the therapists. anyway, let me feel a bit better first before i evaluate these options.

do not rule out the possibility that the therapist has experienced this first hand.

----
In her bestselling classic, An Unquiet Mind, Kay Redfield Jamison changed the way we think about moods and madness.

Dr. Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness; she has also experienced it firsthand. For even while she was pursuing her career in academic medicine, Jamison found herself succumbing to the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic depressions that afflicted many of her patients, as her disorder launched her into ruinous spending sprees, episodes of violence, and an attempted suicide.

Here Jamison examines bipolar illness from the dual perspectives of the healer and the healed, revealing both its terrors and the cruel allure that at times prompted her to resist taking medication. An Unquiet Mind is a memoir of enormous candor, vividness, and wisdom—a deeply powerful book that has both transformed and saved lives.

http://www.amazon.com/Unquiet-Mind-Memoir-Moods-Madness/dp/0679763309/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1330964573&sr=8-3

thanks rashmun. i will read your link tomorrow.

thanks artood2 and chameli for the concern and wishes. i am an optimist and i feel i will be OK.

Huzefa, I hope you feel better soon. You already got a number of suggestions, but I will add one more to the mix. Set time aside for something you enjoy doing, and do it regularly. For instance, you could write fiction -- perhaps in blog format, right here on SuCH. I remember reading your writing many years ago when Sulekha still had edited "articles" -- not just blogs and coffeehouse posts. I found your writing highly entertaining, and would enjoy reading more.

thanks charu. yes, i'd enjoy doing that. let's see how things unfold meanwhile.

LOL @ edited "articles." yes, there was that phase. VGR had edited my sulekha "articles."

What? It is so insulting!

You were on CH for all these years and you took outside help! How could you - we would've given you free advice that worked and without any bills!

Well, now the advice part: Always remember (when you are down) that - "It is all in the Mind!".

Our resident doc has opined. I can't add more to that.
All I can say is researchers are trying hard to come up with better drugs all the time, but drugs can only help so much.
You are certainly true about SSRIs. Hopefully you will find the right support system and right doctor to get you out of this malady.

Cheers mate.

There is only person who can get you of this mess. That is YOU! One suggestion I have is vent your feelings out. Write down your thoughts on a paper or talk them out(It is better to be alone when you do this. That way there is less chance of misunderstandings and other messes). I also think yoga helps a great deal. Go out for a walk everyday or do whatever relaxes you. Get yourself lost in something that keeps you occupied.

I am no qualified doctor, this is purely based on what works for me when I am in dumps. Good Luck!

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:mine. i had a major depression in mid 2008 after flirting with untreated depression since my mid 30s. it was so bad that i had to embrace the world of (inexact) science that psychiatry is. i knew i could not return from its (inexact) clutches once i emraced it but i was feeling pretty hopeless then. i was put on lexapro 10 mg and then to it was added mirtazpine 15 mg. i recovered and within a month became normal. fast forward to today. since the last 3 months, the effect of the meds has waned a bit. i paid a visit to my pdoc a week ago. i told him about my alcohol use too -- drinking 3/4 times a week. he has upped my dose of lexapro to 20 mg and also advised me to totally quit alcohol but only after after i am stable. i am feeling worse 7 days into the new dose. my depression has severely intensified. fortunately, even in my worst spells of depression, i get a 3/4 hour window of normalcy before hitting the bed (like right now). i can live with this bloody illness with such a window. the road before me is tortuous, i know. it might take me many months to find the right medicine. but i have to buy time from the maker. i bought 4 years the last time i bought my first ssri. i hope i can buy another 4 years this time. feel free to post whatever you like, including "get well soon" etc. yes, i am also active in a depression forum elsewhere.

sounds like you're clinically depressed due to chemical imbalance and not just the sort of ennui that strikes us all from time to time...from what little I know, it's debilitating. but you can find solace in the fact that things could be far worse - you could be poor, estranged from family and no education to grasp what's ailing you. you're aware of the problem, have loved family members whose company you seem to enjoy, have the mental capacity to understand what's going on and have the financial resources to try different things. to me those are all big pluses. I read somewhere that famous people with clinical depression used to throw themselves into work and that would help - arbeit macht frei if you will

Bava! You do actually say nice things...

good...to know.

Sasthi wrote:Bava! You do actually say nice things...

good...to know.

So you are pravallika nanda.

Nope! Y?

Sasthi wrote:Bava! You do actually say nice things...

good...to know.

yes, bava says nice things but you guys only read the bad things. the problem is always with YOU!

decided to revisit this thread today. props, thanks for understanding! in retrospect, this med. worked for me (despite my gloomy outlook upthread) and i have identified the root of my illness (i spoke about it in a later thread) and i have to work towards my slow recovery while being able to lead a normal life.

doofus_maximus wrote:All I can say is researchers are trying hard to come up with better drugs all the time, but drugs can only help so much.
You are certainly true about SSRIs. Hopefully you will find the right support system and right doctor to get you out of this malady.

Cheers mate.

thanks DM! yes i have read about new meds being researched. on the downside, these ssris are no different from the TCAs. like the TCAs, the ssris too target the serotonin receptors but have less side effects -- so functionally they are no different and we are still in the 1950s. on the bright side, there are new serotonin suppressors being tested that seem to cure depression! snris, of course, are stronger in their mechanism of action than ssris for they target two neurotransmitters (at least). good for that. a new drug was introduced in the US last year, viibryd (vilazodone) and i have read about experiences of those who have tried this. it is so excruciatingly sad reading their stories (on other forums). folks who are trying this are doing so 'cos no drug has worked for them. but viibryd is yet another ssri with a new name. pharma companies keep promoting the same drug (citalopram to escitaloprm with a minor molecular level change) just to renew their patent. i don't know how it is in other spheres of medicine. but in psychiatry i see that drugs get so quickly reengineered in india that insurance companies in the US insist on generics and the pharma companies divert research funds to developing a new patent of the same formulation with a twist. i'm sharing all this with you 'cos you are a bit knowledgeable about all this already from being in substance abuse related activity. i understand you may not want to respond for professional reasons. i just wished to rant. if you still feel compelled to respond, you can always say, Wow...thanks! i'd like that!

PseudoIntellectual wrote:There is only person who can get you of this mess. That is YOU! One suggestion I have is vent your feelings out. Write down your thoughts on a paper or talk them out(It is better to be alone when you do this. That way there is less chance of misunderstandings and other messes). I also think yoga helps a great deal. Go out for a walk everyday or do whatever relaxes you. Get yourself lost in something that keeps you occupied.

I am no qualified doctor, this is purely based on what works for me when I am in dumps. Good Luck!

so sweet pi. call me an obnoxious idiot sometime. that will bring life right back into me. btw i have been keeping a daily journal and venting out all feelings in it. i am going to keep doing it and will soon move it to an online private blog for easier reference.

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:read this for info:

http://www.yogadoctor.com/4.html

then find someone near you who can teach you and help you to practice kundalini yoga.

here's what dr. rollins says about depression and yoga in the article linked above:

"Kundalini yoga is also different because teachers use sets or sequences of exercises called “kriyas”... Each kriya has a specific purpose. For example, there are kriyas for the liver,... There are kriyas for depression, insomnia, to relieve internal anger, and to heal addictions just to name a few. In fact there is an ocean of information in this ancient technology that fills a void in our culture’s concept of fitness."

i have revisted your post after reading this: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100819112124.htm

thanks for highlighting the role of yoga and the book reco.! i think i have underestimated yoga all my life.