.................................

[C.Ann]

Has anyone here ever been successfully treated for depression without the use of prescription drugs?

And if so, how?

 

[Aisling]

I hate to say it, but my answer is no if it's clinical depression.

 

[jel0511]

I was for 1 1/2 years after my stroke. I'm off them now and still deal with days of the "blues', but nothing I can't handle. when talking to my PCP about possibly going back on, she mentioned that the Atelenol I take fo my HBP sometimes is use as an antipdepressent. So that should help a little.................

 

[disney1990]

Has anyone here ever been successfully treated for depression without the use of prescription drugs?

And if so, how?

My friends DH has been battling depression for about 3 years now and is unable to take antidepressants.. They have tried every medication in the book (even some not "specific" to depression), but he just can't tolerate them..

Is there anything else he could try? (He's retired and living in Florida, if that makes a difference..) My friend is at her wits end (he used to be very social and very involved in things, but that is no longer the case).. She just wants her DH back and doesn't know what to do.. She knows that I get a ton of info on every subject under the sun here on the DIS, so she requested that I throw this question out there..

Thanks!

You say that he has tried every medication in the book. Has he tried them for extended periods of time. It takes a good 12 weeks on any depression medication before it is in your system enough to help. Yes, every single depression medication has side effects, so he has to find one with side effects that he can live with. Depression does not simply go away.

 

[kgc07]

Has he tried psychotherapy?

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks..

 

[jsmith]

St Johns wort is contra indicated for men of that age due to the fact it can aggrivate prostate issues.

Exercise, removing ANY caffine from the diet and increasing vitamins b6 and 12 helped me-but im female and much younger.

 

[SeeDisney]

How about exercising, jogging, competing for 5k races, 10k, etc. Watch his diet.

I always feels so much better after I have had a mile jog.

 

[Alyssa88]

Retirement tends to make some men feel very depressed. It may make them like they are not doing there part or providing the way they used. Maybe if he was able to find something that would give him his sense of purpose back. Rates of depression are actually pretty high in his demographic compared to most of the pop and if he didn't struggle with it before retirement that could be an explanation, of course simply because he fits the profile doesn't necessarily mean it's the same for him.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy works wonders so if he hasn't tried that it could be a great option. It is actually able to change the structure and function of the brain for some people.

 

[C.Ann]

Interesting about the prostate issue.. I wasn't aware of that..

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks..

 

[Alyssa88]

---------------------

See that's the problem though.. When he first retired he was very involved with many activities; the President of the HOA in their gated community; was working on writing his second book; heavily invovled in charity work; he's a professor and was teaching a class at one of the colleges one or two semesters a year; and then WHAM!! Started with the back issues (and being laid up) and he's been severely depressed ever since.. (Money is not an issue for them - and they retired early at 55..)

Forgot to ask - could you explain this cognitive behavioral therapy you mentioned? Who would he see for that - a psychiatrist? Psychologist?

That would be a psychologist. The main goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is too identify and eliminate the thought patterns of depression. It is widely used and empirically accepted. This may help you better-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy#Depression

 

[EdiePA]

Has he considered ECT ? I know, I know it sounds horrible, but in some patients it can be an amazing treatment. From the Mayo Clinic site: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure in which electric currents are passed through the brain, deliberately triggering a brief seizure. This seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can alleviate symptoms of certain mental illnesses. Yet 70 years after it was first introduced, electoconvulsive therapy remains controversial.

Much of the stigma attached to electroconvulsive therapy is based on early, brutal treatments in which high doses of electricity were administered without anesthesia, leading to memory loss and death.

Electroconvulsive therapy is quite different today. Although electroconvulsive therapy can still cause side effects and complications, it now uses precisely calculated electrical currents administered in a controlled setting to achieve the most benefit with the fewest possible risks.

Edie

 

[C.Ann]

Sounds a little radical, but who knows? I'll toss it out there.. Thanks!

 

[AnnR]

He's in Florida so he must get some sunlight? Make sure he gets at least 20 minutes a day outside.

Vitamin B complex helps -super complex

How about a pet? They can really cheer someone up and give them something to do besides thinking about themselves

Funny movies.

Those are my ideas!

 

[themarquis]

I haven't read all the posts, but from what I know, there is clinical evidence that a few things can be (somewhat) effective:

1. exercise (actually, this is a biggie -- some studies have shown that moderate daily exercises is AS effective as antidepressants!! Who knew??)
2. meditation
3. fish oil/omega 3s (also good for the health in general, so worth a shot)
4. st. john's wort (though I think another poster pointed out there are contraindications).
5. therapy/cognitive behavioral therapy
6. ECT (as another poster pointed out, it is controversial, and you're right that it sounds scary! But the way they do it now is very safe and painless, and they have done many many studies to know that it can be quite effective).
7. light therapy (using a home lightbox that has a balanced light spectrum -- it does something that helps regulate circadian rhythms that has been shown to help in depression)

Starting an exercise regime, fish oil, and getting some therapy would be a good, safe, way to start getting healthy. We have good evidence to suggest that they will help a person who is depressed, perhaps almost as well or as well as an antidepressant.

 

[C.Ann]

I haven't read all the posts, but from what I know, there is clinical evidence that a few things can be (somewhat) effective:

1. exercise (actually, this is a biggie -- some studies have shown that moderate daily exercises is AS effective as antidepressants!! Who knew??)
2. meditation
3. fish oil/omega 3s (also good for the health in general, so worth a shot)
4. st. john's wort (though I think another poster pointed out there are contraindications).
5. therapy/cognitive behavioral therapy
6. ECT (as another poster pointed out, it is controversial, and you're right that it sounds scary! But the way they do it now is very safe and painless, and they have done many many studies to know that it can be quite effective).
7. light therapy (using a home lightbox that has a balanced light spectrum -- it does something that helps regulate circadian rhythms that has been shown to help in depression)

Starting an exercise regime, fish oil, and getting some therapy would be a good, safe, way to start getting healthy. We have good evidence to suggest that they will help a person who is depressed, perhaps almost as well or as well as an antidepressant.

--------------------

I'm assuming there are some sort of fish oil "capsules" that can be purchased in a health food store? What is the dose they recommend?

 

[themarquis]

--------------------

I'm assuming there are some sort of fish oil "capsules" that can be purchased in a health food store? What is the dose they recommend?

Yes! You can find it everywhere these days, even at the grocery store or rite aid/cvs drug store type places. It will either be labeled "fish oil", "omega 3s", "cod liver oil" something like that. YOu can pick a "deoderized" form (the regular kind in a capsule sometimes has a bit of a fishy aftertaste!) or a kind that is in a syrup or chew that is fruit flavored.

The dose is going to depend on the type that he picks, so I would just follow the directions on the bottle/package. It is really wonderful for heart health, cholesterol, etc., too, so there is no reason not to give it a try.

 

[C.Ann]

It is really wonderful for heart health, cholesterol, etc., too, so there is no reason not to give it a try.

------------------------------

Oh - that's very good! He had quadruple bypass about 10 years ago!!

 

[of the seas]

Yes, I agree with the poster who said Omega-3's.

Maybe fish oil, flax seed oil. Also walnuts are a good source!