After 3 unsuccessful antidepressants, any efficient alternative ?

[sad_and_tired]

Hi everybody, first post for me here. I am happy to join this caring community. The title says it, I need to find a therapy, medication, natural medication or protocol that can heal the black dog (depression) which is chasing me with more and more intensity. Any idea ?

 

[Someone123]

In my opinion antidepressants rarely work because they don't treat the underlying causes of depression for most people. The number one cause of depression is loneliness, yuo need to look at your family and friends and evaluate each person- does this person really care, can I spend more time with them in a positive way- this doesn't mean tellingg themj all of your problems, this can drive people away- a good therapist might help for this, but they are tough to find. For relatives or friend syou can count on try to share more meals with them hanging out, having some fun. If you need more caring people in your life try to reach out and find new frineds- there are a lot of ways to do this. I would say don't try any more antidepressanst, instead to try connect more iwth caring people and disconnect from thos who treat you badly as much as possible. The other main causes of depression are pr0oblems at school or work, financial problems, physical health problems, and addictions. It would be best to identify the real underlying problems and owrk on them- antidepressanst don't help withy any of these problems for most people. Youtube has many really good videos on how to make friends that can help a lot if you apply them- if one video doesn't work for you then try another. What is your support network like- family and friends? Sharing this could help people to help you with more ideas.

 

[sad_and_tired]

@Someone123 thanks for your time answering me. Leader jobs and a lack of confidence led me to depression. Depression to loneliness. Your post resonates deeply with my feelings. Your analysis is better than the one from therapists !

 

[timf]

An alternative to medication (if that is not working for you) may lie in trying to regain control of some portion of your life.

Depression can snowball and gain momentum until it seems to dominate every part of your life. To fight back may require some experimentation such as giving yourself one hour a week for a simple indulgence. Once established, you might move to two hours a week. As you begin to develop a counter-momentum of control. you can even add chores and things that might not qualify as an indulgence. You may find that you are able to rebuild your life and direct it as you will.

 

[freedomcalls]

Hi everybody, first post for me here. I am happy to join this caring community. The title says it, I need to find a therapy, medication, natural medication or protocol that can heal the black dog (depression) which is chasing me with more and more intensity. Any idea ?

If you like reading check out the book Lost Connections

It's very insightful in understanding what creates many depressions - lack of social connections, meaningful work etc

I wish you well in your attempts to heal - I feel a sense of hope in your post that things can get better so I wish you the energy and strength to commit to creating a most positive life and mindset for yourself

 

[theboy]

I have been taking antidepressants for 7 years and have tried many over time. I also had electro shock therapy

The meds do 50% of the work and the other 50% you have to do yourself. In other words, you need the meds and frequent therapy to heal.

It is true that medications cause short and long term side effects but they are effective in dealing with strong depressive emotions.

The other option is to get spiritual help. It can help you too.

You can send me a message :)

 

[sad_and_tired]

@timf @freedomcalls @theboy thanks for your words and suggestions. They are helpful. As I am a new member, I am not able to send messages yet :-)

 

[onlyanimalsaregood]

I'm taking antidepressants and fortunately they are helping me. I have luck with medication. It's like the other users said, medication it's not enough and the support network is very important. Unfortunately many of us suffers from loneliness so it make things more difficult. I'm actually a little disappointed with my friends in general this year so I have been isolate myself. I lean on a lot on my cat.

 

[noname223]

Sometimes it takes time and energy to find the right medication.
I have tried 20-30 different ones in my life. It was worth to spend time on it. It increased my life quality a lot. Still I am very ill. But the life prior to that was even more hellish. So I can recommend it not to give up on it too early. There are several different types of medication for mental illness/depression. You should tell your therapist in case you think your current medication is not working sufficiently.

 

[jodes2]

All I can suggest is that you keep trying medications til you find one that works for you. I think the best ones I've been on were sertraline and vortioxetine. But I have to admit neither was groundbreaking. I dunno. The latter is supposedly good for treatment-resistant depression. Sometimes all it needs is a spark to ignite a passion, old or new. Or a combination. It's taken me 15 years to find mine, I just hope it lasts now!

 

[Lonerzepam]

Ketamine is a very good alternative in my experience.
Or psylocibin.

 

[wait.what]

I've tried IV ketamine as well as its nasal spray equivalent Spravato. What worked best was a combo of IV ketamine and TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation. There's a lot of time and money involved with that though, and I found the procedures somewhere between uncomfortable and intolerable. I also didn't get more than a few weeks' relief at most. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Eating a diet intended to reduce inflammation has helped me more than the drugs did. I also take a lot of vitamins for a metabolic condition that causes malabsorption of some particular nutrients. I still hate life a lot of the time, but I'm no longer desperately suicidal year in and year out.

 

[Rounded Apathy]

Welcome, unfortunately. Everyone's already said the key stuff, except: you'll be able to message and search after 6 posts! Honestly nice to see a new users whose first and only posts are in the recovery section, and the nice messages they've been left. Evil death cult, my ass...

 

[sad_and_tired]

I'm taking antidepressants and fortunately they are helping me. I have luck with medication. It's like the other users said, medication it's not enough and the support network is very important. Unfortunately many of us suffers from loneliness so it make things more difficult. I'm actually a little disappointed with my friends in general this year so I have been isolate myself. I lean on a lot on my cat.

I agree with you and suffer from loneliness, too. Despite the fact that a bunch of caring persons are still around me, depression embark me so deeply that I understand why people tend to live their lives instead of dealing with my negative presence.

Sometimes it takes time and energy to find the right medication.
I have tried 20-30 different ones in my life. It was worth to spend time on it. It increased my life quality a lot. Still I am very ill. But the life prior to that was even more hellish. So I can recommend it not to give up on it too early. There are several different types of medication for mental illness/depression. You should tell your therapist in case you think your current medication is not working sufficiently.

Wow, I admire your courage and endurance !

Ketamine is a very good alternative in my experience.
Or psylocibin.

Never heard of Ketamine. Psylocibin is just being studied in hospital here, it is not mainstream, yet.

I've tried IV ketamine as well as its nasal spray equivalent Spravato. What worked best was a combo of IV ketamine and TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation. There's a lot of time and money involved with that though, and I found the procedures somewhere between uncomfortable and intolerable. I also didn't get more than a few weeks' relief at most. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Eating a diet intended to reduce inflammation has helped me more than the drugs did. I also take a lot of vitamins for a metabolic condition that causes malabsorption of some particular nutrients. I still hate life a lot of the time, but I'm no longer desperately suicidal year in and year out.

You are the first person I hear mentioning the diet path... interesting, indeed.

Welcome, unfortunately. Everyone's already said the key stuff, except: you'll be able to message and search after 6 posts! Honestly nice to see a new users whose first and only posts are in the recovery section, and the nice messages they've been left. Evil death cult, my ass...

Thanks for your kind words. Reading everybody's advice in this thread makes me think I that finding the way out from depression is a hell of a ride. Nevertheless, I am glad to have read different new concepts or new molecules.

 

[onlyanimalsaregood]

dealing with my negative presence.

Exactly. I think that is one of the reasons why people distance from us :(

 

[Regen]

Antidepressents are no wonderpill. For some people they are great and really helpfull. For me its difficult. I tried more then 10 different and I am also in pain.

BUT for me life is much more better with antidepressents. With them I have the possibility to do things that help instead of being at home and do nothing then thinking. I feel less emotional pain. I am less strange with other people, because sometimes I think, that other people think I am weird. And then I act to them like they would say to me that I am weird, but in reality they sayed nothing to me. I am sorry, I cant explain it in english very well, it is not my first language. I have more energy. Less anxiety. Sometimes I think it is worthless. But when I try it a long time without medicine I feel the difference...

If I were you, I would give it a chance and would try some more. Maybe the 4. or the 7. is the right medication for you. Or a combination of two different.

How should the medicine work for you? More energy? Less brain fog? Feeling more joy? Less anxiety? Better sleep at night?

 

[duskrainfall]

Hi everybody, first post for me here. I am happy to join this caring community. The title says it, I need to find a therapy, medication, natural medication or protocol that can heal the black dog (depression) which is chasing me with more and more intensity. Any idea ?

As for antidepressants: you might want to get a genetic test done, to figure out which antidepressants will actually help.

If that doesn't work: You can try ketamine infusions or rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation). Those have pretty good success rate.

You might also want to try therapy. People prefer different types of therapy. So far, I have liked DBT and psychodynamic therapy the most.

 

[kadjflakflajlk]

I've tried IV ketamine as well as its nasal spray equivalent Spravato. What worked best was a combo of IV ketamine and TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation. There's a lot of time and money involved with that though, and I found the procedures somewhere between uncomfortable and intolerable. I also didn't get more than a few weeks' relief at most. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Eating a diet intended to reduce inflammation has helped me more than the drugs did. I also take a lot of vitamins for a metabolic condition that causes malabsorption of some particular nutrients. I still hate life a lot of the time, but I'm no longer desperately suicidal year in and year out.

can you share details on the diet you followed?