Healing depression without pharmaceuticals?

[mangotango]

Hope this is an okay topic for this board - mods, please delete if not. :)

I've been on anti-depressants since Nov. 2005, and I'm ready to be done with them. I'll be seeing my doc soon and will discuss weaning myself off the meds. But I want to have a plan for how to keep depression at bay without drugs. Obviously good (raw!) eating, fresh air, sunshine, sufficient rest, exercise are on the list. What has helped you?

TIA!

[Shoshannah]

Hope this is an okay topic for this board - mods, please delete if not. :)

I've been on anti-depressants since Nov. 2005, and I'm ready to be done with them. I'll be seeing my doc soon and will discuss weaning myself off the meds. But I want to have a plan for how to keep depression at bay without drugs. Obviously good (raw!) eating, fresh air, sunshine, sufficient rest, exercise are on the list. What has helped you?

TIA!

Just wanted to say hi and let you know that you are not alone. I have been on antidepressants for five years to control severe panic attacks. My meds work great, but I am not myself when I am on them.... I am robotic and somewhat unemotional. I have tried to wean myself off of them in the past and was horribly unsuccessful, experiencing terrifying resurgences of my panic disorder. I want to be free of them and that is my main motivation for going raw.

I am happy to report that since going raw in Feb (I am only high raw, not 100% yet) I have been able to decrease my meds from 20mg to only 5mg!!
I am stable on just 5 mg for now, but I will be completely off of them sooner or later.

Anyway, my advice to you is don't rush it. Start off going raw and gradually decrease your medications as you feel yourself getting stronger. Go by your gut instinct and keep in touch with your inner self. Be encouraged and applaud yourself for every victory, no matter how small it is. Understand that you are on a journey to healing and love yourself now.... it will only help you in the long run. Regular exercise will also go a long way to elevate your endorphin levels and keep you balanced.

Find joy in the journey and in eating raw and the rest will eventually work itself out. Oh, and if you hear a dull roar coming from the sidelines, just know that it is me, cheering you on all the way!

[Bampot]

Just wanted to say Shoshanna, I LOVE your signature quote! Fabulous

[mangotango]

Thank you so much, Shoshannah. Your post made me all teary (in a good way!). It's not the speed, it's the direction, right? Thanks again! :)

[Veganforlife]

Two words: Green smoothies.

These will help tremendously with your mental and physical being. Read the book I menion below in my siggy - you will find out the many benefits of GS's. They ARE miracle drinks!

[Little Mango]

You can SO get rid of depression without the use of anti depressants or other drugs.

Raw food is a tremendous help. Also I used Bach Flower remedies! I couldn't believe the immdeiate difference after only a few drops!!

[chilove]

Hello there,

I just wanted to give you some hope. I suffered from depression and anxiety and panic attacks. They all went away on raw. I feel wonderful now! You are on the right track. Keep on going! You can do it!

Blessings,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[Shoshannah]

Just wanted to say Shoshanna, I LOVE your signature quote! Fabulous

Thank you :)

[Shoshannah]

Thank you so much, Shoshannah. Your post made me all teary (in a good way!). It's not the speed, it's the direction, right? Thanks again! :)

Yep, with these medications you have to take it nice and slow. When I told my doctor last year that I wanted to wean off of them, he laughed in my face and said, "No way! You will be on this medication for the rest of your life!"

That was enough to send me headlong into a tailspin and set my determination firm on getting myself off of them. I have failed twice already, but those times I was not raw. I am doing much, much better now that I am raw and it seems easier... I have a strength that I have not had in the past.

Please keep me updated on your progress. I know that eating Raw can make a huge difference and you will notice it too. If you have a good day, accept it and enjoy it, but don't expect it all the time-- if you do, a bad day will come and knock you off your feet.

If you have a bad day, accept it, get through it, but don't let it frighten you into thinking that it will last forever. Tomorrow is another day and it could very well be a good one! So take each day as it comes and it will all work out.

Love and blessings to you.... if you ever need a cyber-hug or word of encouragement, I am just a keyboard away! Oh, and I am still your head cheerleader, standing on the sidelines, clapping and straddle-jumping away while chanting:

"Mangotango, raw, raw, raw!!"

[Liserpiece]

Hellooo Mango!
I was on Rx's for 10 years for major depression and severe anxiety attacks. I did feel better with them, but didn't feel like "myself" while on them. (I think this is o common!) For years I wandered through life, not feeling much aside from saddness and fear. I became almost housebound, terrified to go out into the world. I white-nuckled everything I did. One of my most sad realities is that of not feeling anything after the birth of my first daughter. I was completely numb and only aware of my lack of joy, wanting so desparately to feel something other than dispair. 4 years ago I took myself off Rx's, looking to other less intrusive ways of helping myself. I tried so many things, most of which proved to be a dead end. Nothing like false hope to make the problem worse!!! But I was determined not to be dependant on something (Rx's) that robbed me of so much. It took a long time but I found that meditation and mindfulness helped. The fog lifted a bit. I was feeling better and happy when I would have a couple of days a week that were "good". Then POW!!! I stumbled into RAW! Since going raw, I feel... well there really aren't any words! As hokey as it may sound, Raw has changed my life. Within the first week I noticed a "lightness". I slowly but surely began to feel like myself, the self I knew was inside somewhere. I have not had one panic episode. I have not had one black day. I eat a lot of greens, fats, avos in particular ... for some reason I crave them. I like to think my body knows what it needs to heal mentally and is directing my desires for certain foods. I also take a B12 supplement, just to be on the safe side. I am by no means an expert, but your thread caught my eye... I wanted to share my experience thinking that whatever I can say will help you. I hope you have the success with raw that I've had, it's been an awesome journey!
Take care! :)

[Vegan Princess]

I've been on lexapro for anxiety and bulimia. Since going raw I've been able to cut my dose from 40mg down to 10mg (adjusting from 20 to 10 today for the first time). I am taking the cuts very slow, but I def. want to get off or at least get down to a minimal dose. I know raw has played a HUGE roll in my ability to do this. Good luck!

[Shoshannah]

I've been on lexapro for anxiety and bulimia. Since going raw I've been able to cut my dose from 40mg down to 10mg (adjusting from 20 to 10 today for the first time). I am taking the cuts very slow, but I def. want to get off or at least get down to a minimal dose. I know raw has played a HUGE roll in my ability to do this. Good luck!

I am also on Lexapro... have been for several years. It works like a miracle on my panic attacks but unfortunately it also changes me into a robotic drone that I don't even recognize. I am down to 5 mgs now (was at 20) and hope to cut even further soon.

One thing I noticed in my previous attempts at going off Lexapro is that I feel great for two weeks- absolute bliss! Then I become very weepy, crying off and on all day for absolutely no reason... but it feels wonderful! It is almost like a purging of all the emotion that the Lexapro has been suppressing and I don't fight it. I just cry, and cry a lot... oftentimes laughing and crying at the same time.

Unfortunately, the panic attacks start back up a short while after my crying binges begin. I fight them with all my might, but end up losing the battle and going back on Lexapro. A horribly vicious cycle that I have struggled with for years.

I have faith in raw food however, and this time it will be different. This time, I am healthier, stronger, and more determined than ever and I will be victorious.

[mangotango]

I talked with my doc today and I'm going off the meds! He's taking me down 10 mg. a week until I'm off them. I promised to get lots of exercise and call him if anything gets weird. I loved what he said: "You're in control of your health care. Tell me what you need, and I'll help you get there as safely as possible." Go, Doc!

Thanks again, everyone, for all your support. I'm pulling for you all, too!

[Shoshannah]

I talked with my doc today and I'm going off the meds! He's taking me down 10 mg. a week until I'm off them. I promised to get lots of exercise and call him if anything gets weird. I loved what he said: "You're in control of your health care. Tell me what you need, and I'll help you get there as safely as possible." Go, Doc!

Thanks again, everyone, for all your support. I'm pulling for you all, too!

What a great doc you have! It is so important to have support and your doctor is there for you every step of the way. You have the perfect opportunity and I couldn't be happier for you. :)

Keep in touch, will ya?

[Stina]

Hey, welcome! I've been on the same boat too and happy to report I'm successfully enjoying life with no meds and a steady mood- that I'm aware can be affected by cooked foods in general and caffeine, gluten, sugar and dairy in particular. You're getting lots of good feedback from the raw people here; I just wanted to mention one thing that helped me tremendously was doing the 12 steps of recovery. It helped me deal with personal baggage that was getting heavy. That way I deal with all levels of health: mental, emotional, spiritual and physical. :)