Just chiming in here. I struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my life. I put a lot of energy into managing it with exercise, vitamin supplements, and trying to have a positive attitude. I started to feel like I was losing the battle at about 42 years old. I finally went on Prozac. It made a huge difference. I don't like being on "drugs" but as one doctor put it... it is no different than having a cup of coffee in the morning. (Caffine is a psycoactive drug https://www.newscientist.com/definition/caffeine/ ). I did try weaning myself off of it a couple of times but I did become short tempered and moody. This was really hard on my relationship. I went back on Prozac. I will probably just continue indefinitely. There are side effects to antidepressants, but I think it is by far the lesser of two evils. If the meds really help I don't see any reason to live with depression, life is too short. However, I do completely understand not wanting to be dependent on a drug. I also now use poles when I go hiking, it sounds silly but I resisted using them because I felt I didn't need them. They were a crutch. Hiking with poles has relived a lot of stress in my knees and hips, most likely enabling me to hike for many more years than I would have otherwise.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Jean! I wanted to go into this more in the post but it was already really long, so I'm really grateful to you for bringing it up. It can be really, really hard (and take a LOT of time) to manage depression with lifestyle changes alone, and antidepressants can have such a huge impact on quality of life. For many people (and I, too, may fit into this camp someday), it may be necessary to take some form of medication indefinitely. You are so right that life is short and if the meds continue to help you experience it without the shadow of depression, that's fantastic and should be encouraged!
I also love your analogy to the hiking poles. I've been noticing how life-changing it can be to allow myself the accommodations I need to do things that are hard for me or stress me out, even if they might seem silly or not make sense to someone else. When we let go of the idea that "I should be able to do this on my own without help," we can open up so many opportunities to enjoy life all the more. Thank you again for your perspective, I appreciate it so much 💕
Sometimes it is truly painful to know you’re not alone. Depression has been my ugly shadow for most of my life. It wasn’t until I identified the issue (in my mid thirties, yikes) that I realized there was a name for my dark and troubled thoughts. A low dose of antidepressants helps to mostly keep me steady but sometimes life feels like a tiresome endless uphill trudge with bits of beauty and peace tucked in between the paths. I seek out those bits and try to use them as a shield against the insidious sadness of depression. Thank you for sharing your journey. Depression isn’t a choice we make and it’s important to shout that out to the world.
Oh, that is so true! It isn't always a comforting thought to know that others struggle with this too. But I love that, even as you trudge along, you're still able to find those bits of beauty and peace and carry them with you. That's something I try to do, too, and even though it sometimes seems impossible that such small things could ward against intense periods of darkness, they can help me get through the next minute... or hour... or day. And that's the best I can hope for sometimes. Thank you so much for sharing this. Wishing you well on your journey—I'll trudge uphill with you anytime 💗
Just chiming in here. I struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my life. I put a lot of energy into managing it with exercise, vitamin supplements, and trying to have a positive attitude. I started to feel like I was losing the battle at about 42 years old. I finally went on Prozac. It made a huge difference. I don't like being on "drugs" but as one doctor put it... it is no different than having a cup of coffee in the morning. (Caffine is a psycoactive drug https://www.newscientist.com/definition/caffeine/ ). I did try weaning myself off of it a couple of times but I did become short tempered and moody. This was really hard on my relationship. I went back on Prozac. I will probably just continue indefinitely. There are side effects to antidepressants, but I think it is by far the lesser of two evils. If the meds really help I don't see any reason to live with depression, life is too short. However, I do completely understand not wanting to be dependent on a drug. I also now use poles when I go hiking, it sounds silly but I resisted using them because I felt I didn't need them. They were a crutch. Hiking with poles has relived a lot of stress in my knees and hips, most likely enabling me to hike for many more years than I would have otherwise.
Food for thought
Thank you so much for sharing this, Jean! I wanted to go into this more in the post but it was already really long, so I'm really grateful to you for bringing it up. It can be really, really hard (and take a LOT of time) to manage depression with lifestyle changes alone, and antidepressants can have such a huge impact on quality of life. For many people (and I, too, may fit into this camp someday), it may be necessary to take some form of medication indefinitely. You are so right that life is short and if the meds continue to help you experience it without the shadow of depression, that's fantastic and should be encouraged!
I also love your analogy to the hiking poles. I've been noticing how life-changing it can be to allow myself the accommodations I need to do things that are hard for me or stress me out, even if they might seem silly or not make sense to someone else. When we let go of the idea that "I should be able to do this on my own without help," we can open up so many opportunities to enjoy life all the more. Thank you again for your perspective, I appreciate it so much 💕
Sometimes it is truly painful to know you’re not alone. Depression has been my ugly shadow for most of my life. It wasn’t until I identified the issue (in my mid thirties, yikes) that I realized there was a name for my dark and troubled thoughts. A low dose of antidepressants helps to mostly keep me steady but sometimes life feels like a tiresome endless uphill trudge with bits of beauty and peace tucked in between the paths. I seek out those bits and try to use them as a shield against the insidious sadness of depression. Thank you for sharing your journey. Depression isn’t a choice we make and it’s important to shout that out to the world.
Oh, that is so true! It isn't always a comforting thought to know that others struggle with this too. But I love that, even as you trudge along, you're still able to find those bits of beauty and peace and carry them with you. That's something I try to do, too, and even though it sometimes seems impossible that such small things could ward against intense periods of darkness, they can help me get through the next minute... or hour... or day. And that's the best I can hope for sometimes. Thank you so much for sharing this. Wishing you well on your journey—I'll trudge uphill with you anytime 💗