Fist time
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Bklyn. NY
Posts: 1,859
Hi Nickster. Welcome. Not a whole lot of info there to go on... if you wrote a little more about yourself, people would be able to better guide you.
Are you a member of any recovery program or group? Have you gotten any treatment, are you on medication, have you done anything aside from putting down the drink for a year? It's awesome that you've done that, as that's pretty much the toughest part, yet in order to remain sober, happily, most of us do a whole lot of other things. Enjoyable, life affirming things, or at least as I experience them.
I have bouts with depression and picked up tons of tools to deal with it. AA, therapy, changing my diet, exercising, relaxation exercises, reading positive material, working the 12 steps of AA, helping others, praying, meditating, journaling, and about 1000 other things. If you give people a little more detail I'm sure someone will come along and point you in the right direction. There is a lot of experience here, and a wide variety of that experience.
Congratulations on the one year, by the way.
Are you a member of any recovery program or group? Have you gotten any treatment, are you on medication, have you done anything aside from putting down the drink for a year? It's awesome that you've done that, as that's pretty much the toughest part, yet in order to remain sober, happily, most of us do a whole lot of other things. Enjoyable, life affirming things, or at least as I experience them.
I have bouts with depression and picked up tons of tools to deal with it. AA, therapy, changing my diet, exercising, relaxation exercises, reading positive material, working the 12 steps of AA, helping others, praying, meditating, journaling, and about 1000 other things. If you give people a little more detail I'm sure someone will come along and point you in the right direction. There is a lot of experience here, and a wide variety of that experience.
Congratulations on the one year, by the way.
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,064
Welcome, Nickster!
There is a chat forum here. This forum is a good place to post questions--sometimes people put a lot of effort into helping others.
Depression has been a problem for me my whole life. I take prescription meds. Have you seen a doctor about this?
There is a chat forum here. This forum is a good place to post questions--sometimes people put a lot of effort into helping others.
Depression has been a problem for me my whole life. I take prescription meds. Have you seen a doctor about this?
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Melbourne, Victoria Australia
Posts: 1,202
Welcome Nickster - yes, you'll find that many, many people suffer from depression. Including me!
If you'll forgive the pun, it is a real downer when you've been sober for quite some time - in your case, a whole year! - and still suffer from depression. This can be baffling. However, I've come to realise that, well, my depression is just - part of me. Sober, drunk; young, old - it's there, in varying intensities. Having said that: if you are feeling suicidal, having lots of suicidal thoughts (ideation), then ignore me and get thyself to a good doctor and / or psych for more targeted help. If necessary, in the moment, call a support line (we have Lifeline in Australia, the UK has Good Samaritans, not sure where you are but there will be something.)
Hang in there, please.
If you'll forgive the pun, it is a real downer when you've been sober for quite some time - in your case, a whole year! - and still suffer from depression. This can be baffling. However, I've come to realise that, well, my depression is just - part of me. Sober, drunk; young, old - it's there, in varying intensities. Having said that: if you are feeling suicidal, having lots of suicidal thoughts (ideation), then ignore me and get thyself to a good doctor and / or psych for more targeted help. If necessary, in the moment, call a support line (we have Lifeline in Australia, the UK has Good Samaritans, not sure where you are but there will be something.)
Hang in there, please.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,759
I was depressed a long time before starting to drink. I drank to drown the depression but of course it only made it worse. I too am on prescription meds for it and now that I'm not drinking they help a lot. Do see your doctor about this. Perhaps s/he can help you deal with it. Counseling helped me also.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 11
Natural way to deal with depression is do regular exercise because regular physical activity seems to encourage the brain to rewire itself in positive ways, eat healthy food which help you to feel better, get enough sleep, change negative thoughts, do something new, change to your lifestyle and try to have fun that all will help you to avoid depression. Also always check with your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if you’re already taking medications.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Melbourne, Victoria Australia
Posts: 1,202
Sallyjoseph pointed out the many useful things we can do to help depression - although, for me, getting the necessary physical exercise is one of the most difficult.
Yes, it has been proven to be not so much a 'cure' but a great help - problem is for me at least is depression's lassitude and physical apathy can be sooooo enormous sometimes. Hence, whiskeyman's observation might seem very small - see his post above - yet it's a beauty for its simplicity when you can barely get off the couch!
It's a goodie for when motivation is gone. Our society is big on Do-ing....mercilessly, relentlessly it seems to the depressed (and often, more sane) mind. The simple ancient act of just writing a few things down requires little external effort, but it mysteriously re-trains the mind.
How are you going, Nickster???
Yes, it has been proven to be not so much a 'cure' but a great help - problem is for me at least is depression's lassitude and physical apathy can be sooooo enormous sometimes. Hence, whiskeyman's observation might seem very small - see his post above - yet it's a beauty for its simplicity when you can barely get off the couch!
It's a goodie for when motivation is gone. Our society is big on Do-ing....mercilessly, relentlessly it seems to the depressed (and often, more sane) mind. The simple ancient act of just writing a few things down requires little external effort, but it mysteriously re-trains the mind.
How are you going, Nickster???
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