Givenup2018

I note on these forums a lot of coverage of alcoholics becoming depressed when they have withdrawal.
However, little is said about depression and the al anon.
I went to a doctor as I am feeling tired, but cannot sleep well, etc. Most mornings I wake up as if I have never slept.
The doctor checked me out, physiologically all was fine and she said I might be depressed! Well I suppose why not considering all the BS I have put up with over the years.
I look at my RAH and think not very nice things............meanwhile he says my symptoms are not depression! I reply, 'yeah, afterall you'd know better than the doctor!'

Thanks for letting me vent a little here.

FireSprite

My doctors scratched their heads a lot at the physical manifestations of my emotional problems - it was impossible to find a specific link to "treat", yet every part of my system was "off".

I turned to acupuncture, massage therapy, true recovery (deep, internal) work, better nutrition, vitamin intake, sleep, hydration, yoga, meditation, adrenal support - it's all a big circle that feeds into itself - and slowly but surely I got better & better.

What do you do for yourself?

Sailorgirl57

Super helpful list. Can you say more about the acupuncture? What is it supposed to do for depression? Also, can you explain the adrenal thing? Thanks!

hopeful4

I have thought for years that I suffer with depression. Surprise, it's not, it's the ugly sister, anxiety. I think my friend FireSprite hits the nail on the head through all the things she does to take care of herself. It's embracing a mindset.

When you are tied into anxiety or depression, and cannot focus on yourself, but are focusing on anger and bitterness, it's quite easy for it to overtake your life.

I am also a big believer in therapy, with the right therapist (that is the key).

FireSprite

I saw an incredible acupuncturist for 2 years, every 3 months & she helped me peel my body down in layers (like an onion, just like we talk about in our emotional recoveries). The issues I had on the surface were often the result of other things being out of line, further up in the chain of command hormonally/etc. But other stuff - like adrenal fatigue - needed to & could be addressed immediately. That was the result of living in crisis mode (fight or flight) for a couple of years.

So my medical Drs kept trying to just force everything back into working by prescribing more & more medication, which left me with more secondary issues & increasing dependence on something that never fixed my problems. My thyroid med dosage was ever-increasing & in my early 30's they wanted to put me on fertility-based drugs to force my cycles to normalize. No one ever guessed that even THAT issue was tied into my ongoing stress & fatigue.

My acupuncturist helped me use bioidentical supplements to help by body find it's own "normal" going forward - none of the supplements were taken long term, the process is meant to help correct the imbalance in a way that helps the body correct the pattern going forward naturally. Over those 2 years I went through a couple dozen different supplements - as I got healthier I could stop "this" but found that next layer of the "onion" needed "that" for a while instead - so it was a lot more than just straight acupuncture for a while.

Adrenal health is controversial depending on what you read but in my experience, the acupressure points in my hands literally THROB when I'm in any kind of extended crisis situation. Just being aware of that helps me take the steps to add supplements or get extra rest, whatever I need.

Now I continue acupuncture at least every other week just for "general maintenance" - like taking vitamins everyday instead of chugging down a bottle once I start to feel sick. I'm on the lowest thyroid med dosage I've ever been prescribed & am 100% regular with my cycles for the first time in my life - in my mid-40's. I don't have the migraines I've struggled with since I was 10. (and it's been great for small stuff like stress, minor sinus issues, etc. - you know, regular life stuff, lol)

I started taking DD when she started following those same footsteps & started getting migraines with puberty - maybe around age 12? She goes as often as possible when she can around school, etc. & it has helped her a lot already. Hope this helps!

Givenup2018

I have been to doctors for full blood work etc, been on hormonal medicine, etc. I go for massages regularly which are very uplifting/relaxing. I take vitamins and eat healthily, (no meat). I used to take melatonin but stopped as my sleep pattern wasn't good. I now am taking an energy supplement.
I guess as someone said it is the level of anxiety not depression, I think I have had PTSD for so long.

Mango blast

Pray... and follow.

One day I was suddenly overwhelmed by the frustration of my deteriorating health, brought to tears and prayer... pulled over my car on a rural road and sat by some trees for a bit...

And soon after this I found started finding naturpathic doctors who supported my physical healing by several methods.

Alanon, domestic abuse help centers and counseling had been immensely beneficial for my emotional and psychological healing.

God/Spirit/Universe guides me in spiritual healing and all the above. Seeing this tie-in helps me heal quicker and quicker, as I have more and more hope and trust in the process.

Prayer: Help!

Prayer: Thank you.

Prayer: Please give me eyes to see, ears to hear and strength to embrace the illogical.

Mango blast

Here are some threads that mention some of the things helping me...

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...vitamin-d.html (Sadness, muscle/joint pain - Vitamin D)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...ve-stress.html (Toxic people - the cause of massive stress)

This one has been super-important in my journey of recovery...

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...your-life.html (Change your mind, change your life)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...race-void.html (Healing from trauma: Embrace the Void)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...breakdown.html (What was it like having a nervous breakdown?)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...ng-brakes.html (Healing from trauma - putting on the brakes)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...cal-abuse.html (Healing from emotional and psychological abuse)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...le-i-know.html (The happiest people I know)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...lebration.html (Recovery: The Art of Celebration)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-survivor.html (Stages of Trauma Recovery: What It Means to Be a ‘Survivor’)

spookyboo22

If you can I found exercise especially swimming helped a lot
Meditation and or yoga.x

spookyboo22

On the subject of changing how you think about things
Shakespeare said there is nothing good and nothing bad but thinking makes it so x

Givenup2018

Spookyboo, you mean thinking too much, analysing, etc. Yes I have that problem, I always forget to just be.