How do you fight depression? - Let's help each other

[Ted's of Beverly Hills]

Just gotta keep two things in mind when you feel lower than dirt:

A) Suicide is the anti-sacrament. You're not going to spend your last moments spitting in God's eye just because you're being a bleeding vagina. Your miseries, such as they are, can be a purifying fire out of which your soul will emerge more perfected than it could ever have been if your life had merely been one of ease and plenty.
B) Fuck this gay earth, you're going to stick around just to spite all the faggots and subhuman orc-people that have brought the glories of the West to a crashing ruin and plant your flag in the ashen rubble of their failed retard-civilization.

 

[unholysedation777]

Does therapy help? My parents always told me I didn't need therapy, but now that I'm more independent it only hit me recently that now I can just look for it myself. But I don't know if it's worth it, because I get the impression that therapists are only there to tell you to shut up and eat your pills so I don't know. I've encountered so many people who said they went to therapy and take medication and go the full mile only for it to not help, but I'm not sure if that's because therapy really is a scam or if it is because they didn't put in the effort themselves to improve, and I understand that it requires effort from both parties in order to actually get somewhere. I just need to know if it's worth giving it a shot. My depression is ruining my life and I already exercise and eat healthily and nothing helps.

 

[Nefarious Elliot]

Does therapy help? My parents always told me I didn't need therapy, but now that I'm more independent it only hit me recently that now I can just look for it myself. But I don't know if it's worth it, because I get the impression that therapists are only there to tell you to shut up and eat your pills so I don't know. I've encountered so many people who said they went to therapy and take medication and go the full mile only for it to not help, but I'm not sure if that's because therapy really is a scam or if it is because they didn't put in the effort themselves to improve, and I understand that it requires effort from both parties in order to actually get somewhere. I just need to know if it's worth giving it a shot. My depression is ruining my life and I already exercise and eat healthily and nothing helps.

It depends on the the-rapist, female the-rapists will attempt to solve your problems as if you are a woman, and will see male problems as absurd or offensive. The-rapists usually won't give you pills, with the females it's basically just "talk to a liberal until you agree with xem" and not focused on any practical solution, often giving superfluous and inconsistent diagnoses if asked. Psychologists are usually the ones passing out the drugs. Two different professions.

A male the-rapist, if he is not gay and/or retarded, will usually attempt to first analyze your issue structurally, then identify factors in your life which contribute to them. Which is useful.

If you ever have suicidal/homocidal thoughts, it should go without saying that you never ever tell your therapist or gp, unless you think there is an extant probability of you acting on them. They will absolutely send the white jumpsuits after you, especially if they are female and want to "protect" you. Which is a problem if an important factor in your condition is an internal musing about death.

If you want to "self therapy" skim Jung's on man and his symbols and use chatgpt to do dream analysis - important, must be an reasoning (o3-high or o1, not 4o) model which you have given detailed instructions related to usefulness, rationality, pragmatism, bluntness, and disclaimers. Play with it, they can be made to be pretty useful in replacing that sort of thing.

By the way, I know you said lifestyle isn't an issue but remember, oftentimes you could just have a vitamin deficiency or not be getting enough (8hrs) sleep/be in sleep deficit or dehydrated or not getting natural sunlight or watching too much pornography/wanking too much or have some kind of minor environmental toxin in your home/car/work.

Antidepressants are uber retarded and ineffective, if you reeeally want a pill, tell your doctor you have adhd symptoms and obtain adderall or another amphetamine analog. Unlike ritalin, these substances act on the serotonin system like antidepressants do, but they do not "kill a part of you" as antidepressants do. Furthermore, they can give you the impetus to fix your life, and find and neutralize your problems, etc.

 

[Meow Mix Fan]

Does therapy help? My parents always told me I didn't need therapy, but now that I'm more independent it only hit me recently that now I can just look for it myself. But I don't know if it's worth it, because I get the impression that therapists are only there to tell you to shut up and eat your pills so I don't know. I've encountered so many people who said they went to therapy and take medication and go the full mile only for it to not help, but I'm not sure if that's because therapy really is a scam or if it is because they didn't put in the effort themselves to improve, and I understand that it requires effort from both parties in order to actually get somewhere. I just need to know if it's worth giving it a shot. My depression is ruining my life and I already exercise and eat healthily and nothing helps.

I'm not really fully anti-therapy but I think if it's just depression then it's usually worthless and a scam. However, if you still plan on seeking one out, you'd need a therapist who's willing to be a little mean to you. They have to challenge your ideas and not just get an easy check by sympathizing and enabling you for a hour. Easier said than done but maybe look for someone who specializes in OCD. Exposure therapy relies a lot on that concept of challenging the patient so that sort of therapist will probably be more likely to do the same even if the issue is just depression.

 

[Tank Controls]

Does therapy help? My parents always told me I didn't need therapy, but now that I'm more independent it only hit me recently that now I can just look for it myself. But I don't know if it's worth it, because I get the impression that therapists are only there to tell you to shut up and eat your pills so I don't know. I've encountered so many people who said they went to therapy and take medication and go the full mile only for it to not help, but I'm not sure if that's because therapy really is a scam or if it is because they didn't put in the effort themselves to improve, and I understand that it requires effort from both parties in order to actually get somewhere. I just need to know if it's worth giving it a shot. My depression is ruining my life and I already exercise and eat healthily and nothing helps.

I found it helpful. Therapists can't prescribe medication, though they might refer you to someone who can. The therapist I had straight up told me she thought meds were unnecessary in most cases and overprescribed. Therapy helps with things like trauma, compulsive behaviors (including negative thoughts and self-hate), and cognitive distortions (again including negative thoughts about yourself, your potential, how others perceive you, etc). Treating mental illness as if it was a chemical imbalance is not really their line of work.
It does require some effort in that you have to talk to them, open up, and be honest. If they say something that pisses you off you should tell them so and why. And try to answer their questions even if they ask you retarded shit like what part of your body you feel your anxiety in. I still don't even know what that means frankly.

 

[unholysedation777]

I wanted to respond to everything you guys said but I don't want to overshare and there's not much else to add on afterwards anyway. Either way all of this was genuinely helpful, thank you for the in-depth perspectives, I really appreciate it.

 

[Smokeski]

Hard street drugs. I've come to the conclusion that I generally don't like the way I feel. But if I shoot up methamphetamine all day and take a few xanax to sleep, life is good. The sleep is where it really bites you in the ass! But I noticed that when I'm high on meth and clapping the cheeks of some 2/10 pucci, I feel great. But the comedown, reaaaaaallllly sucks. Thats why i decided the simple fix to that is to just always be high.

 

[⋖ cørdion ⋗]

Does therapy help? My parents always told me I didn't need therapy, but now that I'm more independent it only hit me recently that now I can just look for it myself. But I don't know if it's worth it, because I get the impression that therapists are only there to tell you to shut up and eat your pills so I don't know. I've encountered so many people who said they went to therapy and take medication and go the full mile only for it to not help, but I'm not sure if that's because therapy really is a scam or if it is because they didn't put in the effort themselves to improve, and I understand that it requires effort from both parties in order to actually get somewhere. I just need to know if it's worth giving it a shot. My depression is ruining my life and I already exercise and eat healthily and nothing helps.

Having worked with "selfless nurses" for a few years now, I've lost all trust in the health sector outside "you got this sickness; take these pills". Ask yourself what kind of person would want to become a health professional/therapist. Not those who're stoic, confident, humanly intellectual and set on making the world a better place. Neigh, you get the bullies, the bimbos who got neck tattoos (a surprising amount of those at the local psych ward) and those who want a job that convinces other women they're better than them cause they're a lowly engineer.. And then now and then you meet a genuinely kind older woman who got into her job because she considered herself a compassionate person and all her Lord-fearing childhood girlfriends told her she'd make a great aid.

I've considered therapy a few times but you hear so much about people going to 4-5 of them before they find one that works. Unironically, I can imagine male ones being preferable. Either they're bald chads who rape all their female subjects or they're fatherly figures who can lend you an ear while also trying to nudge you into solutions rather than being the wingless angel who gives you all the tools to do it yourself while charging $120 an hour. The fact you don't have a 70% chance of finding the perfect professional from the start tells me it's a hackjob and a half. I'd sooner vent to friends about my life than to a stranger who'll need 5 sessions to even lay the foundation, and ultimately they just nod and tell you to go outside and fix things yourself.

I don't personally feel like I have any issues in my life related to family experiences etc, but I'm sure someone would claim as such and put me on this quest to solve an issue I don't even have, because chances are they wouldn't just go "sounds like the average occasional sense of misery but nothing you can really fix. Bye".

 

[1rd Worlder]

I can't say I have the cure or the perfect set of stuff for managing depression but here are some of the smaller things you can do that really add up:
Vitamins
Unless you go outside regularly and live in a super sunny region, you probably have a vitamin D3 deficiency. There's countless studies showing a correlation with a lack of vitamin D and depression and cognitive impairment. Go get some vitamin D3+K2. 5000-3000 IU are good amounts, but try doing a tapered megadose (eg: 15,000IU for a 3-4 days, then 10,000, then cruise at either 3000 or 5000IU) if you aren't regularly getting more than 2 hours of sunlight a day.
Day & Night
I don't know if it's something to do with human or animal psychology, but avoid making any sort of self-reflection or decision about something during the night. From my experience, you will always have a more pessimistic and detrimental view than you would during the day (may in part be connected to above).
Journaling
Formally organize your thoughts. It's much harder to tackle misery or malaise if it's just rattling around in your head. Regularly write in it too - not just when you feel bad. It's good to keep a record of the good things you come across.
Go out
I don't necessarily mean a bar or restaurant, but try live a life where you're not stuck inside. I know that can sometime seems hard if you work a lot or have obligations. But spend time walking around a park or trail if that's accessable to you. Get moving and get close to nature. As evolved as we believe ourselves to be, we are still apes with ape brains - and those apes did not evolve to sit in a box at a computer desk.

You are going to have some very bad days, perhaps even your worst, but that doesn't mean you have to feel or be at your worst. Take care of yourselves.

 

[Nigger Respecter]

Mushrooms and nicotine

 

[Convallaria majalis]

I have started going to my local park with a small mat to sit on. I go to feed the birds and ducks, which ends up getting me walking. Especially in the spring, it’s been nice to see the ducklings with their mamas. It reminds me life goes on. It’s also gotten me more interested in birds and their calls and songs.

 

[KifflomKween]

Yoga and meditation helps immensely but you need a daily practice. Cutting irritants from your life - a job you hate but told yourself you needed to impress people you don't even like, toxic relatives and "friends" who absorb your time and energy, coworkers you can't stand, addictions - if you get this out of the way, it is a huge step.
Sunlight and fresh air, exercise.

Journaling, painting, anything to tap into the inner mess and make sense of it. Dealing with the backlog of repressed emotions and feelings you've been bottling up for years.

It depends on the the-rapist, female the-rapists will attempt to solve your problems as if you are a woman, and will see male problems as absurd or offensive. The-rapists usually won't give you pills, with the females it's basically just "talk to a liberal until you agree with xem" and not focused on any practical solution, often giving superfluous and inconsistent diagnoses if asked.

Pretty much. And they start resenting you once you actually improve and don't need them as much anymore.

 

[Fishcat]

Many people don't consider it but I recommend getting lab tests to check for deficiencies or other abnormalities if you can. Our mental state is very connected to our physical state and you may have some chronic illness without knowing it. Vitamin D deficiency if you're a shut-in, iron deficiency/anemia if you're a woman, sometimes people have minor allergies or sensitivities that are bogging them down without it being obvious. It's worth at least ruling out. Sometimes typical depression help stuff doesn't work because your problems are really physical, or because you have 4 flat tires and you only fixed 1.

Regarding therapy, they are not made equal and I don't recommend generic normie therapists if you're at all kind of "special", they will be frustrating and useless. I am not a pro-therapy all the time for everyone shill but I suggest that you don't necessarily need to get blackpilled about it if you hate the average one-size-fits-all approach, that's like deciding that all music ever is garbage because you don't like mainstream pop. For example, if you have trauma or if you are an autist, even if you only suspect it, look for an experienced psychologist who actually has expertise in that stuff as their main specialty, not someone who just vaguely lists that they're open to working on whatever. In my opinion a therapist who only mentions nondescript stuff like "coping skills" or "challenging negative thinking" is a red flag.

This is something you need to figure out for yourself and that can't be spoonfed by some random person's advice, but personally finding faith in God was the biggest piece. It doesn't magically make life easy but it changes the situation from aimlessly struggling in a void into a focused fight on sturdy ground. Just throwing it out there.

 

[Soggy paper straw]

Does therapy help?

Others have replied, but I wanted to add some more specific advice -

I am anti certain types of therapy because there is no evidence to support they work.

What types of therapy help? It depends on the disorder, but generally there needs to be a behavioral element, not just cognitive. For depression, you will want to look for CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
The therapy should start with having a set amount of sessions, then evaluate results, then maybe continue - do not expect it to go on for years.

Will CBT work every time? No, not even close. The thing you want to ensure is that you have a good rapport with your therapist. If you don't feel comfortable with her/him, then it is probably not going to work (I am referring to what is referred to as warmth in research, example)

The therapist will give you exercises and teach you how to deal and manage the negative emotions, but it is not a pill that stops your headache. You will have to change how you think about things, because obviously your cognitive patterns at the moment are not working. This is really important, don't expect that therapy is a thing that is done to you or you do to something; it is something that you do to yourself, and you will need to implement those changes.

My depression is ruining my life and I already exercise and eat healthily and nothing helps.

While I tend to push the importance of those things to start overcoming depression, there is a lot more. On the behavioral/practical side, going out with friends, having a job you enjoy (or at least don't hate), have people on whom you can rely and will love you unconditionally (generally family).
Sometime the "do" things are also not enough, and I think therapy can really help with that. It can help you on how to deal with ruminating thoughts, being unable to see positives in your life, etc..

I am also generally against medication, but for someone people it can help. I wouldn't support jumping on taking meds immediately, without trying a few psychologists first, but I think medication has its place (which is not 50% of the population taking it).
Also, as others have pointed out, only psychiatrist can prescribe medication, not psychologists.
On this point - make sure you search the qualifications necessary in your area to call yourself a therapist, psychologist, etc.. Ideally you will want a clinical psychologist, who has expertise in CBT

 

[Drive-by Farts]

Advice from someone who was depressed a long time ago but hasn’t been for years.

1) Diet and exercise. It’s been talked about many times in this thread so I won’t expound on it further. Also check other lifestyle/ environmental things. Do a thorough research of herbs and vitamins that might help.
2) get sunlight/ go outside.
3) schedule your day in a day planner. I recommend a full schedule, what you’ll be doing every hour on the hour. It’s okay to change it up and restructure to allow for spontaneity, though.
4) You need to have an overarching goal in life - if you’re lost, or you have a goal but are worried you can’t reach it, I recommend a very VERY big book (over 700 pages) called Reality Transurfing. It’s a book you’re gonna want to read with a pencil and paper to take notes.

I also recommend listening to this as its much shorter

Or this

.

Both of these are really short and were life-changing for me. But if you really want to understand, the first book I mentioned is more complete.

5) Read up on psychology both old and new. Jung was mentioned already in the thread, read him. You have access to the same information a psychologist has if you’re willing to look and read. Also read ancient religious or philosophical texts. Many are literally free to listen online. They give you perspective on life if nothing else!

Read the Bible in particular. Cover to cover.

6) Journaling - get a crap dollar store notebook to vent so that you don’t feel pressure to keep it nice. One you can throw away if you need to. Be 100% honest until you find out what your problems are. Later you can keep the habit going in nicer notebooks.

7) stop doomscrolling and worrying excessively about the state of the world. If that’s an issue for you, read the Reality Transurfing book I recommended.

instead of doomscrolling, watch funny movies/videos for the next few days/weeks. Personally I like dark or grim stuff sometimes, but if I feel down it’s back to comedy or saccharine family movies for a while. Laughter really is the best medicine in this case.

9) I recommend getting some kind of productive hobby. Something like playing the guitar or crocheting or learning a language. Something you can have tangible results in that you look forward to doing for about an hour or so each day. Something that’s not your overarching goal too, so there’s no pressure to be good at it. Not video games - you can play them but that’s not what I’m talking about here.


I don’t really recommend therapy unless you’ve done all of these things. Depression (and anxiety) usually respond incredibly well to lifestyle changes as well in changes in attitude and mindset. Todays therapists want to shill brain-breaking SSRIs and cross-sex hormones so they’re a last resort.

 

[Zoot]

I had lifelong severe depression and anxiety from when I was a teenager. (I am early middle-aged). I thought nothing would ever shift it, and I was destined to drag myself through life feeling unable to ever do anything. It fucked up everything in my life. I learnt in the last year that what I thought were my good times were actually just mild depression, but because it was worse than the bad, I assume this was what feeling normal was.

What cured it for me was going zero carb, zero plant carnivore. My brain experienced a sudden shift. The clarity I gained was incredible. And in a year so much of my life has changed, both physically and mentally.

I came across a community lol cow thread on this site for the Carnivore Community. . Every online thing has its lolcows but sadly the level of discussion about the scientific side of the carnivore diet is embarrassingly bad. Fitness has an unending fount of lolcows but proper resistance training is very good for you.

Seeing it though made me think of starting a carnivore thread here in case people were interested in a proper discussion on it and cover both the mental and bodily benefits. I've also lost about 85lb ish without ever going hungry or counting calories, all whilst putting on lean mass. I eat when I am hungry, and I eat good nutritious food that humans evolved to eat and I eat till I am full and I don't want any more.

In summary, a high-fat, carnivorous diet effectively and swiftly cured my depression and anxiety which I thought would never go away. This was the only time in my entire life that I had not experienced depression or anxiety. And it just lasted. I feel so good mentally now; sometimes it makes me cry a bit. I have taken opportunities I never would have. Have started exercising not out of obligation but because I have so much energy I don't know what to do. I am doing courses and planning a business. I am completing the things that I start.

I never ever was anything like this. I was the opposite. I just couldn't. People would tell me just to start exercising and studying and getting on with things. People would tell me to change my mindset bro. But till you have been so far in the hole, you just don't realize that you can't drag yourself out. You decide to but you just fucking can't no matter how hard you struggle, it saps you back in.

But with the carnivore diet and the way my brain and body started to function, my mindset started changing and I started wanting to do the things everyone told me to do, and I was able to.

Over Christmas I brought some plants and carbs back in for social reasons so people didn't have to cook specially for me. It brought my depression and anxiety back so bad that I was researching how to buy certain chemicals online to kms. It cleared away in a few days as soon as I stopped the plants and carbs again and went back to beef and butter. I'm not that person when I am on beef and butter (with a bit or pork and egg yolks)

I'm never going back to plants and carbs. I'm not bothered about what others do, For me, even without the fat loss and body recomposition, the mental changes would stop me from going back to plants and carbs.

If anyone is interested, I am open to starting a thread on it so people can discuss it and I will try to answer questions and give some pointers on how to get started, who the good people that talk about it are, and who the shills and charlatans are. S

Some often engage in trolling when they learn about the carnivore diet, either because it differs from their usual diet or because they have been misinformed about its health benefits. I have no interest in pointless nonsense but will answer good-faith questions on it. I am new to the site, so I'm not sure how DMs work or if they are possible, but if they are and someone would rather ask me privately for some advice on how to try it out, feel free to contact me.

Either that, or I'm happy to do a thread.

if If one is interested, that's cool as well. Wish you all the best with your battle friends. I know it is not fun.

I just realized I wrote a lot. Apologies but it has such a staggeringly great effect on my life that I barely recognise who I was a year ago.

 

[Scritti Politti]

I've been through a lot of shit (mainly multiple overlapping neurological/skeletal deformities) but I've made it this far, I might as well see it to the end.

Maybe if my folks were gone, I'd do it, but it would be an incredibly shitty thing to do to them. I couldn't go through with it.

 

[Free4Ever]

I have started going to my local park with a small mat to sit on. I go to feed the birds and ducks, which ends up getting me walking. Especially in the spring, it’s been nice to see the ducklings with their mamas. It reminds me life goes on. It’s also gotten me more interested in birds and their calls and songs.

I learned this month that ducks and other pond birds like to eat apple cores.

 

[Get a Houseplant]

Has anybody here ever gotten off of stimulant medication after long time use? I'm trying to get off of Adderall after 15 years of taking it. A few years back I was off it for about 4 to 5 months, but I was not functional.
My current plan is to switch to Wellbutrin and then 3 weeks in jump off Adderall. I'm prepared to completely lose about 2 weeks to withdrawals at that point. But my main concern is the post acute withdrawal stuff.

I've heard that depression is a very common post acute withdrawal symptom and can last for several months. I am trying to plan ahead, because I know with depression once you are in it, it becomes much harder to get out.

I'm normally against SSRIs, primarily because they are over prescribed and used for far too long. But would this be a use case where they MIGHT actually make sense? Emphasis on MIGHT.

 

[Swine Schwein]

With God and time. Once you find yourself even only entertaining the idea of surrendering your life and your death, your fate, to God, you're on a good track. I remember the relief when I could believe even a sliver of it, even if I felt it for only a short time. It's a change of attitude in a sense, letting go one inch at a time. Somehow that inner fucking panic, that awful fucking weight that constantly demands action while depriving you of means to do so, never allowing for any peace, started to subside.

I did get a lot of other help, therapy, meds, groups, but none of it really worked until I started to reach for God, all the help before that was only temporary. Not that I hate crutches and bandages, I don't, and I needed them, but I had to have something better in the long run.

Matt. 10:29-31