I was just diagnosed with severe depression, need advice?

My GF takes wellbutrin. And has also been diagnosed with something similar. She has begun practicing meditation and it has helped her a great deal and have even been able to come off some of the prescription meds she was taking.

I have been suffering from post partum depression for the past one year when I gave birth to a baby boy. I couldn't stop thinking about how my husband loves him more than me and how things might be better if he wasn't born at all. Thus, I stayed away from him because I knew that I might do something I will regret for the rest of my life.

Almost instantly I went to a therapist and convince them that I need help. Among other things, I've tried herbal supplements and other book to treat depression but nothing works like the Depression Free Method. So now I'm proud to say I'm one of the happiest mother in the world. My husband loves us both very much and I thank the Lord for the blessing he gave us.

Depression Free Method?

I haven't taken Welbutrin myself but have had many friends that have. The issue with anti-depressants is that the REAL issues don't get resolved and when you come off the drug, THEY come RUSHING back with a vengance, and that's the downside. It's unfortunate that Dr.s always want to prescribe drugs when they know that you're always going to have to come back to the place where the issues lie. There are some really great nutritional supplements available that help a great deal with depression because it all really boils down to the release of chemicals from the brain, ie. dopamine, seratonin, etc.

High levels of B complex help a great deal with depression. I'm more of a naturalist so I've always looked for the things that God created for us to stay healthy and then you have the long term, safe methods for combatting your problem. I'll provide a link for you where you can read all about depression, it's causes and cures. You'll have an opportunity to see the drugs typically prescribed for depression and their side effects, their rates of success, and any known side effects. In addition, you'll discover foods to include or exclude and nutritional supplements that have been proven to help with depresson. Best of luck to you and God Bless.

http://www.lef.org/protocols/emotional_health/depr...

I know my sis has taken it. I think it did help her. I'm not sure if she takes it now? But she did at one time. They have experimented with her - take this, take that - so she's taken lots of things. But I don't remember hearing anything neg about it. Go ahead and take it and don't worry ... it should help!! But remember it will take a few weeks before you will really start to notice something. And DON'T stop taking it cold turkey. Never stop any antidepressant like that. I have a lot of depression in my family so I know what I'm tlaking about. Give it a try.

my advice on wellbutrin, it makes u feel crazy if ur really not crazy it can make u feel like hurting ur self my daughter was on that and she began having fits of rage then started to say she wanted to kill her self it has been no good for alot of people i know efexxor is a good anti depressant it is mild and calming but in all honesty no pills are best they all have side effects no matter what just make sure u look up whatever u r put on know what it is for and what side effects read up on it..

Nasty taste in my month for about a week. Other than that I don't remember.

you have to keep telling your psych how u r feeling. a little experimantation goes in before the doc can find the right doasage for you.

See www.drugs.com SEARCHBAR. It GENERALLY has fewer side effects than the others, depending on the individual. With depression, there is a choice of possible treatment types which needs to be made, and you can decide to use either allopathy, (modern Western medicine) with its reliance on antidepressants and therapy, or alternative treatments, which I advise trying first. This is because antidepressants are known to increase the rates of suicide, homicide, and aberrent behavio(u)r, particularly with young people, and often have unwanted side effects, such as sexual dysfunction, and/or weight gain.

Tests have shown that apart from clinical (major) depression, their results were not significantly superior to those taking a placebo (inert, or "sugar pill"). Antidepressants retain a degree of long term effectiveness for only around 30% of people. There is a saying in the mental health field: "If the only tool you have in your kit is a hammer, you tend to treat everything as a nail". So it goes with doctors, and their prescription pads: handy, quick, and convenient, when trying to manage their large list of patients, and often allocating only several minutes to each.

Most of them are only trained to provide antidepressants and referrals for therapy, with those whose depression is resistant to those treatments being advised to have ElectroConvulsive Therapy, (ECT) with its risk of permanent, partial memory loss. Therapy, while often effective at first, becomes "same old, same old" after a while, for many people.

I now advise people to: (1.) Take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily, (certified free of mercury) with an antioxidant, such as an orange, or grapefruit, or their freshly squeezed juice. If vitamin E is used, it should be certified as being 100% from natural sources, or it's synthetic, avoid it. (2.) Work up slowly to 30 - 60 minutes of exercise, daily. (3.) Occupational therapy (keeping busy allows little time for unproductive introspection, and keeps mental activity out of less desirable areas of the brain). (4.) Use daily, one of the relaxation methods in sections 2, 2.c, 2.i, or 11, and/or yoga, Tai Chi, and/or the EFT, in sections 2.q, 2.o, and section 53, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris whichever works best for you. (5.) Initially, at least, some form of counselling, preferably either Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy, or Rational Emotive Behavio(u)ral Therapy. (6.) As options, if desired, either a known, effective herbal remedy, such as St. John's wort, or a supplement, such as SAMe, taken with a vitamin B complex which is certified as being 100% of natural origin, or Inositol (from vitamin and health food stores, some supermarkets, or mail order: view section 55).

If the amount of daylight you have been exposed to recently has reduced, perhaps due to the change of seasons, see Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) in section 2, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris and, instead of taking around 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily; replace 2 of them with cod liver oil supplements for the winter months only! (or, as probably a better alternative to the 2 cod liver oil supplements: 1 teaspoonful of cod liver oil, with a little butter, to ensure its use; I take mine on sourdough rye bread, or toast, covered with fishpaste, and pepper, to mask the strong taste). Optimal levels are 50 - 55 ng/ml (115 - 125 nmol / L). It should be above 32 ng/ml.

Don't use medications and supplements together, without medical advice, except for Omega 3, which is safe, anytime. Omega 3 fish oil supplements: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid (omega 3) ----360 mg.DHA (docosahexaenoic acid (omega 3)-----240 mg

Take enough supplements to attain, or exceed the levels (no possibility of overdose) of those every day, with an orange, or the juice of a freshly squeezed orange, grapefruit, or other antioxidant.

(make sure the epa is higher then the dha) important for adults... kids need the opposite levels: more dha than epa, but all are beneficial, if you can't achieve the recommended proportions.

They should be certified as being free of mercury, and if containing vitamin E, it should be shown as from a natural source; otherwise it is synthetic: avoid it! Consider having your doctor test your vitamin D levels, (60% of depressed people have low vitamin D levels!) using the 25 Hydroxyvitamin D test. Those people who receive adequate exposure to sunlight, daily, won't need the vitamin D from cod liver oil, but many people, particularly those in latitudes far from the equator, find this difficult to achieve.

If the above is insufficient for you, after several months, (unlikely) try one of the alternatives, such as the neurofeedback, magnetic, or low current electrical stimulation, or EMDR therapy, (see section 33, at ezy build) keeping ECT back, as a last resort. Read: "Lift your mood now." by John D Preston, Psy.D. 2001, New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland. CA 94609 http://www.amazon.com/ may be worth trying for this. I have read many books on depression, but if there is a better, more easily read, and quickly implementable one, I have yet to encounter it.