Depression

[befriend]

if you are depressed because of low self esteem. i dont know if thats the reason. but if it is. buddhism will most likely end depression related to low self esteem. as i suffered from depression from low self worth for a few years, found buddhism and now im fine. i actually dropped out of college because i could not talk in front of a classroom of like 12 people. now i sing open mic nights, show others how to meditate in front of people, and public speaking is my main passion in life. thanks to buddhism. i hope you get well. karuna. befriend.

[fragrant herbs]

Greggorious,
I was diagnosed with bipolar about 6 years ago, and not just the simple bipolar I or II, nope, I am Cyclothymia. This mean that I can mood change in the blink of an eye. I do not look at this as something that is a burden, or that I was cursed with. It is a decease, much like depression, or diabetes, or cancer, or leukemia. There is no difference between mental illness and physical illness. There are medications that help with physical illnesses and medication to help with metal illnesses. I do not believe that the Buddha would think that taking medicine to help with physical or mental pain is wrong. I am on Valproic Acid which helps to even out the waves of emotion that I tend to get. Meditation helps smooth the waves out even more. Remember that life is suffering and it does not matter if it is temporary or a lifetime of suffering. I have accepted that this is what I have to deal with and I accept it. The only advise I have is to continue to work with your physician on the medication and meditate. With metta

Brian

i had a therapist once who say that i was cyclothymic. i remember how i used to get high in people's company and couldn't control myself if a joke was made. one day i walked out of the room when this happened and sat by myself. that feeling went away; I had calmed down, and i realized then that i had control overmy moods. so i worked on controlling them and it worked

drugs never worked on me, no matter what they were so can say that the video that was given on here of a monk enjoying his walk up to the monastery, which I did not finish, would not have worked for me. when i was depressed nature meant nothing to me. everything was bleak. i had no joy in anything. in later years i had developed the cyclothymic condition and so had some joy, but most of the time it was terrible depression and anxiety attacks, which meant that my stomach felt like i had butterflies all the time.

to explain in more detail how i got over my depression. when i read that thoughts make you depressed, i began the first day with something that was depressing me even more. the man i loved chose another woman and came to tell me. what a bummer. then that day at work i kept saying quietly to myself, I am lucky.. I am lucky. like a mantra. meaning that i was lucky he didn't want me, and i had some reasons in the back of my head. at the end of the day i realized that i was lucky and my depression had gone away. then i sat and thought about what i was thinking, and most of the thoughts that always went through my mind were negative, so i took each one and spent a day on them. in a month i was cured. the anxiety attacks did not go away, but years later someone gave me some cold remedy tea, and while i was drinking it the attacks went away. by the time i finished the box i realized they were gone and they never returned. i looked at the ingredients in the box, and there were 5 of them, and i looked up what they did. chamomile tea is for spasms. i realized then that i must have been having spasms and that chamomile was the ingredient that cured me. i wish i had the name of the tea and have never been able to find it. i just know that a sweet sgi buddhist friend came over to chant with me when i was ill and brought the tea. (It was not the chanting that cured me, because I had to keep drinking the tea day after day when i felt anxiety attacks.)

Peter B: They told me that it was genetic too. I don't believe that now. I think it runs in families because, well, my own family taught us all to think negatively. It is a learned behavior, and i think that the book destructive emotions goes into this. this is the best book that has been written on the subject. it is by daniel goleman.

If i can do it anyone can. i was told that i was a tough case to crack and was in therapy for 12 years going to different therapists from time to time. once i was seeing three at the same time. I now have a low opinion of therapists and therapy, except for cognitive.

[fragrant herbs]

Yes, outdoor aerobic exercises would definitely help. Jogging, biking, hiking, or brisk walking are all good. If you've never done them before, make sure to start out slowly and gradually build up the speed and duration. Eventually if you could maintain 1hr-jogging 3 times a week, that'd be great. Good luck..

I don't mean to disagree with you, and I am not, I am disagreeing with this belief system that doctors made up. When I was depressed I walked for hours, all over Berkeley, CA during the hippie days. I lost a lot of weight, but it did nothing for my depression. I even ran much of the time. I went hiking in the hills. I was told to work, that it would help me. So I went to work at cleaning homes because I could not handle other types of work. I often found myself sitting on one of their beds trying to make myself get up and move. I tried volunteer work, and I was a senior volunteer for Suicide Prevention, which did not depress me anymore than i was, and i stayed for 4 years, but it didn't cure my depression either. I worked for the Red Cross. Didn't work. I think these cases where jogging, etc. are mentioned only work for mild depression.

[befriend]

great point. if you have like a ingrained belief that you are a worthless person, why would jogging cure depression.

[manas]

I struggle with depression on and off. This is going to sound odd, but sometimes the best way to stir myself up to action (my depression manifests as inertia, dullness, sadness etc) is to contemplate how tenous our lives are here. Not just any day but any moment, we could die: accident, illness, or violence... it happens. If we are lucky, we get to grow really old, and gradually fade away. But however we end up going, go we will. Sometimes I reflect on this body that I hold so dear, (imagining it) as lying dead on the floor...how sad, but it's going to happen one day, it is unavoidable...am I ready? How can I live my life today so as to be prepared to die with a calm and unconfused mind, when that day comes?

Practice, practice, practice!

[tiltbillings]

The problem is that "depression" is not a singular thing. The causes and manifestations are wildly various as are the possible treatmnent solutions -- that is, assuming that one's depression is ameanable to treatment.

The problem that I have with some of the the above is the wishful thinking and hope for perfection that goes with the unstated magical thinking that it can all be resolved one's "enlightenment" -- ah, my depression will go away if I practice Buddhism and become enlightened.

For some, depression is a fact of life with which they have to cope, have to struggle, until they die. Can Dhamma practice help with that? Probably, but it is may not make it go away, and in some instances it certainly will not. So, the question is, what is one looking for in terms of Dhamma practice vis a vis depression (or any other mental illness)?

[manas]

The problem is that "depression" is not a singular thing. The causes and manifestations are wildly various as are the possible treatmnent solutions -- that is, assuming that one's depression is ameanable to treatment.

The problem that I have with some of the the above is the wishful thinking and hope for perfection that goes with the unstated magical thinking that it can all be resolved one's "enlightenment" -- ah, my depression will go away if I practice Buddhism and become enlightened.

For some, depression is a fact of life with which they have to cope, have to struggle, until they die. Can Dhamma practice help with that? Probably, but it is may not make it go away, and in some instances it certainly will not. So, the question is, what is one looking for in terms of Dhamma practice vis a vis depression (or any other mental illness)?

Tilt, that's a darn good point. I was just reflecting that although I don't agree with putting labels on people and I don't accept them either, I have been variously 'diagnosed' as having 'post traumatic stress disorder' and 'social anxiety'. Anyway, the reality is that (as you pointed out) there really isn't a 'quick fix', and I have indeed found that the best attitude to take is acceptance, to stop fighting my current reality (secretly wishing that my life had not turned out this way) and to use the painful emotions that swirl through me on a daily basis as objects of 'right recollection - awareness / clear comprehension' (my awkward rendering of 'sati-sampajanna'). I'm not going to go into any detail about it, but I don't think anyone would actually be surprised that i feel alot of painful emotions on a daily basis, if they knew my past and even current situation. So maybe this is just how it is...but whether we got a fortunate life or an unfortunate one (contacting the Dhamma however was my one great good fortune), either way we have to let go of the identification with that story: 'I am so-and-so, this happened to me, I have this job, these friends (or lack thereof), these likes and dislikes...etc etc...' Whether it's a happy story or a sad one, it's still just a story...and needs to be seen for what it is. In case I sound flippant, I don't mean to. Even 'witnessing' the painful emotions / feeling hurts. But at least, with a pinch of sati-sampajanna, a bit of panna can come to one's aid, reminding us: 'These painful emotions / feelings are impermanent and not-self'.

[BlackBird]

For my anxiety, there was a quick and effective fix. Citalopram 30mg ed. Panic attacks are a thing of the past.

[manas]

A strong, organically grown Chamomile tea does much to soothe my nervousness, I've found. (Not the teabag type, but the (dried) whole flowers, properly steeped for about 5 - 10 minutes ... it's the calcium content that does the calming, they say.)

[Terasi]

I've been diagnosed as suffering from major depression for over 12 years, I've been various medications during this time but still feel as though I'm getting nowhere with gaining emotional well being.
Is there a Buddhist interpretation of what depression is? Am I paying the price for negative karma in a past life? Also are there any views on anti depressants in Buddhism?

Greg

Wonder how OP is now, is he fine? I hope you feel better.

[MoesTavern]

And here is a tip from far off Scandinavia: spending a couple of hours a week in a sauna, mixed with ice-cold showers (or rolling naked in snow if you have access to it), is in my experience helpful in battling The Black Dog.

metta metta

[thomasmite996]

Nice information about this topic. All the forum member posted valuable knowledge.
depression destroy the person's intention and its capability.
You need to involve him self in working and spend time with some one who easily understanding your problems,
Take a tour on beautiful place. it help to reduce depression.
Don't take work as over burden...