I've done it with meds and I've done it without. It all depends on how bad it gets and how much stress I am under. We lost my mother-in-law at the beginning of September to breast cancer which did it for me this time and right now I am on meds. But it has made me feel so much better and I am much more able to deal with the stress, etc. that it is worth it. It has also helped me to begin to watch what I eat and exercise, which I couldn't seem to be able to do before. It also doesn't help that in northeast Ohio where we see the sun once a week or so if we're lucky...

Hey! We see the sun more then that around here.
I am trying to get off my meds after almost 14 years. I am down to 1/2 dose of my meds and a few St. John's Wort. (in its place). I am also taking a vitamin B complex. So far so good. I haven't hear about the fish oil helping. I may look into that.
I didn't feel my meds were doing any good anymore anyway, and we now have the worst insurance ever and my meds were going to get way to expensive. I am glad I stumbled upon this thread to give me some good ideas of other options.

That's exactly what I need to do. I feel I am actually going to have to MAKE myself get down to the gym and out of the house to start exercising. Not only to lose weight/tone up... but to make myself feel better and not be locked up in the safety of my own home all day every day.

I've been meaning/pushing myself to go to the gym since November (probably before), but just couldn't do it.

I'm sleeping alot too, not through being tired... but because I rather be asleep than deal with my severe depression daily.

I have suffered with depression for 8+ years (since I was 14), but my depression right now is very strong and due to the way I look.

LOL, I am surprised I am not the only person with a big screen in their bed room.

I have a tendency to sink into depression. My mom had issues, my grandma ect. I feel it coming and have found ways to deal. healthy eating and exercise are huge factors in battling, also finding things to enjoy outside of my home.

i suppose it's different for everybody.
I was depressed from the time i was about 9 up through my 20's. it got a little better in high school when i lost a bunch of weight, but when i started to re-gain, the anxiety and depression returned, so as you can see, taking care of oneself makes a big impact.
anyway, i was miserably depressed through my college years, i always felt like i didn't fit in for what ever reason. Like i was doing life all wrong.
I think changing my outlook helped tremendously in my case.

I was one of those people who made my depression part of my identity. Once i realized that it was within my power to let myself feel happy about things, the depression lifted and for the first time since i was 5 years old, i felt good about things and life in general.

I also took up running as a form of anti-depressant. i always felt good when i was a runner. Also, deep slow breathing, or meditation of anykind is a good helper.

But i also know there are different kinds of depression. when my obgyn insisted i go on a bcp i trusted her. And that put me into a depression that was nothing i could meditate or positive think my way out of . I was more numb than depressed, and that in itself depressed me, but i was too numb to feel it. i just became very bitter and angry, and mucho anxious, which was also a side effect.
The sad and frustrating thing about the whole situation was that i kept thinking it was me CHOOSING to feel that way, but when i discovered that the bcp was causing these side effects i immediatley went off it and it made a huge difference in how i was feeling.

Something you might consider along with all the suggestions you are getting from others is to try an elimination diet. you might have a food sensitivity to something. I feel much better when i eliminate grains, especially wheat.
also, cutting out sugar, processed foods, alcohol and coffee has helped me.

I guess everyones depression is individual, but my opinion is that it is more beneficial for the person to try to see if they can find the root of their depression before going on meds.

for everyone i know that has tried antidepressants it seems to just mask thier symtoms, and or cause alot of side effects. I've never heard any one say "wow! prozac is GREAT"

and that is one thing to consider, touching on what emily said, don't buy into the depression as a disease thing. Depression is a SYMPTOM not a disease.

I am surprised nobody has mentioned this one:

I work with a Doctor who stressed that he wants everybody on his team to be taking Vitamin D3 all winter this year. His reason being that it helps to fight the Flu (which we are exposed to daily). But the added benefits are that D3 also helps fight depression (especially for those who lack sunshine / seasonal depression). It also help you to get over the common cold much faster (My last one lasted 3 days as opposed to the normal 10-12 days!) and should you be susceptible to having a stroke, taking D3 helps lessen the severity of that stroke.

I have been taking 1000 IU's daily and have urged my hubby (who suffers severely from Seasonal Depression) to take it as well - and this winter has been amazingly wonderful. We both have such a better outlook on life! So much so that we have our young son taking 500IU's of children's D3 Vitamins.

You can buy them at any pharmacy. So long as you remember to take them, inmy opinion, they do wonders.

The work place is much more cheerful as well with everyone taking them.

I am not a crier....I don't think I've cried in.....gosh, can't even remotely remember. A year? Two?

But i find myself genuinely tearing up reading this thread. I have been really down lately. Have never taken meds, and don't want to start. I feel somehow my sadness is related to my weight gain of the past year. Have I gained because I'm sad, or am I sad because I gained? Either way, I find myself withdrawing and not wanting to show my "fat" self to the outside world.

Two things going on, i think. Number one with a bullet, overwork....which, in this economy, is technically a blessing, and I do know that. I have nothing to be truly sad about, knock wood. Part of me thinks I just need a smack. Or a break. But there it is.

The other thing is, I've become so sedentary. Not too many years ago I was 125 pounds and very fit and toned. Swam and did aerobics and nautilus. No more. My job entails a lot of computer time, but I'm also spending WAY too much time on the internet, reading news and getting bummed out, posting on stupid forums (not this one). Oh, and eating. All very unhealthy, and I am a terrible example to my kids, and even my dog is getting chubby for lack of exercise. All of which depresses me more.

The cycle is so vicious, and breaking it seems so simple. But I can't seem to take that first step.

Ugh. Thanks for listening.

What's given me the greatest sense of happiness and peace since my husband passed away is my faith in God...it's amazing how much better I feel when I give it all to him and just try to let him guide me...I know it's that same faith that is finally going to help me get rid of this weight too!

I took meds for a while but then was forced to stop taking them when I was no longer covered on my mother's insurance (had depression in college). I started to take St. John's wort instead and was fine. The best thing was St. John's Wort didn't have any of the side effects of the other meds I took (bad dreams, lethargy, headaches, etc.).

Exercise didn't help me with my depression because my exercise was basically part of my disordered eating which was brought about by my depression.

Now exercise makes me feel great but I suppose that is because I feel happy in general with my life.

Excercise naturally releases some the chemicals our minds just don't get enough of, so personally, excercise it what works for me. Also, and I know this will sound corny, but you MUST remind yourself daily of your value. I look at excercise as a gift now, not a chore and it has worked wonders. I also agree with the answer of yoga, we need to work on balance to achieve balance.

Thank you!!! This thread is SO helpful! I was diagnosed with depression years ago, but never wanted to use medication for fear of it. So, I plan for my ups and downs and work through them. It is REALLY hard. Your tips have lifted me. Again - thank you!

I have had depression and anxiety for roughly 4 years now. I removed myself from medication after about 1 and a half years because it was making me feel "funny" for lack of a better term. Anyway, I have been doing well except for recently I was involved in a traumatic event that triggered me. I have been doing OK but I can feel myself getting back into "my anxious state". I am so glad that I found this thread. Thank you to everyone for sharing.

One of my triggers is work too. I hate my job but there's nothing really horrible about it. I guess it's just the wrong fit. I also feel guilty about being upset about having to work when there are people in this economy who want to work and don't have the ability to get a job. Then I remind myself that everyone is different and that this simply isn't the job for me. I am planning on leaving this job in the first week of April. WAIT! I AM leaving this job in the first week of April so I think that will help.

Don't beat yourself you. Positive self-talk! Love, hugs and best wishes!

I spent years and years in and out of therapists offices, psychiatrists offices, on and off a thousand different pills, even did a stint in a 'behavioral health hospital.' That was two years ago and now I'm a healthy, well rounded individual.
I simply stopped taking the meds. I hated the way they made me feel, I hated being on them, so I took myself off. (it's not healthy to do it cold turkey like i did--its better to wean yourself off if you're going to quit) When I saw my stepmom for the first time since I'd stopped taking them, she said it was like the 'old Taylor was back' and that I'd been a zombie for years.
Just my own personal journey. I don't much buy the med hype anymore.