Depression Learning

Any primary caregivers in this group?

Question:

I am not a caregiver, but I wanted to offer some input on mood-elevating drugs (in the loosest sense) that don’t bring sexual side-effects.  I found out years ago that cod-liver oil, like you buy in capsules on the shelf next to the vitamins at Walgreens, somehow helps keep me on an even keel.  Omega3 fatty acids don’t do the trick, and neither does A&D supplements.  I don’t know why it helps, but it does.  If it miss it for a few days, I end up a ranting raving asshole.  Again, this is cod-liver oil, commonly used as an A&D supplement.  For some reason, when I tell people about this, they frequently think "castor oil", which is a violent purgative.  Not the same. Cod-liver oil.  Think "Vitamins, not laxatives." A few years ago I read an article in a science magazine that talked about research pointing out how cholesterol is used by the body to moderate or regulate, I don’t remember which, the uptake of seratonin.  The article described a research project wherein four groups of men were either 1) on cholesterol lowering drugs, 2) a cholesterol lowering diet, 3) both of the afore mentioned, or 4) no diet and no drugs.  The group on the diet had several men who ended up having problems congrolling their anger or being depressed, as did the group on the drugs, and in the group with both the diet and the drugs, one of the men killed himself during the study.  The researchers ended up on another project, trying to find out what was going on.  I have since heard of similar anecdotal evidence from several places. I have nearly always used a large, rare steak as a treat for myself whenever I have been having a hard time, but since reading this article and hearing of this research, I am very much aware of how GOOD it feels to treat myself to a ribeye.  And if I am having a hard day, I frequently use this as a mood-elevating drug that I can get without a prescription.  Butter does the same thing with me, and I frequently tell people that butter is actually a drug for me.  Two slices of whole-wheat toast, slathered with butter, do it for me every time. What else was there?  SUNLIGHT.  Get some real, honest to god sunlight every morning .  Go outside to get the paper.  Stand there while you look over the headlines.  Turn toward the Southeast, and count to twenty.  Walk the dog, if you have time.  I don’t know why, but it helps.  There are also specal lights that you can buy for inside the house, but I don’t know what they cost. Oh, and St. John’s Wort.  It doesn’t work for everyone, and it doesn’t always mix well with other drugs, but it does help me.  It is available in a variaty of forms, with everytning from powerded plant material to standardized extract in the pill or capsule.  Go for the standardized extract.  Your Life, or Nature Made are good brands.  I take it three times a day, and it really does help me.  It is supposed to work best for people with lighter (is that the right word?) forms of depression, rather than full-blown major depression. Hope this offers some thought-provoking suggestions.  The ideas outlined above help me, and I hope that they might help you at least a little.  If you try them and they do help, please let me know. Dave

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Greetings from Texas.   Hello.  My  name is Marci &  I  am the primary caregiver for my mom-in-law, Fontaine, who is a severe, multiple stroke survivor.  She is severely handicapped, unable to speak or swallow & is mostly bedridden with a bedside potty & is tube fed.   My  husband & I have won’t admit I am deeply depressed, but I am.     Oh…I  quit smoking August 14th too…..miss those  cigs still,  but no cheating…none whatsoever! I have  help Mon-Fri from 9am to 12pm (only 3 hours a day).  I  refuse to take mood elevating drugs until they create one  with NO sexual side-effects. Anyone else a caregiver here?  If so I would love to  correspond with ya or just say Hi anyway…..take care everyone…..Sincerely, Mrs. Marci Hester III

Response:

Greetings from Texas.   Hello.  My  name is Marci &  I  am the primary caregiver for my mom-in-law, Fontaine, who is a severe, multiple stroke survivor.  She is severely handicapped, unable to speak or swallow & is mostly bedridden with a bedside potty & is tube fed.   My  husband & I  have won’t admit I am deeply depressed, but I am.     Oh…I  quit smoking August 14th too…..miss those  cigs still,  but no cheating…none whatsoever!  I have  help Mon-Fri from 9am to 12pm (only 3 hours a day).  I  refuse to take mood elevating drugs until they create one  with NO sexual side-effects. Anyone else a caregiver here?  If so I would love to  correspond with ya or just say Hi anyway…..take care everyone…..Sincerely, Mrs. Marci Hester III

Response:

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