Depression and its treatment??? HELP

[Banana]

Hi all,

I've posted in TSP forum, but have just found this one which is more suitable. I hope someone can help.

I think my hubby is suffering from depression. I've read various websites and it certainly looks like it. He has visited the doctor a few months ago, and he said he was borderline and wouldn't recommend medication yet. However, it seems he is getting worse, things are not too good and I don't think he is coping very well. I want to be able to help him, coming to understand a little more about depression has helped me not to take it so personally and I now know he cannot help it.

He is very quiet and does not talk about things much, he usually has to have everything sorted out in his head before he discusses things. It obviously won't work with this because he just can't sort it out in his own head!

The question is, and I've read loads of threads just now on this forum, how can I help him if he's not talking about it. He says he's not ready to talk yet. I've suggested the docs again, and he says he's thinking about it. But he does need help. I've tried to get him to cut out carbs, he eats chocolate everyday at work, he drinks a couple of beers every night and he eats loads of cereal, toast and jam etc. It seems that seratonin plays a part, but after reading various threads, it's far more complicated than just cutting down on carbs, in fact many of you have said LCIng made you depressed. He does not have a problem with weight, the opposite in fact, he's 6'5" and could do with some weight gain.

Anybody out there have any recommendations. Would you recommend medication? I know it's not the ideal, but he really does need help to get out of this. Apparently, his mum said he was like this as a child as well, suffered from lows, his sister also. He's quite introverted so that doesn't help the communication side of things.

Help, please, I just think he's missing out on a lot of life, we have three wonderful kids, although they don't help the stress levels as they are all 4 or under, and very lively especially the four year old boy, who is slightly hyperactive!!!! which causes stress in the family at times! He also has a fairly stressful job which doesn't help matters!

Anyway, enough of me rambling, I'd appreciate help as to what I can do for him in terms of eating and/or medical advice, he's not really happy to give up the carbs, nor the beer as yet, maybe things have got to get worse before he is!

Thanks in advance.
Ivana

[DuPont]

Would your husband be willing to try St. John's wort or 5htp? St. John's wort is great for mild depression, 5htp for moderate depression. Also, a helpful book is "Depression free naturally" by Joan Mathews Larson, ph.d.

Here's a website about sjw http://www.sjwinfo.org/

:sunny:

[animaldoc]

Encourage your husband to go back to his doctor and ask for the medication. I was in a similar situation a few months ago and it took me a long time to be ok with taking medication. I was unhappy due to situations at work and kept putting off going to my doctor. When I finally went it was like a miracle! I didn't dread getting out of bed anymore and I know I was much better to my husband since I wasn't crying every night.

My doctor put me on Celexa because he said that it had less side effects than some of the older antidepressants. I was on it about 6 months, and I did have some weight gain (but then again, I tend to eat carbs when I'm unhappy-comfort food!). I just finally admitted that I needed medication (in addition to my strong support network of husband and family) to get "over the hump."

I wouldn't recommend self-medicating with any herbs. Clinical studies have shown varying efficacy-some studies say they work, some say they don't, and they are not regulated by the FDA (that said some Drs will "prescribe" these herbs and that's fine). The problem with self-medicating is that you may not be getting an appropriate dose (the dose on the bottle may not be the one they've tested for depression, etc). I avoided them because St. Johnswort can interfere with contraceptive metabolism (not a problem for your husband I know!!) and having a baby would have made me REALLY depressed at this point in my life!

Best of luck, hope your husband gets some help and that he feels better soon!

-animaldoc :wave:

[Talon]

Clinical depression is a medical condition, just like diabetes... sometimes it needs medication to make the condition bearable and quality of life improved.

Before I was on antidepressents, I could not recall a happy moment, I did not enjoy life. Just about everything would get me down. The doctors have tried to wean me off prozac, once after 6 months, the second time after I had been on it for a year. For me it wasn't a temporary condition, it is just me.

I would not for a million dollars/pounds would I stop taking Prozac. I've been on it for almost 13 years.

[Banana]

Many thanks chaps,

I've just done a questionnaire with hubby, assessing whether he should go to a doc or not, and it came out that he should. It's good that we've talked about it, and today he is much better, maybe just talking about it so openly and acceptingly helps.

We'll see what happens!

Thanks again, I'll let you know
Ivana
:wave: