How to Use Physical Exercise and Acupressure to Address Chronic Depression

I was happy to see that you chose to address the question of depression. I was highly disappointed, however, to see that you don’t differentiate between depressions that are caused by circumstances and clinical depressions that may have no relationship to life events.

I have bipolar disorder and suffer regularly with incapacitating episodes of depression. Before I was diagnosed, I also assumed that my depression must be due to external circumstances. I thought if I could affect a change, the depression would go away. This was not the case. The more I tried to “fix” things the worse they got. I actually created problems where there were none. As time went on, my depressions became intolerable. I was so often suicidal that it is nothing short of a miracle that I am still alive. It was only when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (manic depression) that I began to understand the nature of the beast. Although the stress of “having a fight with a loved one, not having a loved one, losing a loved one, losing a large amount of money, hating the way you look, not getting a job that you really want, feeling like you are useless, or any other painful experience that is common to the human experience”, as you put it, can indeed trigger a depressive episode, often my mood comes out of nowhere. I can actually be depressed when everything is going great. I go to bed feeling just fine, and wake up in the morning wondering why I should go on living. It was only when I received properly adjusted medication and cognitive therapy that things began to improve. Now, with medical treatment, my depressions come less frequently, don’t last as long and are not as severe as before. Through the years I have tried many alternative treatments, including many of the ones you suggested. While they may be helpful and for mild depression, they were not able to significantly improve my situation. Please, please tell your readers that if they are chronically depressed, they should see a doctor and/or therapist immediately to determine the nature of their depression and get the treatment they need.

Hi Dr Kim

I often appreciate your style of writing and the honesty with which you come across.

When I first saw a 5-part series in depression I was wondering how much you were going to charge for this. And wow you very graciously offered this for free - I am guessing because there is important information that you would like to get across.

So thank you for your generosity and for all that you offer in your newsletters and other.

All the best with your family!

Shera

Just wanted to add my own experience in case it helps someone. I am 28 and had depression for about 6 years along with an anxiety disorder and panic attacks. I still suffer from a type of social anxiety but am incredibly free from the general anxiety and depression. One big lesson has been that everything is connected -- spiritual, mental, physical etc. I discovered I had to work on each aspect for healing, although physical health was by far the greatest factor. My depression left me at the same time that I underwent my first ever major cleanse four years ago. It was for a candida condition. In conjunction with the new candida diet, I also excercised regularly. I had previously NOT been overweight, but appeared healthy and active. I also ate exceptionally well, by most appearances but only I knew the overload of sugary food I ate in addition to the healthy salads others saw me eat for lunch etc. As the social anxiety problem remains I am slowing eroding it away with CBT and my spiritual development in my Christianity. Although I have lapsed from an ideal diet since, I don't have the build up that was in my system and don't eat as badly as I did before the cleanse. I also periodically cleanse by very basic and short fasts helped by a great detox tea in the mornings

I'm twenty-seven. I've been dealing with "depression" for 15 years now. I didn't have health insurance growing up, and my parents paid several thousand dollars out-of-pocket to take me to specialists who (suprise!) didn't prescribe me any meds. But they just brushed me off and thought I was a moody teenager. I'm sorry, but normal moody teenagers don't weigh 100 pounds at 5 foot 7 stature and sleep all the time. Nor do they try mutilate themselves or try to kill themselves.

I barely lived throughout jr. high and high school. I was dead in many ways. I barely graduated high school. I had no plans, intentions or cares about the future. Didn't apply to college, didn't have a job, didn't even have a driver's license, and didn't care. I feel like a HUGE part of my life was taken from me that I will never be able to get back.

Was I depressed? Was it circumstantial? Why did it persist so severely and so long? Was it my fault?

When I was eighteen and done with high school my parents, fed up with me, told me I had to leave the house. (Not move, just get OUT.) I had to get a license. I had to get a full time job. The first place my mom took me to get me going was a regular primary doctor. Then the "Prozac Nation" phenomenon occurred: a five-minute interview followed by an Rx for Paxil.

It changed my life.

I loved my family again; my family loved me again! I loved myself again! I could function. I could get up out of bed and live. I got a full time job, I got my driver's license, and I even got something more incredible: solid continuing friendships that weren't disrupted or destroyed by the mental and physical bottoming-out that used to routinely occur.

I have been on antidepressants ever since. Different strengths and brands, for fifteen years now. When I was twenty-four I even pursued by my own choice intense psychotherapy twice a week for two years with periodic hypnotherapy. I have wanted, so badly, to be able to live without medication. I am embarrassed and ashamed I rely on it. I have tried several times to go ever so very slowly and carefully off these drugs but the longest successful span of time without falling into that dark place in my mind again was 5 months.

That's why when I came to this article I was so hopeful and at the same time so heartbroken.