Anxiety And Depression, Need Advice

[Maxen93]

Hello, Wondering if anyone can help me with my mental issues, I have had depression and anxiety for many years and I really need some help as i'm barely coping at the moment.

I was on a drug called lamictal untill 1 month ago, I was feeling good on it but forced to quit due to unfortunate circumstances. Since then my anxiety have been crazy along with increased depression.

I drink alot of sugared milk and eat kinda peatlike diet. I have been trying alot of supplements but they all seem to increase anxiety to the point of panic attacks. even carrot salad seems to give me anxiety maybe triggers hypoglycemia.
supps i have tried: theanine, lysine niacinamide taurine glycine magnesium.
only supp I take now is haiduts stressnon pregnenelone. and the occasinal valium when I cant sleep for days, but i'm kinda scared of benzos and really dont want to take them.

I am a 22 year old male with a anxiety and depressions since about 18. anxiety triggered from bad drug trip. I have a doctors apointment at 4/20 so if you have any suggestions for any medicine or tests I can ask for I would appreciete it.

 

[javin]

Hey Maxen,

I was dealing with some bouts of anxiety and lethargy a few months ago. At this time I was also taking a handful of supplements (mostly just random vitamins/minerals/herbs). Ever since I stopped taking all supplements and focusing carefully on my diet and what my body needs I've been feeling a lot better! For me, increasing carbs/salt is seeming to do wonders for my mood/cold extremities. My temps and pulse are making slow gains as well. I also stopped eating out. Home-cooked delicious meals every day is having positive effects; it's nice knowing exactly what's going into your food!

For now I'm being super cautious about what supplements I take. Currently I only take some Vitamin D (on days I don't get out in the sun enough). I did some blood tests and found that my Vitamin D levels were lower than they should be. I recommend getting some blood tests done to find out what's going on in your body if you haven't yet. A basic comp. metabolic panel, lipid panel, and testing all your thyroid-related hormones would be helpful.

Another thing I recommend is meditating. Sit up straight, cross-legged in a quiet spot and just try to clear your mind of all thoughts and focus on your breath. Studies have shown that meditation rewires your brain.

Try to get out in the sun often too!

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[bobbybobbob]

Are you broke? Are you completing studies you can't interrupt?

Unless it's impossible in the near term you should take a couple months off and go do something interesting. Be a surf bum and sleep in a van. Hang out with Trappist monks at a prayer retreat. Bicycle 60 miles a day on a big trek.

Dude, you're 22. You almost certainly don't need pills.

 

[Maxen93]

No cant just go have responsebilites to take care of

 

[javin]

I fully second what bobbybobbob said. (Every single one of those activities sounds like a blast!)

At 22 you can bounce back easily. Now would be great time to take life not-so-seriously. You're young! Taking time to disconnect/find yourself can be very beneficial. Spend time in nature. Sleep outside. Take a road trip alone or with friends. Hitchhike across the United States. Life isn't about taking pills to make you better. You have to live better to be better. Do you have any hobbies? Keeping busy (to an extent) with activities you enjoy is healthful as well.

I believe that living a good life, along with proper nutrition, will put you in a good place. Don't be afraid to make radical life changes that will put you on a better path.

 

[meatbag]

Hello, Wondering if anyone can help me with my mental issues, I have had depression and anxiety for many years and I really need some help as i'm barely coping at the moment.

I was on a drug called lamictal untill 1 month ago, I was feeling good on it but forced to quit due to unfortunate circumstances. Since then my anxiety have been crazy along with increased depression.

I drink alot of sugared milk and eat kinda peatlike diet. I have been trying alot of supplements but they all seem to increase anxiety to the point of panic attacks. even carrot salad seems to give me anxiety maybe triggers hypoglycemia.
supps i have tried: theanine, lysine niacinamide taurine glycine magnesium.
only supp I take now is haiduts stressnon pregnenelone. and the occasinal valium when I cant sleep for days, but i'm kinda scared of benzos and really dont want to take them.

I am a 22 year old male with a anxiety and depressions since about 18. anxiety triggered from bad drug trip. I have a doctors apointment at 4/20 so if you have any suggestions for any medicine or tests I can ask for I would appreciete it.

Yeah I think that supplements can be helpful but you have to be careful because you can cause hypoglycemia which would exacerbate anxiety issues. I recently starting taking Mirtazapine. It is fairly safe and can help to lower serotonin. I've been on it for about a week and my anxiety/depression are a lot better. I'm not saying it will solve all of your problems but I was in a bad state and I've found it helpful. I will say it made me exhausted and lethargic at first and I slept for 12 hours the first 4 nights.

I think depending on one's situation, these anti-serotonin drugs can be helpful. They can allow you to reach a place where you can think for yourself and take appropriate measures.

I also second the importance of sunlight and vitamin D. Ray Peat said it's important to maintain around 50 ng/mL so that pregnenolone and progesterone can excrete their protective effects on the nerves of the brain.

 

[DaveFoster]

The worst problem at this point is to spiral with negative self-talk. Most of it's completely in your head, which influences your physiology.

Try relaxing and doing fun things. Meditation, clean living, and a supportive social atmosphere will help you. Slow your breathing and breathe less. Get to bed on time. Sunbathe.

I'm currently dealing with the same issues.

 

[DavidGardner]

I highly recommend picamilon as a supplement for anxiety. It will not sedate you like a benzodiazapene. You can get it from Awakebrain.com inexpensively.

 

[meatbag]

.

 

[narouz]

I highly recommend picamilon as a supplement for anxiety. It will not sedate you like a benzodiazapene. You can get it from Awakebrain.com inexpensively.

Tell me more, DG.

 

[bobbybobbob]

From Ray's article Fatigue, Ageing, and Recuperation

Maybe Ray Peat got wedgied by jocks at some point, or something like that. There's nothing better for the human soul than blissful physical exhaustion and soreness. Best of all is winning. Just being out and covering large swathes of new ground on foot or on bicycle is the best therapy in existence.

Look into Teddy Roosevelt's escape from ill health and depression (they didn't call it that at the time). It was seeking hard physical exertion and adventure. (Teddy was kind of a shitty president, but his self transformation from sickly to virile might interest readers of this forum.)

It's all about appropriate dosage of exercise and correct supporting nutrition. There is no way it's a bad thing if you're not chronically overdoing it. I've seen zero evidence.

 

[javin]

It's all about appropriate dosage of exercise and correct supporting nutrition. There is no way it's a bad thing if you're not chronically overdoing it. I've seen zero evidence.

I'm pretty sure I've read something Ray's said about physical activity being "stressful" for the body. We all know that bodily stress leads to production of hormones that we don't necessarily favor or want in our system. To me it sounds like a bit of a double-edged sword. I'm not sure if a low-activity lifestyle would be more beneficial or not.

In the end, it's not going to stop me from being physically active because it brings me a lot of joy!

 

[Brian]

If you're young the simple recipe of eat hard, play hard can do wonders for mood and outlook on life. Advanced Peat concepts can be something to play around with later, but I agree the Teddy Roosevelt Method of living vigorously is often the way to go to reset your physical and mental health if you are young.

Eat everyday like it's thanksgiving and around three times per week do something physical and fun near to exhaustion. Then the rest of the week try to fit in fun social things as much as possible. A couple mile walks daily are good too for cortisol reduction.

Getting outside right after waking up for a half hour and some more throughout the day is good for decreasing serotonin and cortisol.

After about a month of eating big everyday, you should be able to retain magnesium and other important nutrients much better. Many vitamins and minerals are easily lost and poorly absorbed when there is energy and protein scarcity, such as B6, so supplementing a lot of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, hormones, thyroid isn't necessarily a solution to kick start your metabolism, since the root problem is often the energy/protein deficiency. So I wouldn't worry about any advanced supplements at least until that is taken care of.

Milk and juice can be a decent staple once your health is stabilized, but I think it's preferable just to pig out on more traditional food and meals for a month or two first to give your body no doubt that you are in an environment of abundance.

I can't say any of this for sure will get rid of your anxiety and depression, but it may put you in a better place to address other root causes.

What is your diet/calorie/lifestyle history in the last 5 years or so?

 

[Dopamine]

I am in a similar place as you right now and am working on getting out, I am 19...

People don't understand how apathy ties into depression... when I am seriously depressed- I can't exercise, I won't socialize, I barely even leave the house... I have no long term goals and nothing interests me. It is easy to say "pick up a sport", "travel", "get a girlfriend" etc... but to a depressed person there is simply no energy or willpower available to direct towards these things. The mind and body aren't separate... lack of mental willpower, lack of ambition, aimlessness, laziness and similar mental degeneration must be seen as physiological issues and treatable by drugs/nutrition/behavioral therapy etc...

The only drug that has helped me significantly is phenibut. It seriously makes me feel exactly the way i'd like to feel- it increases my motivation, focus, happiness, sociability, and reduces my anxiety. It also increases my metabolism and appetite and warms my hands and feet. I would describe it as a very extroverted drug. It makes you want to go out and do things and provides the tools and willpower to do so. It has high potential for abuse unfortunately... it is also a Russian drug and not much is known about it over here in North America. There are dosing recommendations based on Russian research- but I have not even seen 1 report on the internet of people actually following these recommendations. 250-500mg 3x per day is recommended by research but people take it in excess of several grams per day in single doses then wonder why they get withdrawals... I am going to take it as per Russian recommendations and post a log here if anyone's interested. I know it has massive therapeutic potential. It is also very "peaty" in many ways- reverses immunodeficiancy, reverses chronic stress, raises dopamine, reduces lipid per-oxidation, protects from cerebral edema and hypoxia, promotes brain mitochondrial function, increases ATP etc... a shame so many people abuse it.

Tianeptine is another drug to look into... An anti-depressant recommended by Peat and a good alternative to SSRI drugs that your doctor will likely push on you.

Do things that boost your ego and make you feel powerful:
One thing that has helped with my depression/anxiety is fixing up and riding a motorcycle. Also wearing a leather jacket, nice haircut, nice clothes, working out etc... I think feeling comfortable and confident in yourself/your appearance is huge for depression and anxiety. You should walk down the street feeling like a badass and not feeling inferior to other people. Work on developing your persona and self image.

I also plan on going skydiving soon then getting certified to jump solo.

Eat as many calories as you can from carbohydrates, protein, and saturated fat... I recommend you read about the "Minnesota starvation experiment," during WW2- volunteers were subjected to low calorie diets to view the effects of low calorie diets. All the men developed mental problems- depression, anxiety, OCD, lack of focus etc... I think it is impossible to be mentally healthy on a low calorie diet: at least in the long term...

So to Summarize:
1. Drugs that increase coping capacities/appetite and reduce depressive symptoms. Cyproheptadine, tianeptine, phenibut (used responsibly) etc... also CBT therapy would be good.
2. High calorie/high salt/high protein/high carb/high saturated fat diet. Focus on warm hands and feet and high metabolism. Only consume fluids when thirsty. Your internal thermostat will crank up.
3. Use your new-found energy as a catalyst towards new growth. Adopt new habits, new sports, new behaviors: start working out, go to school, pick up new hobbies, read books etc... Constantly set goals for yourself and everyday work towards reaching them. Use evernote to organize your goals and progress. Work on your persona and self image. Take an MBTI test...

 

[barefooter]

I am a 22 year old male with a anxiety and depressions since about 18. anxiety triggered from bad drug trip. I have a doctors apointment at 4/20 so if you have any suggestions for any medicine or tests I can ask for I would appreciete it.

Been there before with the bad drug trips man, it's the worst. You need to get grounded in physical reality, and out of your head. Don't sit around trying to relax, don't try to think yourself out of it, and even meditation may not be a good option if you're scared from seeing some ***t on drugs. Get a serious lifting program going at the gym, and set short terms goals, and keep track of your progress. It will get you out of your head, and into your body, and begin healing the trauma of the bad drug trip.

Rebuild yourself stronger and better than before, use this as a launch pad. Get stronger, gain confidence, and become more alpha. We're all still ******* animals dude. If you feel like you're a weakling on the bottom of the primate social ladder, you're going to feel anxious. Everything in the mind starts in the body, and while yes diet is super important, building your body up so you feel tough and confident is just as important, and maybe more important for your specific scenario. You don't need more supplements, you need to man up and become a warrior.

 

[Thoushant]

DaveFoster
"The worst problem at this point is to spiral with negative self-talk. Most of it's completely in your head, which influences your physiology.

Try relaxing and doing fun things. Meditation, clean living, and a supportive social atmosphere will help you. Slow your breathing and breathe less. Get to bed on time. Sunbathe.

I'm currently dealing with the same issues."
(How do I qoute?)

Fully agreeing with DaveFoster
Keep a journal at night, and revisit what your mind interpreted or said about an event(Nothing major, just the smallest thing), then objectivly look at what was going on, without your selftalk/interpertation. Then conclude what the events means to you next time it would happen.
Maybe there is a particular feeling you resist showing? (something made you angry, instead BOOM anxiety)
Self-talk triggers anxiety, and when you have a long relaxed exhale, you can sense when tension is coming because of self-talk, and that you can use to find the cues.

Medidation and slowing breathing helps. I'll recommend Frolov's device too. Adds resistance to your exhale, and when you reach 17+ seconds, you will start to feel tension in you diaphraghm, which you eventually can relax/give up on. The tiniest amounts of Progest-E on gums can have a huge impact on relaxing the diaphragm.

You mentioned it was a bad trip that started it. What happend at the trip? Did you realise something major about life, yourself, others that you're not fully ready to accept/deal with? Anxiety is resisting emotions, so there might be emotions not expressed of the bad trip. Not neccesarly lifechanging, just let it out, and then find evidence for why it's not major afterwards(If you don't agree with your realisation, I'm thinking)

Finally, from a biomechanical viewpoint, anxiety is unnecessary tension in the respiratory muscles.
Diaphragm function & core stability » Hans Lindgren DC
When you breath in, minimal breast and stomach expansion should happen, instead the last ribs should expand lateraly. Also, make sure chest isn't elevted, that could indicate use of accesory respiration muscles(Pecs, Sternocleidmastoides, Scalenes, check for tension/rigidity in these).
To me, I find anxiety when I breath air to the front of the body, instead of lateraly to the back of the diaphragm. If the back diaphragm is better able to breath in, the frontier part might tense in overuse because of breathing pattern.

I don't want to take light on despression, I don't know if I ever experienced it. But personally, I "gave up" on life, when I had so many undealt emotions, that my body eventually didn't have place for new ones. So I had to experience the stored ones and let them go.

 

[Maxen93]

Hi thanks for all the great replies. I know eating alot more calories would help me, only problem is I have serious Gerd wich makes it hard to eat, sometimes I gag just from drinking water

 

[Maxen93]

Im not isolated in bed all day, I have a great social job lots of friends and had a girlfriend not long ago wich I ended the relationship and was happy about that, I have a good life but I just feel like ***t anyway

 

[narouz]

I'm pretty sure I've read something Ray's said about physical activity being "stressful" for the body.

Oh yeah. Big time. I believe he says, for instance,
that even getting to the point of breathing very hard
is an indicator of stress,
and therefore negative in his book.

 

[Pet Peeve]

Which drug did you bad trip on? Do you have any name for what's ailing you (depersonalization, hppd etc.) or is it just anxiety?