What Cured Your Depression?

mostlylurking

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Going on low vitamin A diet has been the only thing to improve mine noticeably. From around 7 weeks into the diet I was feeling better than I've felt in years. 10 weeks in now and still good. I suspect vitamin A overload (from a variety of sources) was interfering with vitamin D uptake, as I've read this can happen.
What do you consider a low vitamin A diet? I was overloaded with beta-carotene 4 years ago and was very very sick. I learned by reading Ray Peat that hypothyroid people can't convert carotene (beta-carotene) into vitamin A and it actually blocks the usage of vitamin A so I cut out all sources of beta-carotene and now I supplement with a very small dose of vitamin A. I have to rinse shredded carrots in water before using them for carrot salad because the carotene makes me feel horrible if I don't rinse it off.
 

vulture

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I’ve posted this before but essentially I believe depression to be a state of low energy production. When I was on a high starch diet, I would frequently become depressed, as I could just not ingest enough calories to sustain my metabolic functioning and positive moods, and all I could do is lay around the house doing nothing.

In this depressed high starch low energy state, I became most religious, as life was so awful that I naturally began seeking supernatural solutions to intercede and help me out. Once my energy productions were optimized and I started to feel much better, that need to encounter divinity dropped and I instead just became much more thankful for being on this planet and experience positive energy states. None of this involved any therapy or psychological mind games I had to play with myself, but were the natural thoughts that arose from the energy I was producing. I believe our food intake influences our physiology which then influences our psychology, and that is the most powerful way to induce changes.

Stimulate their appetite, and have them eat a big meaty, fatty, sugary meal, and see if that helps.
Basically what I was about to say. Since revolving around Peat’s ideas I have found more vigorous and alive. I think it’s a matter of resources, if your resources are scarce and you have no energy, you are depressed
 

Peater Piper

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I'll put in another vote for sunlight, and being outside in general. Also, CBT. Learning to restructure negative thoughts into something more neutral, or even positive, has been important for me. However, I think the CBT is almost like a band aid. It works, but something is probably amiss in the first place for the negative thought patterns to form.
 
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Would one massive sized John Wayne bowel movement each morning count as 3 a day ? Who has time for 3 ?
Well, as long as you are not constipated, that's already good, but having more than one bowel movement per day can be even better. One in the morning and one before sleeping can be be a nice middle ground where it's not inconvenient( having to poop in a public bathroom, for example) but it will improve endotoxin elimination.
 
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Going on low vitamin A diet has been the only thing to improve mine noticeably. From around 7 weeks into the diet I was feeling better than I've felt in years. 10 weeks in now and still good. I suspect vitamin A overload (from a variety of sources) was interfering with vitamin D uptake, as I've read this can happen.
I tried it for a day but find it hard to eat enough calories
 

shine

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I have a few men in my family who suffer depression. What would you suggest they do? What fixed yours? Thank you very much.

Pregnenolone and androsterone are antidepressive for me and help with drive/motivation.
Doing LSD or psilocybin 2-3 times a year is also very beneficial.
Not masturbating and not watching porn has a tremendous effect too.
 

Makrosky

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D-Phenyalanine „DPA“ is my Wonderdrug! Endorphins without the Dopamin/Adrenaline Sideeffects
Could you explain how you use it? Like how much at what time and with or without food?

I get very similar stress reactions from l-tyrosine, d or l phenylalanine.
 

inthedark

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Metergoline, somatic experiencing therapy. Metergoline has helped lift the anxiety/depression haze in a profound way and has been literally life changing. And SE therapy has helped to life low energy states (and give me tools to do it myself) faster than any supplement. I've also noticed a link between regular wheat consumption, then constipation, then depression, so I only occasionally eat it now.
 

Lynne

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What do you consider a low vitamin A diet?.

Only eating foods low in Vitamin A or anything converted to vitamin A.

What I now eat: a bit of low carotene fruit (apples, pears, grapes, etc), a small amount of beef mince, regular potatoes with a tiny bit of butter or coconut oil, mushrooms, onions, rice pudding with sugar and a dash of low fat milk, plus the occasional other random stuff. I'll probably try cauliflower soon, and turnips, etc in winter, but brassicas used to make me windy and cold so I'm not in a rush.

I found high retinol foods to be worse for me, eg liver and faty pork, which I tried to introduce a year ago to an almost zero carotenoid diet I was on at the time.

For more info, there's a massive amount of discussion about VA toxicity on this forum.

I tried it for a day but find it hard to eat enough calories

My diet is pretty limited due to other sensitivities but when you've done a beef-only diet, any diet seems varied enough, lol, and I have no trouble getting enough calories.
 

Frankdee20

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Could you explain how you use it? Like how much at what time and with or without food?

I get very similar stress reactions from l-tyrosine, d or l phenylalanine.


Sorry to chime in, I know the question was not directed at me. Apparently, D-Phenylalanine prevents the breakdown of endorphins by inhibiting the enkephalinase catabolizing enzyme. It may have zero affinity for Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Phenylethylalamine like L-Phenylalanine has. Typically would come in 375 mg versions, and rarely seen by itself as D isomer only. It comes in D and L mixtures as DLPA, but Doctors Best brand does sell the D version.
 

olive

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How did you get your hands on that?
IRC.bio - which I’ve since learnt has closed

There was someone selling it on the massive NSI-189 thread on the longecity forums with good reviews but I’m not vouching for them because I have no experience using them
 
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Consuming olive oil when I had only been consuming coconut oil / butter / animal fat for many months took me out of a depressed state.
 

Juniperus

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As many before me has stated, there are multiple factors involved in me getting better from my depression.
My first advice is to question everything you do and by so finding what gives you energy and what is draining your energy.
Learn to take command of your life by changing it gradually, this gradual change will get you out of a learned helplessness state.
Start with small changes and work your way up to bigger challanges. Every achievement big or small will give you a surge of dopamine.

One big thing for me was fixing my circadian rhythm.
  • Watch the sun rise every morning.
  • Be out in the sun as much as possible during the day and make it dark when the sun has set.
  • I wear red glasses to block out blue and green light in the evening prior to bedtime.
  • Keep my bedroom completely dark.
Cold baths has always given me a mood boost.
 

Makrosky

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Sorry to chime in, I know the question was not directed at me. Apparently, D-Phenylalanine prevents the breakdown of endorphins by inhibiting the enkephalinase catabolizing enzyme. It may have zero affinity for Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Phenylethylalamine like L-Phenylalanine has. Typically would come in 375 mg versions, and rarely seen by itself as D isomer only. It comes in D and L mixtures as DLPA, but Doctors Best brand does sell the D version.
No worries man, thanks for chiming in! I tried the D version and was having also stress reactions as well. Maybe some impurity ?
 

Frankdee20

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No worries man, thanks for chiming in! I tried the D version and was having also stress reactions as well. Maybe some impurity ?

I have never tried the D version alone, and it has been years, maybe a decade since I have tried the DLPA. Apparently, Dr. Amen, seen on PBS pushing his SPECT scans really likes DLPA for pure Depressions. He also likes the Tyrosine for this, but I am inclined to believe Phenylalanine is better absorbed, and has a rate limiting step for Tyrosine conversion, and also builds PEA which Tyrosine does not. Tyrosine gave me adrenaline symptoms about 2 years back, so I do not mess with it.
 

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