Ever Since I was 15 Years Old I had Depression. I would go see a Doctor all the time.
I was always Down and Sad Feeling Hopeless with Just Everything in my Life.
My Depression Would Come and Go For about Four Years Now. But Since my Twins were born ( 9 months ago) I have the worse Depression of my Life. I tried everything to make me cheer up and make me Happy. I mean I look at my life how lucky I am.. I have a wonderful husband, And Three Beautiful Kids That I love. And I go To Chruch and Nothing can get Better That What I have.. But This Depression is taking over everything. Is There Anything I can Do To Stop This Depression! :(

Dear Saby2284,

I'm sorry to hear that you're having so many problems over such a long time with what I would call feeling despondent and hopeless rather than depression. I am reluctant to use "clinical" terms to describe feelings, states of mind, and problems in living because these labels often add to, not decrease, the pain of the individuals so labeled, at least in my experience and opinion. I'm glad you're reaching out for other possible alternatives to the ones you have had. You may find what you need that way.

I am not an analyst, but I have studied and applied the psychological theories of Carl Jung on my own, for over 25 years; after all, Jung and Freud did not have analysts to guide them through their journeys, and nor did I. Jung was one of the founding fathers of psychiatry, along with Freud, with whom he was a colleague for many years.

In any case, what I'm leading up to is that I would suggest that if you can afford it, for it can be quite pricey ($100 to over $200 per one-hour session), that you consult a Jungian analyst in your area. You can find out more about Jung by going to www.cgjungpage.org and you can also find an analyst in your area, almost anywhere in the world, there.

Another option I would suggest is NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming. They offer a much more quick fix. I'm torn between the two. I've tried Jung, but not NLP really. I suggest you look into them both and see which one (or both!) you prefer. You can put the name (in quotes, just as I have written it here), "Richard Bandler," who was the really amazing founder of NLP, into Google, and it will give you some sites where you can find a practitioner. This is, again, very pricey.

I would also like to say that some practitioners, especially psychiatrists, may counsel you to take antidepressents to help your condition. That is a decision for you to make with your counselor. However, I would advise against this, because these pills can have many bad side effects and although the manufacturers claim that they are non-addictive, they can be hard to get off. There is another site you might want to take a look at: www.mindfreedom.org There is a wealth of information there and alternatives.

Check with a naturopath, but Sam-e Mood Plus may be good too. I had another discussion with someone on this board about that. It seems that 100 mg. to 200 mg. dosages may be good and that one should take it on a full stomach. You may want to see what works best for you. I have trouble with despondency too, and plan to try this Sam-e. Best of luck, my dear, and I hope you will post again to let us know how you are progressing. At least looking into all those new things will give you something interesting to do, which may expand your horizons, and which may turn your mind away from feeling bad at least some of the time. Cheers!

Thank you So much For Giving me Advice..

This is an alternative way of thinking of how to deal with depression. A little bit of Zen and deep perspective might help you... The answers are not always in presription drugs or clinical therapy. I hope this helps. Spirituality is perhaps the missing essence that eludes our peace, love, and passion entirely if we fail to absorb it. I believe everyone has the capacity for love, peace, and passion. But we limit ourselves due to the perceptions of external influences that in relevance means emptiness in our inner peace. It in a sense is already within us, but as human beings, we simply do not see it, only at certain moments in our life when we are traveling the road of not living. Spirituality is the flow in which produce the moment for passion to live as an act (moment) of eternity.
> Is it possible that man and woman in life forget about their spirituality that in turn produces thoughts and cycles of unhappiness. Maybe in some way happiness therefore exits in the body, soul and the mind to wonder in dormancy only to be awakened later by the essence of spirituality? This has long been the quest of man to find the enigma of happiness searching the realms and kingdoms of spirituality throughout the corners of world and universe. These men were fools only to think that it existed in some place, person, temple or shrine. It is only found all around us, if we simply embrace it and live in its moment and not the act of searching for it. Buddhists monks and Chinese scholars have enlightened us to their teachings simply giving us the simple understanding that happiness on is born in our inner peace. There is nothing more nothing less, passion is born in truth, not desire. It is relatively simple but we as men and women make it complicated to follow. We are fault
> ed by our emotions and actions as desperation to indulge in the illusions of our desires. It is pure and translucent like a piece of glass that absorbs the light around it no matter how many scratches exist. Therefore passion is reflected back, if it is full of love, peace and spirituality. Furthermore happiness is gain and fulfillment is lived.
> To have spirituality the soul, mind, and body must function or exist in each other as one. It has to encompass all that is around. This is called the inner peace of one. Think about it in this perspective: Spirituality is the sun and moon that give one light to see their inner self. Spirituality is like the sun it gives warmth and light to guide everything into its path, if spirituality is missing, then passion dries up, but does not mean that it is gone.
> The sky is peace and it is like the air around everything; we must breathe not as act but as a moment for our lungs to fortify life in us. Love is the like the ocean constantly shifting and swirling in its depths. Which therefore produces the rivers the flow inward to reach out and give existence to one self? This is passion. Passion is forged in the greater good of Love, Peace and spirituality, if any one of these are missing then passion truly does not exists in yourself. If the rivers do not flow inward then everything dies or you feel though as not living. Find your inner peace and spirituality and your happiness will resucitate itself.

I think you may be suffering from post partum depression.You need to see your primary physician and start some anti depressant med.Also some therapy would help.You don't have to suffer.

While all of these theories are great, and some do work. It may be in your best interest to see your doctor and get on some medication for the time being. Not all medications are addictive and some are used for short term depression, just to help you over the "hump"

True post-partum depression begins during the first 30 days after delivery. Is this when your's started?

Please consider the help of medications, it can be very beneficial.

SSRIs are the first-line of medications used today. They have very little side-effects and can be used short-term. Celexa is a good one, but may tend to make you a little drowsy.