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Are_grits_groceries

(17,139 posts)

26. It doesn't work for me

Tue Jan 7, 2014, 04:05 AM

Jan 2014

and I wish it did. I have tried a lot of methods to help my depression. I believe anybody who goes through depression will be open to most ideas. However, when they don't work, it's wrong to blame the person and that happens.

After many years, I get so tired of people asking me about exercise, diet, meditation and everything else. I keep up with methods to treat depression. If they are at all viable for me, I try them.

I need medications. I don't want to be dependant on them but the alternative is an unbearable life. The first twinge that reminds me of a start to a major depressive episode is enough to make me panic. I have to rein myself in because that panic brings it closer. Once I can control the panic, the feelings usually pass. Once, they didn't and I was hospitalized.

I'm glad that others can handle their illness with meditation or other measures that don't involve drugs. I get tired of some acting as if I just haven't done it right or tried it long enough.

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Meditation 'works just as well as anti-depressants' [View all] JaneyVee Jan 2014 OP

Good to hear, elleng Jan 2014 #1

Only a minority had been diagnosed with a mental illness kcr Jan 2014 #2

Unfortunately, I found that to be the case Bradical79 Jan 2014 #5

So? M.D.s prescribe SSRI's to patients with milder levels of depression pnwmom Jan 2014 #23

What do you mean, so? kcr Jan 2014 #63

The title is misleading. pnwmom Jan 2014 #69

Okay. But my reaction is to the misleading title kcr Jan 2014 #70

For the vast majority of people taking the meds, it IS as helpful. pnwmom Jan 2014 #72

Perspective doesn't change misleading headlines kcr Jan 2014 #76

A 1995 Mother Jones article may throw some light on all this. Stevepol Jan 2014 #61

Not really. kcr Jan 2014 #66

Not one study: he looked at all 47 studies used for all the clinical tests on the 6 drugs Stevepol Jan 2014 #103

Nice cherry picking HERVEPA Jan 2014 #3

I agree with the sentiment, but the drugs also cause some people to kill themselves. JaneyVee Jan 2014 #4

How many people who chose to meditate instead of going to a doctor killed themselves? Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #92

It's very relevant cherry-picking because research only supports pnwmom Jan 2014 #25

That 'chemical imbalance' language is a term of art. Bluenorthwest Jan 2014 #39

^^^^^^This! hedgehog Jan 2014 #68

Meditation can be part of mindfullness therapy BainsBane Jan 2014 #6

I was a close up witness to the dawn of the AIDS crisis and many do Bluenorthwest Jan 2014 #41

I used that example BainsBane Jan 2014 #134

I'd definitely start there before submitting myself to pharmaceuticals. Egalitarian Thug Jan 2014 #7

ARGH! LadyHawkAZ Jan 2014 #8

+ infinity and beyond REP Jan 2014 #13

Great post...nt SidDithers Jan 2014 #14

^^^this^^^ progressoid Jan 2014 #16

+1000 LAGC Jan 2014 #19

They had me on Zoloft for a couple of years LadyHawkAZ Jan 2014 #21

Yeah, LAGC Jan 2014 #24

This research is specifically NOT about people with full-blown depression. pnwmom Jan 2014 #27

Fair enough. LAGC Jan 2014 #28

You're right -- the title was misleading. It was much deeper in the article pnwmom Jan 2014 #29

+gazillion Dawgs Jan 2014 #46

Thanks for posting that. MineralMan Jan 2014 #49

Argh. That's wrong. I think you mischaracterize the OP. DirkGently Jan 2014 #85

You first link seems to be about people who are being weaned off of anti-depressives, so they... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #99

Where does the OP mention clinical depression? DirkGently Jan 2014 #104

Question, how are we supposed to know the distinction when the reporting... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #106

That's a pretty convoluted objection. DirkGently Jan 2014 #109

"The article and OP suggest meditation is effective in treating depression." Yeah, a lie. Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #111

What is it you think the study DOES say about meditation? DirkGently Jan 2014 #113

It says that meditation may be effective for some types of depression... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #123

So you'd just make the headline longer. DirkGently Jan 2014 #126

Longer, and more accurate, but its the Daily Mail, so we have low expectations... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #129

But the DM article reflects the same facts as the others, so ...? DirkGently Jan 2014 #133

To be honest, I find all of them to be hyperbolic, but again, the studies themselves... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #135

So again, you just want a longer headline. DirkGently Jan 2014 #139

Yes I would, to your last question, I prefer accuracy over inaccuracy. Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #140

Well I would hope people suffering severely would DirkGently Jan 2014 #141

Its because many people are used to being told exactly that, that it is... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #143

Kuyken's study found meditation effective in helping prevent relapse AFTER treatment LadyHawkAZ Jan 2014 #121

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2014 #94

Don't insert superstition into medical issues. n/t Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #95

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2014 #96

It also takes time and effort bhikkhu Jan 2014 #9

so does klonopin and exercise. dionysus Jan 2014 #10

Word to the wise: don't get your science news from the Daily Mail. LeftyMom Jan 2014 #11

They spend more time researching Kim Kardashian than actual news. progressoid Jan 2014 #15

Somewhere in the UK somebody poor or brown or both did something crazy, and the Daily Heil is ON IT. LeftyMom Jan 2014 #17

Plenty of other sources have the same story. DirkGently Jan 2014 #88

Biofeedback can work well for stress and pain, too. n/t freshwest Jan 2014 #12

That's working well for my son. Meditation probably would, too, pnwmom Jan 2014 #31

A few years ago my neuropsychologist had me working on a new one. Also some of the freshwest Jan 2014 #57

My husband get an occasional leg cramp. pnwmom Jan 2014 #59

Have him aim for pinching hard the place the calf muscle attaches. It hurts for a second and I'm freshwest Jan 2014 #60

Thanks a lot. I think I'll mention this to him now pnwmom Jan 2014 #74

I have a favorite accupressure point, too. pnwmom Jan 2014 #81

Again, it takes time and concentration like meditation does Warpy Jan 2014 #84

Meditation works for some, but not for all... awoke_in_2003 Jan 2014 #18

Meditation is great. davidthegnome Jan 2014 #20

Actually, the research says that SSRI's don't work better than placebo pnwmom Jan 2014 #34

I don't recall having said otherwise. davidthegnome Jan 2014 #54

I agree that the title is way off base. pnwmom Jan 2014 #58

The OP is not about PTSD. Bluenorthwest Jan 2014 #43

Depression is a symptom of PTSD. davidthegnome Jan 2014 #56

The problem is that people are different. JDPriestly Jan 2014 #22

It doesn't work for me Are_grits_groceries Jan 2014 #26

You're describing severe episodes of depression, and those are the ones pnwmom Jan 2014 #30

Thank you for adding yourself to the long list of Are_grits_groceries Jan 2014 #32

I didn't insist that meditation would work for you, did I? pnwmom Jan 2014 #33

I didn't say the study was worthless. Are_grits_groceries Jan 2014 #36

I completely agree that people have their own particular reactions pnwmom Jan 2014 #38

Breath control is an aspect and technique of meditation, perhaps the Bluenorthwest Jan 2014 #44

I agree. Are_grits_groceries Jan 2014 #48

If it works for you, wonderful get the red out Jan 2014 #35

Cherry-picking, and sensationalist headlines - nothing more to be expected from Daily Mail. idwiyo Jan 2014 #37

If that works for you, great. HappyMe Jan 2014 #40

Why the fuck is everyone on DU all of a sudden playing doctor? Ilsa Jan 2014 #42

When I was suffering from depression, I tried meditation and yoga. Brickbat Jan 2014 #45

Yes it does, but only if you have the motivation to meditate intaglio Jan 2014 #47

The Daily Mail has a very poor reputation when it comes MineralMan Jan 2014 #50

How's the AMA? DirkGently Jan 2014 #86

The issue is that the reporting is poor, it seems to indicate that it should work for all people... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #87

That's a point. But that's not the issue being raised. DirkGently Jan 2014 #89

Actually the majority, starting with the second post, pointed out how the Daily Fail... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #90

My comment was regarding the source of this post. MineralMan Jan 2014 #97

Great. For a second, it sounded like you wanted to dismiss the article. DirkGently Jan 2014 #110

I made no comment on the content. Only the source. MineralMan Jan 2014 #116

Glad I could help! DirkGently Jan 2014 #118

Never tried it for pipi_k Jan 2014 #51

Woo woo, indeed. mr blur Jan 2014 #52

I've done meditation for 40 years and I don't agree with this. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #53

Have bipolar disorder? Vashta Nerada Jan 2014 #55

Yeah, but big pharma doesn't get profits from meditation... polichick Jan 2014 #62

This is a perfect example of how woo is dangerous. Marr Jan 2014 #64

It's a better example of why "woo" is a silly term. DirkGently Jan 2014 #77

You're a fantastic demonstration of the danger of woo like this article. jeff47 Jan 2014 #91

Fascinating. I didn't say any of those things. DirkGently Jan 2014 #102

Actually, you did. jeff47 Jan 2014 #117

Yes, you're wrong. The studies found meditation effective DirkGently Jan 2014 #125

However, they do say "can" and " may", not "will", at least in those clips. uppityperson Jan 2014 #130

You seem to, yet again, not understand the difference between mild and moderate depression... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #132

The articles make no claims about types of depression. DirkGently Jan 2014 #136

Your first link has it as the TITLE of the article, do you not read? Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #137

Again, moderate depression and clinical depression are different things jeff47 Jan 2014 #144

Thank you very much Arcanetrance Jan 2014 #105

Don't ever blame yourself for what happened. LAGC Jan 2014 #142

Telling the clinically depressed that meditation is just as good as medication is absolutely woo. Marr Jan 2014 #98

The study shows meditation is not "loopy folklore." DirkGently Jan 2014 #107

I don't have depression but I have another medical issue gollygee Jan 2014 #65

Maybe for some.... Adrahil Jan 2014 #67

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2014 #71

I love to walk. hrmjustin Jan 2014 #73

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2014 #78

I agree. I feel one with nature when I walk along the harbor here. hrmjustin Jan 2014 #80

Yes, when someone is clinically depressed it's so easy to get up and go for a stroll. jeff47 Jan 2014 #93

'These patients did not typically have full-blown anxiety or depression.' cbayer Jan 2014 #75

Woo woo! Snark snark! Close-minded automatic dismissal! villager Jan 2014 #79

Seriously, what ARE they talking about? DirkGently Jan 2014 #83

Meditation changed my life 1000words Jan 2014 #82

I really don't like articles like this. NCTraveler Jan 2014 #100

When non-traditional approaches are evaluated using appropriate methodologies Warren Stupidity Jan 2014 #101

True, but the reporting here is inaccurate... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #108

the reporting may very well be inaccurate but the reactions here Warren Stupidity Jan 2014 #114

Weirdly irrational, eh? DirkGently Jan 2014 #115

Some people seem to be allergic on principle to anything not a knife Warren Stupidity Jan 2014 #120

At this point, I'm skeptical of anyone calling things "woo." DirkGently Jan 2014 #124

Where is the evidence of these reactions? Or do you enjoy erecting strawmen? n/t Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #122

"CAN" not "does". eom uppityperson Jan 2014 #112

What does this have to do with Woo?????? Sgent Jan 2014 #119

It illustrates that "woo" is a nonsense argument. DirkGently Jan 2014 #127

Woo! Auntie Bush Jan 2014 #128

This message was self-deleted by its author ohheckyeah Jan 2014 #131

You don't understand what "woo" is... MellowDem Jan 2014 #138