Breaking barriers: How I overcame depression

[Candombera]

Hi,
I'm new here and I’d like to contribute to your journey by telling my story.

I was diagnosed with severe depression when my son was 9 months old. Hospitalised four times with heaps of medication. Professionals,
family and friends took care of me. I tried everything: group therapy, mindfulness, art therapy, meditation, reiki and electroshock therapy. Nothing was enough to lift me up.

I eventually got a bit better and was sent home. The hospital was after all, a safe place. Being home alone with my tortured brain wasn’t
easy. The cloud got bigger and the days and nights endless.

Months went by…. I had to get a job, get my life back. Do things, pretend to be well and happy. The cloud on my head was still there, on and
off. My medication, therapy, breathing techniques, walks in nature.. weren’t doing much for my recovery. I wondered If I was ever going
to get back to my old self.


One day, a meditation teacher suggested I should call an ayurvedic doctor for a consult. I had vaguely heard about Ayurveda, the Indian science of life. Hesitant and sceptical, I decided to give it a go. I had a Skype session with the most amazing practitioner.
She suggested drastic changes on my lifestyle and my diet. Getting up at 5.30am, going for a walk, getting home, doing yoga and meditation. No red meat, no most carbohydrates, no sweets, no alcohol.

I was overwhelmed and grumpy, but I embraced the challenge. I put all my energy into this, and I started to feel much better in a couple of
months. 
My ayurvedic doctor told me on the first session that the purpose of this treatment, long term, was that I would stop taking my
medication. I told the news to my psychiatrist. He laughed at me. He said I would be on my meds at least for five years.


It’s been a year since I started my ayurvedic journey. I lost ten kilos and haven’t been sick since (not even a cold). I’m now on the minimum dose of my medication, before getting off it forever. It’s been an incredible ride. My life gave a 180 degrees turn. I’m happy and grateful to be alive .

[demonblaster]

Thanks Candom
yeah I've been thinking about the Ayurveda, so glad it's helped you, it's interesting. One day I will learn more about it. Good hearing success stories.

Good diet makes sense, we get so much for our bodies from different foods.

Yes a clinical Psyhcologist a while back gave me stuff on sleep studies and they were saying same to try and keep bed times around the same too. In BP sleeps all over the shop but I do get some with not a sleeper but it turns my brain off usually so get a few hours but the exhaustion at the other end from not enough and charged brain activity is phenomenal though I've over the yrs through a kinda meditation learnt to bring down the highs somewhat so the brains turned ON more now than in super charge.

I've been thinking too about balance, during a high there's all the stuff happening for success in what ever you wanna do, motivation, ideas, energy, (abundance) happy, vision, etc and in the between times after recovery nada, thinking if I can push through the nadas, will create more balance.

Best to you too Candom 🙂

[demonblaster]

Candom I've started looking into Deepak Chopra (heard of him before) & Ayurveda. Thanks
Liking and I've only seen tiny bit so far, they're working from within, (our conciousness) as well as other parts of our body Hollistic healing (whole body) which I'm dedicated too.
Correct me if I'm wrong anywhere 🙂

Struggling atm, am sure this is going to help.

Was it costly, I'm not financial at all.
If it is I'll keep looking at vids you tube reading, actually I'll go library today

You're an aspiration
You must feel so good, and you've been through so much without success.
Power to you

I'll definately be back here.

Thanks for putting this up.

How are you feeling majority of time now?
Do you have bad times still or able to control before spiralling
Health?

It all makes sense, eating properly, working through our minds, excercise

[Candombera]

Hi demonblaster,

Thanks for your kind words 😉 Yes, you're right about Ayurveda being a holistic healing that not only works on the mind but also heart, senses and soul.

I'm sure that Ayurveda can help you too! It's affordable. In Sydney a face to face consultation is around $70 and some clinics have Skype sessions for $55. Plus the cost of tablets/supplements recommended by the practitioner. At the beginning, I was having a session per month, and now every 2-3 months.

At the moment I'm feeling great, better than ever I dare to say. And no, I didn't have any bad times since I started with Ayurveda. My health is in perfect conditions and most important, my brain is too. I have lots of energy, more confidence, more concentration and enjoying life.

Happy to share this knowledge to help anyone on their journey.
Cheers

[Doolhof]

Hi Candombera,

You have made some good points in your reply. I have no idea why I suddenly stop doing things and seem to forget I had been doing them for months. I do enjoy going for a walk, I do also seem to forget that I had been out walking in the first place sometimes.

While walking for example I do try to connect to all that is around me, activating my senses where possible.

I'm going to write out your thoughts and ponder them later so I can find ways to become more grounded, connected and in the moment.

Maybe I have shut myself down so much over the years I have forgotten how to be in the present moment! There! Maybe I have just answered my own quandary! Thanks again for your suggestions and comments.

Cheers from Mrs. Dools

[demonblaster]

Yes Doolhof walking is great for stimulation

It pulled me outta really bad downs yesday, thought I wasn't gunna beat them mind you I got stuck into serious hills but worked Phew

Yeah I re read posts too, helpful

[Doolhof]

Hi demonblaster,

Walking is great on so many levels isn't it. I'm from a small town with a highway running through the middle of it. I try to avoid the highway as much as possible and try to walk along the less busy roads.

There is a waking trail not far away, so I hope to explore more of that. I do find some times I need the motivation to get out the door and go for a walk.

We have some National Parks near us as well, I hope to explore more of those as well. One has lots of kangaroos in it. Might be a nice time of year to return there.

Wishing you well with your health!

Cheers from Doolhof

[demonblaster]

Hey Dool 🙂

yeah true on so many levels, it's also being out and around people even if there's no acknowledgement which though there usually is a quick Hi or smile that in itself is warming.
I've noticed people usually if they're going to make contact, wait until they're within a metre or so before saying G'day. Nice living in a place where people do say hi and smile.
Lived untold places in Oz and this is one of the top ones for beauty and friendly, people are happy here mostly. Paradise

Sounds lovely where you are, I love walking bush but scared of the nasties and if someone could be around with bad intent, sounds bit paranoid I know but is reality too. On saying that where I met my love that passed with leukaemia over 2yrs ago I met in the thick of Aussie bush cutting Tea tree, boy was that an experience, usually in knee deep water amongst the nasties. (some people included lol) The worst & MY GOD was painful, a spider got my toe, wow something so small can inflict maximum pain, would have been less pain to chop it off.
Love trees esp dead ones lol they've got history and character. Vines & grandfathers beard & other hanging stuff lovely. So much to see

I too live in a magic place, lot of beauty

Yeah the motivation, when it's low is the times I guess we need to push through, when I'm completely zapped (exhausted which usually comes on down BP (Bipolar) side) I don't worry or put stress on myself to push through but I'm goin to keep it mind that it REALLY helped the other day.
God it was rough but it seems I made the endorphines work for me. Phew

Enjoy as I"m sure you will your exploring. Fun isn't it.

take good care Dool 🙂

[Doolhof]

Forums / Staying well / Walking Shoes - walking group

Hi Demonblaster,

If you haven't done so already, you might like to read some of the posts in the above thread. People share their walks and exercise experiences and encourage each other on this thread.

Today I volunteered in an Op Shop for the day so have not been for a walk. When I returned home I made a cup of tea and sat out in the sun for a while. It is so cold out there I have returned inside to thaw out again!

I'm reading a book called "the Reality Slap" that my psychologist recommended about accepting thoughts and allowing them room to exist. I don't really like the title much. Some of the book is helping. I'm also trying to do some Pilates exercises every day for my back.

If I can reduce the night pain, I sleep better, than my mental health improves as well usually.

Tomorrow I will encourage myself to go for a walk somewhere different.

Cheers for now from Dools

[demonblaster]

Thx Dools, no haven't been there yet but WILL sometime have a gander at that section.

Yes excercise definately helps with mental health I have no doubt, didn't anyway that it releases endorphines.
I don't feel any different while doing hills or flat but when I've recooped & home after about half hr I start to feel better.
Invaluable for stress release, I think apart from above also the heavy breathing is a good stress release in itself.

I don't mind that book title but get where you're coming from, I like that it's easy to remember, (well, atm anyway lol, the slap part I think I'll remember and being about reality.
Good you're getting some benefit out of it.

I'll keep an eye out or library it.

Psychologist said once and they're constantly doing brain studies, have to, we know so little about it, very complex, what an amazing thing it is and what it's capable of.
He said all those crap thoughts, the brain has to be allowed to think them, any thoughts.
Think it came about when I was saying I can block some.
Ruminative thinking I've heard recently when we go over and over stuff, then I read here someone that could be right, maybe it happens cause we have to deal with it, then maybe they'll go to sleep.

[Doolhof]

Hi demonblaster,

The books I have been reading were from the library. The library staff were able to get them in for me after I made enquiries at the counter. The author is Dr. Ross Harris. He has written a number of books. Yes, the mind is very complex and people seem to come up with different theories and strategies as to how to help us deal with our thoughts and feelings.

Putting these theories into practise is a bit like exercise, we know it is good for us, we don't always do it though! Or at least I don't always.

Hope you have a day where you can encourage yourself!

Cheers from Mrs. D.

It was only through reading to the very last bit of the book that I was able to put the theories altogether. Reading book and articles does help us to better understand what is going on in our brains.