Mind Over Matter: My journey to overcome depression naturally

[Adamb83]

As bodybuilders, we are in a constant struggle for physical perfection. Although our individual reasons for doing this sport may differ, we all share one common goal-- And that is to better ourselves! It is the reason we spend thousands of dollars each year on supplements, the reason we nearly kill ourselves with intensity each and every day upon entering the weight room. To most of us (If not all), this is a battle worth fighting, despite how difficult it can be.

However, the truly happy and lucky individuals are those who have not only reached physical contentment, but those who have attained mental clarity and peace within themselves.

Just as we would tell younger lifters that leg work should be done to have a complete build, we should be aware that the mind is no less important for overall health.

I have let this advice slip by me long enough... so welcome to my journal, and supplement log, in my quest to build a stronger MIND!.


Don't let my strange introduction fool you, this will be a real log in every sense of the word. I will be recording my supplement use (Which I'll discuss in a little bit), exercise routine, diet, and my day to day progress.


The first week (Perhaps two weeks) will deal with a "cleansing". This will be a difficult transition period for me, where I plan on reducing, and then removing stimulants, drugs, and alcohol from my life. I will also cleanse myself of stress inducing people, thoughts, and events, as well as other things in life that may have caused this problem.

After this task is completed, I will continue to document my supplement use and progress, explaining in detail what has and has not worked. I hope this log will help bring a better understanding of depression to the general public, and a source of information for those dealing with it.


I think it is important to open this log with some information regarding depression symptoms, causes, and treatment information.

Most info posted will be collected from websites and personal experience.

Here we go...

Depression:

(Selected paragraphs are taken from depression.com and psychologyinfo.com/depression)

"Some people say that depression feels like a black curtain of despair coming down over their lives. Many people feel like they have no energy and can't concentrate. Others feel irritable all the time for no apparent reason. The symptoms vary from person to person, but if you feel "down" for more than two weeks, and these feelings are interfering with your daily life, you may be clinically depressed."

I found this to be a pretty accurate description on how it feels to be depressed. It should be noted however, that there are many different "levels" of depression, ranging from very mild to very severe. Each level has distinct differences in behavior and attitude.

There are many factors that contribute to a person feeling depressed. These include: Genetics or family history, Trauma and stress, Medical problems, and (As speculated) A deficiency of one or more of the neurochemicals (Generally serotonin or dopamine).

For the sake of keeping things simple, we will classify this into two factors. External problems, which could be problems with a relationship, conflict in the family, or anything else that will produce stress in your life. Then there are Internal factors. These are generally a neurochemical deficiency of some kind, which you have no control of.

Since this is just an intro, and I'd prefer not to lose your interest just yet I will reserve my next post for a detailed description and the treatment options offered.

But for now, I will get on with the log.

My background information: (I promise i'll keep it short)

I've been suffering from moderate depression symptoms for as long as I can remember. My personal issues are minor, and I am nearly certain that my condition comes from the Internal neurochemical deficiency.

If someone were to ask me what I think of my life, I'd say exactly this "Well, it looks good on paper". In other words, My home life is great, my social life is pretty good, and I have awesome friends... but I just constantly feel down and unmotivated to leave my house. I have incredible anxiety, which I never let people see. I also suffer from periods insomnia and an all day fatigue.

I never thought I had a problem until about four months ago. I always thought that this was life, and that is how everyone probably feels. Well I was wrong. My stress levels increased, and I started having panic attacks on an almost daily basis.

If you have never had a panic attack before, then you do not know just how damaging they are to a persons mental health. Some doctors refer to this as the "False heart attack". You instantly lose control of your situation. Shortness of air, tightness, and loss of reality are just a few of the things you encounter. The worst part about these attacks, is they seemingly come at any time, whether or not you are in a stressful situation, and after one occurs, you live in fear of the next one.

I went to my doctor immediately, and was diagnosed with depression. She had prescribed me 10 mg of lexapro a day. After not responding to treatment, I became more, and more depressed. That is when my drug and alcohol use began to take control.

I started using ******** anytime i could find someone to sell it. It provided me with a false sense of happiness and well being. However, it got to the point where I had to use 60-90 mg at a time just to feel a buzz... and the crash was brutal. It goes without saying that my insomnia got much worse from this.

So that was me, in extremely brief detail. I now reached a point of awareness where I realize that any medication I take seems to only help me in the short term, rather then overcoming the problem.

This is not to say I am against medication. I do believe that for some people with a chemical deficiency, they can be extremely helpful when used in conjunction with therapy and natural methods.



On to the supplements and routine... Hope you guys are still reading this


Supplements:

Like I stated earlier, depression can occur due to a lack of serotonin and/or dopamine. How do we fix this problem then? We try to increase our chemical output... naturally, of course.

I will be using ON whey, and a multi throughout. Currently I am undecided on whether to continue with CEE, or discontinue for the sake of experiment... Though I will more then likely opt towards the latter.

Fish oil http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/fish.html

"Fish oils are derived from the fat of deep-sea, cold water fish and are a natural source of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Omega-3 is an important nutrient for maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. Fish Oils themselves are said to contribute to healthy heart function and joint flexibility as well as supporting brain, nerve, and visual function."

My thoughts and reasoning: Ahh! Fish oil! it seems to be the cure for everything... In all seriousness though, I have read through a large amount of feedback stating that at the proper doses, it does contribute to a positive mood. It is also a staple of any bodybuilders supplement stack, cheap, safe and considered a good supplement in general.

B-complex vitamin http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/vitb.html

From BigCat- "How it works: In the stomach B-vitamins will release and control gastric juice, help absorb and digest macronutrients, which in turn get more out of the things you eat. Next to that all of them have a host of individual properties. B6 is a good for a healthy liver, B9 is good for absorbing things in cells, B12 is needed for energy and so on and so on. If we could get all our nutrients from food easily and eat enough, this would no doubt be my number 2 supplement. If you are a person who can eat big and watch his grocery bill and you have decent genetics, a B-complex and multi-vitamin is all you really need to grow."

My thoughts and reasoning: I've heard so much about this supplement in helping depression and increasing energy levels, that I have to try it for myself. Once again, it is cheap, and safe.


L-Tyrosine http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/tyro.html

"...is a precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine, as well as a precursor to the adrenal hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine."


My thoughts and reasoning: I believe tyrosine is an excellent addition to my stack. I've read only positive reports on this amino acid, and if it does in fact convert into dopamine (Even in small amounts), then it will certainly help me with my goals.


Magnesium http://www.coldcure.com/html/dep.html

I found the above link to be very insightful. Apparently, in studies conducted on patients suffering from depression, a large percentage also had a magnesium deficiency. In the experiement above, the user claims that magnesium did indeed cause a dramatic increase of mood. If I do in fact have such a deficiency, then It is possible that magnesium can be very helpful in my cause. We shall see


Continued....

[Adamb83]

St Johns Wort http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/wort.html



My thoughts and reasoning: This product remains very much in debate. Although the study I have researched makes claims that St Johns wort was not effective in treating depression, anectdotal evidence shows that some people did find this herb to be helpful. Whether or not the latter is a result of the placebo effect, I will give it a try and let you know.


SAM-E http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/same.html

"Athletes may benefit from SAMe's ability to maintain neurotransmitter balance, liver health and cardiovascular health, as well as its ability to neutralize estrogenic compounds. No studies yet exist to suggest that SAMe can minimize estrogen levels as well as pharmaceutical drugs, but theoretically the minimization of any estrogen may drastically potentate the affects of free testosterone on skeletal musculature."


My thoughts and reasoning: SAm-E seems to be a remarkable supplement. It's only downfall (And this is significant...) Is the price of getting proper dosage. Therefore, I will be adding SAM-E in my stack if I show no signs of improvement after 3 weeks.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/ace.html

"The acetyl group that is part of acetyl-L-carnitine contributes to the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is required for mental function. Acetyl-L-carnitine can help enhance memory performance.

Taking NOW Acetyl-L-Carnitine is a smart choice in ensursing brain health for years to come. Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) is a stabilized form of the amino acid metabolite L-Carnitine and is utilized in the same manner in the body. ALC plays an important role in protecting and supporting brain functions."

My thoughts and reasoning: If I am going to try and balance out the other three neurotransmitters, then I can't leave the fourth one out . Once again, this supplement is used very widely among bodybuilders, but should be especially helpful for my purpose.


Other supplements that may be added:

-5-Htp
-Rhodiola

Perhaps more, and I am very open to suggestion...



Exercise Routine:


I used to be very concerned with getting bigger, and stronger, but I now see that this non-stop balancing act of trying to get big, but not too big... To have muscles, but not to gain fat, and so on and so on, has only made my problem worse. The second you begin to obsess about yourself like this, it becomes mentally unhealthy and truly not worth it.

I will now be focusing on simply eating until I am comfortable, and lifting with intensity and focus, but not concerning myself with strength or size specifically.


My routine will consist of a typical Chest/Tri, Back/Bi, Shoulder/leg, split. With 5 days lifting (Shoulder/leg will be done once a week) and 6 days of cardio (20-30 minutes, low-moderate intensity).

Whether or not my routine is optimal is no longer a concern with me. For the first time, I am truly lifting to stay healthy.

Of course, this does not mean I will be lifting half-assed. Heavy Squats, Deadlifts, and Bench press will be the foundation of my program.




Nutrition


Ahh, my favorite topic of discussion. In an effort to keep this brief, I will not go over my meal by meal plan like I used to. I believe that my super-strict diet added to my depression to a small degree. It was almost as if I took the simple pleasure of adding out of my life.

So Here is the new plan-- Eat healthy, Eat right... But always in moderation.

Foods I will be eating:

-Oats
-Turkey
-Tuna (Rarely)
-Chicken(Quite often)
-Potatos
-Sweet potatos
-Whole wheat pasta
-Whole wheat bread
-Peanut butter
-Lean beef
-Egg whites
-Skim milk
-Fruit

I will keep calories in mind, but there is no set amount I will limit myself too. I will also be keeping an eye on my carb content, but again, there are no strict macros I will follow.

If I am out to dinner with my friends, you better believe I am going to start enjoying my food!



Mental routine

My life is in pretty good shape overall, and as such, I believe that I will not need a great deal of therapy

However, I have been, and will continue working with my school therapist on weekly basis.

Some things I will overcome in therapy:

-Changing my negative thought process, which is the central reason my perception of the world is so poor.
-Better ways to deal with stress

Most importantly, however, it gives me the opportunity to clear my my thoughts in a safe environment.




Other ways I will improve mental health:

-Showing a greater appreciation towards my friends and family
-I will begin doing charity work, perhaps to give me a greater sense of purpose.
-I will start taking care of a problem the second it comes up, instead of putting it off until it causes even more stress.



This will be a slow, long, and difficult journey. I will focus on the big four to help me through it: Exercise, supplementation, Nutrition, and Therapy.


Keep watching for updates, and wish me luck!!

[pu12en12g]

Good luck man.. few people will probably be able to relate to your situation. It's also highly unlikely that my own experience will help at all.. but here it is:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...&postcount=525

Good luck, and keep your head up.