Mental Health Isn't Just Mental - 18 Month Update

Hi guys, :)

I hope you're all well and if you're not then keep working at it, stay as positive as you can and look after yourself well.

It's been 18 months since I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and was put on Sertraline and Lorazepam. It was the lowest point in my life but thankfully it seems long ago in the past now. I'm not saying it will never come back, but I am better-equipped to deal with it now.

What I've learned in my dealings with the NHS is that GPs are ill-equipped to deal with mental issues, but likewise mental-health professionals are ill-equipped to deal with physical links to your mental health.

Mental and physical health are intrinsically linked. Take care of your body in the same way you take care of your mind. Do some research for yourself to discover ways to improve your life physically and mentally, even if that's just a brisk walk 20 minutes a day.

Look into cortisol and the way it effects our bodies and minds.

From Wikipedia: "Cortisol is a steroid hormone, more specifically a glucocorticoid, produced by the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex. It is released in response to stress and a low level of blood glucocorticoid. Its primary functions are to increase blood sugar through gluconeogenesis, suppress the immune system, and aid with fat, protein, and carbohydrate metabolisms. It also decreases bone formation."

These days we spend our lives very sedentary, sitting at home, using entertainment to stimulate our brains... The trouble is when we do this and the typical responses by our brains - to increase the release hormones such as Cortisol into our system - doesn't get the usual response from our bodies: the flight or fight mechanism which will work-off those hormones in our system through physical exertion. So we go to bed with these hormones rushing through our bodies and when we wake up we feel as though we've not slept at all.

When I was in the depths of my depression I was completely irrational and couldn't make sense of what was happening to me. I had no appetite, spent so much time at home that physically I could barely walk for more than a few minutes. If you feel this way too, it's normal, so don't worry, know that many have been in your situation before, you're not alone and you will get through this. Just start doing some regular exercise, eat sensibly and if you're not eating enough then eat more as your brain requires more energy than any other organ in your body.

What helped me:
Vitamin D gel capsules - a year's worth in one bottle. So many of us are vitamin D deficient - if you are, getting your levels back up can be life changing.
Valerian and chamomile tea - valerian root effects the same part of the brain as benzos such as lorazepam and diazepam and therefore causes sedation by increasing the amount of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter). This is natural and will help you sleep better so drink 30 mins before bed. Benzos like Lorazepam are highly addictive, so try to come off them as soon as you can and try something like this instead - helps me sleep much better. Chamomile has an added benefit of helping to lower cortisol which is essential to getting the most out of sleep and regenerating your serotonin.
Virgin coconut oil - A lot of research is going on right now into the benefits of coconut oil for the brain and especially in helping those with Alzheimers. Do some research into it and if you like what you read, try cooking with it from now on. It may seem expensive but it's not - a jar will last you a long time.
Do not read your phone or tablet in bed and stay away from sites like Facebook at night - who cares what your friends are up to at 3am? :) If you wake up in the middle of the night, don't reach for them then either. It would be better to watch TV at the end if your bed then to use your smartphone or tablet PC right in front of your face in the middle of the night. The blue-light will trick your brain into thinking it's daytime and will therefore prevent you from getting the further rest you need. Instead, try reading a book or magazine or listening to an audiobook. Or better, just try relaxing and going back to sleep if you can - that is the best solution but I of all people know just how impossible that can be - don't punish yourself by not doing something when you can't sleep - just do whatever will relax you the most. Learn how to sleep in if you can especially at weekends. You do not need to do anything at 6am to 10am on Saturday and Sunday - so chillax in your slacks and just doze in bed or do any other relaxing activity.

These are just a few things but really, it's a combination of nutritional, mental and physical health improvements that will help you deal with your depression and steadily pull you completely out of it. It may take a long time, but you'll be a lot happier and healthier person afterwards.

Depression and anxiety is not a curse and you're not being punished by anyone or anything. It's purely an imbalance of hormones and chemicals in your brain and body. Simply taking care of yourself a little better each day will result in a long, healthy and happy life.

Even if you don't think going for 20 minute walks or eating better will help you, just give it a try and keep working at it for a while - it won't happen overnight. I didn't think anything would help me in the depths of my depression and I constantly wondered if there was any way out of it, but I stubbornly kept trying and steadily brought myself out of it. Like I said - at the end of it all you'll be a stronger person having been through this and survived it.

Just FYI: I feel so good these days I'm back running my company and leading project meetings, etc. I used to be so nervous doing public speaking but it's no problem at all for me these days. I just generally feel so much healthier and happier. I also got engaged a few months ago.

I'm still on 100mg Sertraline BTW - in case anyone was wondering. When I started taking it, it took a good 6 to 8 weeks for it to begin having any effect and I did go up to 150mg last year. I'll start reducing my dose with the doc soon. :)

Look after yourselves everyone and don't be afraid to put yourself first for a while - you need to make sure you're fit and healthy before you can take care of anyone else. :bighug1:

It is long story

Thanks for posting this.... Very encouraging and great to read things can and do get better....

Very encouraging post! Thanks for posting!

I did a Simpsons esque daawull shirt pull as I read do not use a tablet in bed (in bold font), as I'm reading it from a tablet in bed at 4 am. :shades:

Hi guys! :D

Just checking in. Thanks Jefferina and Deepthinker! :hugs:

Yossino - Don't worry about it. :D Ultimately you need to do whatever relaxes you but sleep is one of the most vital aspects of recovering from depression and believe me I know how hard it is to get back into a good routine. I mean I REALLY know.

Human Growth Hormone is released by the brain into the bloodstream during sleep, and its release is a vital part of the repair and restoration function of sleep. Many people suffering from depression and anxiety find that wounds take longer to heal (even spots brought on by stress and medication take longer to heal) and the reason is that we're not secreting enough human growth hormone when we sleep. If you have high-cortisol you probably go into REM sleep a lot faster than you normally would, and this results in a restless night's sleep where you don't feel rested when you wake up and you also don't release as much human growth hormone.

It's interesting to know this stuff. :D So yeah if you're not sleeping, but surfing on a phone/tablet relaxes you more than just lying there getting upset - please do it! I certainly did surf my iPad a lot in the night during my recovery.

Ultimately though the time when I noticed the biggest leap in my recovery was when I was exercising and relaxing in bed a lot earlier before sleeping - I'd watch a film or TV show on my laptop at the end of the bed and not have an iPad or phone in front of my face.

Good luck guys! :D