5-htp

Hi, im new here. Young guy at uni.

Been depressed for a while now and finally starting to accept it and try to get back to the old, real me. Just wondering about the effects of 5htp? ive tried excercising and all the usual shit ur supposed to do when ur depressed but none of it makes too much of a difference to me. I feel like im watching my own life unfold with no say and i get angry when i feel so hopeless. what are peoples exp with 5htp? specifically how u feel when on it ie do you feel high or just more positive? i am very resistant to drugs and an ssri would be the absolute last resort.

Any other tips for dealing with things from u older members? the world gets me down a lot and i think i gave up on myself a few years ago and just going through the motions. Im surprised I made it to the end of my degree to be honest lol

Hi Jacko,

Welcome to the forum. Hope you find it worthwhile.

I haven't had any experience with 5-HTP. Just read up on it here. It seems like the synthesis of a naturally occurring chemical used in the creation of chemicals that are generally deficient in people who are suffering from depression. It may or may not work. I personally don't think it will cure your depression.

The fact that you completed your degree indicates that you can motivate yourself. You might simply be finding that life isn't what you thought it was going to be. Well join the club. That is the specific cause of a lot of depression in people.

Don't give up on the exercising. My suggestion is to integrate regular exercise into your daily routine e.g. cycling to/from work. Gyms are generally a waste of money and time. It requires a lot of motivation when you have to go out of your way if you know what I mean. It's like getting up to change channels or volume rather than using the remote. There's a time to relax and a time to exercise.

I found running and swimming two different types of exercise as far as my thoughts are concerned. I could concentrate on one thing longer when running but, for the life of me, couldn't concentrate on anything for very long when swimming. I found the breathing and bubbles sort of like meditating. All I manage to do now is walk, like 3 hours per day. I like to listen to talks on my iPod.

I was on SSRIs for a while. They controlled my frustrations a little and helped me tolerate working with horrible people at the time. I should have simply changed jobs. Going off them made me really dizzy.

How's your current work environment, family life and social life?

Scamp

Hi Jacko

I hope this isn't to late a reply. I'm on Citalopram (SSRI) and I love it. It is used mostly to deal with the anxiety and panic components of depression and stabilise moods. As per a different post the only problem I have with it is increasing what for me is natural fatigue, which I can frequently ignore if I have physical work to do, but a big bummer when I have study to do as the minute I stop moving and sit down I fall asleep.
Now this is my personal experience only as everyone is different, but the general rule of thumb is when you first start taking meds (if you choose this route) allow 4 - 6 days of being knocked on your ass - this is because the medication has been introduced and is 'getting a feel' of your 'layout', if no one warns you this can happen it will scare the shite out of you, but it can happen and it will pass, if you can have someone with you to give you a hand - you won't have the energy to do anything almost straight away, but it passes noticably everyday. Then give it a good month - six weeks to really kick in and do its job, if SSRI's are the right one for you, you should notice a possitive change.
I know of people who don't want medication because they think they will become addicted or dependant, this is a little bit of a misnoma when it comes time to come off meds (just beacuse you start doesn't mean you're on them forever) there is an adjustment period, just like there is when you start them.

If it helps think of it this way, depression is a chemical flaw, not a character flaw. Medication takes over the regulation of brain chemicals because the natural processes have gone haywire. While on medication (if they get the right med and right dose) the chemicals are balanced artificially, but the brain still expericences what 'right' kind of looks like and when the time comes to reduce and remove the medication the artificial regulation is removed and hopefully the natural regulation will kick in and start working properly - what the statistic of that happening are I don't know. What I do know is that I am not addicted or in anyway 'stuck' on medication, but my little white happy pills allow me to more than just function, I can actually think clearly, problem solve, rationalise and recognise myself, and feel real emotions - and a whole range of emotions. It doesn't stop the ups and downs but it does even them out a bit and this keeps me in good condition to learn new coping skills so I don't have to be medicated forever.
Having said that if it turns out I'm better off staying on meds thats fine with me because all I'm doing is taking a couple of pills to ensue I'm in the best condition to live my life to the best of my ability - and I don't see that being any different to asthmatics using inhalers or diabetics using insulin to make sure they get the best out of their day.

You don't have to do anything you don't want to this is just something to think about. I hope it helps.

Headless12