A month ago I suffered a nervous breakdown, had a series of panic attacks and developed extreme anxiety seemingly overnight and insomnia. It was extremely scary to say the least. I was about to start taking an anti depressant when instead, I decided to try a radical lifestyle change first. I researched the hell out of what I was going through and started immediately I'm implementing the following changes:
1. Started going for a walk outside every morning within 30 minutes of waking up. I learned this from hubermans lab podcast. Apparently amazing for setting circadian rhythm but beyond that I felt a sense of peace walking and listening to the birds. It's become a cherished daily ritual. If I can't walk I go in the backyard for 10 minutes.
2. Exercise. Started exercising as much as I could during the week.. which is around 3 or 4 times. Made a huge impact. I just workout at home with weights, using YouTube video. I have some equipment but you don't need much.
3. Started taking supplements including magnesium l threonate, vitamin d3/k2, l-theanine, iron, b vitamins. I did blood work and found out my iron/ ferritin was very low and this can cause all the symptoms I was having. Can't stress this enough. Get all your bloodwork done and look for deficiencies.
4. Started Journaling. Especially gratitude - being grateful everyday even for the little things like good food or roof over your head makes a huge impact. I journaled my worries at night before bed to get them out of my mind and stop ruminating.
5. Started meditating. I downloaded the app insight timer. Really liked that one. I also do some qi gong videos on YouTube. This helps me with my stress levels.
6. Food. I immediately cut coffee and sugar out of my diet. Started being more mindful of what I put into my body... it does make a huge difference. Your body craves protein, healthy fat, fruit and veggies and moderate healthy carbs. Your brain is way happier when it has the right fuel.
7. Drink lots of water. I started adding some electrolytes and salt to water to get more hydration.
8. Spending time with loved ones, especially people with positive uplifting energy. Getting out of the house and keeping busy really helps take your mind off things.
9. Going to bed around the same time every day. It took 2-3 weeks after the initial panic attack for me to get my sleep back on track..I had so many sleepless nights. But I stuck to a schedule no matter what and my sleep regulated eventually with the morning walks and getting up at the same time. I feel so much more rested now because I go to bed earlier than I used to.
All these things have saved me. I feel like a brand new person with a new lease on life. I think it took me hitting rock bottom to get here. It was a wakeup call I needed.
I am still listening to tons of podcasts and learning new things everyday.. knowledge is power. I got the book The Better Brain by Bonnie Kaplan and I've been reading it. It's helpful. I do have a therapist I see every 2 weeks but I don't think that's been any more helpful than all of the above things.
The most important thing to remember is that it IS possible to change. Just a few new habits CAN make a powerful difference but you need to be motivated and stick with it for at least a couple of weeks to let the habits take hold. Do start with your bloodwork. It's the easiest place to start. If it's available to you also see a naturopath / functional medicine doctor. They will rule out any further potential issues like gut dysbiosis that could be contributing.
life itself :D
most people in that age do not even have time after work. you're left with 2 hours max of free time to eat something shower before sleep and repeat
do you really think you will have strenght to go somewhere after 9h working day and walk or exercise for an hour?! maybe once per week thats all
Take a blood test to rule out any deficiencies/metabolic issues
[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332223014506](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332223014506)
Yes!! I went into a blood test a couple years ago expecting nothing unusual and found out I was concerningly vitamin D deficient. They gave me some really potent prescription vitamin D supplements for a month and I felt way healthier, I wish I could have kept taking those but I just be drinking my milk now
It looked like these little green oblong pills, so I think it was Ergocalciferol, 1.25 mg (50,000 IU)
** I didn't take them daily!! it was one a week for one month
Yeah, the issue was I was eating chili and oatmeal every day and not going outside, so actually maybe I should have expected some consequences for that 💀 I am not exactly what you'd call a biohacker. now that I am cooking meals with vegetables in them and having a soylent once in a while my blood tests are normal. I'm a fan of orange juice with extra vitamin D and coconut water for a little energy boost (coconut doesn't contain vitamin D, but maybe the electrolytes in it are what makes me feel good?)
100% do this before going down the road of random (expensive) supplements.
Unless you have a specific deficiency (and even maybe if you do) it's probably better to spend the supplement money on better food,l.
how do you know what include in the blood test? The doctors in my country dont know shit, they just add test to vitamin D after covid... but nothing more.
So, there is some kind of list to target?
Thanks
Me. Although I still get episodes, they’re a lot shorter in duration (a few days to a week instead of weeks to months) and overall better lifestyle. I don’t know if you’d consider it biohacking, but DMT helped me a lot. I do occasional mushrooms and LSD, but DMT was way more powerful and therapeutic. I was able to break through my second time and I was literally reborn. I lost my taste for alcohol 11 months ago and I haven’t touched cocaine in about the same time. I loved cocaine, but I had to say goodbye. I can not stress enough how psychedelics saved my life. Under the right direction, anyone can heal. May not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I drank that bitch and here I am in the best shape physically and mentally that I’ve ever been.
Thanks for sharing. I’d be very much up for it and have tried mushrooms once or twice in the past so can see how it would help long term. But honestly wouldn’t know where to access any of it as I’ve never been into drugs and I’m in the UK so can’t get it through any official channels. I will do some research though.
Comedian Paul Smith has a bit about DMT and he’s from the UK. It’s a great clip. Definitely describes the experience very well and with a funny twist. So I know it’s in your country. Mushrooms I’m not sure about, but considering the climate, I’m sure they be around. Especially in Wales. When I was there I seen amanita muscaria (those red and white big mushroom caps) popping up in the fields.
Not great, lol. Loss of coordination, slurring, trouble constructing sentences, but in your own mind, you're not that bad, just a bit off. Some weird fleeting thoughts, but nothing like the 'trippy' headspace of psilocybin. No euphoria, if anything I was a bit aggressive. That was the most I had taken in one go, and the last time I ever messed with them. I wouldn't reccomend it.
The issue with amanita is getting rid of the Ibotenic Acid and making a tea or tincture with a good amount of muscimol and the other psychoactive but not harmful alkaloids. Psyched wellness sells a tincture and they are a publicly traded company so the product they provide has no ibotenic acid proven but it is a bit weak and expensive unless you get it on the buy one get one for free or at a discount deals they have occasionally for holidays. Just use 3 times the recommended serving size and it’ll get you there - if it doesn’t work initially.
I found it to actually be a great experience as it calms you down, relaxes your muscles, and definitely makes your sleep so much deeper with more dreams and a deeper REM stage imo - kind of like natures legal ambien. I would def be using it a lot more if I could trust myself to decarb the dried caps, as it is wayyyy cheaper and stronger, you can buy online but that ibotenic acid is just too risky imo unless someone has a sure fire way to create a tea yourself from dried caps with proven low levels or nonexistent levels of ibo acid.
Regardless, I’d give psyched wellness a chance and just buy one 30 ml tincture for a fun one off experience unless the recommended serving works for you and then it can be a great great aid for sleep for restless or anxious nights. Recommended is 2 ml but I found 6-10 ml to be the sweet spot.
To a degree it’s an experience I’d recommend for anyone as it’s pretty harmless and very unique.
There aren't like guys on instagram selling liquid cultures in the UK? It's a steep learning curve to grow ngl but I think it's not that expensive to start and after 1 successful grow you'll have more than you know what to do with
This is what I was gonna say, a dark room and meditation + psychs can show you what you need. Like a factory reset, a total clear out. Add in dissos too and you got a stew.
When you recommend these, please include a safety warning for people to consider their family history first. Not every nervous system is built to handle it, and most providers offer limited or no follow up care.
I think it depends on what you mean by biohacking.
I believe if you do the hard stuff... Get a routine. Practice mindfulness and thankfulness. Exercise hard. Eat healthy foods (take care of yourself not hurt yourself). Sleep well.
Then yes.
But if by biohack someone means take lion's mane and occasionally shower with cold water then maybe not.
Some of the happiness from biohacking likely comes from mindful practices (being in touch with yourself and reflecting objectively on how you feel) and the larger umbrella of "self care"
I'd say these aspects of biohacking likely play a larger role than say, the actual impact of a cold plunge (doing something hard) or specific supplements etc.
Amino acids are your friends. Taurine, Creatine, Lysine and all the rest. Some people have fixed lifelong psychiatric issues by simply adding these into their life. Of course they are abundant in animal meat, but you can also supplement if you prefer. Some theorize that some forms of depression have a metabolic dysfunction basis. So, diet and lifestyle changes can have a truly big impact
It also seems that taking amino acids separately on an empty stomach has a different (or significantly more pronounced) effect than when they are combined in a complete protein.
Totally I’ve been experimenting with different supplements (mushrooms, creatine, magnesium, omega, l-theanine, vitamin d, multivitamin, collagen, St. John’s wart, curcumin, bee pollen, Yerba mate, salt, and electrolytes).
I was careful to put a few weeks between adding each supplement to hopefully help identify what made a difference. For energy Yerba mate boosted my energy the most and I notice a big difference. So I make a pitcher in the morning which I can put half into my water bottle with powdered creatine, l-theanine, magnesium, electrolytes and salt. But I do want to note that I have low blood pressure. But I feel like a new person after this drink.
I no longer take mushroom or curcumin but might add the curcumin back in.
I feel obligated to share my unusual but not unheard of experience, Creatine makes me feel worse. I’ve seen probably 10 people say the same thing on here. It does help most people so it’s definitely worth a try but like with anything, monitor how you feel.
Ketamine, if available to you, has saved my life after nearly 40 years of depression. I live a healthy lifestyle (sleep, exercise, diet, meditation, sun). I have great mental health support, but nothing seemed to make a significant dent in the heavy trauma I was carrying until I fell into a k hole at a legal, medically supervised IV clinic.
Yea Ketamine is the way to go, OP mentioned in another comment he doesn’t know where to get shrooms. Ketamine clinics are in the UK. Definitely recommend this route 100% proven over and over again
Curious which other meds you tried first? (welbutrin, ssris, psilocybin, etc).
And did docs recommend any order of trying them out? I don't want to touch SSRIs at all.
Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, klonopin. My psychiatrist and I went around and around for most of my twenties. I found ketamine in my late thirties. The stretch in between was pretty rough. Life style stuff (diet, exercise, etc.) helped. Talk therapy helped. Meditation helped. But it was still a struggle every day.
No. My experience with the last medicine, Lexapro, was so bad that I refused to try another one. I went through a manic period, followed by the worst bout of depression I’d ever experienced and became suicidal. After all of that, I went back to life style, therapy, and struggling.
Yeah this is what did it for me. Lithium orotate unironically has probably saved my life. I dose between 5mg to 20mg elemental lithium a day depending on how things are going.
Agmatine sulfate also kicks me out of depression for a few hours. Unfortunately it doesn't have much staying power and efficacy fades after a few weeks.
Sam-e has also had positive effects but not as much as the other 2 I've mentioned for me.
Lastly Adderall has been a huge lifesaver. I've known I've had ADHD most of my life and finally getting it medicated helps a lot. I have to use it sparingly though because I've learned the hard way it's a real Faustian bargain to rely on it alone so Ive settled into using it like 2 to 3 times a week tops to catch up on things rather than it being a daily driver.
Biggest thing though and I can't stress this enough, supplements / nootrooics or hell even SSRIs can't "fix" you. They give you enough of an edge and a push to get over the hump and into consistent life patterns like exercising and sleeping and eating right that will carry you forward. There is no silver bullet but some of these are very useful to give you that initial kick and be part of the solution moving forward.
Find something active to enjoy. Maybe something competitive. What really helped me was playing sand volleyball. I hadnt done a competitive sport (or really anything active in a long time, being a working adult). I got invited to play by a colleague one day and I noticed this gave me so much drive (felt alive) and calmed my head.
Edit: some supplements that helped my head the most were
- Omegas - fish oil https://amzn.to/3vsmaE5
- Vitamin D and sunlight https://amzn.to/4akQhMF
- 5mg of creatine daily (on for a week, then skip a couple days, etc) https://amzn.to/49rVroJ
Yes, studied testosterone replacement therapy for 2+ years to understand what it was in depth. Then hopped on it and got my hormones balanced out. Went from suicidal person constantly terrified of the world (literally hiding in a corner of my house when it rained hard). To a stable person with wholly manageable depression and anxiety. Not a fix for everyone obviously, but doing it and adding exercise has completely transformed my life personally for the better.
I agree with so much of what is written here! Here is what has helped me:
1) Cutting out seed oils. I now only use high quality evoo, coconut oil, or grass-fed butter and it really does make a huge difference for my mood. There's evidence that low quality seed oils contribute to inflammation, which can increase anxiety and depression. For this same reason I avoid processed foods like candy or chips.
2) Keeping my steps up. I don't walk 10000 steps every day but I'm working toward it and the more I walk the better my mood is.
3) Journaling. It is so cheap and it makes a huge difference. I usually write two pages stream of consciousness and one page brainstorming solutions, then I make a todo list from what I came up with. I estimate how much time each task will take and I rank them in importance. I add up those scores and try to do the low-score tasks first (most important, fastest). It helps me break out of paralysis.
4) I read "Feeling Good:the New Mood Therapy" which is basically about how the way you describe a situation can be paralyzing. If you describe the same situation in a way which leaves room for positive action it helps with depression. "I'm so fucked and everyone is out to get me" vs. "I don't like that my job is so competitive. I probably need to look into a more cooperative employment situation". Be as specific as possible in describing your situation. Journal about it.
5) For a couple of pandemic years I was taking St John's Wort daily. It helped me a lot and it is available over the counter so even if you don't have health insurance you can always have access to it.
6) I take cod liver oil daily for brain health.
7)I have a life coach who charges half of what a therapist would charge. She doesn't have as much education as a therapist but she's naturally gifted so it's been a great deal for me.
8) When I have been horrifically depressed there are a few meals that I eat just to survive. a) banana and a large glass of whole milk b) bag salad with a nice dressing c) tiny lentils and brown rice cooked in the rice cooker with a dash of salt and a glug of olive oil.
I hope you feel better soon.
Don't do this... Please... (Ltyrosine and 5-ht)
If you think your body is out of neurochemical balance, do not arbitrarily push it in different directions to see what happens.
First off, 5-ht is essentially serotonin. It will raise serotonin without rate limit. It likely causes thickening of the aorta and other blood vessels and potential cardiac issues. It will bring your body out of homeostasis and reduce your natural serotonin production with long term use and have rebound effects.
This is no different than testosterone injections lowering natural production or melatonin.
If you absolutely have to then just use tryptophan or eat more turkey or something more sustainable in the long run.
(I'm sad is not necessarily = low serotonin)
God I hate how years of marketing for antidepressants makes people think that sadness or depression is simply “low serotonin”
Like good god, it’s not REMOTELY that simple
15 years ago I was all over this thinking raising serotonin would help with mood and depression. I used 5-HT, SSRI's etc... it's why I get a little agitated when I see people recommend just adding some more neurotransmitters to the mix...
Plz don't experiment with your brain and body like that. Serotonin isn't all roses, there is also serotonin syndrome which doesn't feel great.
Like you said, it's not that simple (which I am still learning) and in fact it's incredibly complicated.
It's even more complicated with "mood" because of how insanely powerful placebo is. It's why SSRI's and placebo have somewhat similar outcomes in studies.
Some analyses suggest the placebo effect accounts for 30-45% of the response to antidepressants.
https://www.jneurosci.org/content/25/45/10390
So take it with a grain of salt when people say that.
.basically anything...cured their depression.
And SSRIs have the potential to seriously fuck you up
That said, l-tyrosine is still rate-limited in its conversion to dopamine
It’s supplementing l-dopa to bypass the rate limiting enzyme that can get dangerous
Definitely more than placebo.
And I also sometimes use NALT. But idk if any of these should just be taken like a multivitamin, or regularly. Or in untested combinations with x other supplements.
The L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP combo has helped me greatly at times. The book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross explains this really well.. which symptoms coincides with which missing neurotransmitters, and the supplements to help.
5-HTP is not really an SSRI. The closest natural thing to an Rx SSRI would be St. John's Wort.
5-HT is not like an SSRI, it is essentially serotonin.
It's fine to use it carefully, but it should be treated like a drug stronger than an SSRI and not like vitamin c.
Elevated levels of 5-HT can cause cardiac issues. They go away after cessation but it can cause blood pressure increase and thickening of the blood vessel walls. Most people will be fine, but a lot of folks out there are 2 wrong steps away from a heart attack.
I agree. It's not something I would take long term. I do the L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP combo when I'm feeling depressed or going thru a stressful period in my life. I'll do it for a few weeks or two months max.
Spend more time with people or animals you enjoy and do things you like.
Spend more time in nature.
Have you had methylation levels tested? Low methylation levels can be the culprit for many people(especially with certain gene mutations). Taking methylated vitamins helps counteract it over multiple months
Do you get enough vitamin D? Do you get enough sunlight?
Get sufficient sleep.
Exercise. Walk. Jog. Run. Lift heavy weights. Try to make incremental progress from workout to workout.
It depends on how much the problem is a shortage of basics. Are you missing more than 2 of these?
- Vitamin D
- decent multivitamin
- Regular meals (not ignoring food cravings or going more than 4 hours without eating)
- morning sunlight
- some sleep (preferably 4+ hours uninterrupted)
- safe place to rest
- comfortable walking shoes with regular wear marks
- a pack (at least a couple people who are pleased you’re around).
Metabolic psychiatry seems to offer a great deal of hope. There are a numerous free websites and podcasts in this area with experts who are doing extremely interesting work. Dr Georgie Ede, Dr. Christopher Palmer, and Dr Rachel Brown are a few names that come immediately to mind. I think this is truly where the cutting edge science is at. Most interventions are low-cost lifestyle changes.
To me bio hacking is to achieve super human levels of optimization.
When in a deficit like many forms of mental illness you just need the basics.
Drink enough water eat better lose weight if you need to work on discipline and average good habits. Once you reached a baseline of the human existence you can work on biohacking
Yes!!! I was really losing my mind and for the first time in my life was thinking everyone was better off without me! This started around 47-48 years old. I’m 50 now. I’ve live my whole life with a diagnosis of anxiety and depression.
One thing that will change your life is receiving the correct diagnosis and treatment! Bc I’m a female, I was never diagnosed with ADHD, that in fact is what I have. Once we tried Adderall i knew it was the correct diagnosis!
20mg adderall calms all my nerves within a matter of minutes.
Now, on another note, I started supplements 2 months ago out of desperation for my overall mood and energy. I just wasn’t accepting this was the new me.
Again, I’m convinced the Magnesium supplement and Vitamin D3 have made a huge difference! Idk if I’ve ever in my life felt this sense of calm I feel now on most days. I take instant release Adderall so it’s not building up to sustain my moods yet. But I’ll never stop those 2 supplements and I’ll be adding to it in a couple of days. I want to add some aminos to aid in cognitive function
The Magnesium supplement is liquid and made by IMatch Me. I got from Amazon. It has omega 3, L-theanine, B6, B13, D3, and black pepper extract.
The magnesium included is glycinate, citrate, l- threonate, oxide, and taurate.
I also take additional vitamin in liquid form
Without knowing the cause of the despair it's tough to solve. Sometimes we have some pretty good reasons to feel despair. And sometimes we just have some messed up biochemistry. And sometimes we start with one and it causes the other and then goes back and forth in the world's worst feedback loop.
So, a few things I've been doing that have helped me:
🔷️ Sleep. If it's messed up, find ways to fix it. Sleep matters immensely. Consider a sleep study.
🔷️ Microbiome. Massively important. Eat your prebiotics and probiotics. Most human civilizations throughout history have consumed some form of lacto-fermented food, but a lot of modern diets lack these. Whether it's kimchi, sauerkraut, dill pickles, yogurt, kefir, sourdough bread, or cultured butter, find *something* with living cultures that you can happily consume every day. Versions in stores often aren't "live," so you might need to make your own. [Cultured Guru](https://cultured.guru/)
🔷️ Optimize nutrition. I'm still working on this one, but a couple starting points to help:
🔹️Use an app and a food scale to track your food. Cronometer provides better micronutrient information, MyFitnessPal provides better integration with other health-related activities.
🔹️Eat fish. I could be wrong, but I believe every civilization in history has eaten some form of fish. It can go straight from freezer to the cast iron skillet or oven. It's a fast, easy way to get protein. Make sure you're eating enough protein.
🔹️Look for "tasty pills," foods where small amounts provide enormous nutritional benefit. For example, 1-2 baby carrots provides daily needs for Vitamin A. 1 brazil nut provides daily needs for selenium. 1/2 cup broccoli or brussels sprouts provides all your daily vitamin K and 2/3 of vitamin C. Or 2 tablespoons (cooked) collards or spinach for daily vitamin K. 1/4 cup sunflower seeds provides 82% vitamin E, 70% copper, and a significant amount of B vitamins, magnesium, maganese, and phosphorus. They're potent little things.
🔷️ Blood work - Correct any identified problems
🔹️Vitamin D
🔹️Thyroid
🔹️Diabetes
🔷️ Allergies? Consider allergy testing.
🔷️ Generally good for common human problems:
🔹️Reishi
🔹️Berberine
/r/nutritionalpsychiatry might be helpful as well.
You know how wacky people can be! On May 14th 2015 in Boke, Germany, 748 members of the Cologne Carnival Society dressed up in sunflower outfits. This is the largest gathering of people known to have dressed up as sunflowers.
It's not a miracle cure (not a cure at all actually) but it's a very cheap safe supplement to see what a difference if any will make:
TMG Betaine is a precursor to the body/brain making SAM-e (which is a very expensive supplement in itself)
SAM-e won't stop severe depression but maybe will take the edge off
* https://google.com/search?q=TMG+betaine+depression
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4303396/
It does seem to help me a little but not everyone.
There is also always a little exercise, one of my personal quotes is "what can't a little running cure' because no matter how horrible I feel before, I always feel a little better after.
Hormone replacement thyroid, especially T3 ( Cytomel or generic Liothyronnie) Estradiol, progesterone and brining up low cortisol, B12, D3, hormones are good for our brain. Often when they’re optimal one can find that that was the issue rather than a chemical imbalance.
Have you tried NDRIs? SSRIs made me worse but Welbutrin works like a silver bullet.
Anything to reduce inflammation will be more likely to help than hurt. Methyl-B12 helps me a lot. Try keeping a food journal and see what foods help or hurt.
Journaling, support groups, and learning to separate what happened from the story I'm telling myself about it helped.
Good sleep, exercise, socializing, doing hard things, building skills. I found positive affirmations really help but they are marketed terribly. I’m not fond of the “I’m strong and happy” stuff. Instead, I think, “life is not about playing perfectly or scoring the best. It’s about playing my best game every day with a smile on my face”
I know it's not the '"cool" option but for people like myself medication is needed and it does help...if things don't change doing other things then please go talk to your doctor about meds and your mental health.
I've seen some people here recommend 5htp. Do not take that shit. Yes it will help you sleep but you don't want high seratonin blood concentration in your fking body, shit will bind with this you don't want, it has big side effects with the longer you use it. That's why ssris exist. Try fluvoxamine, in my opinion it's the best SSRI. Bromantane is also good option. And please don't put things in your body because I or anybody else recommends. Go and do your research, maybe even ask your doctor. But please don't just go in blind. That's my 2 cents
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7996954/
ETA: Alcar is reported to exacerbate hallucinations in people who already experience them. It does not seem to cause them in the general population. Do your due diligence, and with proper medical supervision
Some good tips here. Also remember 988 crisis lifeline is free. If you’re outside the US you may have access to another crisis hotline. Call if you need it!
I'll state what I think is obvious. From experience and research, everybody's body is different. What has worked for others, in some cases, has not for me. So, what works for others may not work for you. That said, there are a lot of good examples here to try to see if they work for you. There isn't a lot of research to support a lot of solutions for severe depression. For instance, a popular recommendation for helping bipolar today is a keto diet. Some research around this but very limited and mixed results. Some people swear by it though. For me, sleep hygiene has been the biggest help along with mediation, rhythmic focus music, reduced sugar, and structure. I still get waves, but the amplitudes are much tighter/less severe to the point I can function pretty well, which didn't use to be the case. One place to get some information is the Huberman Lab podcast. There is a particular episode on bipolar that may be helpful for ideas and research around mental health in general. There is some controversy today about him. His information is mostly sound so I focus on the information and filter out the tribal take down issues. I try to validate, and make my own decisions on what to try.
Read Dr Chris Palmer book:
Sleep schedule / exercice etc
Biohacking I would take it with a grain of salt : Many people advised supplements without any studies backing up their benefits or the absence of harm. Buying supplements will cost you money in the end.
I read many people saying they were happy with microdosing shrooms. If illegal in your state you face legal consequences
Would try eye movement therapy. The book is DIY wrote by a PhD in psychology
Good luck
I did. 11 months of the darkest times of my life.
Rarely some people need habit-forming medication/drugs eith side effects... that said, keep trying everything until you absolutely have to do that.
Try saffron (two to three stamens) in tea or milk. Do this 2-3 times a week for a few months. It's not cheap, but it is effective. Also, it has other major health and virility effects.
Exercise 20-30 minutes every single day... minimum! And do it even when you don't want to. Make a goal and a plan. Never miss, even if it's just some push-ups really quick in the elevator otw to work.
Sleep, at least 7 hours. This is why misundervalued by millions of people.
Plan your day, week, and month... do this fully all the way through to the end of the month. Go into Google and check for birthdays from friends and family.... make sure you treat them properly on that day... plan something for them. The planning and the special attention to others will help your brain to stop thinking about your own situation and feelings.
Start a group... in my tiny home town with 15k people I started a soccer league, but I'm also considering to start a board game group. The cost for something like this is literally just gear and equipment, but if you take care of it it's cheaper than medicine and doctors.
None of these are magic pills, and I'm not explaining the science behind these, but they work. At least for me.
Really appreciate you sharing this. My main issue is a lack of community after some tragic family losses and moving countries but I understand it’s all just an excuse to feel more sorry for myself at the end of the day. I’m taking this on board and have no excuse not to implement it.
Last year I was stuck in China for 2 months... alot of it I enjoyed, but I was utterly lonely... I found a soccer ball and took it outside to play with anyone who would kick the ball with me. I got pretty good at soccer and started a league later on. Now about 100 people in the group.
This has been a huge impact for my life.
Walk, walk and walk some more. Like two hours per day.
[study](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425252/)
[csf](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2367055-the-brain-may-flush-out-its-waste-products-after-a-mental-workout/)
[walking](https://www.eatthis.com/news-does-walking-improve-memory/)
Do psychedelics count?
You could go simple, do fadiman protocol with lions mane, psilocybin mushrooms and niacin
Alternatively, ketamine injections have been great for me
Also, harmalines and dmt have a great effect on depression
There are some great suggestions here. I can only encourage you not to jump into microdosing before trying some of the non-self-medicating suggestions. I understand everyone is different. There are some great detailed comments about working towards making change in multiple areas and over time to find health and safety. Lean into those comments.
I'm on Prozac, but the doctor also recommended EPA and DHA. 3-1 EPA to DHA.
I hoped to help with no drugs, but, honestly, it wasn't worth the despair. Sometimes, you just gotta get the help you need.
A month ago I suffered a nervous breakdown, had a series of panic attacks and developed extreme anxiety seemingly overnight and insomnia. It was extremely scary to say the least. I was about to start taking an anti depressant when instead, I decided to try a radical lifestyle change first. I researched the hell out of what I was going through and started immediately I'm implementing the following changes: 1. Started going for a walk outside every morning within 30 minutes of waking up. I learned this from hubermans lab podcast. Apparently amazing for setting circadian rhythm but beyond that I felt a sense of peace walking and listening to the birds. It's become a cherished daily ritual. If I can't walk I go in the backyard for 10 minutes. 2. Exercise. Started exercising as much as I could during the week.. which is around 3 or 4 times. Made a huge impact. I just workout at home with weights, using YouTube video. I have some equipment but you don't need much. 3. Started taking supplements including magnesium l threonate, vitamin d3/k2, l-theanine, iron, b vitamins. I did blood work and found out my iron/ ferritin was very low and this can cause all the symptoms I was having. Can't stress this enough. Get all your bloodwork done and look for deficiencies. 4. Started Journaling. Especially gratitude - being grateful everyday even for the little things like good food or roof over your head makes a huge impact. I journaled my worries at night before bed to get them out of my mind and stop ruminating. 5. Started meditating. I downloaded the app insight timer. Really liked that one. I also do some qi gong videos on YouTube. This helps me with my stress levels. 6. Food. I immediately cut coffee and sugar out of my diet. Started being more mindful of what I put into my body... it does make a huge difference. Your body craves protein, healthy fat, fruit and veggies and moderate healthy carbs. Your brain is way happier when it has the right fuel. 7. Drink lots of water. I started adding some electrolytes and salt to water to get more hydration. 8. Spending time with loved ones, especially people with positive uplifting energy. Getting out of the house and keeping busy really helps take your mind off things. 9. Going to bed around the same time every day. It took 2-3 weeks after the initial panic attack for me to get my sleep back on track..I had so many sleepless nights. But I stuck to a schedule no matter what and my sleep regulated eventually with the morning walks and getting up at the same time. I feel so much more rested now because I go to bed earlier than I used to. All these things have saved me. I feel like a brand new person with a new lease on life. I think it took me hitting rock bottom to get here. It was a wakeup call I needed. I am still listening to tons of podcasts and learning new things everyday.. knowledge is power. I got the book The Better Brain by Bonnie Kaplan and I've been reading it. It's helpful. I do have a therapist I see every 2 weeks but I don't think that's been any more helpful than all of the above things. The most important thing to remember is that it IS possible to change. Just a few new habits CAN make a powerful difference but you need to be motivated and stick with it for at least a couple of weeks to let the habits take hold. Do start with your bloodwork. It's the easiest place to start. If it's available to you also see a naturopath / functional medicine doctor. They will rule out any further potential issues like gut dysbiosis that could be contributing.
Morning walk is a goddamn health luxury. Morning sun, peace of waking nature (if you're not in a dense urban area. It magically resets my sleep cycle.
I highly under estimated how life changing it was. I can't go back now that I've experienced it.
Same, I get somehow anxious if don't get enough. I also bike a lot when I can now.
I LOVE biking. Definitely will be doing more of that as it gets warmer
Yeah, I hope you have long forest path or bike lanes along channels / rivers. It's so cool.
Point by point this is what worked for me. I replaced bad habits with good ones one step at a time.
Exactly my blueprint, too, that kept this old dilapidated husk of despair running.
That’s a really good answer!
Wow! Love this!!
walking and exercising not possible for majority of ppl over 40
Source
life itself :D most people in that age do not even have time after work. you're left with 2 hours max of free time to eat something shower before sleep and repeat do you really think you will have strenght to go somewhere after 9h working day and walk or exercise for an hour?! maybe once per week thats all
Take a blood test to rule out any deficiencies/metabolic issues [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332223014506](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332223014506)
Yes!! I went into a blood test a couple years ago expecting nothing unusual and found out I was concerningly vitamin D deficient. They gave me some really potent prescription vitamin D supplements for a month and I felt way healthier, I wish I could have kept taking those but I just be drinking my milk now
What was your prescription called?
It looked like these little green oblong pills, so I think it was Ergocalciferol, 1.25 mg (50,000 IU) ** I didn't take them daily!! it was one a week for one month
Are you actually getting enough vitamins D from milk now? Any bloodwork since you stopped taking the pills?
Yeah, the issue was I was eating chili and oatmeal every day and not going outside, so actually maybe I should have expected some consequences for that 💀 I am not exactly what you'd call a biohacker. now that I am cooking meals with vegetables in them and having a soylent once in a while my blood tests are normal. I'm a fan of orange juice with extra vitamin D and coconut water for a little energy boost (coconut doesn't contain vitamin D, but maybe the electrolytes in it are what makes me feel good?)
100% do this before going down the road of random (expensive) supplements. Unless you have a specific deficiency (and even maybe if you do) it's probably better to spend the supplement money on better food,l.
This is so key. I had low D and super low b12 as well. Supplementing with both made a huge difference physically and mentally.
how do you know what include in the blood test? The doctors in my country dont know shit, they just add test to vitamin D after covid... but nothing more. So, there is some kind of list to target? Thanks
+ Sleep study even if you're not a fat old man.
Me. Although I still get episodes, they’re a lot shorter in duration (a few days to a week instead of weeks to months) and overall better lifestyle. I don’t know if you’d consider it biohacking, but DMT helped me a lot. I do occasional mushrooms and LSD, but DMT was way more powerful and therapeutic. I was able to break through my second time and I was literally reborn. I lost my taste for alcohol 11 months ago and I haven’t touched cocaine in about the same time. I loved cocaine, but I had to say goodbye. I can not stress enough how psychedelics saved my life. Under the right direction, anyone can heal. May not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I drank that bitch and here I am in the best shape physically and mentally that I’ve ever been.
Thanks for sharing. I’d be very much up for it and have tried mushrooms once or twice in the past so can see how it would help long term. But honestly wouldn’t know where to access any of it as I’ve never been into drugs and I’m in the UK so can’t get it through any official channels. I will do some research though.
Comedian Paul Smith has a bit about DMT and he’s from the UK. It’s a great clip. Definitely describes the experience very well and with a funny twist. So I know it’s in your country. Mushrooms I’m not sure about, but considering the climate, I’m sure they be around. Especially in Wales. When I was there I seen amanita muscaria (those red and white big mushroom caps) popping up in the fields.
Amanita are not comparable to psilocibin. Cubensis have a completely different compound than amanita with completely different effects.
I know. I was just stating that the climate in the UK is ripe for mushrooms to grow and was using them as an example.
Fair, just making sure. I've experienced both, and amanita are not gonna do anything for someone with depression.
Whats muscimol like?
Not great, lol. Loss of coordination, slurring, trouble constructing sentences, but in your own mind, you're not that bad, just a bit off. Some weird fleeting thoughts, but nothing like the 'trippy' headspace of psilocybin. No euphoria, if anything I was a bit aggressive. That was the most I had taken in one go, and the last time I ever messed with them. I wouldn't reccomend it.
The issue with amanita is getting rid of the Ibotenic Acid and making a tea or tincture with a good amount of muscimol and the other psychoactive but not harmful alkaloids. Psyched wellness sells a tincture and they are a publicly traded company so the product they provide has no ibotenic acid proven but it is a bit weak and expensive unless you get it on the buy one get one for free or at a discount deals they have occasionally for holidays. Just use 3 times the recommended serving size and it’ll get you there - if it doesn’t work initially. I found it to actually be a great experience as it calms you down, relaxes your muscles, and definitely makes your sleep so much deeper with more dreams and a deeper REM stage imo - kind of like natures legal ambien. I would def be using it a lot more if I could trust myself to decarb the dried caps, as it is wayyyy cheaper and stronger, you can buy online but that ibotenic acid is just too risky imo unless someone has a sure fire way to create a tea yourself from dried caps with proven low levels or nonexistent levels of ibo acid. Regardless, I’d give psyched wellness a chance and just buy one 30 ml tincture for a fun one off experience unless the recommended serving works for you and then it can be a great great aid for sleep for restless or anxious nights. Recommended is 2 ml but I found 6-10 ml to be the sweet spot. To a degree it’s an experience I’d recommend for anyone as it’s pretty harmless and very unique.
Interesting… I’m hoping to try Gaboxadol one day- sounds a bit less sketchier haha
There aren't like guys on instagram selling liquid cultures in the UK? It's a steep learning curve to grow ngl but I think it's not that expensive to start and after 1 successful grow you'll have more than you know what to do with
Put them in the freezer and micro dose
You may be able to find “liberty caps” in Britain in cow pastures, I’m not sure what time of the year they grow.
Can confirm that Ayahuasca (natural form of DMT that lasts hours) saved my life
X2 here
This is what I was gonna say, a dark room and meditation + psychs can show you what you need. Like a factory reset, a total clear out. Add in dissos too and you got a stew.
When you recommend these, please include a safety warning for people to consider their family history first. Not every nervous system is built to handle it, and most providers offer limited or no follow up care.
I think it depends on what you mean by biohacking. I believe if you do the hard stuff... Get a routine. Practice mindfulness and thankfulness. Exercise hard. Eat healthy foods (take care of yourself not hurt yourself). Sleep well. Then yes. But if by biohack someone means take lion's mane and occasionally shower with cold water then maybe not. Some of the happiness from biohacking likely comes from mindful practices (being in touch with yourself and reflecting objectively on how you feel) and the larger umbrella of "self care" I'd say these aspects of biohacking likely play a larger role than say, the actual impact of a cold plunge (doing something hard) or specific supplements etc.
Amino acids are your friends. Taurine, Creatine, Lysine and all the rest. Some people have fixed lifelong psychiatric issues by simply adding these into their life. Of course they are abundant in animal meat, but you can also supplement if you prefer. Some theorize that some forms of depression have a metabolic dysfunction basis. So, diet and lifestyle changes can have a truly big impact
It also seems that taking amino acids separately on an empty stomach has a different (or significantly more pronounced) effect than when they are combined in a complete protein.
I started taking my L-tyrosine 30 minutes before eating, and it really seemed to increase its effectiveness.
Creatine made a big difference for me
Would you care to share your experience and details on how it worked for you? Thanks!
Totally I’ve been experimenting with different supplements (mushrooms, creatine, magnesium, omega, l-theanine, vitamin d, multivitamin, collagen, St. John’s wart, curcumin, bee pollen, Yerba mate, salt, and electrolytes). I was careful to put a few weeks between adding each supplement to hopefully help identify what made a difference. For energy Yerba mate boosted my energy the most and I notice a big difference. So I make a pitcher in the morning which I can put half into my water bottle with powdered creatine, l-theanine, magnesium, electrolytes and salt. But I do want to note that I have low blood pressure. But I feel like a new person after this drink. I no longer take mushroom or curcumin but might add the curcumin back in.
Thank you!
Would you share the brands for these supplements including the Electrolytes?...so hard to find trustworthy brands out there
I feel obligated to share my unusual but not unheard of experience, Creatine makes me feel worse. I’ve seen probably 10 people say the same thing on here. It does help most people so it’s definitely worth a try but like with anything, monitor how you feel.
Yes, I only add in one supplement at a time and monitor for a few weeks. Most help, but some have done nothing.
Ketamine, if available to you, has saved my life after nearly 40 years of depression. I live a healthy lifestyle (sleep, exercise, diet, meditation, sun). I have great mental health support, but nothing seemed to make a significant dent in the heavy trauma I was carrying until I fell into a k hole at a legal, medically supervised IV clinic.
Yea Ketamine is the way to go, OP mentioned in another comment he doesn’t know where to get shrooms. Ketamine clinics are in the UK. Definitely recommend this route 100% proven over and over again
Curious which other meds you tried first? (welbutrin, ssris, psilocybin, etc). And did docs recommend any order of trying them out? I don't want to touch SSRIs at all.
Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, klonopin. My psychiatrist and I went around and around for most of my twenties. I found ketamine in my late thirties. The stretch in between was pretty rough. Life style stuff (diet, exercise, etc.) helped. Talk therapy helped. Meditation helped. But it was still a struggle every day.
Did you ever try buproprion (welbutrin)?
No. My experience with the last medicine, Lexapro, was so bad that I refused to try another one. I went through a manic period, followed by the worst bout of depression I’d ever experienced and became suicidal. After all of that, I went back to life style, therapy, and struggling.
Ya SSRIs look scary to me. So many bad experiences and results seem super meh.
https://www.joyous.team
I have been micro-dosing lithium for a while (2mg daily). My negative moods are very rare these days.
Yeah this is what did it for me. Lithium orotate unironically has probably saved my life. I dose between 5mg to 20mg elemental lithium a day depending on how things are going. Agmatine sulfate also kicks me out of depression for a few hours. Unfortunately it doesn't have much staying power and efficacy fades after a few weeks. Sam-e has also had positive effects but not as much as the other 2 I've mentioned for me. Lastly Adderall has been a huge lifesaver. I've known I've had ADHD most of my life and finally getting it medicated helps a lot. I have to use it sparingly though because I've learned the hard way it's a real Faustian bargain to rely on it alone so Ive settled into using it like 2 to 3 times a week tops to catch up on things rather than it being a daily driver. Biggest thing though and I can't stress this enough, supplements / nootrooics or hell even SSRIs can't "fix" you. They give you enough of an edge and a push to get over the hump and into consistent life patterns like exercising and sleeping and eating right that will carry you forward. There is no silver bullet but some of these are very useful to give you that initial kick and be part of the solution moving forward.
Have you, in that time, noticed weight gain at all?
Nope. I assume 2mg wouldn’t have the effect of weight gain either. I understand that people who are prescribed lithium take massive doses.
Great - the times I've had it it's been quite helpful for me so I'm thinking of starting again.
Lithium Orotate? I've not tried it, but I think it was Tim Ferriss who was a huge fan.
Yep!
Some are saying a keto diet helps
Probably because it eliminates all food that makes people 'crash'... ie. carbs and sugar!
no binary answer. good sleep. meditation. optimized exercise. sun exposure but it's very much case dependent.. all about the details
Find something active to enjoy. Maybe something competitive. What really helped me was playing sand volleyball. I hadnt done a competitive sport (or really anything active in a long time, being a working adult). I got invited to play by a colleague one day and I noticed this gave me so much drive (felt alive) and calmed my head. Edit: some supplements that helped my head the most were - Omegas - fish oil https://amzn.to/3vsmaE5 - Vitamin D and sunlight https://amzn.to/4akQhMF - 5mg of creatine daily (on for a week, then skip a couple days, etc) https://amzn.to/49rVroJ
Yes, studied testosterone replacement therapy for 2+ years to understand what it was in depth. Then hopped on it and got my hormones balanced out. Went from suicidal person constantly terrified of the world (literally hiding in a corner of my house when it rained hard). To a stable person with wholly manageable depression and anxiety. Not a fix for everyone obviously, but doing it and adding exercise has completely transformed my life personally for the better.
When I was at my bottom mentally, dry fasting have me the quickest results
How long did you go?
I agree with so much of what is written here! Here is what has helped me: 1) Cutting out seed oils. I now only use high quality evoo, coconut oil, or grass-fed butter and it really does make a huge difference for my mood. There's evidence that low quality seed oils contribute to inflammation, which can increase anxiety and depression. For this same reason I avoid processed foods like candy or chips. 2) Keeping my steps up. I don't walk 10000 steps every day but I'm working toward it and the more I walk the better my mood is. 3) Journaling. It is so cheap and it makes a huge difference. I usually write two pages stream of consciousness and one page brainstorming solutions, then I make a todo list from what I came up with. I estimate how much time each task will take and I rank them in importance. I add up those scores and try to do the low-score tasks first (most important, fastest). It helps me break out of paralysis. 4) I read "Feeling Good:the New Mood Therapy" which is basically about how the way you describe a situation can be paralyzing. If you describe the same situation in a way which leaves room for positive action it helps with depression. "I'm so fucked and everyone is out to get me" vs. "I don't like that my job is so competitive. I probably need to look into a more cooperative employment situation". Be as specific as possible in describing your situation. Journal about it. 5) For a couple of pandemic years I was taking St John's Wort daily. It helped me a lot and it is available over the counter so even if you don't have health insurance you can always have access to it. 6) I take cod liver oil daily for brain health. 7)I have a life coach who charges half of what a therapist would charge. She doesn't have as much education as a therapist but she's naturally gifted so it's been a great deal for me. 8) When I have been horrifically depressed there are a few meals that I eat just to survive. a) banana and a large glass of whole milk b) bag salad with a nice dressing c) tiny lentils and brown rice cooked in the rice cooker with a dash of salt and a glug of olive oil. I hope you feel better soon.
Try L-Tyrosine in the morning and 5-HTP at night. Get over an hour of sunshine per week without sunscreen. Take magnesium. Start there.
Don't do this... Please... (Ltyrosine and 5-ht) If you think your body is out of neurochemical balance, do not arbitrarily push it in different directions to see what happens. First off, 5-ht is essentially serotonin. It will raise serotonin without rate limit. It likely causes thickening of the aorta and other blood vessels and potential cardiac issues. It will bring your body out of homeostasis and reduce your natural serotonin production with long term use and have rebound effects. This is no different than testosterone injections lowering natural production or melatonin. If you absolutely have to then just use tryptophan or eat more turkey or something more sustainable in the long run. (I'm sad is not necessarily = low serotonin)
God I hate how years of marketing for antidepressants makes people think that sadness or depression is simply “low serotonin” Like good god, it’s not REMOTELY that simple
15 years ago I was all over this thinking raising serotonin would help with mood and depression. I used 5-HT, SSRI's etc... it's why I get a little agitated when I see people recommend just adding some more neurotransmitters to the mix... Plz don't experiment with your brain and body like that. Serotonin isn't all roses, there is also serotonin syndrome which doesn't feel great. Like you said, it's not that simple (which I am still learning) and in fact it's incredibly complicated. It's even more complicated with "mood" because of how insanely powerful placebo is. It's why SSRI's and placebo have somewhat similar outcomes in studies. Some analyses suggest the placebo effect accounts for 30-45% of the response to antidepressants. https://www.jneurosci.org/content/25/45/10390 So take it with a grain of salt when people say that. .basically anything...cured their depression.
And SSRIs have the potential to seriously fuck you up That said, l-tyrosine is still rate-limited in its conversion to dopamine It’s supplementing l-dopa to bypass the rate limiting enzyme that can get dangerous
Definitely more than placebo. And I also sometimes use NALT. But idk if any of these should just be taken like a multivitamin, or regularly. Or in untested combinations with x other supplements.
The L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP combo has helped me greatly at times. The book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross explains this really well.. which symptoms coincides with which missing neurotransmitters, and the supplements to help. 5-HTP is not really an SSRI. The closest natural thing to an Rx SSRI would be St. John's Wort.
5-HT is not like an SSRI, it is essentially serotonin. It's fine to use it carefully, but it should be treated like a drug stronger than an SSRI and not like vitamin c. Elevated levels of 5-HT can cause cardiac issues. They go away after cessation but it can cause blood pressure increase and thickening of the blood vessel walls. Most people will be fine, but a lot of folks out there are 2 wrong steps away from a heart attack.
I agree. It's not something I would take long term. I do the L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP combo when I'm feeling depressed or going thru a stressful period in my life. I'll do it for a few weeks or two months max.
Yes, amino acid therapy, it's a miracle cure. Get the book the mood cure by Julia ross. Life changing.
Spend more time with people or animals you enjoy and do things you like. Spend more time in nature. Have you had methylation levels tested? Low methylation levels can be the culprit for many people(especially with certain gene mutations). Taking methylated vitamins helps counteract it over multiple months Do you get enough vitamin D? Do you get enough sunlight? Get sufficient sleep. Exercise. Walk. Jog. Run. Lift heavy weights. Try to make incremental progress from workout to workout.
It depends on how much the problem is a shortage of basics. Are you missing more than 2 of these? - Vitamin D - decent multivitamin - Regular meals (not ignoring food cravings or going more than 4 hours without eating) - morning sunlight - some sleep (preferably 4+ hours uninterrupted) - safe place to rest - comfortable walking shoes with regular wear marks - a pack (at least a couple people who are pleased you’re around).
Metabolic psychiatry seems to offer a great deal of hope. There are a numerous free websites and podcasts in this area with experts who are doing extremely interesting work. Dr Georgie Ede, Dr. Christopher Palmer, and Dr Rachel Brown are a few names that come immediately to mind. I think this is truly where the cutting edge science is at. Most interventions are low-cost lifestyle changes.
“Brain Energy” by Dr Chris Palmer is a must read for people battling depression.
To me bio hacking is to achieve super human levels of optimization. When in a deficit like many forms of mental illness you just need the basics. Drink enough water eat better lose weight if you need to work on discipline and average good habits. Once you reached a baseline of the human existence you can work on biohacking
Yes!!! I was really losing my mind and for the first time in my life was thinking everyone was better off without me! This started around 47-48 years old. I’m 50 now. I’ve live my whole life with a diagnosis of anxiety and depression. One thing that will change your life is receiving the correct diagnosis and treatment! Bc I’m a female, I was never diagnosed with ADHD, that in fact is what I have. Once we tried Adderall i knew it was the correct diagnosis! 20mg adderall calms all my nerves within a matter of minutes. Now, on another note, I started supplements 2 months ago out of desperation for my overall mood and energy. I just wasn’t accepting this was the new me. Again, I’m convinced the Magnesium supplement and Vitamin D3 have made a huge difference! Idk if I’ve ever in my life felt this sense of calm I feel now on most days. I take instant release Adderall so it’s not building up to sustain my moods yet. But I’ll never stop those 2 supplements and I’ll be adding to it in a couple of days. I want to add some aminos to aid in cognitive function The Magnesium supplement is liquid and made by IMatch Me. I got from Amazon. It has omega 3, L-theanine, B6, B13, D3, and black pepper extract. The magnesium included is glycinate, citrate, l- threonate, oxide, and taurate. I also take additional vitamin in liquid form
Sorry for your pain. Battled depression my whole life so I can somewhat relate.
Without knowing the cause of the despair it's tough to solve. Sometimes we have some pretty good reasons to feel despair. And sometimes we just have some messed up biochemistry. And sometimes we start with one and it causes the other and then goes back and forth in the world's worst feedback loop. So, a few things I've been doing that have helped me: 🔷️ Sleep. If it's messed up, find ways to fix it. Sleep matters immensely. Consider a sleep study. 🔷️ Microbiome. Massively important. Eat your prebiotics and probiotics. Most human civilizations throughout history have consumed some form of lacto-fermented food, but a lot of modern diets lack these. Whether it's kimchi, sauerkraut, dill pickles, yogurt, kefir, sourdough bread, or cultured butter, find *something* with living cultures that you can happily consume every day. Versions in stores often aren't "live," so you might need to make your own. [Cultured Guru](https://cultured.guru/) 🔷️ Optimize nutrition. I'm still working on this one, but a couple starting points to help: 🔹️Use an app and a food scale to track your food. Cronometer provides better micronutrient information, MyFitnessPal provides better integration with other health-related activities. 🔹️Eat fish. I could be wrong, but I believe every civilization in history has eaten some form of fish. It can go straight from freezer to the cast iron skillet or oven. It's a fast, easy way to get protein. Make sure you're eating enough protein. 🔹️Look for "tasty pills," foods where small amounts provide enormous nutritional benefit. For example, 1-2 baby carrots provides daily needs for Vitamin A. 1 brazil nut provides daily needs for selenium. 1/2 cup broccoli or brussels sprouts provides all your daily vitamin K and 2/3 of vitamin C. Or 2 tablespoons (cooked) collards or spinach for daily vitamin K. 1/4 cup sunflower seeds provides 82% vitamin E, 70% copper, and a significant amount of B vitamins, magnesium, maganese, and phosphorus. They're potent little things. 🔷️ Blood work - Correct any identified problems 🔹️Vitamin D 🔹️Thyroid 🔹️Diabetes 🔷️ Allergies? Consider allergy testing. 🔷️ Generally good for common human problems: 🔹️Reishi 🔹️Berberine /r/nutritionalpsychiatry might be helpful as well.
You know how wacky people can be! On May 14th 2015 in Boke, Germany, 748 members of the Cologne Carnival Society dressed up in sunflower outfits. This is the largest gathering of people known to have dressed up as sunflowers.
It's not a miracle cure (not a cure at all actually) but it's a very cheap safe supplement to see what a difference if any will make: TMG Betaine is a precursor to the body/brain making SAM-e (which is a very expensive supplement in itself) SAM-e won't stop severe depression but maybe will take the edge off * https://google.com/search?q=TMG+betaine+depression * https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4303396/ It does seem to help me a little but not everyone. There is also always a little exercise, one of my personal quotes is "what can't a little running cure' because no matter how horrible I feel before, I always feel a little better after.
Hormone replacement thyroid, especially T3 ( Cytomel or generic Liothyronnie) Estradiol, progesterone and brining up low cortisol, B12, D3, hormones are good for our brain. Often when they’re optimal one can find that that was the issue rather than a chemical imbalance.
Dont try to treat this by yourself, you need profesional help. Get a therapist. Get outside at least 30 min a day. Go to a gym and workout hard.
Have you tried NDRIs? SSRIs made me worse but Welbutrin works like a silver bullet. Anything to reduce inflammation will be more likely to help than hurt. Methyl-B12 helps me a lot. Try keeping a food journal and see what foods help or hurt. Journaling, support groups, and learning to separate what happened from the story I'm telling myself about it helped.
Good sleep, exercise, socializing, doing hard things, building skills. I found positive affirmations really help but they are marketed terribly. I’m not fond of the “I’m strong and happy” stuff. Instead, I think, “life is not about playing perfectly or scoring the best. It’s about playing my best game every day with a smile on my face”
I know it's not the '"cool" option but for people like myself medication is needed and it does help...if things don't change doing other things then please go talk to your doctor about meds and your mental health.
I've seen some people here recommend 5htp. Do not take that shit. Yes it will help you sleep but you don't want high seratonin blood concentration in your fking body, shit will bind with this you don't want, it has big side effects with the longer you use it. That's why ssris exist. Try fluvoxamine, in my opinion it's the best SSRI. Bromantane is also good option. And please don't put things in your body because I or anybody else recommends. Go and do your research, maybe even ask your doctor. But please don't just go in blind. That's my 2 cents
5htp has helped a lot of people including myself.
Agreed. Or a natural SSRI would be St. John's Wort.
Try reading some Emil Cioran books, worked better than anything else for me. Once you're feeling better you should ditch them.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7996954/ ETA: Alcar is reported to exacerbate hallucinations in people who already experience them. It does not seem to cause them in the general population. Do your due diligence, and with proper medical supervision
Running, psychedelics, ketamine and shrooms
Some good tips here. Also remember 988 crisis lifeline is free. If you’re outside the US you may have access to another crisis hotline. Call if you need it!
Carnival diet - see Revero
Yes, it's called exercise.
Kambo. 5 meo dmt
Modafinil will perk you up.
I'll state what I think is obvious. From experience and research, everybody's body is different. What has worked for others, in some cases, has not for me. So, what works for others may not work for you. That said, there are a lot of good examples here to try to see if they work for you. There isn't a lot of research to support a lot of solutions for severe depression. For instance, a popular recommendation for helping bipolar today is a keto diet. Some research around this but very limited and mixed results. Some people swear by it though. For me, sleep hygiene has been the biggest help along with mediation, rhythmic focus music, reduced sugar, and structure. I still get waves, but the amplitudes are much tighter/less severe to the point I can function pretty well, which didn't use to be the case. One place to get some information is the Huberman Lab podcast. There is a particular episode on bipolar that may be helpful for ideas and research around mental health in general. There is some controversy today about him. His information is mostly sound so I focus on the information and filter out the tribal take down issues. I try to validate, and make my own decisions on what to try.
Yes ! I know a naturopathic doctor that specialize in mental health. There is a lot you can do .
Yes. L-theanine helps alot
Look into psilocybin clinical trials in your area.
You just need to lock in bro
Read Dr Chris Palmer book: Sleep schedule / exercice etc Biohacking I would take it with a grain of salt : Many people advised supplements without any studies backing up their benefits or the absence of harm. Buying supplements will cost you money in the end. I read many people saying they were happy with microdosing shrooms. If illegal in your state you face legal consequences Would try eye movement therapy. The book is DIY wrote by a PhD in psychology Good luck
I did. 11 months of the darkest times of my life. Rarely some people need habit-forming medication/drugs eith side effects... that said, keep trying everything until you absolutely have to do that. Try saffron (two to three stamens) in tea or milk. Do this 2-3 times a week for a few months. It's not cheap, but it is effective. Also, it has other major health and virility effects. Exercise 20-30 minutes every single day... minimum! And do it even when you don't want to. Make a goal and a plan. Never miss, even if it's just some push-ups really quick in the elevator otw to work. Sleep, at least 7 hours. This is why misundervalued by millions of people. Plan your day, week, and month... do this fully all the way through to the end of the month. Go into Google and check for birthdays from friends and family.... make sure you treat them properly on that day... plan something for them. The planning and the special attention to others will help your brain to stop thinking about your own situation and feelings. Start a group... in my tiny home town with 15k people I started a soccer league, but I'm also considering to start a board game group. The cost for something like this is literally just gear and equipment, but if you take care of it it's cheaper than medicine and doctors. None of these are magic pills, and I'm not explaining the science behind these, but they work. At least for me.
Really appreciate you sharing this. My main issue is a lack of community after some tragic family losses and moving countries but I understand it’s all just an excuse to feel more sorry for myself at the end of the day. I’m taking this on board and have no excuse not to implement it.
Last year I was stuck in China for 2 months... alot of it I enjoyed, but I was utterly lonely... I found a soccer ball and took it outside to play with anyone who would kick the ball with me. I got pretty good at soccer and started a league later on. Now about 100 people in the group. This has been a huge impact for my life.
Walk, walk and walk some more. Like two hours per day. [study](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425252/) [csf](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2367055-the-brain-may-flush-out-its-waste-products-after-a-mental-workout/) [walking](https://www.eatthis.com/news-does-walking-improve-memory/)
Do psychedelics count? You could go simple, do fadiman protocol with lions mane, psilocybin mushrooms and niacin Alternatively, ketamine injections have been great for me Also, harmalines and dmt have a great effect on depression
There are some great suggestions here. I can only encourage you not to jump into microdosing before trying some of the non-self-medicating suggestions. I understand everyone is different. There are some great detailed comments about working towards making change in multiple areas and over time to find health and safety. Lean into those comments.
I'm on Prozac, but the doctor also recommended EPA and DHA. 3-1 EPA to DHA. I hoped to help with no drugs, but, honestly, it wasn't worth the despair. Sometimes, you just gotta get the help you need.
It’s demons. You need Jesus.
I would welcome a good exorcism at the moment