What else helped your depression besides antidepressants?

[bookworm1982]

Meditation? Self help books? Exercise? Looking for tips

Walking, making plans to spend time with friends (mostly for walks!)
Eating well nutritionally. Getting stuff done, like clearing out cupboards, decluttering.

Yes @Allwelcone I think that what you eat is very important.

As @Uol2022 says it depends in what is causing the depression and of course when you are feeling low it can be a real struggle to take care of yourself. But too many processed foods for example are going to prevent you getting the right nutrients to help your body and mind.

When we are sleep deprived and/or depressed we are more likely to turn to simple carbs and sugar which can make us feel worse as they don't give us balanced nutrition.

Whole foods, lots of water, plenty of fruit and veg and high quality meat can help a lot, while avoiding alcohol (which is a depressant) caffeine and other stimulants which can disturb your body systems.

Overeating can make you lethargic and make it difficult to want to go outside and exercise as well as feeling physically generally crap.

Mood disorders usually need a range of different elements to help and eating healthily is definitely a positive.

Getting off screens and the internet is another element. Too much screen time has been linked with depression. It's better to read, try and meet with friends and family, spend time in nature and with pets, bake, play music or explore other interests. Pay attention to what helps you feel better (that's healthy) and try and add more of that gradually into your life.

Great post from @Uol2022 . You need to get in touch with the source of your depression - for me, this involved psychotherapy and lots of it. It can be a painful process but without really understanding what is going on for you, and actually feeling the feelings involved, you're just papering over the cracks

On the 'maintenance' side of things, aim to exercise every day. All the stuff about fresh air, drinking water, fruit and veg, getting as much sleep as possible, it all really works and is so worth investing time in

Routine which I achieved from work. I could not work from home.

Lots of selfcare, exercise, eating better, huge huge one for me was just getting outside at least once a day, getting back into my hobbies slowly that I’d given up.
the biggest two were exercise and outdoors even though I hated it at the beginning and both made me anxious to start with.

Counselling worked for me. Also eating well, plenty of vegetables. Only drinking caffeinated drinks in the morning. I notice that low mood is one of the side effects I get a day or 2 after eating wheat, so I avoid eating it as much as possible.

Counselling- I did the 6 weeks of NHS counselling therapy and it really helped me to reframe things.

Coming off hormonal birth control

High intensity exercise

Therapy helped but regular and consistent exercise has been the game changer for me, other than the pills. I feel better after every single workout. The physical ‘high’ is wonderful as is always having a goal. This has really worked wonders for me.

CBT, regular exercise, setting small daily goals and meeting them. Eating healthily. Also getting divorced and becoming a cat fosterer.

Lifting heavy weights

Leaving a toxic work environment where I was constantly blamed for things I had no control over.

Changing jobs.
Giving up alcohol.

OP, do you know the source of your depression? Do you know what’s caused it, what’s happened?
Perhaps we can be more specific for your circumstances.

Therapy.

Moving home.

Cutting off abusive narc mother and brother.

Keeping a clean/tidy living space. I know its hard when you are depressed, but I find housework very theraputic and being able to relax in a clean, tidy space is vital for me.

Coming off hormonal BC.

Walking dog for hours outside, the more daylight and sky you see, the better.

Taking Propananol ( Beta blockers)for anxiety was a huge one for me. It took me back to a level of peace and calm I never thought was possible.

Finally- get your iron and ferritin checked. Anemia is a huge source of depression for many women and its barely talked about.

My 23 yr old dd came off hormonal birth control recently and her depression and anxiety has completely resolved, she has also found it a lot easier to lose the weight she put on since using it.

In the summer she was asking to see a psychiatrist and saying she was "falling apart" as she had lots of physical symptoms too. She's a new woman in comparison.

She did also have a more relaxing schedule so the ability to get enough sleep, exercise, puruse hobbies and eat healthier. But she was so irritable and angry and just very negative about herself and that has all gone. Her adult acne cleared up too

Exercise
CBT
Therapy

But absolutely none of these were as helpful as:

Being in a healthy relationship with a good partner
Leaving my shitty job and working somewhere that actually valued its employees

Great thread and I’m really enjoying the answers here.

Vitamin B complex, magnesium and Vit D spray
Exercise - 4 bootcamps a week with weightlifting
CBT online worksheets
Doing something new/for the first time every day and recording it in a diary then carrying on doing any of the things I tried that gave the best results/ felt enjoyable
Focusing free time on feelgood films, uplifting music, dramas, podcasts, TED talks etc rather than the news, crime or sad songs

Changing jobs - less responsibility and much less stress.

Getting a dog - lots of walking, unconditional love, time away from being online.

The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle

A line dancing course.
Sadly I cannot do it anymore since moving but it was good fun, was sociable without having to be too sociable (you didn't need a partner like traditional dancing so could go alone without feeling inadequate), it was physical exercise, got me out the house and it sounds weird but it felt communal.
Music also. That communal feeling (maybe it's a reason why people go to church) I've also felt at concerts with fellow fans even when attending alone.
Cycling also made me feel better but alas, my cycling days are behind me too.

Lifting heavy weights for me

Being diagnosed autistic and changing my life appropriately to suit.

I’m not saying that will be your answer OP but it was mine. On paper I had no reason at all to be depressed and breaking down
and the treatments weren’t working. I was actually in autistic burnout and trying to treat the wrong condition.

Learning to crochet, walking the dogs.

Realising that happiness is the byproduct of purpose
motivation comes from action and not relying on it being the other way round
looking for fulfilment rather than happiness
dr Julie Smiths book just can’t remember the title something like what I wish I’d been told
showering and not sitting around in sloppy clothes
for some people keeping the glass half full seems so much easier for others the glass half empty needs to be reframed by gratitude to at least be neutral not half full or half empty.
dbt
its hard and isolating. But you are facing your honest feelings so well done
in saying that you are not just your feelings