I am just wondering other than medication is there anything someone can take for depression?


Question:
My boyfriend is really depressed.He is strongly against even the thought of taking a prescription for his depression..He will sit here and cry for no reason..He told me that he can usally hide it but since im around him almost 24x7 its hard for him to hide it...If i could diagnose him it would be manic depressant and bipolar..I did go to school and graduated with an associates degree in medical assisting...any help would be helpful....

Answers:
If it is bi polar than only medication will help and like one said, if you had a headache, wouldn't you take an aspriin? Alot of people believe mental illness really is a disease and not something people make up. Encourage him with support. Alot of good answers but noone mentioned St. Johns Wort or Valerian...both herbs that can be used to help calm down and they usually are sold in pill form over the counter without any major nasty side effects like the normal medication except for just being sleepy.
well you need to coax him into therapy.. possibly go with him because he seems to have opened up with you.. doesnt sound like it would be easy..

for one, there is no such thing as a magic pill... the only thing that prescription drugs are good for with this sort of thing is to make it easier to rewire the mind..
therapy is one strong option
He could try therapy- I strongly recommend it if he is having bouts of crying for no reason. Honestly, sometimes cognitive therapy helps over a longer period of time than the effects of medication. He could also try St. John's Wort. It works for some people with mild depression and you can buy it at a health food and drug store-no prescription needed. So, obviously if you think that he is bipolar he must also be having manic episodes where he is extremely 'high' and then deep depression, he really needs to go to see a psychologist who can accurately diagnose him and he can receive treatment.
He doesn't need medication, well at least most people who have depression don't need medication. Ask him if he'll talk to a psychologist. Tell him you'll even go with him if that's what it takes. Depression can be cured through therapy, but sometimes both therapy and medication is needed.

Most working types of therapy will ask him not to drone on about how his parents screwed up, but will teach him how to deal with his moods and healthy ways to fight it and prevent it for the future.
I sugest taking Rodiola Rosea,is a natural sacred plant without any side effects that increases both serotonin & dopamine levels in the brain,healing depression.
Sounds so familiar to me if he cannot get a grip on it , I have went on Celexa because I act the same way and it does very well for me and when I go off of it I dont have no physical withdrawl symtoms.
See bipolar disorder, and depression treatments, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris... on pages 10, and 2: go to the tests first; print/refer, for him to take. A doctor needs to rule out thyroid problems, etc., but bipolar takes an expert to diagnose (there doesn't seem much point in going that far, though, if he won't take mood stabilisers). And that's Rhodiola! BTW.
I can understand his aversion to taking medication for depression. I have been on depression medication for 30 years and there are almost always somewhat unpleasant side-effects. Is this the reason he is against taking medication?

I, too, resisted taking medication for my depression, but one thing my social worker really made it easier for me to accept. She asked me, "If you were a diabetic, would you not take insulin?" Your boyfriend needs to be reminded that depression IS and illness, just as diabetes or bronchitis is, and needs to be treated. Unfortunately, there are no over-the-counter medications for depression, and, therefore, he needs a prescription medication to treat his depression.

It seems that he does recognize that he has a problem and that is a good first step. I'd wait until he is in the throes of a major depressive episode and then suggest that he see a doctor so he can be prescribed a medication. If he is feeling VERY depressed, he might be more open to the idea.

Good luck,
Mark
only medicine will help.
depression is a illness.
i suffer from it.
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