Written by Monolithic on 14.09.2013 at 21:57

Have you sought help from music that is made specifically for meditation? I found it effective sometimes. But I don't know how to meditate by the book or how effective it is.

The book comes with a cd with a bunch of instructed meditations to do.
But if you put on an actual music record on and listen to the album with 100% concentration the whole way through without doing or thinking about ANYTHING else, that is a meditation practice. And when your mind does wonder from the task of concentrating on the music, recognizing what is on your mind and kindly bringing your attention back to the music... i sound like the dude of the meditation cd now

Written by Guest on 14.09.2013 at 22:28

But if you put on an actual music record on and listen to the album with 100% concentration the whole way through without doing or thinking about ANYTHING else, that is a meditation practice.

Wow, this sounds a little hard practically, but it never hurts to try. I listen to this album named Sleep Deeply by Dan Gibson. He was a sound engineer and he recorded live sounds and mixed them with ambient piano pieces. The relaxation was...rewarding. I've had less trouble sleeping. Also there's this dedicated music channel in SKY.FM and they have a great selection of new age, ambient and meditation songs. Great place to find soothing musical pieces if you want to resort to music.

Written by Guest on 14.09.2013 at 21:48

Written by Thrashette on 14.09.2013 at 16:55

I came into this thread to say that I recently got a cognitive behavioral workbook on depression that seems to be helpful and interesting, but your post is exactly what I want to say now...

I have got pages and pages of cognitive behavior exercises/work sheets given to me by psychiatrists and psychologist, but i swear this meditation thing (with the book) is better. It is based around the same thing though.
Also i do know different things work or different people, and what ever it is you need to put in a lot of effort, unfortunately changing the minds bad habit's isn't as easy as just taking a pill every day.

I completely agree that different things work for different people and that it takes effort. I've never taken antidepressants before. I've always been nervous about trying them because of the side effects, not wanting to create dependency, and hearing other people say they don't work. And then my biochemistry prof scared me out of ever wanting to go near them.
Being the typical "good student", reading and completing worksheets is pretty helpful for me. Or maybe it's just the sense of accomplishment I feel after getting things done. I've been trying to incorporate meditation into my daily routine, especially since I spend a total of 3-4 hours sitting on buses every weekday, but I'm still trying to get the hang of it. My mind is one that likes to wander and doesn't like staying quiet.

Written by Thrashette on 15.09.2013 at 16:22

Written by Guest on 14.09.2013 at 21:48

Written by Thrashette on 14.09.2013 at 16:55

I came into this thread to say that I recently got a cognitive behavioral workbook on depression that seems to be helpful and interesting, but your post is exactly what I want to say now...

I have got pages and pages of cognitive behavior exercises/work sheets given to me by psychiatrists and psychologist, but i swear this meditation thing (with the book) is better. It is based around the same thing though.
Also i do know different things work or different people, and what ever it is you need to put in a lot of effort, unfortunately changing the minds bad habit's isn't as easy as just taking a pill every day.

I completely agree that different things work for different people and that it takes effort. I've never taken antidepressants before. I've always been nervous about trying them because of the side effects, not wanting to create dependency, and hearing other people say they don't work. And then my biochemistry prof scared me out of ever wanting to go near them.
Being the typical "good student", reading and completing worksheets is pretty helpful for me. Or maybe it's just the sense of accomplishment I feel after getting things done. I've been trying to incorporate meditation into my daily routine, especially since I spend a total of 3-4 hours sitting on buses every weekday, but I'm still trying to get the hang of it. My mind is one that likes to wander and doesn't like staying quiet.

It's not so much staying quiet but just being able to notice thoughts as just thoughts, like to sit back and look at a thought as just a thought passing by instead of a truth or a major issue and getting swept away by it.
The book i am reading is an 8 week program, and trust me you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you have finished that. You have to read a chapter or two every week, practice new meditations every week and do a 30-40 minute meditation every day, plus 3 five minute meditations through out the day.

I was so depressed i would pop any drug at any time just to feel different to what i was feeling, so anti depressants didn't sound so bad. There are side effects, but there are so many types of anti depressants now you can just shop until you find the one that gives you the less side effects, i find the side effects usually pass over a month or so anyway.

If you are in a terrible state on the verge of or attempting suicide then anti depressants can be a massive relief and give you the breathing space to put your life together again. But i think they should make it compulsory to have at leas 5 psychologist sessions when prescribed, not just handing them out to anyone who got sad because there mummy wouldn't buy them the new trendy jeans.
I don't think people should be on them for more than five years like i have done, they really are a real disaster to come off, you have to be very careful....ever smoked ice for a couple days ? same kind of come down.

Am I allowed to cry here if not anything else?

Written by 3rdWorld on 03.11.2013 at 05:11

Am I allowed to cry here if not anything else?

no

Written by Guest on 03.11.2013 at 06:19

Written by 3rdWorld on 03.11.2013 at 05:11

Am I allowed to cry here if not anything else?

no

Not my thread then cause I don't think this is going to be of any use. I should get off the web and I know only that will help.

Written by 3rdWorld on 03.11.2013 at 06:56

Written by Guest on 03.11.2013 at 06:19

Written by 3rdWorld on 03.11.2013 at 05:11

Am I allowed to cry here if not anything else?

no

Not my thread then cause I don't think this is going to be of any use. I should get off the web and I know only that will help.

Was just being a douche..let it all out man, sometimes it helps to let tell us. Anyone who is looking at this thread will understand.

Written by Guest on 03.11.2013 at 07:19

Was just being a douche..let it all out man, sometimes it helps to let tell us. Anyone who is looking at this thread will understand.

Came here to cry, left with a smile (After your comment and for the fact that I'm convincing myself to believe that posting it here is gonna be of any help.)

I wish I could find a really practical way and remedy for it.

Written by angel. on 10.03.2014 at 17:10

I wish I could find a really practical way and remedy for it.

for depression ? have you tried everything ?

Written by Guest on 10.03.2014 at 19:29

for depression ? have you tried everything ?

Well I suppose no, not really everything.

Written by angel. on 10.03.2014 at 19:52


Well I suppose no, not really everything.

if your not too cool to meditate, read this and do the 8 week meditation plan, it really helped me out and i'v seen every type of shrink and taken every kind of pill

.....to lame for ya aye, will have to stick to old reliable then

Written by Guest on 11.03.2014 at 07:48


if your not too cool to meditate, read this and do the 8 week meditation plan, it really helped me out and i'v seen every type of shrink and taken every kind of pill

Thanks for the book, I should look for it in internet, I hope to find it.

Written by Guest on 12.03.2014 at 06:11

.....to lame for ya aye, will have to stick to old reliable then [beer pic]

Well I almost never drink, since there is no drink to buy around and if there is they are so damn expensive that I don't buy.

I have suffered from depression before but not MDD(Major Depressive Disorder). From what my BioPsych Prof. states there is Reactive Depression: depression stemming from external events, can be short term or long but will eventually resolve and there is Major Depressive Disorder which is depression not caused by any particular event or circumstance.

I was severely depressed for about 2 years and had a huge problem but I eventually slowly recoverd because it was Reactive Depression from a series of things: GF cheating on me, loss of innocense/religion, no sense of place in world and all compounded by poor work ethic and drug/alcohol use. I thought I would never be happy again but I slowly came to terms with all my problems, realized there were other women, accepted agnosticism, started applying mtself in school, found productive hobbies and overcame weed and partying.

Written by AngelofDeth on 13.03.2014 at 06:16

found productive hobbies and overcame weed and partying.

I wish I could have productive hobbies too, I believe this is one of the ways I could help to stop my depression

did you stop weed and partying ? for preventing your depression ?

Written by angel. on 13.03.2014 at 22:37

Written by AngelofDeth on 13.03.2014 at 06:16

found productive hobbies and overcame weed and partying.

I wish I could have productive hobbies too, I believe this is one of the ways I could help to stop my depression

did you stop weed and partying ? for preventing your depression ?

Definitely, hobbies are food for the soul! They give you personal enjoyment/fulfillment but also a great way to connect with other people, I've met a lot of good friends through skating/hiking/filming. One of my ex-gf's didnt have any hobbies she was passionate about and I think that was big part of her depression. I would definitely recommend finding something you like and then maybe find a club or area to meet other people into the same thing, a sense of community helps a lot. Hell, your already doing it here on this forum though.. Lol

Yeah I quit smoking weed, been 3-4 years now. I don't think I quit to help my depression, actually I smoked so much in the first place to take the edge off depression. It helped me in some dark times but the problem was Igot hooked so once I got better from the depression the habit stayed and it took me 2-3 more years to get my life back together. I pretty much quit because i finally got to a point where i prioritized school/work/hobbies over weed, to the point where I didnt even enjoy the feeling of weed anymore cuz it slowed me down and made me lose focus on work.

Still party on occasion but that's pretty rare for me.

Written by AngelofDeth on 13.03.2014 at 06:16

I have suffered from depression before but not MDD(Major Depressive Disorder). From what my BioPsych Prof. states there is Reactive Depression: depression stemming from external events, can be short term or long but will eventually resolve and there is Major Depressive Disorder which is depression not caused by any particular event or circumstance.

I was severely depressed for about 2 years and had a huge problem but I eventually slowly recoverd because it was Reactive Depression from a series of things: GF cheating on me, loss of innocense/religion, no sense of place in world and all compounded by poor work ethic and drug/alcohol use. I thought I would never be happy again but I slowly came to terms with all my problems, realized there were other women, accepted agnosticism, started applying mtself in school, found productive hobbies and overcame weed and partying.

sounds like you were a teenager

Written by AngelofDeth on 14.03.2014 at 05:42


Yeah I quit smoking weed, been 3-4 years now. I don't think I quit to help my depression, actually I smoked so much in the first place to take the edge off depression. It helped me in some dark times but the problem was Igot hooked so once I got better from the depression the habit stayed and it took me 2-3 more years to get my life back together. I pretty much quit because i finally got to a point where i prioritized school/work/hobbies over weed, to the point where I didnt even enjoy the feeling of weed anymore cuz it slowed me down and made me lose focus on work.

Still party on occasion but that's pretty rare for me.

yeah ya can't smoke all the time and be totally ok, like a lot of people in denial always try to claim.

i have a smoke (or actually eat some weed) only about once or twice a week now, only now that i am off the anti depressants, the buzz was terrible when on them.

i generally try to control my depression through learning to control my thoughts through meditating and self motivation, but cannabis is just a really good way for my mind to take some time out...not a cure

Written by AngelofDeth on 14.03.2014 at 05:42

One of my ex-gf's didnt have any hobbies she was passionate about and I think that was big part of her depression.

It's mostly the same as my case too.

Written by AngelofDeth on 14.03.2014 at 05:42

a sense of community helps a lot. Hell, your already doing it here on this forum though.. Lol

Yeah MS has been always a great place in this term, but not enough, as it is internet after all.

Written by Guest on 14.03.2014 at 07:43


sounds like you were a teenager

Yep, pretty much. It was the best of times and the worst of times...

Though, I still suffer from reactive depression off and on, thanks to my terribly poor health. Got chronic fatigue caused by EBV(epstein barr virus) and Chronic chest Pain from a sports injury and bad genetics. In fact I've been more or less bedridden for the past two weeks from a flare up, it really suxx... Typically I try to stay busy 24/7 to keep my mind off it, I pretty much manically work on screenplays, writing, films, which may not be the most healthy way to deal with a problem but hey, it works. Unfortunately tho, I've been feeling so crummy I cant work much and its hard to get out with friends too atm.. These forums def help for that, so thanks erryone. Okay thats enough touchy feely for today. Lol.

Written by angel. on 14.03.2014 at 09:00

Written by AngelofDeth on 14.03.2014 at 05:42

One of my ex-gf's didnt have any hobbies she was passionate about and I think that was big part of her depression.

It's mostly the same as my case too.

Hey at least your self-reflective enough to see that, thats half the battle right there. Dont know of your looking for advice or anything but maybe just start trying new things, or think of things you may have done in the past that you liked and maybe forgot about, somethings bound to stick.

Written by Guest on 14.03.2014 at 07:51


yeah ya can't smoke all the time and be totally ok, like a lot of people in denial always try to claim.

i have a smoke (or actually eat some weed) only about once or twice a week now, only now that i am off the anti depressants, the buzz was terrible when on them.

i generally try to control my depression through learning to control my thoughts through meditating and self motivation, but cannabis is just a really good way for my mind to take some time out...not a cure

Yeah, definitely, dont think its that bad in moderation at all. Maybe could be a good alternative to SSRI's or whatever if they could get rid of some of the side effects that make you lose focus, but thats probly what makes it such a good anti-depressant in the forst place lol

For those of you saying that having productive hobbies helps with depression, that's definitely true. Exercise and physical activity are obvious ones and I'm sure there's a lot of musicians on this site who would say that playing/writing music helps too. A less obvious one is doing crafts. I've known how to knit since I was 8 years old, but got back into it at the peak of my depression. It didn't "cure" me, but it definitely made life more bearable and was almost like meditation or a "mental health break" between hectic times. More recently, I started spinning my own yarn and that has had an even more greater impact on my mood. One of my friends was adamant about sewing his own battle jacket, and then he ended up getting into embroidery because he found it so relaxing. The more repetitive and simple a craft is, the more relaxing and beneficial to one's mood it is. But that's not say more complicated crafts are bad. They're just meant to serve the purpose of giving one's mind a challenge, not relaxing the mind. And this approach is probably useless and just more frustrating for people who are naturally awful at crafts

I have been suffering from depression for the past three months. Well it actually goes farther back than that. The depression comes from living alone, and feeling completely alone. The depression itself also goes back much farther, just that it's been growing worse in the past three months. Increasing thoughts of suicide, fixation on death. I do have friends, just that they are constantly unavailable. I have ran out of shoulders to cry on. Last Saturday I was having a manic episode, all my friends turned their backs on me, and I had to take control of my pain. javascript:addtext('message_body',%20':(')So I hurt myself, I took a Lighter to my flesh and burned myself. And at the time it felt good. It helped me relax. I would like to add, it's not like i just walk around being mopey all the time. I have been trying so damn hard to fight it, Saturday was an all time low, and then today I reached a new low, was ready to attempt suicide via pills, called a friend, no answer, how typical, so I called my mom. Because I don't think I want to die yet. Go ahead and call me a Pussy for doing that, I don't fucking care. Have been exhibiting increasingly reckless behavior. javascript:addtext('message_body',%20':suicide:')Anyway I ended up going to the e.r. Got some meds, (Clonazepem) am feeling levelheaded for the first time in several months. Will possibly be seeing a therapist and/or a Psychiatrist.

Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 01.05.2014 at 08:03

I have been suffering from depression for the past three months. Well it actually goes farther back than that. The depression comes from living alone, and feeling completely alone. The depression itself also goes back much farther, just that it's been growing worse in the past three months. Increasing thoughts of suicide, fixation on death. I do have friends, just that they are constantly unavailable. I have ran out of shoulders to cry on. Last Saturday I was having a manic episode, all my friends turned their backs on me, and I had to take control of my pain. javascript:addtext('message_body',%20':(')So I hurt myself, I took a Lighter to my flesh and burned myself. And at the time it felt good. It helped me relax. I would like to add, it's not like i just walk around being mopey all the time. I have been trying so damn hard to fight it, Saturday was an all time low, and then today I reached a new low, was ready to attempt suicide via pills, called a friend, no answer, how typical, so I called my mom. Because I don't think I want to die yet. Go ahead and call me a Pussy for doing that, I don't fucking care. Have been exhibiting increasingly reckless behavior. javascript:addtext('message_body',%20':suicide:')Anyway I ended up going to the e.r. Got some meds, (Clonazepem) am feeling levelheaded for the first time in several months. Will possibly be seeing a therapist and/or a Psychiatrist.

what this all about " javascript:addtext('message_body',%20':suicide:')"

Good on you making the effort to go and get some help. I have been in your situation and i STRONGLY recommend a psychiatrist or even better a psychologist. Get on the pills for a while for it's an amazing relief to a traumatized brain. Don't stay on the pills forever though like i did (10 years) as certain types are real hard to get off. About a year max i reckon, then try taking a more natural approach like 5htp or st john wort.

As for the theropy, most of them are good and use similar techniques but if you work with them a bit and it's not working out don't be shy to try someone else.

Hmmmm... possibly computer being uncooperative? And thanks for the kind words. Honestly just having someone understamd is amazing, I talked to a couple of social workers and they understood too, it was litterally he first time id had somebody not say "knock it off, quit being dramatic, get over it, etc. and those whom id talked to i wasn't even letting on in full as to how much i was hurting. why would I? considering how much I did share and the reactions i got.
As for 5htp or st jhon wort, Moar info plz.

Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 02.05.2014 at 07:56

Hmmmm... possibly computer being uncooperative? And thanks for the kind words. Honestly just having someone understamd is amazing, I talked to a couple of social workers and they understood too, it was litterally he first time id had somebody not say "knock it off, quit being dramatic, get over it, etc. and those whom id talked to i wasn't even letting on in full as to how much i was hurting. why would I? considering how much I did share and the reactions i got.
As for 5htp or st jhon wort, Moar info plz.

5htp preferably...I have only just started taking it myself. Its just a natural antidepressant (an African plant i think) that actually works more than you would think. Those pharmaceutical drugs can have bad side effects, which isn't usually too much of a problem as there is so many that you will eventually find one that works with bearable or no side effects.
I would recommend going on the drugs the doc gives you for the moment just to relax a bit, take some time out and get your thoughts under control. But when your feeling like you have been top of things for a good period of time, maybe got some helpful strategies given to you from a psychologist or whatever, it might be an idea to ween off the meds and try a natural approach.
I only say this because i have just overcome (well still kind of going through) a horrible experience of trying to get off Effexor xr. The doc's always encouraged me to stay on them and never told me how bad the withdrawals were going to be. Doctors always deny how horrible these withdrawals are but just google it....anyway it's up to you what you want to do, just thought i'd let ya know. As i say it would be better just to stay on the meds given to you for a 6 or 8 months or whatever, i know plenty of people happy to stay on them and say they will stay on them forever.

When i first realized how depressed i was, i was like "Hell i feel that bad who cares what drugs they give me as long as i don't feel like THIS anymore" which was fine, but after 10 years i started to wonder how good this stuff was for my body, and then when i tried to stop taking them i found out!

So you understand... It's funny cause two days ago (when I went to the e.r.) I was just like GIVE ME THE DRUGS! Will definitely be looking further into 5htp.

Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 03.05.2014 at 02:17

So you understand... It's funny cause two days ago (when I went to the e.r.) I was just like GIVE ME THE DRUGS! Will definitely be looking further into 5htp.

cool, would probably stick to the hard drugs at mo though as they are definitely stronger, just don't stay on them forever like i did