Interesting natural way to help fight depression

I thought this was pretty interesting and may help some of you guys. it's obviously not a magic pill but it could help. http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Your-Ro ... id=6333203

That reminded me of this little article/slideshow: 5 life lessons I learned from my plants

I have some indoor plants but they don't do so well because there's very little light in my home.

I think indoor plants make a noticeable difference in the mood of offices/work environments. If I were a boss, I'd include plants in the office budget.

Platypus wrote:That reminded me of this little article/slideshow: 5 life lessons I learned from my plants

I have some indoor plants but they don't do so well because there's very little light in my home.

I think indoor plants make a noticeable difference in the mood of offices/work environments. If I were a boss, I'd include plants in the office budget.

If you have very little light try Peace Lilies, Chinese Evergreen, Cast Iron Plant, Snake Plant, Pothos, and ZZ plant. all are easy care but beware all except the Cast iron Plant and the Snake plant are toxic to pets/ children. but yeah they do brighten my mood.

Dja427 wrote:I thought this was pretty interesting and may help some of you guys. it's obviously not a magic pill but it could help. http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Your-Ro ... id=6333203

It can definitely help, to some degree at least. Our surroundings and environment are often sadly overlooked for their impact on our general mood and wellbeing.

The difference between inhabitants of rural areas and concrete inner city environments is plain to see, and I don't buy the arguments blaming poverty and deprivation. I know dirt-poor people living in the countryside who are perfectly well balanced temperament-wise, and I know some very well off people in the city who have very nasty dispositions.

An interesting thing has been going in recent years in the council estates in my area. Some of these were very nasty places a few years ago. You always risked intimidation and violence by walking through them, and the residents treated their own environment like a giant open-air rubbish tip.

Since a private housing association took them over, the environments have been transformed. There's lots of well maintained greenery around, the atmosphere is much less oppressive, and it's given the people a huge lift. People are proud of their environment again, and don't abuse it with litter and graffiti. Crime rates have plummetted, and they're now really good places for people to live.

Dja427: You list 4 official diagnoses, 2 unofficial ones, and are taking what looks like 4 different psychiatric medications. I'm impressed. I have two official diagnoses, only one of which is correct: bipolar manic. I take no psychiatric meds. I do admit to being a bit, well, more than a bit obsessive compulsive.

Enough boring psychiatric medical talk. There are lots of other approaches to problems people have. You chose psychiatry, Dja427.

Many more turn to their church, ministers, priests, spiritual counselors. Many of them, perhaps more, feel they got help with their problems than those who turn to psychiatry.

Many more also turn to counselors with a far longer history than psychiatrists---bartenders. Like psychiatrists, they dispense medication. Alcohol is one of the best medications there is for making people feel less, which is what psychiatric medications do. It can cause problems quite similar to those caused by psychiatric medications as well. Most good bartenders are excellent psychotherapists, often better than those trained to be psychotherapists.

Then there are all the non psychiatrists that advertise on the internet that they can help with personal problems. Who knows, perhaps some, perhaps many, of them do.

There are also Zen masters, yoga instructors, Tibetan lamas, Rosicrucians, etc. etc. etc.

I believe it is wise to think through and make an informed choice of who to turn to for help with personal problems. What do you think Dja427?

Rusty9 wrote:Dja427: You list 4 official diagnoses, 2 unofficial ones, and are taking what looks like 4 different psychiatric medications. I'm impressed. I have two official diagnoses, only one of which is correct: bipolar manic. I take no psychiatric meds. I do admit to being a bit, well, more than a bit obsessive compulsive.

Enough boring psychiatric medical talk. There are lots of other approaches to problems people have. You chose psychiatry, Dja427.

Many more turn to their church, ministers, priests, spiritual counselors. Many of them, perhaps more, feel they got help with their problems than those who turn to psychiatry.

Many more also turn to counselors with a far longer history than psychiatrists---bartenders. Like psychiatrists, they dispense medication. Alcohol is one of the best medications there is for making people feel less, which is what psychiatric medications do. It can cause problems quite similar to those caused by psychiatric medications as well. Most good bartenders are excellent psychotherapists, often better than those trained to be psychotherapists.

Then there are all the non psychiatrists that advertise on the internet that they can help with personal problems. Who knows, perhaps some, perhaps many, of them do.

There are also Zen masters, yoga instructors, Tibetan lamas, Rosicrucians, etc. etc. etc.

I believe it is wise to think through and make an informed choice of who to turn to for help with personal problems. What do you think Dja427?

Opps I need to update that haha. The unofficial diagnoses are dropped. I don't really suffer from depression personally, I just thought this may help some of you guys. In fact I have been doing okay the past year or so with the occasional mild depression. Whenever I am depressed this song usually helps. It helps even more when I play it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f0T7F1Rh4E

You "don't suffer from depression personally," Dja? Why do you take all that medication? Are they all psych meds?

And I would like to know what you think re an informed choice as to "who to turn to for help?" I feel pretty sure you turned to a psychiatrist. Is that correct? Did he paste that list of 4 or 5 labels on you? They do qualify you as a patient here, just as my label of bipolar manic does me. There's a lot here we can discuss. I'd like to. Would you? If so, I hope to read answers to my questions. Q&A, that's what I see as a discussion. Thanks for your reply!! I'm looking forward to your next.

Hey Rusty9, maybe that belongs in the anti-psych forum? I don't think it's cool to pressure people to justify their med usage in this forum.

Rusty9 wrote:You "don't suffer from depression personally," Dja? Why do you take all that medication? Are they all psych meds?

And I would like to know what you think re an informed choice as to "who to turn to for help?" I feel pretty sure you turned to a psychiatrist. Is that correct? Did he paste that list of 4 or 5 labels on you? They do qualify you as a patient here, just as my label of bipolar manic does me. There's a lot here we can discuss. I'd like to. Would you? If so, I hope to read answers to my questions. Q&A, that's what I see as a discussion. Thanks for your reply!! I'm looking forward to your next.

I actually turn to my friends a lot when I need help cause they understand. And I've had those diagnoses since I was like age 7 or something I don't even know. I still see my psych on occasion too. And here's what the meds are for. Concerta is for ADHD, Cymbalta is actually for anxiety although I don't think I really need it anymore. I take Risperdal for my Bipolar characteristics, and my doc is trying to get me of Tegretol. So overall I'm doing great at the moment, I honestly just found this study interesting and thought it would benefit some.

Platypus: A question is "pressure to justify?" Can be taken that way. Can be taken as an expression of interest. Could be taken as being friendly. And it can be taken as not "cool." I'll be interested in how DJA takes it.

I'll also be interested in anything further you have to say. I recognize that you believe I need supervision. Are you supervising many others who post replies here?