Working Through Depression

[George]

Some things have come up-big stress type things. It's hit me like a brick and I have been knocked for six.

My training is suffering. Prescription meds seem pointless since they won't fix the problem at the root of this, so I haven't been down that route. Aside from that-what about side effects, would it help me get back to training or are there side effects that are likely to have a negative effect?

[Richie]

You know ultimately if you can't fix the situation that is causing the stress, you might have to resort to some kind of medicine. I know that's often not what you want to do, but eventually your whole life will start to suffer. And if things are already stressful, you don't want to lose your job.

[purple]

Medication can help you find balance and keep it from that point or realize when you've lost it after you stop taking them. A friend of mine trained herself to skip her anti-depressants by realizing when she was depressed or manic and finding ways to even out her moods. You could use some meds to get calm, and then work on keeping calm while weaning off the meds using yoga, meditation, etc. While they may not be a permanent solution, allowing yourself to suffer isn't making it better.