4 ms·

> this is exactly the sort of thing people may try at home. I would actually strongly urge people who suffer from depression to experiment (while observing and

by benevol 10y ago

> this is exactly the sort of thing people may try at home. I would actually strongly urge people who suffer from depression to experiment (while observing and adjusting diligently) with all kinds of things. Usually, when you suffer from depression, it's because you have lost some sort of balance - a happy life is about a rich mix of a lot of things, and sometimes you need to search and experiment to discover what is/was missing in your life for too long (and no doctor is ever equipped and able to give you the full solution you personally need). So go on, experiment and search until you find your way back to your equilibrium.

DanBC 10y ago
> I would actually strongly urge people who suffer from depression to experiment Do you say the same about eg cancer? > (while observing and adjusting diligently) Depression is an illness that affects a person to observe and adjust.
- benevol 10y ago
  > Depression is an illness that affects a person to observe and adjust. This is true to some extent. I'd say it depends on the severity of the case. Yes, sometimes you depend on strong guidance from a doctor, because your brain is just completely out of order. But this is never the full and only answer to the source of the problem.
  - DanBC 10y ago
    I haven't said that treatment needs to be guided by a doctor. For clarity: I think telling people with depression to experiment with hallucinogens is fucking dangerous.
    - imagist 10y ago
      Why? Can you describe the dangers you're thinking of?
    - benevol 10y ago
      Which is why I always insist on "...if you have fully educated yourself on the matter and follow each and every one of the rules" (and this includes: don't touch it if you have schizophrenia or psychosis running in your family). It was btw how I managed to end depression while stopping meds completely. Also: cost = $30 for 1 dose + testing kit; compare that to the price of months/years of meds (this should be relevant especially for US citizens which do not benefit from a sane/affordable health care system). Not to mention their oftentimes heavy "side" effects which can even become permanent, such as the loss of libido, etc.
- corin_ 10y ago
  Depression isn't cancer. That's not to be confused with making light of it, or saying it isn't an illness. "Experimenting" won't be easy/doable for everyone suffering from depression, and for many people the experimenting should be done with the help of one or more professionals, but ultimately experimenting is all you can do. Maybe that means trying different antidepressants until one works for you, maybe therapy, maybe life changes... depression affects different people differently, and for different reasons, and it's common knowledg that different people need to treat it in different ways.
  - DanBC 10y ago
    > and it's common knowledg that different people need to treat it in different ways. Sure. Parent poster is suggesting people with a potentially fatal illness try experimenting with random hallucinogens. Doesn't that strike you as irresponsible?
    - icantdrive55 10y ago
      I hate to bring this up, but treatment of depression, anxiety, and I gather, most mental illness is an Art. Psychiatry should be extremely embarrassed of just how little progress they made over the years. This lack of sleep trick has been practiced in most psychiatric hospitals for at least a decade, or more. As usual, they don't have a clue to why it helps some depressed patients, but it does. I am extremely dissapointed in the treatment of mental illness. Some days I think the profession does more harm than good. I've personally kinda given up. I do know this, we have made just living too hard. It shouldn't be this difficult. "Yes, life is difficult." By the rich MD, but life shouldn't be like this. Plus, we should be a lot more understanding of our fellow inmates. Yes--we are all in this chit hole together. People are bombarded on what supposed failures they are daily; that needs to stop. Media is the worst offender. And it's all designed to buy their products. I see nothing wrong with self medicating by sleep deprivation. I see a lot wrong with giving some Golden Boy $350 hour for dubious advice, especially if your insurance doesn't cover the Doctor's rediculious fees, and high priced dubious drugs. If your reading this and depressed; just try walking for at least 30 min a day, depending on your health. Fast walk, or run if you can. It's been The only thing that very helped me with my minor, dysthymia(low level depression). The only thing.
- imagist 10y ago
  I absolutely would say that if you can come up with an experiment that has reasonable risk, some connection to your cancer, and has measurable effects or lack of effects, you should go for it. Good luck finding an experiment that fits those criteria for cancer, though. Pulling an all-nighter to see its effects on your depression fits all that. It's low-risk: it doesn't interfere with your doctor's orders and plenty of people have survived all-nighters without ill effects. It's connected to depression in that it affects the brain, which we believe to be connected to depression. And it has measurable effects or lack of effects in that you can take stock of your mood at intervals after doing it.

by benevol 10y ago

DanBC 10y ago

> I would actually strongly urge people who suffer from depression to experiment Do you say the same about eg cancer? > (while observing and adjusting diligently) Depression is an illness that affects a person to observe and adjust.

benevol 10y ago
> Depression is an illness that affects a person to observe and adjust. This is true to some extent. I'd say it depends on the severity of the case. Yes, sometimes you depend on strong guidance from a doctor, because your brain is just completely out of order. But this is never the full and only answer to the source of the problem.
- DanBC 10y ago
  I haven't said that treatment needs to be guided by a doctor. For clarity: I think telling people with depression to experiment with hallucinogens is fucking dangerous.
  - imagist 10y ago
    Why? Can you describe the dangers you're thinking of?
  - benevol 10y ago
    Which is why I always insist on "...if you have fully educated yourself on the matter and follow each and every one of the rules" (and this includes: don't touch it if you have schizophrenia or psychosis running in your family). It was btw how I managed to end depression while stopping meds completely. Also: cost = $30 for 1 dose + testing kit; compare that to the price of months/years of meds (this should be relevant especially for US citizens which do not benefit from a sane/affordable health care system). Not to mention their oftentimes heavy "side" effects which can even become permanent, such as the loss of libido, etc.
corin_ 10y ago
Depression isn't cancer. That's not to be confused with making light of it, or saying it isn't an illness. "Experimenting" won't be easy/doable for everyone suffering from depression, and for many people the experimenting should be done with the help of one or more professionals, but ultimately experimenting is all you can do. Maybe that means trying different antidepressants until one works for you, maybe therapy, maybe life changes... depression affects different people differently, and for different reasons, and it's common knowledg that different people need to treat it in different ways.
- DanBC 10y ago
  > and it's common knowledg that different people need to treat it in different ways. Sure. Parent poster is suggesting people with a potentially fatal illness try experimenting with random hallucinogens. Doesn't that strike you as irresponsible?
  - icantdrive55 10y ago
    I hate to bring this up, but treatment of depression, anxiety, and I gather, most mental illness is an Art. Psychiatry should be extremely embarrassed of just how little progress they made over the years. This lack of sleep trick has been practiced in most psychiatric hospitals for at least a decade, or more. As usual, they don't have a clue to why it helps some depressed patients, but it does. I am extremely dissapointed in the treatment of mental illness. Some days I think the profession does more harm than good. I've personally kinda given up. I do know this, we have made just living too hard. It shouldn't be this difficult. "Yes, life is difficult." By the rich MD, but life shouldn't be like this. Plus, we should be a lot more understanding of our fellow inmates. Yes--we are all in this chit hole together. People are bombarded on what supposed failures they are daily; that needs to stop. Media is the worst offender. And it's all designed to buy their products. I see nothing wrong with self medicating by sleep deprivation. I see a lot wrong with giving some Golden Boy $350 hour for dubious advice, especially if your insurance doesn't cover the Doctor's rediculious fees, and high priced dubious drugs. If your reading this and depressed; just try walking for at least 30 min a day, depending on your health. Fast walk, or run if you can. It's been The only thing that very helped me with my minor, dysthymia(low level depression). The only thing.
imagist 10y ago
I absolutely would say that if you can come up with an experiment that has reasonable risk, some connection to your cancer, and has measurable effects or lack of effects, you should go for it. Good luck finding an experiment that fits those criteria for cancer, though. Pulling an all-nighter to see its effects on your depression fits all that. It's low-risk: it doesn't interfere with your doctor's orders and plenty of people have survived all-nighters without ill effects. It's connected to depression in that it affects the brain, which we believe to be connected to depression. And it has measurable effects or lack of effects in that you can take stock of your mood at intervals after doing it.