Expats And Depression

[stevenjm]

reprogramming your patterns are essential but not easy as they are often deeply and subconsiously ingrained

a frined of mine got off a large amount of depression meds with a therapy that reprograms your mind using these vibrating things you hold in your hands to distract your conscious mind as you undergo talking therapy

i also saw a segment on fox news about a lady using meridians and spinal tapping (external and no not the movie) to release hidden painful subconsious memories stored in your body cells and muscles that are holding you back

both of these therapies i am not sure of their names, can anyone help?

i am fascinated with all these things

i find these essential changes in my life come too slow as life is so short and we are not getting any younger

Not sure of the names for those but apparently rapid eye movement desensitisation can be very good for post traumatic events.

[mikethevigoman]

I am amazed at amount of friends who are expats that suffer from depression. Am wondering who else suffers from this mongrel of a thing and how you cope with it.

I have tried antidepressants myself but they just don't do anything for me.

also wondering about the motivation for living an expat life and if your depression possibly plays a part in it (for those suffering with depression)

I find a lot of people with similar thinking and behaviour to me amongst expats but not amongst people at home country.

Don't be shy - its common these days.

Everyone needs a hobby,.something you enjoy with like minded people and you can look forward to,.drinking and visiting bars will become boring,.my hobby is off road motorcycling around cambodia,.but anything will do, golfing or similar, try it !,.

[stevenjm]

I am amazed at amount of friends who are expats that suffer from depression. Am wondering who else suffers from this mongrel of a thing and how you cope with it.

I have tried antidepressants myself but they just don't do anything for me.

also wondering about the motivation for living an expat life and if your depression possibly plays a part in it (for those suffering with depression)

I find a lot of people with similar thinking and behaviour to me amongst expats but not amongst people at home country.

Don't be shy - its common these days.

Everyone needs a hobby,.something you enjoy with like minded people and you can look forward to,.drinking and visiting bars will become boring,.my hobby is off road motorcycling around cambodia,.but anything will do, golfing or similar, try it !,.

Off road in Cambodia? And I thought I was crazy.

sorry to post so much on this subject but heres a better site for the drama triangle http://lynneforrest.com/html/the_faces_of_victim.html

[POMCHOB]

I find it challenging being apart from my Thai wife of 5 months, as i'm back in the uk .

To keep my spirits up (Not with the beer!)

staying active, walking in nature, laughing and not taking myself too seriously and thinking about the funny things i will see again in Thailand when i return, as my wife says" you can see anything funny in Thailand", if i feel down, that normally lifts me.

I think its best to try to change your mood with some constructive distractions , easier said than done.

I think some books can help "Feeling Good" by David D Burns

and Dr.Phil books,although not for everyone.

I don't have any easy answers as everyone deals with depression in their own way.

Life anywhere has is ups and down and the grass is greener etc.

Try and stay positive, i have heard these words i like... life is managed not cured.!....I dream of being back in Thailand.

Good Luck for the future from Pomchob

[Jet Gorgon]

^ Yes, agree, Mobi, and with many of the notes above.

Initially, one is busy setting up the new house, getting to know the ropes, meeting people. But, if you have no occupation, you will soon get depressed and the days and months roll into one long day.

I always had a calendar and a schedule for each day. Up at 6 or 7am, coffee on, ablutions, sweeping the house, and, hopefully, freeing a beetle or other insect caught in the house overnight. Coffee in hand, walk on the beach with the dogs. Back to check the garden, and then started my work.

Keeping appointments is also good, whether they're for docs, immigration or friends.

Everyone needs a schedule of sorts.

Sure, drink and party, but don't make it the main event every day.

Meditation is excellent, too.

[Scalawag]

socialising, taking up hobbies and sports, creating stronger relationships and family bonds, living in a shared accommodation rather than alone, helping the other people around (for example by volunteering) - would help to overcome loneliness and lack of power.

if the language barrier is a problem - putting more efford into learning thai. Learning new skills can be a good passtime

I couldn't agree more....Self medicating with alcohol is not the answer to depression- just makes it worse....happiness lies in giving, not getting and contributing to the welfare of others is key....Volunteer for a good cause and you will soon begin to realize there are a hel_l of a lot more people who are worse off than you are!!!!!!

[stevenjm]

socialising, taking up hobbies and sports, creating stronger relationships and family bonds, living in a shared accommodation rather than alone, helping the other people around (for example by volunteering) - would help to overcome loneliness and lack of power.

if the language barrier is a problem - putting more efford into learning thai. Learning new skills can be a good passtime

I couldn't agree more....Self medicating with alcohol is not the answer to depression- just makes it worse....happiness lies in giving, not getting and contributing to the welfare of others is key....Volunteer for a good cause and you will soon begin to realize there are a hel_l of a lot more people who are worse off than you are!!!!!!

I agree to some extent and disagree to some extent. For people with lifestyle related depression I think your info is probably pretty good advice..... but. For people with depression related to deep emotional issues I think the above can make you feel better but it can also lead into a situation where you are doing it to ignore yourself and focus on somebody else.

I think its important for the latter group work on themselves and focus on their own issues rather than somebody elses problems as the problems are still going to be their when their charity work is over.

Unfortunately when you are suffering from bad depression there is nobody who is worse off than you, at least thats what you beleive.

I am starting to beleive its all in learning how to change the "bad script" that some of us are programmed with through parenting and environmental factors when we are children, we grow up and go through life beleiving this script is part of our personality and therefore we are damaged forever instead of realising that its not our personality it is just our way of thinking and it can be changed.

[LeungKen]

I am amazed at amount of friends who are expats that suffer from depression. Am wondering who else suffers from this mongrel of a thing and how you cope with it.

I put some uplifting music (Try Bach's "Magnificat) on the stereo and think positive thoughts.

[Sarge]

every time I travel to Thailand or back to Europe (in fact anywhere in the world but aussie-land) it feels so good, never a bad thought crossing my mind. Is it my lifestyle that I'm enjoying or their lifestyle I'm getting away from? Go figure

I do think that Scalawag makes a really good point there, nothing better than giving your life a (new) sense of purpose to make you feel alive and focussed. The birth of my daughter in Thailand injected fresh lifeblood in my veins, things taking a new turn in my life. People like to think that there is a purpose in their life, working to leave something behind them.

[rcalsop]

I am happily married , great wife kids , fairly well paid job dont drink except wine socially and rarely , but I am depressed and not staisfied with my lot ... may be it is a late mid life crisis , I recognised my owm mortality having got to 53 and a brief stint in Hospital scared me I was no longer invincible and I was suddenly the old man ... the body parts are showing the early stages of wear and tear after a great exciting life with never a dull moment . I have no right to be depressed but I am may be it is to do with the male menpoause what ever that is or age or a milestone in life I have no idea ....I cannot understand it just depressed and cannot get out of it started about 2 years ago and has just got worse . .. Get a life I have one , change I just have , look for a new challenge I have just got one but it all seems stale and meaning less . I can rationalise it and intellectualise it and even follow my own advise but it does not change it I am bloody deressed . I just live with it and hope it fades away .

Bloody hel_l sharing a problem helps does it hel_l I feel worse now !!!!

[stevenjm]

Bloody hel_l sharing a problem helps does it hel_l I feel worse now !!!!

Thats because you just reinforced it by thinking about it and typing it. Have had 2 phsycologists in my life and the first one used to do the same to me - she would just sit there and prompt you talk and after you would feel like shit because youve just had an hour telling somebody how depressed you are and you get out and feel worse - she should have paid me because I was even more depressed after her bullshit sessions.

One I am seeing now though is more about changing how you think and i actually feel better for a few days after seeing her as she instills a bit of hope and makes sense.

Think you may have a point about midlife too.

Somebody rightly pointed out that phsycology degree holders are usually the walking wounded but some are actually ex walking wounded and who better to help you than somebody who actually holds a degree in it and has also experience with curing it.

BTW have you tried antidepressants - they work for %70 of people.

[rcalsop]

Bloody hel_l sharing a problem helps does it hel_l I feel worse now !!!!

Thats because you just reinforced it by thinking about it and typing it. Have had 2 phsycologists in my life and the first one used to do the same to me - she would just sit there and prompt you talk and after you would feel like shit because youve just had an hour telling somebody how depressed you are and you get out and feel worse - she should have paid me because I was even more depressed after her bullshit sessions.

One I am seeing now though is more about changing how you think and i actually feel better for a few days after seeing her as she instills a bit of hope and makes sense.

Think you may have a point about midlife too.

Somebody rightly pointed out that phsycology degree holders are usually the walking wounded but some are actually ex walking wounded and who better to help you than somebody who actually holds a degree in it and has also experience with curing it.

BTW have you tried antidepressants - they work for %70 of people.

I prefer to try to alter the brain chemistry by other methods to boost the endorphin or what ever is the mood enhancer chemical ... comfort food , chocolate , patting the dog , gratuitous sex, excercise ( well a little ) cuddling the kids , retail therapy ...actually buying the latest toy or gizmo works well for a short time time the credit card statement comes in and bang depressed ....Time with family , time alone travelling .. any one any other suggestions ...may be I should try your suggestion ... Prozac ????

Edited September 26, 2007 by rcalsop

[stevenjm]

Bloody hel_l sharing a problem helps does it hel_l I feel worse now !!!!

Thats because you just reinforced it by thinking about it and typing it. Have had 2 phsycologists in my life and the first one used to do the same to me - she would just sit there and prompt you talk and after you would feel like shit because youve just had an hour telling somebody how depressed you are and you get out and feel worse - she should have paid me because I was even more depressed after her bullshit sessions.

One I am seeing now though is more about changing how you think and i actually feel better for a few days after seeing her as she instills a bit of hope and makes sense.

Think you may have a point about midlife too.

Somebody rightly pointed out that phsycology degree holders are usually the walking wounded but some are actually ex walking wounded and who better to help you than somebody who actually holds a degree in it and has also experience with curing it.

BTW have you tried antidepressants - they work for %70 of people.

I prefer to try to alter the brain chemistry by other methods to boost the endorphin or what ever is the mood enhancer chemical ... comfort food , chocolate , patting the dog , gratuitous sex, excercise ( well a little ) cuddling the kids , retail therapy ...actually buying the latest toy or gizmo works well for a short time time the credit card statement comes in and bang depressed ....Time with family , time alone travelling .. any one any other suggestions ...may be I should try your suggestion ... Prozac ????

I think theres better ones than prozac these days. Lexapro (apparaently the best but can be expensive), aropax and zoloft are ones I know of and some people swear by them - if your lucky you will fit in the %70 of people they work for. Apparently first treatment should be for six months and then stop or get re evaluated to see if you need to stay on them longer. Also you should gradually stop them when you cease to need them instead of just stopping all at once.

[relayer]

1. All but avoid the alcohol. Most has already been said about this depressant drug, so I won't bore you.

2. Increase your intake (make it daily) of oily fish, such as mackerel or salmon, which contain a high amount of Omega 3, which seems to act as a natural serotonin regulator. After two or three days of this, you'll wonder how you managed without it.

3. Take some L-Dopa (in the form mucuna pruriens extracted from the cowage plant) to increase brain dopamine levels and some tribulus terrestris to increase testosterone levels. These do not require a prescription and they can be bought over the 'Net such as through Amazon. Take one capsule of each daily, 2 hours after your main meal, for them to be most effective. These are only but two of the dozens of ancient, very widely implemented Ayurvedic remedies that have been in use for about 4500 years (originated in India/Sri Lanka).

4. Add a rounded tablespoon of cocoa powder to your morning coffee. Besides cocoa's strong anti-oxidant properties, you get the added benefit of a mild 'buzz' from the PEA (phenylethylamine), the same substance produced in the brain when you're in love and which gives chocolate its wide appeal (and in some cases, addiction).

This daily regimen will make you feel younger and give you a nice, mild, uplifting and long-lasting type of buzz without the need for SSRIs or other artificial substances, some of which are now known to be damaging. Heck, you don't even need to wait until you're depressed to make use of it. Think of it as a 'wellness' regimen.

Oh, yeah, it may even improve your sex life a bit, too.

Edited September 26, 2007 by relayer

[girlx]

I think theres better ones than prozac these days. Lexapro (apparaently the best but can be expensive), aropax and zoloft are ones I know of and some people swear by them - if your lucky you will fit in the %70 of people they work for.

please do not self diagnose and medicate for depression! you really do not want to screw with your brain chemistry. i had a really bad doctor who diagnosed me with depression and put me on paxil, wellbutrin, others... but my diagnosis was wrong. i have very severe anxiety and they failed to look at that. i had serious problems on the antidepressants- they made me absolutely crazy and suicidal. went to another doctor and it turned out i have a form of bi-polar disorder in which the mania is replaced by anxiety. ANTIDEPRESSANTS MAKE BI-POLAR PATIENTS WORSE! so i quit all the antidepressants quickly and went into the horrific withdrawal symptoms. since then i have used NO drugs at all, just yoga and lifestyle changes. i feel great. but it was bad enough having a stupid doctor misdiagnose me- i am sure it is bad for others who misdiagnose themselves too.

[FBN]

Depression in expats is fairly common. Consulting in all the countries I have been to (resident in no 7 now over the past 25 years), it has been a condition which was both difficult to define and manage. Fellow parctitioners and I used to refer to it as the "Expat Syndrome". More common in wives of working husbands in foreign countries but also among young, mostly first time expats. These are all fairly obvious causes but there is more to it and these causes are less well defined.

Depression precipitated by anxiety and/or prolonged stress (so called "reactive depression") requires utmost caution in diagnosing and managing. Newer antidepressants tend to precipitate acute anxiety in the early stages; so much so that patients usually can't tolerate treatment. The replacement of or rather the prevention of the actual breakdown of serotonin is necessary to overcome the depression but an increase in serotonin leads to the original condition (anxiety) so this has to be managed at the same time. Some anxiolitics which are mildly anti-depressant usually will do the trick...

Most importantly, do not self-diagnose and try over the counter drugs (you may be able to buy almost anything here in BKK).

Psycho-analysts/psychiatrists familiar with this condition and able to manage it effectively in expats are few and far between here in Thailand. Unfortunately, a short consultation is the norm after which a handful of drugs are usually given; not ideal..

A previous poster mentioned a whole list of "natural" remedies which, in my opinion, is definitely worth a try. The stress/alcohol/relax/hungover/more stress/alcohol cycle is a common cause of depression in expats as alcohol is very much part of the expat lifestyle and can become a pattern very quickly.

The side effects of this lifestyle are a reduced ability to do physical excercise, loss of motivation and creativity; all of which are effective stimulants and counter measuresto combat depression.

Overall good advice in this forum from posters...

[FBN]

I am amazed at amount of friends who are expats that suffer from depression. Am wondering who else suffers from this mongrel of a thing and how you cope with it.

also wondering about the motivation for living an expat life and if your depression possibly plays a part in it (for those suffering with depression)

i think it is very prelevant among expats...especially long-term ones. combination of causes...homesickness, burning of bridges so some cannot go home, financial problems (major cause) and of course relationship problems. also, the realization that thailand is not the end of of the rainbow many thought it would be. it's nice but it's not home many find out. plain old boredom is also a cause and also being separated from ones own language and culture i think starts to play a big part after years of separation from it. i guess that's why maybe i estimate 75% of LT exparts are alcoholics. hit the bottle (either alcohol or prozac...chose your poison)

Yeh, I think you are very right. At the other end, personally, I am starting to question my motivation to choose expat life and am wondering if all this travelling is actually depression motivated. I go somewhere and get sick of it after about 3 or 4 years and then want to go somewhere else, applies to relationships also. I guess thus your end of the rainbow theory.

Men has been known to suffer from this 100's of years ago; this attachment dates back to the California Gold Rush days.. Anonymous, as far as I know; not from my pen..

The_Men_That_Don_t_Fit_In.doc

[BalthazarBeefheart]

I don't know if I am correct but I have the opinion there is a difference between sadness with life events and depression. I know when I get the black dogs I just have to stay home - it has nothing to do with any events it is just a chemical imbalance which I have learned to live with.

I find being in Thailand is in fact beneficial for my condition because the Thai's are such smiley people and it definitely helps my mood - One would have to walk an awful long way in London before a pretty girl smiles at you but here it's constant.

Cheers BB

[Boksida]

Men has been known to suffer from this 100's of years ago; this attachment dates back to the California Gold Rush days.. Anonymous, as far as I know; not from my pen..

Written by Rudyard Kipling in India.

[stevenjm]

I am amazed at amount of friends who are expats that suffer from depression. Am wondering who else suffers from this mongrel of a thing and how you cope with it.

also wondering about the motivation for living an expat life and if your depression possibly plays a part in it (for those suffering with depression)

i think it is very prelevant among expats...especially long-term ones. combination of causes...homesickness, burning of bridges so some cannot go home, financial problems (major cause) and of course relationship problems. also, the realization that thailand is not the end of of the rainbow many thought it would be. it's nice but it's not home many find out. plain old boredom is also a cause and also being separated from ones own language and culture i think starts to play a big part after years of separation from it. i guess that's why maybe i estimate 75% of LT exparts are alcoholics. hit the bottle (either alcohol or prozac...chose your poison)

Yeh, I think you are very right. At the other end, personally, I am starting to question my motivation to choose expat life and am wondering if all this travelling is actually depression motivated. I go somewhere and get sick of it after about 3 or 4 years and then want to go somewhere else, applies to relationships also. I guess thus your end of the rainbow theory.

Men has been known to suffer from this 100's of years ago; this attachment dates back to the California Gold Rush days.. Anonymous, as far as I know; not from my pen..

Well that sucks - why can't it have a good ending, like for instance the guy is happy now because he has seen everything and been in 100's of different relationships and can tell lots of stories and he lived happily ever after.

BTW Thanks for the comprehensive info.

Some anxiolitics which are mildly anti-depressant usually will do the trick

I don't suppose you can give an example medication in this category

[FBN]

I am amazed at amount of friends who are expats that suffer from depression. Am wondering who else suffers from this mongrel of a thing and how you cope with it.

also wondering about the motivation for living an expat life and if your depression possibly plays a part in it (for those suffering with depression)

i think it is very prelevant among expats...especially long-term ones. combination of causes...homesickness, burning of bridges so some cannot go home, financial problems (major cause) and of course relationship problems. also, the realization that thailand is not the end of of the rainbow many thought it would be. it's nice but it's not home many find out. plain old boredom is also a cause and also being separated from ones own language and culture i think starts to play a big part after years of separation from it. i guess that's why maybe i estimate 75% of LT exparts are alcoholics. hit the bottle (either alcohol or prozac...chose your poison)

Yeh, I think you are very right. At the other end, personally, I am starting to question my motivation to choose expat life and am wondering if all this travelling is actually depression motivated. I go somewhere and get sick of it after about 3 or 4 years and then want to go somewhere else, applies to relationships also. I guess thus your end of the rainbow theory.

Men has been known to suffer from this 100's of years ago; this attachment dates back to the California Gold Rush days.. Anonymous, as far as I know; not from my pen..

Well that sucks - why can't it have a good ending, like for instance the guy is happy now because he has seen everything and been in 100's of different relationships and can tell lots of stories and he lived happily ever after.

BTW Thanks for the comprehensive info.

Some anxiolitics which are mildly anti-depressant usually will do the trick

I don't suppose you can give an example medication in this category

Xanax (Alprazolam) have been used in these cases to some good effect and sometimes in combination with antidepressants. Please keep in mind that this is prescription medication with significant side effects if not used properly (under management of an experienced physician). It is a member of the Valium/Bensodiasepine family which is also known to cause depression with long term use and it is addictave as well.

Boksida:

Not Kipling. Actually Robert W Service (1874 - 1958); Known for his works in the Yukon in the gold rush period. He is the guy that collected his poems and, when he had enough for a book, paid a publisher $100 to print it.... (poemhunter.com)

[Boksida]

Boksida:

Not Kipling. Actually Robert W Service (1874 - 1958); Known for his works in the Yukon in the gold rush period. He is the guy that collected his poems and, when he had enough for a book, paid a publisher $100 to print it.... (poemhunter.com)

My apologies, you are quite correct. Isn't he the same guy who did the one about The Shooting of Dan McGrew?

[stevenjm]

WARNING - Don't stop taking antidressants suddenly.

Have been getting out of bed the last few mornings drenched in sweat and not sleeping and today thought something was wrong with me because I was dizzy all day and felt really weird. I just reealized I forgot to take antidepressants for about 4 days and now have bad dizziness and sort of like shocks in my head and in my ear and it feels like I have arthritis in my wrists. I just took one and still feel really strange.

[FBN]

Boksida:

Not Kipling. Actually Robert W Service (1874 - 1958); Known for his works in the Yukon in the gold rush period. He is the guy that collected his poems and, when he had enough for a book, paid a publisher $100 to print it.... (poemhunter.com)

My apologies, you are quite correct. Isn't he the same guy who did the one about The Shooting of Dan McGrew?

The same...

[girlx]

WARNING - Don't stop taking antidressants suddenly.

Have been getting out of bed the last few mornings drenched in sweat and not sleeping and today thought something was wrong with me because I was dizzy all day and felt really weird. I just reealized I forgot to take antidepressants for about 4 days and now have bad dizziness and sort of like shocks in my head and in my ear and it feels like I have arthritis in my wrists. I just took one and still feel really strange.

yes when i stopped it was the same- i didn't taper off slowly like you are supposed to and i went out of my mind! had heart palpitations, a feeling like i had electrical shocks periodically throughout the days, crying jags, miserable....

[Nienke]

I think before starting with any medication against depression, it is important to find out what causes it, which includes a full physical and mental check-up.

Depression can be caused by so many things, for example (from: The self-care guide to holistic medicine by Robert S. Ivker, D.O., Robert A. Anderson, M.D., Larry Triviert, Jr.):

Physical:

• Heredity

• Candidiasis

• PMS

• Inhalant and food allergies

• Airpolution – (decreased negative ions, increased positive ions, outgassing) and/or heavy metal exposure (mercury, lead, cadmium)

• Hypothyroidism Hypoglycemia

• Folic acid deficiency

• Drugs and medications such as birth control pills, sleeping pills, prednisone, alcohol, marijuana, benzodiazepines

• Lack of exercise

• Biochemical – low levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine

• Lack of grounding

Mental and emotional:

• Distorted thinking

• Grief

• Feelings of failure

• Lack of stimulation

• Sense of helplessness

• Lack of self-expression

• Emotional trauma’s

Spiritual and Social;

• Lack of purpose in life

• Feelings of isolation

• Lack of family and social connection

• Feeling of disconnection with God/Spirit

Some studies have suggested that hypoglycemia may be present in 90% of alcoholics. Hypoglycemia can be a significant cause of depression, anxiety, and mental confusion. Weak pancreatic and adrenal gland function, hypothyroidism, and a poorly functioning pituitary gland may all contribute to hypoglycemia. Many symptoms of hypoglycemia can be relieved by drinking alcohol.

By drinking too much alcohol nutritional deficiencies can occur and it can fuel yeast (Candida albicans) increasing the chance on or intensity of the depression.

As body and mind are one (i.e. if there is a physical ailment more to often the patient will feel mentally not well as well, or vice versa depressed people are more prone to develop physical illnesses such as cancer or heart problems) addressing only the mental or only the physical part chances are that the depression may be suppressed for a while, but will return as the cause is not cured.

My two setang,

Nienke

[stevenjm]

Heres an interesting test for your personality:

TEST

Edited October 3, 2007 by stevenjm

[El Taco Loco]

There is a huge difference between clinical depression and so called expat depression. One a chemical issue with the brain and the other a lifestyle change brought on by issues in life.

I have clinical depression. Have had it for 20 odd years. For a few years, I was not medicated. Mid 90s I was. Paxil brought on suicide thoughts. Zoloft did not help and never took Prozac. At the end, I stopped the medication. It was not helping and it made matters worse.

So I moved to Thailand. It did not make it worse, but it did not make it better.

I found that having funny friends helps a lot. And watching the strange things that Thais do in their lives and lack of complete common sense, makes me laugh.

The downside is that for the most part, changes in lifestyle does not really help the clinically depressed. It helps, but it is not a cure-all.

After 6 odd years here, I was enjoying life more. I had a good friend who backstabbed me and accused of me something I did not do, and it brought the depression on, or made it worse. It takes a long time to recover again. Thank you, my German "friend".

I have a wife and a lovely son, 17 months old. They make me happy. Short term, for me, as they go to bed or I do not see them, the worries of life come back again. But having a family helps a great deal.

With schooling coming up in a year or two, I may have to move back to the UK. That will make my depression worse.

But my only advise to a clinical depressed person: have happy friends. It really makes a difference. You can draw from that and laugh and it makes you look forward to life again. The laughter of a toddler is incredibly happy for me. Have those friends understand you, also helps.

[FBN]

There is a huge difference between clinical depression and so called expat depression. One a chemical issue with the brain and the other a lifestyle change brought on by issues in life.

I have clinical depression. Have had it for 20 odd years. For a few years, I was not medicated. Mid 90s I was. Paxil brought on suicide thoughts. Zoloft did not help and never took Prozac. At the end, I stopped the medication. It was not helping and it made matters worse.

So I moved to Thailand. It did not make it worse, but it did not make it better.

I found that having funny friends helps a lot. And watching the strange things that Thais do in their lives and lack of complete common sense, makes me laugh.

The downside is that for the most part, changes in lifestyle does not really help the clinically depressed. It helps, but it is not a cure-all.

After 6 odd years here, I was enjoying life more. I had a good friend who backstabbed me and accused of me something I did not do, and it brought the depression on, or made it worse. It takes a long time to recover again. Thank you, my German "friend".

I have a wife and a lovely son, 17 months old. They make me happy. Short term, for me, as they go to bed or I do not see them, the worries of life come back again. But having a family helps a great deal.

With schooling coming up in a year or two, I may have to move back to the UK. That will make my depression worse.

But my only advise to a clinical depressed person: have happy friends. It really makes a difference. You can draw from that and laugh and it makes you look forward to life again. The laughter of a toddler is incredibly happy for me. Have those friends understand you, also helps.

The spectrum of depressive illness is quite wide; we did not attempt to discuss endogenous depression or the bi-polar disease (which requires really expert management and treatment) here but just a variation that seems to be common in expats.

http://www.hbcprotocols.com/9types.html

The link is to an article which I feel is fairly well written and comprehensive without being too "medical". St Jon's Wort is also a widely used remedy but one which I have no experience with.

5% of the world's population is estimated to suffer from depression...

Depressing, isn't it?

[Neeranam]

Does anyone know where to buy St.John's Wort in Isarn?

I find if I'm depressed, it's helpful to to go to a hospital and talk to those coming off drug and alcohol addiction - it really cheers me up.

Alternatively, find a wyno on the street and tell him my problems. There is a homeless guy who empties my bin regularly, he's also a drunk. If I'm feeling down, I'll give him some money and tell him about my terrible state of a life.

There's a lot of great advice on this thread, I agree with the voluntary work and don't self-medicate. If possible stay off the anti-depressants.

Edited October 7, 2007 by Neeranam