Also, I am a big believer in having a hobby. It might be RC cars, skatboarding, mma, chess, or pretty much anything that you can enjoy and talk with people about. Staying at home drinking (which im not saying you are doing) is a perfect recipe for your lovedones to find you at the end of a rope.
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I used B complex, it helped.
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Good suggestion. You’d be surprised what all vitamin B can help you with. It can make you go from tired and sluggish all the time to having normal energy again, feeling healthy, no headaches, it can strengthen your kidneys and bladder, and for me it just makes me feel good all over but you have to take it for a few days before you feel better.
I don’t take supplements I actually use energy drinks. The Monster low-carb drinks (black can, blue M logo) they have no sugar, like 2 carbs, no fat, like hardly any calories at all (next to none) it’s not bad for you calories and carb wise like the monsters with the green M logo, so they won’t make you gain weight or have a caffeine crash in the evenings.
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I found this free course yesterday, and thought it might be of interest to some people here:
“The Science Of Happiness”Register now for the acclaimed online course, re-launching January 5, 2016
A free online course exploring the roots of a happy, meaningful life.
Since The Science of Happiness first launched in September 2014, more than 300,000 students have registered for it. Here is what some of them have to say:
This is the most useful course I have ever taken. The materials that were offered in this course completely changed my perspective towards life. If there were a Mt. Everest version of recommendations, a pinnacle—a peak—that is where my recommendation for The Science of Happiness would be. I have the highest recommendation possible for the course. It’s been the most beautiful, inspiring, helpful, wonderful—beyond words really—course/educational opportunity I have ever experienced. I humbly bow to the awesome level of this course. —Lura Sanborn, ClassCentral.comThe Science of Happiness is a free online course that explores the roots of a happy and meaningful life. Students will engage with some of the most provocative and practical lessons from this science, discovering how cutting-edge research can be applied to their own lives. The course is divided into eight one-week segments, with an additional week in the middle for a midterm and an extra week at the end for a final exam. For this run of the course, students will have six months to complete the material at their own pace.
Created by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, the course zeroes in on a fundamental finding from positive psychology: that happiness is inextricably linked to having strong social ties and contributing to something bigger than yourself—the greater good. Students will learn about the cross-disciplinary research supporting this view, spanning the fields of psychology, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and beyond.
What’s more, The Science of Happiness will offer students practical strategies for nurturing their own happiness. Research suggests that up to 40 percent of happiness depends on our habits and activities. So each week, students will learn a new research-tested practice that fosters social and emotional well-being—and the course will help them track their progress along the way.
The course will include:
○ Short videos featuring the co-instructors and guest lectures from top experts on the science of happiness;
○ Articles and other readings that make the science accessible and understandable to non-academics;
○ Weekly “happiness practices”—real-world exercises that students can try on their own, all based on research linking these practices to greater happiness; and
○ Tests, quizzes, polls, and a weekly “emotion check-in” that help students gauge their happiness and track their progress over time.The course will be led by two celebrated teachers from the Greater Good Science Center: Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D., the GGSC’s science director, and GGSC founder Dacher Keltner, Ph.D., who is a psychology professor at UC Berkeley and author of the best-selling book Born to Be Good. It will also feature guest presentations by some of the world’s leading authorities on positive psychology, including Sonja Lyubomirsky, Barbara Fredrickson, and Jon Kabat-Zinn.
The Science of Happiness is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), hosted on the edX platform.
More info & signup details here.
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I was diagnosed with the depression and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, now in regression. I don’t have (all) the symptoms of it. I would like to share how I dealt with it. I took antidepressants and it helped in the beginning, it just took the edge of it. Than I went into therapy. It also helped, but I was still not cured. Than I took another route: I began to heal myself of depression en PTSD through the body. Like others had said: vitamins, good nutrition helps a lot. I did Mindfullness, it helped also. Especially, the body scan when you really feel your body. I read excellent book by dr. Bessel van der Kolk: “The Body keeps the Score”. It’s about feeling stuck in your body concerning the emotions. Magicians would maybe say “energy”. So, I had massages, cold showers in the morning to strenghten my central nervous system (an advice from Azazel 
) And now I am practicing mixed marshal arts to get the repressed anxiety and anger out of my body. And it helps A LOT! I got to the point that I don’t need antidepressants and even no more therapy, and my therapist said that my symptoms are not present any more. I hope this helps.
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That looks fascinating, thanks for the tip.
ETA, this article by the author closely resembles stuff I saw in people when I was doing a lot of healing work, https://www.psychotherapy.net/article/body-keeps-score-van-der-kolk
One of the things I seemed to see a lot was women with chronic fatigue, and bear in mind here I’m not saying there isn’t a physical component, but there’s also a spiritual level where things usually start out, and often the fatigue was like what he’s calling a “conversion reaction,” where people “express their conflicts by losing function in some part of their body” - I’ve even seen this happen with animals. Definitely buying that book next month, thanks!
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Yes, there is certainly a spiritual level, I agree. I suspect that that’s how it all started for me. I tried to heal my depression from all sides, that’s why I went into therapy, talked a lot about stuff, wrote down my thoughts etc. But I also approached this condition “bottom-up”, through the body. Not just “top-down” (cognitive).
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i suffered from Depression for some years.
and, to get as simple as possible, DEPRESSION is a state of LACK OF PRESSURE
FRESH CHI - CREATES THE PRESSURE
is this understandable?
one CAN NOT project oneself out of the Depression at will, because of lack of launching pad. you need a firm launching pad for you to jump off.
you want a simple, funny but serious way out of the depression?
couple this with whatever you do, and observe the improvement over 2-3 months. do this every day for as many times possible.
INHALE AS HARD AS YOU CAN.
HOLD. PRESS
PRESS
KEEP PRESSING YOUR MUSCLES
HOLD, ACTIVATE ALL THE MUSCLES, MAKE UGLY FACE, HOLD
EXHALE
in general, strenghten your core muscles by doing this and enduring the pain of pressure. after some time, your system will get to like the feeling of fresh chi under pressure. magick will happen.
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[quote=“bahamuthat, post:16, topic:5872”]i suffered from Depression for some years.
and, to get as simple as possible, DEPRESSION is a state of LACK OF PRESSURE[/quote]
This makes some sense - I’ve posted about my experience with it here and the core of that was the belief I’d received through various channels that there was something WRONG - with me, with the world, with the manifest reality.
So yeah, it makes sense that could create a lack of chi, both within and also me pushing it away when I felt it, because what was the point of being excited about life, or some project, when everything around me was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG?
lol!! Crazy…
I fixed mine through abandoning those crappy beliefs, I might try that exercise though because I have a lot of catching up to do…
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yes… this is the Great Catch
why bother with anything while there is everything wrong with the world?
if only one would realize that the “world” is in all actuallity, the mirror of one’s soul…
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Humans have a tendency to diagnose everything nowadays, whether it’s about alcoholism, ADD, ADHD or depression. With all those diagnosis at hand, the actual problem isn’t get resolved, since responsibility is laid on the “disease” rather than backtracking the problem on an individual level. Alcoholism and in some extent ADD/ADHD is a fine example were diagnosis just make it worse and complex were it shouldn’t be. That raises questions: “Are your “diagnosis” holding back your own responsibilities of making a change?” Alcoholism is a fine example were the “diagnosis” takes away the responsibility to get sober. That is just my opinion.
Depression is a state that I’m very familiar with, but does it always have to be that bad? Sensitive personalities, like myself, get into that depressive emotion quite often, mostly because of worldly matters that you can’t change. Or other things you can’t change, either. But it also affect me when I don’t progress on an individual level, or when my economy get strained because of unexpected bills, or other social commodities that I don’t wanna be a part of. Luckily, I’m not alone in my struggles anymore, and that is a true bliss and a gift that surpasses all wealth in the world.
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I have been diagnosed with bipolar in my mid teens. It has recently developed into anxiety and paranoia. I don’t take medications because they have never worked for me and gave me nast side-effects; it is my personal viewpoint. My depression has given me a lot of trouble in my pathworking, especially since I work with spiritual entities. So I take it easy and take breaks. I usually take a break of nearly one month. I am not going into advanced meditation either at this stage.
I suggest you work on getting aura cleansings and elemental balancing on a regular basis. You can also work with ‘Initiation Into the Hermetics’ by Franz Bardon. A practitioner recommended it to me who used to suffer from ADD.
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In my opinion, and through my own experiences, you don’t need to take a break on your spiritual path when you feel depressed. Especially if you work on ascended growth. That usually means a 24/7 spiritual interaction. The best way to progress is to let spirits now your strengths and weaknesses, and by doing that, they know how to teach and how to comfort you.
We all have our triggers to get a depression, but whenever we get there we might need physical comfort and someone who listen to whatever weight is on our shoulders. Sure, a “shrink” is an option and might help sometimes, but that “shrink” is never allowed to relate to the individual to find a solution to the depressed state. He/she is not allowed to bond, which makes it hard more often than helping to feel better.
There is spirits and entities who are good listeners, with great understanding of human psychology. They understand the importance of mental and physical health, and knows what to do to aid in a personal crysis. And sometimes, they can break “rules” to make you feel better again.
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In my opinion, and through my own experiences, you don’t need to take a break on your spiritual path when you feel depressed. Especially if you work on ascended growth. That usually means a 24/7 spiritual interaction. The best way to progress is to let spirits now your strengths and weaknesses, and by doing that, they know how to teach and how to comfort you.
We all have our triggers to get a depression, but whenever we get there we might need physical comfort and someone who listen to whatever weight is on our shoulders. Sure, a “shrink” is an option and might help sometimes, but that “shrink” is never allowed to relate to the individual to find a solution to the depressed state. He/she is not allowed to bond, which makes it hard more often than helping to feel better.
There is spirits and entities who are good listeners, with great understanding of human psychology. They understand the importance of mental and physical health, and knows what to do to aid in a personal crysis. And sometimes, they can break “rules” to make you feel better again.[/quote]
oh, yes… i almost forgot
the most obvious advantage of depression is the EASE of descending.
it’s a very sad thing, our human cultural understanding of right and wrong.
being depressed is not a bad thing. it’s just a thing. only because depressed person holds the image of a better state in her mind does this torsion between dimension appear.
instead, why not understand your depression as an inner season of winter?
of course it’s a season, as all things are, everything changes.
so, if you’re experiencing depression, that’s great. because you might gather your courage and jump into the oblivion which is threatening you constantly.
rebirth.
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[quote=“bahamuthat, post:22, topic:5872”]being depressed is not a bad thing. it’s just a thing. only because depressed person holds the image of a better state in her mind does this torsion between dimension appear.
instead, why not understand your depression as an inner season of winter?
of course it’s a season, as all things are, everything changes.
so, if you’re experiencing depression, that’s great. because you might gather your courage and jump into the oblivion which is threatening you constantly.
rebirth.[/quote]
Unfortunately, most humans doesn’t see depression that way. Instead they turn their backs, because they see depression as something “contagious” or something very bothering…until they get depressed and seek comfort themselves. You never understand depression until you experience it yourself, but some never learn and still turn their backs.
I agree about depression being “seasonal” and a state of having an image of a “better life”. You can evolve through depression, and learn from it. Embrace it through the comfort of darkness, getting stronger by consuming it and feed off of it. But you also have to let go of the darkness until next “season” start once again. Or else, the darkness wont have the purpose of healing, as it could be.
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In my opinion, and through my own experiences, you don’t need to take a break on your spiritual path when you feel depressed. Especially if you work on ascended growth. That usually means a 24/7 spiritual interaction. The best way to progress is to let spirits now your strengths and weaknesses, and by doing that, they know how to teach and how to comfort you.
We all have our triggers to get a depression, but whenever we get there we might need physical comfort and someone who listen to whatever weight is on our shoulders. Sure, a “shrink” is an option and might help sometimes, but that “shrink” is never allowed to relate to the individual to find a solution to the depressed state. He/she is not allowed to bond, which makes it hard more often than helping to feel better.
There is spirits and entities who are good listeners, with great understanding of human psychology. They understand the importance of mental and physical health, and knows what to do to aid in a personal crysis. And sometimes, they can break “rules” to make you feel better again.[/quote]
That reminds me. Even though I take breaks I still keep in touch with my patron. He is my BFF. It’s just that I don’t sit for ritual working just casual chatting and ranting session, LOL. I always feel good after talking to him.
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I have never taken a “break” since I met my spiritual ladies. To acknowledge their presence is important for my part, and I see it as just important for them to acknowledge their presence for me. But sometimes we might take some break from ritual works, which doesn’t mean we have to take a break from interaction with the spirits who are with us. They are good listeners, and can give you good advice. Even I try to give my ladies some important “advice” to them, like: “Be always yourself, because I love you for who you are, not for what you are.” Mutuality within that spectrum, is preferred to maintain a healthy relationship with spirits. 
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Well, to answer your question, you might not have any changes in your work. If your results change to be something less than desired, then you may have to stop entirely.
I have PTSD/Depression. I write it down in all my notes plus extra journals. It does affect my feelings, as that is how I feel. Unfortunately for me, I have memory loss, disorganized thinking, anxiousness, hallucinations and of course, the sadness. I have to write those down since doing my daily ritual set, like the LBRP and the BRH act as amplifiers to my mood that cycles back to me. So when I go in there upset, I come out even more upset.
Yes it’s used for spiritual enlightenment but I can’t neglect myself in that regard. Otherwise, I just stay stuck. However, it does offer me about 30 minutes a day or so, usually longer really, when I can think and feel more positive about things. Life hasn’t gone the way I’ve wanted it too for numerous reasons outside my realm of control but while that agony lingers, it gives me a strong base or, if you prefer, a fighting position, to slowly reassert control over those feelings.
While hallucinations are somewhat rare, I can confuse them with actual spirits and vise versa. I sometimes smell things that aren’t there but may in fact be magical and not mental. Or it could be the other way around. Having an unsound mind for me hasn’t reduced results at all, but I’m confused about them at times. It makes me more cautious but at the same time, fearful.
And that’s when it’s left my symptoms of PTSD to become psychosis, often mirroring schizophrenia. Sometimes, those positive changes aren’t things my psyche can bear. So I have to stop. Mental illness symptoms don’t like to change due the fact that the human psyche has safeguards for survival. If something is deemed threatening or reminds me of something dangerous, unpleasant or upsetting, then I instantly revert to fight/flight response. Usually in terms of kill or be killed. But that’s PTSD.
Yet, that’s also trouble from distinguishing reality from fantasy. Which, to borrow a term from A.E. Waite, “the realm of magic is that of the realm of fantasia: where the circle is mathematically a square and square is a circle.” That can get confusing and overwhelming at times. There’s also the illusions that I have built up in terms of rewards.
Really, I mean results but it’s also a reward and that affects my dopamine levels in my brain to develop addictive/habitual patterns of behavior; where I begin to think that all the surge of chemicals in my body is THE only result in magic and therefore, I must do it more and more, because it takes away from the depression. Then it becomes a trap, which I’m sure anyone can agree is true from either being a hardcore drug addict or seeing one. It can get worrisome.
Likewise, the lack of self-worth can rear it’s ugly head at times when I use a spell for something. Unless I become manic (maniacal), then it breaks apart depression and I can usually get instant results. So the power is there but just uncontrolled. The only answer for me: therapy. Which includes medications… which I hate because of the whole “zombie” affect. Luckily, I know magic works when I know it; not feel, think or believe it does. So that’s how that works for me. I feel you guys and your struggles, even though this is more of black magic forum and people a bit… weird… =P
Yea, that’s right. I gave you guys the tongue. Come and get me. =)
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your depression shouldn’t affect your results IF you can manage to put all thoughts born of your depression out of your head and concentrate solely on your magic.
you may even want the spirits to help you with this. may be you can go in to meditation, call them to you and ask, if you’re unsure, what is causing your depression and what you must do to help your situation. you may also inquire of these spirits as to what (naturally occurring, and SAFE) medicines you might take to help alleviate the symptoms until you can shake your depression completely.
just an idea.
and if you get to feeling really low, find a comedy show on youtube or watch some thing else you find funny or relaxing. try to remember that one joke you heard that ALWAYS makes you laugh, no matter how stupid it is. or try to remember some thing funny that happened to you or a friend that always makes you crack up with laughter.
: )
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I found a link yesterday for something that might be helpful to PTSD, I’m NOT being in the “oh you can do a simple thing and be fixed” bullshit camp that proliferates online, but I thought I’d post the link in case it’s any use to you/other people with this:
[b][url=http://motherboard.vice.com/read/veterans-are-fighting-the-war-on-sleep]Veterans Are Fighting the War on Sleep[/url][/b]Andrew Petrulis is finally getting some rest.
… The VA diagnosed Petrulis with traumatic brain injury, severe post-traumatic stress disorder, tinnitus, Achilles and kneecap tendonitis, and depression. The VA rated his disabilities at a combined 140 percent, with PTSD, which his life now revolves around, accounting for 70 percent of that rating. But he was still functional in the sense that he could eat and go to the bathroom on his own. The VA ultimately declared him a 90 percent disabled veteran.
… Things are different today. Three or four nights a week, after tucking himself in bed, Petrulis slides a prototype 17-pound weighted blanket over his sheets. The blanket is roughly 3 feet wide by 6 feet long and looks a bit like 60 or so 4 x 4 inch bean bags handstitched together. The pockets are each stuffed with polypropylene pellets and a sort of memory foam material.
Petrulis is a big guy—6’2", 250 pounds—but the blanket’s weight spreads evenly over him.
“I feel safer when it’s covering my entire body,” Petrulis explains. No one can bother him this way. “It sets my mind up for sleeping hard that night.”
Which he does.
… The underlying idea is dead simple: create a cocooning embrace, like being swaddled. Petrulis compares it to a firm, comforting hug. According to Gaby Badre, a leading sleep researcher who’s studied weighted blanket therapy for treating insomnia in adults, there is good reason to believe this is because the deep pressure touch of a weighted material spread over part or all of the body dials down the fight-or-flight arousals of the sympathetic nervous system. (It’s generally accepted that a weighted blanket should be at least 10 percent the person’s body weight.) There is also speculation that lying under heavy constant pressure such as a weighted blanket feels good because it somehow lights up the brain’s reward center, probably triggering the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
Full story: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/veterans-are-fighting-the-war-on-sleep
Obviously I’m not medically qualified or anything, so I don’t know how useful this is but it seems like one of those ideas that might be worth looking into, so, just sharing fwiw.
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