Posted by JLx on October 26, 2003, at 14:07:02
In reply to Recovering » Larry Hoover, posted by tealady on October 26, 2003, at 2:09:16
> Off that topic, It's become blindingly obvious to me that I need to form some kinda "emergency depression kit" so when I can't think for myself, I know what to take etc.
> Anyone got any ideas? Is there any drugs/supps that may provide an almost instant uplift, like within a hour or so, in an emergency? If my body is going to keep reacting like this, I need some plan.
> PS. Would like to let everyone reading this know, that I did not threathen suicide or even have suicidal thoughts..just reached the bottom, to the best of my memory anywaySorry to hear that you were in the depths. (I hope you are still intending to keep posting, btw, as it sounds like you and Larry may have just had some kind of nebulous misunderstanding.)
I would put magnesium in any such kit....just because I believe it has kept me out of the suicidal depths even when I was otherwise pretty depressed, which is no small matter. When I want to make sure I am getting it fast and maximally absorbable, I crush the tablets, mix with a little applesause and swallow it quick. Yogurt works too.
Otherwise, I find that amino acids act quite quickly, if you can determine which one or ones might be the helpful ones. I'm taking tyrosine now regularly, and phenylalanine also less regularly. I noticed one day when I was feeling more down that I bounced up quite a bit after 1 gm of L-phenylalanine. When I'm feeling really stressed and frantic, I take 500 mg of glycine, taurine and GABA. Placebo or not, that combo seems to make me feel better.
Then there's food. In the 1996 book, "The Serotonin Solution", Judith Wurtman, an MIT researcher, says to boost serotonin from carbs they must be sugary or starchy, not fruit, and in a 5 to 1 ratio to protein, and low fat. For emergencies and a quick serotonin boost, she advises really sweet stuff like marshmallow creme or maple sugar candy. She claims these are also "binge breakers" as nobody can stand to eat too much of them. My experience is that sugar gives me a boost like this, but it's only truly useful in an emergency as the next day I feel more messed up, and it's then hard to break the habit again.
poster:JLx
thread:259730
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031023/msgs/273665.html