Posted by bluedog on April 18, 2003, at 13:34:29
In reply to Re: Yoga for depression » bluedog, posted by Katia on April 17, 2003, at 15:30:19
> Hi Bluedog,
>
> To answer your questions, I think a lot is intertwined so it's hard to say what it was exactly that threw me into a major depression. I think it was definitely brought on by tooooo much going on in my life (stressors).Thanks for your response Katia. It was very helpful. It definitely sounds like you where overwhelmed!!!!
>It was building and then just after I finished the yoga teacher training program (Dec. 2001), I moved to Scotland to be with my (then) boyfriend and that move threw me down even further. (esp. in the midst of a Scottish winter!) (i live in America).
>That's amazingly similar to my own situation. I experienced my first major depressive episode when I moved to Europe to be with my (then) girlfriend. Coming from a very warm and sunny mediterranean climate in Australia the Northern European climate had devastating effects on my mood.....coupled together with culture shock and isolation from my family and friends back home in Australia.
> (another topic, dealing with depression in relationship when you don't know that it is depression between the two of you). I didn't realize that it was a depression until the big crash and burn of the relationship just before the summer and my move back here alone, and what happened at the end of the relationship threw me even deeper. I came right close to losing my mind totally and couldn't quite pull myself off of the floor day in and day out, crying, screaming, etc. That's the rock bottom point that told me "wait, this could be depression". (duh!) It's so hard to see when you're in it because it feels too real to "just be depression". So that's when I started on ADs for the first time and also started addressing this lifelong depression of mine.
>Again I had exactly the same experience. I also had absolutely no insight into the fact that I was suffering from a major depression and that absolutely devastated the relationship. I just couldn't figure out why I was so unhappy and miserable with that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach the whole time I was in Europe (nearly two years) What's worse was that even the summer in the European country I lived in was very wet and rainy and resembled something a lot closer to the winters that I was used to in my town (or VERY early spring or late autumn at best). Before too long my mood rubbed off onto my girlfriend and she also became depressed and like you say that plays havoc in a relationship especially when your not aware that depression is the problem.
I also crashed and burnt when I returned to Australia and it was only after I came home that I was finally diagnosed with and became aware of the fact that I was suffering from major depression. I also realised at that point that I had actually been suffering from a low grade depression and mood disorder since my teens and was finally able to start addressing (or redressing) the situation. Today I am a stronger person for the experience (but unfortunately still predisposed to depression)
> I still do yoga and it works for me. It helps and I'm glad I have it in my life as a healthy resource to relax and cope.
>
> I wouldn't worry about starting a program in fear that it could bring up too much "stuff" as long as you have good support around that - meditation teacher, therapist, friends, etc. who are aware of what's going on.
>
> anyway, hope that helps.
> KatiaThat helps a LOT. I'll definitely continue with my yoga and will probably undertake the teacher training. I think it will help me with my personal development and that I will become much more self aware......It will give me another weapon in my armoury to defend against my tendency to depression. Also my teacher and the support base for the teacher training is excellent.
My warmest regards and Thankyou
bluedog
poster:bluedog
thread:218902
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030417/msgs/220400.html