There was a time in my life when I suffered from consistent migraine headaches. My doctor gave me a prescription for anti-seizure medication, thinking at the time that it would be helpful for migraines. I remember holding the script in my hand and looking at my wife, and saying, “Shouldn’t I be trying everything and anything else before taking anti-seizure medication?” I decided to change my lifestyle in a couple significant ways. I began jogging regularly and changed my diet. It took a solid 4 to 6 weeks but finally the headaches subsided to where I now get them quite infrequently. I should have made those changes a long time before but sometimes we need to be pushed and it’s good to take stock before beginning medication.
Yet, if you feel your life is manageable and you should feel happy but don’t, it’s time to consider medication. Or is it? Is it possible that your expectation for happiness is unrealistic? Consider University of Pittsburgh research that reveals that women cry an average of five times a month.
Perhaps your lack of cheeriness is the normal state of ups and downs of daily living. We talk so much about happiness that we can think that we are down simply because we’re expecting a consistent level of happiness that’s not consistent with any life. Sadness, frustration, and even some anxiety are all parts of a normal life well lived.
After considering your lifestyle as well as your realistic expectations, if you still feel that your mood is affecting your ability to function properly or you are having suicidal thoughts, seriously consider medication. In fact, I have helped some people I counsel discover that they have been battling depression their entire lives but because it was their “normal,” they never realized it.
Clearly there are times that you should consider medical help for depression and other mood disorders. However, keep in mind that even with medication, psychotherapy as well as healthy changes such as exercise and proper nutrition can boost your ability to beat depression. They can also help you diminish your dosage and possibly get to a point sooner when you can discontinue taking the medicine. Often, an antidepressant can be helpful in taking away a deep darkness which will then allow you to look at your life more clearly and make the changes that will bring greater happiness. Empower yourself by considering and using these many options to create a better life for yourself and those around you.
Go to NeumanMethod.com and sign up for Gary’s newsletter. Gary is a psychotherapist, New York Times best-selling author and rabbi. Oprah Winfrey referred to Gary as, “One of the best psychotherapists in the world… I’ve been doing this a lot of years, he is the best.”