this post was submitted on 02 Sep 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] [email protected] 127 points 2 months ago (8 children)

Damn turns out I'm not depressed I just needed some magnesium

[–] [email protected] 106 points 2 months ago (1 children)

i know you're joking but fuck, sometimes it do be like that.

Obviously nobody should infantalise people suffering from depression by telling them to "just be happy", "go outside" etc. but if you're malnourished, have vitamin deficiencies, don't go out to hang out with the human tribe, and sit in your home the entire day without moving - you're going to feel like shite. Fixing those problems won't cure clinical depression, but the other way round is true too - getting meds for depression won't cure you of feeling like shit if you don't use the chance they give you to try to improve your life yourself.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I had an iodine deficiency! I wasn't eating dairy or eggs, I was cooking my own food from scratch, and I was using sea salt instead of iodized salt. In addition, I like drinking alcohol which makes it harder to absorb iodine. Felt like shit. Couldn't muster the energy to give the slightest shit about anything.

Got blood work done and found out. So I started taking a supplement every other day for it specifically because I'm just not getting it in my diet. I'm feeling pretty great now.

I don't think supplements are generally the answer, but having a work up done and learning some shit about yourself can be pretty eye opening and point you at what you need to do to fix your diet. It's a good first step, but not a magic bullet.

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[–] [email protected] 50 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Vitamin deficiencies are easy to detect and to treat, and there's no sense in spending months or years hoping to find the right anti-depressant before checking for them. Heck, I wish my issues were caused by vitamin deficiencies.

[–] racsol 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

How are vitamin deficiencies detected? Some specific blood test?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Your doctor sends your blood sample to a lab and ticks the 'B12' box on the printout form

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

Yeah, I think it's something a GP will prescribe.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 months ago

I know you're joking but I only figured out I have anemia because iron supplements suddenly gave me energy to live

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago

That literally happened to me. Turns out that my doctor’s resident who just finished a psych rotation learned that most people are deficient in magnesium.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

It's not always someone saying - it's definitely these and anyone who is depressed just isn't taking these, it's literally just a kind and actually possible and helpful suggestion

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[–] [email protected] 125 points 2 months ago (3 children)

turns out The Vitamin is real sometimes

[–] [email protected] 52 points 2 months ago (2 children)

There's something seductive about the idea that all our problems are caused by this one thing, and if we could figure out what it is and fix it, we'd be unstoppable at life. It's the same idea behind "doctors hate this one weird trick".

On occasion, it even turns out to be correct.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago
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[–] [email protected] 88 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

NGL, I've spent a decade wondering why I couldn't sleep at night and couldn't concentrate all day, only to finally realize I was constantly low on electrolytes because of my intense exercise routine.

And if anyone is wondering, sports drinks are worthless sugary drinks shrouded in "sporty" marketing. Vitamin D, Calcium and Magnesium is what helped me (and are far more cost efficient than sports drinks). Consult a doctor.

[–] [email protected] 44 points 2 months ago (4 children)

There are low sugar sports drinks. Most of the electrolytes they're advertising is just salt. Your body needs salt to function. You lose salt when you sweat.

My doctor told me I come literally just put some table salt in water and it would do just as well as any sports drink, sugar or no.

I work in a physical environment and they hand out electrolyte packets and Gatorade like candy when it gets hot.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago

I love the electrolit cucumber lime. Not so much sugar. Water is still my main drink though.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Potassium is also an important electrolyte for heart health, so have a banana with your salt water, if you can. source: https://www.cdc.gov/salt/sodium-potassium-health/index.html

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

For me, it's pickle juice.

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[–] [email protected] 49 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Everyday I would wake up with severely sore arms, like they were clenched somehow.

Blood test said Vitamin D deficiency, but the supplements didn't do anything noticeable. But I was on the border of anemia so they told me to try iron supplements too.

Gone overnight. I'm so used to problems being an exhausting road to recovery that this one took me by surprise.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (13 children)

Huh. My recurring biceps pains are the bane of my existence. And I was also refused for a blood donation due to insufficient hemoglobin. I need to try iron supplements.

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

I am love deficient. Not that I am demanding that people should love me for no reason. Just that I wish I feel loved a tiny bit. I know that the fault is most probably with me too.

Edit: I feel like I am stuck in a loop, I feel self-pity because I don’t feel loved. I am probably not loved because I feel self-pity. Breaking the cycle is hard.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

Hugs from an internet stranger!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

Our communities are setup like that. We're separated from eachother, and we can't afford to spend enough time at local third places to feel community. Church also used to be central to community and most people aren't religious, but nothing has replaced the churches role in community building.

It's rough. If you can get out to places nearby where people congregate that will be nice. Getting a dog is nice too if you like dogs, they give you love and accept your love and they're a good ice breaker. They also force you out regularly. You can take the dog to dog parks and chat with locals.

It's not your fault. Humans are a social animal and we built cities and an economy that didn't consider that.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

It is important that you love yourself. In fact, I think it's important that you feel loved by someone, even if that somebody is yourself.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (13 children)

FWIW I already take these vitamins daily, along with magnesium, zinc, copper, folate, manganese, boron, St. John's Wort, Ashwagandha, Tumeric, SAM-e, Saffron, Kratom, Ginko Baloba, L-theanine, along with a nightly dose of Valerian Root, L-Tryptophan, lemon balm extract, 5-HTP, and 500+ mg of a high THC extract, and I'm still tired and miserable all the time.

Even walking 20k+ steps a day at my job isn't enough. I've never been healthier and more depressed. Tried therapy for a decade but gave up when I couldn't find a single therapist I can relate with. Not even pharmaceuticals helped me. I've accepted the fact that I am just going to be perpetually tired and miserable for the rest of my life and there's nothing anyone can do to help.

(FWIW I don't take kratom daily. Only at work. And the dosage of THC can range from as low as 100mg all the way up to a full gram of pure THC distillate. Yes these are accurate numbers. I live in a legal state and can get distillate for $5/g. I have a high tolerance and don't get high anymore; just sleepy. If I don't have any THC in my system, I can't sleep at all no matter how tired I am. The insomnia was hell until I discovered weed in my 20s).

[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Maybe cut out the THC? It's a depressant.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I think this person is on the opposite end and is overwhelming him/herself with too much supplements...

[–] refalo 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You don't think they started out tired all the time with no supplements and then slowly added them to try it out?

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago

Honestly I think it's most likely that you're simply overworked. (many/most people are)

I think that being overworked, together with emotional instability/lack of security, are the most prevalent causes of mental illnesses in our society today. It's no "chemical imbalance in your brain" story. Sure, there's chemical imbalance, but where does that imbalance come from? I guess it's mostly that our bodies aren't built for today's demands.

[–] JackbyDev 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

500+ mg THC? That's a lot.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

And he doesn't understand why he's always tired

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I think ashwaganda is not supposed to be taken daily long term

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Kratom is not a health supplement.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Nor is pot. This guy is abusing drugs and asking why he's depressed.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I don't even believe they took 0.5g of THC, that's an insane amount. Unless they mean over a long period of time. The standard dose you can buy is 10mg.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It's not insane for heavy users - they sell 1g brownies in dispensaries, these days. That being said, it's neither cheap nor is there any debate of it being a medicine at that level. Dude's just getting blasted every day and wondering why he's tired

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Is that actually 1g of pure THC, or is that like the weight of the extract or something? I can't imagine the tolerance you would need, any normal person would be passed out for an entire day taking that.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 months ago (10 children)

I was like this. Saw a new rheumatologist who took my various symptoms seriously. Turns out I'm chronically deficient in vitamin D. Had to take weekly megadosea for 3 months and now I'm on a daily supplement of a lower dose. I also started hydroxychloroquine for whatever autoimmune disease I have (I'll hopefully be getting a formal diagnosis on the 16th)

I feel so much better than I did. I actually have a life now and can go out and do things I enjoy.

Absolute life-changing treatment. I've been trying to get rheumatologists to take me seriously for 20 years.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 months ago (2 children)

"I am tired when I get up," this is also a sign of a sleep disorder like narcolepsy or sleep apnea.

It can be a sign of thyroid issues.

Copper, selenium, zinc, and other deficiencies can cause fatigue as well

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I just have a lot of sleep inertia. Sleepy when I get up, not sleepy at bed time.

I did also have a vitamin D deficiency without knowing it though.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Would this have been an acceptable reply?:

I'm sorry you're feeling so drained.

I’ve heard sometimes iron, B12, or vitamin D deficiencies can sometimes contribute to persistent fatigue, but whatever the cause, I hope you're able to get the support you need to start feeling better soon.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago

imo seems inappropriately formal

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I need a good daily vitamin. I just need to bite the bullet and order some. I swear some things wrong with me truly are because I eat 99 cent ramens for dinner because I just don't want to spend money on food that's good for me lol.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If people could only share useful information that helps people like this, the world would be a better place. Search out the deficiencies, tell others how to satiate them once you find the way!!! Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, and Kelp(for iodine, but kelp allows for enormous idodine intake). Those vitamins all work together and help you to feel great!

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