Feeling Down? Turn Your Shit Upside Down!

Yep, depression blows!!!  I suffered from this shitty ass condition for many years.  Those little happy pills helped but they also made me insane, but I’m happy I had them because I know I won’t be here right now if I didn’t.  With people busier than every, every second of the day accounted for by work, kids, sports, laundry, driving etc, etc… no wonder depression is on the rise.  Here’s my opinion, if you want to hear it, if not your are 100% free to not read it 🙂

We are depressed because we are not fulfilling the deepest wishes of our hearts!

I’m no stranger to unbalanced brain chemicals friends but seriously some of us are working ourselves to the brink of exhaustion with no play time.  This is a recipe for sadness!  Our hearts long to connect to community,  have friends, socialize, dress up, dance, eat food together, have “sexy time”, and when we don’t make time for that we suffer heartache and feel poopy!

My depression almost killed me! 

Confessing to you that I attempted suicide many years ago isn’t a ploy for sympathy but rather a gentle reminder of how sacred  life actually is!  If you suffer from this shitty ass condition, get some help!  What I mean by that is DO SOME SERIOUS YOGA and DO IT EVERYDAY!

It’s normal to feel sad sometime, lost, alone, to cry, to isolate ourselves but these are some of the symptoms that are worth looking at.  Here are the 9 main symptoms that doc’s use to help diagnose clinical depression.

1.  Loss of pleasure, in activities that used to make you happy.

2. A noticeable increase or decrease in appetite, weight, or both.

3.  Constantly feeling guilty or worthlessness (yuk)

4.  Insomnia, disturbed sleep, oversleeping, long naps every day.

5.  You feel depressed almost everyday and for most of the hours you are awake.

6.  Inability to focus or concentrate, most of the time.

7.  Intense feeling of lethargy or agitation.

8.  No energy or daily fatigue.

9.  reoccurring suicidal thoughts (boo)

How does depression happen?  The brain is a complex organism but what is understood about it can help to explain a part of depression and how your brain works.  Sometimes there are abnormal levels of neurotransmitters such as, serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the brain.  This imbalance can improve by taking anti-depressants or SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, this include:

  • Citalopram (Celexa, Cipramil)
  • Escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex, Seroplex, Lexamil)
  • Fluoxetine(Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax)
  • Fluvoxamin (Luvox)
  • Paroxetine (Paxil, Aropax)
  • Sertraline (Zoloft) ( I took this one for 7 years)
  • Vilazodone (Viibryd)

What about side effects?  Here’s a little list of them:  drowsiness, dry mouth, nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, decreased appetite, long-term weight gain and decreased ability to function sexually (big boo) may occur. Some of these side-effects may decrease as a person adjusts to the drug, but other side-effects may be persistent.

If these drugs help you gather enough energy to get out to yoga that’s fantastic because yoga can and does help depression, but here’s the kicker you have to do it, daily!!  Some days I felt more depressed than others and had to literally drag my ass to class but every time I did, I always, always, always felt better afterward, even just a teeny, tiny, little bit.

According to  Dr. Timothy McCall, one of the reasons yoga helps is that it helps to relieve stress and tension which often has a big impact on the sympathetic nervous system.  Yoga has been shown to decrease cortisol levels that stay elevated from the flight or fight response, which is tied to lifting one’s mood.

Here it is!  Feeling Down?  Turn Your Shit Upside Down!  TANTRA STYLE!

Yoga time is anytime 😉

The benefits of doing inversions are well documented at this point!  Patricia Walden lists that headstand can help clear the brain, stabilize emotions and build confidence.  I couldn’t agree more.

Headstand kept me from ending my life! 

Big bold statement yes!  Headstand with good alignment (critical since I also suffered  a serious whiplash injury from a car accident) also helps to improve the pulsation of the endocrine system.  Think of this system as a series of on/off switches.  When some of them are off instead of on, it impacts our hormones and stress can cause them to get out of whack.  Inversions can help balance them out.

In addition to inversions effect on the endocrine system, you get a brand spanking new perspective on your life when your upside down!  Sure it might just be 30 seconds when your learning but if you build up to ten minutes you are refreshing your eye! Seeing your shit from upside down can help you have a shift in attitude when your right side up!.

In light of the recent article in the NY Times about how yoga can wreck your bod, I suggest with confidence an Anusara teacher.  They can teach you how to create a powerful foundation that keeps your neck safe and in fact can strengthen your neck muscles.

Practice, practice, practice and hopefully it helps you catch a glimpse of your divinity and what a gift it is to have this body and even this condition.

Blessings to you!

About Mindy

Mindy Willis-Menard is an international yoga teacher who's love of yoga, nature, adventurer and life inspire her to teach. A true adventurer of the heart Mindy is also a hooper, rock climber, snowboarder, runner, foodie and cyclist. Mindy teaches classes, workshops and retreats world-wide. Every other moment she spends with her husband and dog, Mrs. Betty Rox.

One thought on “Feeling Down? Turn Your Shit Upside Down!

  1. Hi Mindy,
    I stumbled on to your site today and read all of your articles….I’m so impressed with your honesty and authentic life stories. You are a truly amazing soul and inspiration to us all. I so look forward to hearing more! Thank you from my heart.
    Arlene

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