20 years of depression resolved
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- Опубліковано 22 чер 2019
- Vlog #15: I had mild/moderate depression for over 20 years. I tried many (non-drug) treatments but was unable to make any impact on it beyond managing the symptoms. Three years ago I made some dramatic changes to my diet for completely different reasons. An unexpected event that followed four weeks afterwards was that my depression completely resolved and has not returned. I will never know if the change caused the resolution. But as I discuss in this post, with reference to the evidence, it is at least plausible that it may have been causative. Nothing in this post is advice. I just want to share what I did. I should also urge anyone considering changes to their treatment regime for mental health issues, pharmacological or otherwise, to do so in consultation with their doctor.
The scientific references that accompany this post can be found on my blog at the link below. I encourage interested viewers to read them in full rather than take them at face value.
www.davemacleod.com/blog/vlog15 - Спорт
I share your experience about being met with scepticism by medical/psych proffesionals who thinks functionality disproves depression. I understand that in a mental healthcare system pressed for resources, some system of priority needs to be in place, but being told your thoughts aren't that severe because you have written a book or - in my case - am working on a PhD, leaves out a lot of scary complexity.
Glad you're doing well now. I am too!
Dave, your service to the climbing community continues to be nonpareil. Thank you.
waw, didn't know 'nonpareil' was used in English! Félicitations.
Giving on so many levels. Thanks dude.
I don't post much on YT but this video was incredible. I've used climbing as a way to cope with my feelings of depression and self-hatred and so much of what you discussed resonated with me. Thank you for all you do for the climbing community and the general public that is fortunate to stumble upon your messages.
Dave. I don't want to go into why I want to say thank you for uploading this video. But thank you man.
When you said you made drastic lifestyle changes I knew where this would go (:
Thanks for sharing Dave!
A very honourable and brave thing this, Dave. I lost a good friend and climbing partner through depression, who never talked about what he was going through until it was too late. Thank you for helping in the effort to normalize it
Fascinating and inspiring, thank you for sharing your journey Dave!
Thank you for posting this, Dave. This means the world to me, and gives me hope.
Your thoughtfulness as well as your climbing are remarkable. thank you for sharing both.
Thank you very much Dave. This is gold on so many levels.
You’re so wise. I appreciate your experience. Thanks for sharing your words.
I may not be able to get in on the altitude class yet, but I can enjoy this and your other content till I can.. Loved hearing your story. I have been in 20+ years of depression, just about my whole life. When I found climbing it was a life changer for 2010 to 2020, my depression was on the down; then when the quarantine happened I stopped climbing al together, the depression came back 10 fold and my (pre existing)epilepsy took a turn for the worse, I was more depressed than I had ever gotten previously, never sought sui**de, but lots of hope to never waking up.. I got back into climbing in January 2024.. I'm doing better, but its a slow process. I have a half baked training plan to hopefully send v10 by the end of the year.
mad respect for going into these waters Dave, very interesting - definitely rewatching this a few times and trying some of it.
This has been my favorite vlog episode so far. I always look forward to your content - amazing stuff Dave.
Dave, you're amazing. Keep doing you!
Thanks for being open and contributing to the discussion here Dave. All the best
Dave you continue to inspire and educate me in so many ways, I see this as another way you are going above and beyond, thank you so so much for sharing this with everyone!
Your videos are always educational, "real", down to earth, non-salesy, no bombastic false promises, etc. Just a note from another appreciative viewer.
This is a brilliant vlog Dave, revealing, personal, courageous, informative - thank you very much for sharing. A fascinating balance of personal experiences and scientific data forged through experiments in real world living. I hope this gets the views and exposure it deserves. A gift.
Respect for being so honest and open about something so personal!
It's very brave to show yourself in such a "vulnerable" way, my hat is off to you sir.
Great video. Thanks for sharing, Dave!
.A true inspiration and certainly not an easy thing to come out and share so honestly. Thank you!
Dave you are someone I really look up to, thank you so much for making this video, it's the last thing I expected to see from you but something that is frustratingly personally relevant and something that needs to be more readily talked about. Thanks for speaking up from within the climbing community. You are the bees knees.
Incredibly valuable message in this video, although I'm even more impressed by how eloquently you're able to express your views on these complex issues. Huge fan of everything you do.
Thank you for sharing this. I especially appreciate your evidence-based approach and disclaimers as to being sceptical of anecdotal evidence, while still instilling hope that there might be tools right under one's nose and giving inspiration to try. I will share this insightful video with some friends that might find it helpful. Also, congratulations on your amazing jouney. I'm happy for you.
I like your braw Scots accent, Dave. My mother was from Dunbar & was raised in Edinburgh. Dad was an American and he was in the Air Force stationed in Scotland.
hearing you speak these considered words with such openness and humility was really touching. climbing is also my salve for the soul and a lot of this resonated with me. thanks.
Thankyou so much for this video. Truly amazing. Fantastic stuff. You post such brilliant content.
Thanks for this video more than any other. I have been grappling with my worst depressive episode for these past two months and recently thought I had come back to a more manageable state. However, I noticed these major emotional spikes, and was concerned I was fooling myself with wishful thinking and a return to appropriate training and diet and being open with my social circle. Once you said the same, I had to smile. Was exactly what I needed to hear.
As a climber suffering with depression I found just hearing about your struggles eye-opening. Makes me feel like I am not alone, which is how I have felt for many years as people don’t really talk about it. Thanks for sharing your story dave. Interesting to hear diet helped with your mood.
Dave you are slowly and surely becoming my favourite source of climbing knowledge and knowledge in general.
Great video as always Dave. It takes courage to admit one suffered depression, I struggled with that acceptance and ultimately admitting it to others for a long time. It takes even more guts to post something like this with the sole goal of hoping to help others. The diet aspect is really interesting. I had a similar experience trying a LCHF diet and ended up with higher anxiety in the end. Listening to you has perked my interest again but this time a bit more research will be done. It’s always reassuring to know you are not the only one. 🙏
Thank you Dave. My family has similar historical struggles with mental illness, and I can relate to much of what you've said here. Sensitive and honest testimony.
So important. Thank you Dave.
Thank you Dave, it’s really appreciated!
Thank you Dave, I have been suffering for roughly the same time, even throughout my career in the Army. It has definitely become considerably worse since being medically discharged and losing the ability to run and play sports competitively. I have found climbing since and it has helped with my mental state but not got me out of the hole and fog. I will look to make similar changes and thank you for talking about this so openly. To say you have had depression for more than 2 decades people look at you funny but hearing your story was uplifting to say the least. Knowing there is potentially a way out that isn't drastic and devastating
Awesome video. As a physician myself, I'm always impressed by your ability to investigate in the primary literature, and to effectively share what you learn.
I was about to send this to you!
@@Aldroid0 haha. yeah man. Dave knows what's up.
Dave, the way you describe your depression sounds so like what I live with day to day. I'm trying to make some positive lifestyle changes at the moment and I hope they can help me get to where you are. Thanks for this vlog
Thanks for the honesty and input.
So glad I found your channel Dave.
Ah man I can't believe I've only just seen this particular video. Talk about the right time!!! I always knew there was something about you that I connected with but didn't realise what it was until now. Man your videos are so good they inspire me to do similar ❤
24 days on the carnivore diet and my depression is almost gone. 27 years and I've tried everything ! Even the jungle in Peru doing ayahuasca for weeks. My psoriasis is complete gone. Zero pain in any joints ! It honestly feels like damage in my brain is being reversed. I would cry if I could but I'm feeling to good to cry. All I have to say is WTF . Give it a shot.
damage in your brain, what u mean with that?
How are you now?
Update please
Happy for you, thanks for sharing!
Did you implement high fat carnivore (ie. 80:20) or straight carnivore?
Wonderful, honest vlog. Thanks Dave
Thanks for sharing your experience Dave. Amazing to think that what we eat affects how we feel!!
I'm such a fan of this man.
Great work as always.
He's given me hope that an older climber(I'm 39) can actually progress(I've been climbing 2 years).
Without his inspiration I think I would have quit at my 6b plateau.
Thank you so much Dave!!!! Keep inspiring!!!😊🤜
brilliant - as always - so much respect 🙏👊🙌🏼
Really great video. Looking forward to hearing more about the nutrition.
Thanks for sharing your story and interesting, scientifically grounded, speculations on diet and it's role.
So glad it’s helping and I look forward to more videos.
Excellent video again Dave. I started the diet a month ago and am starting to notice the difference. I feel it is the reduced carbs,plus as you mention the benefits brought about by what is in the food contained within the diet.
Really glad I clicked on your video. 32 right now, I recently started climbing, wanted to lose weight, but mainly to try and get out of my continuous small depression, which I carried around for quite a while. I am aware that there never is a guarantee for success, but nice to see, that at least one person managed to succeed with climbing :) Keep it up (landscapes in the vids are gorgeous, btw!)
Thank you for your open words.
thank you for making the videos. great pillar of the climbing community you are.
Thank you so much for your honesty, it is amazing
Thanks, Dave. True strenght.
Going through some dark times just now and this has given me a different and somewhat hopeful perspective. Thanks.
All the best for reaching a better place as soon as you can.
An excellently interesting video. Also, thanks very much for your fantastic books, they're a real help.
Hey Dave, I appreciate that this is a bit of an older video now but I resonate with it beyond belief.
Similar to you I've struggled with depression since my mid-teens, I'm now 36 and I'm still not wholly free of it, but I'm working on it with a much more acute awareness of when I feel myself slipping.
Like yourself, I couldn't blame my life from the outside. I was competing martial arts at world championship level, I raced motocross at national championship level (although I fractured two vertebrae in my neck doing this), I competed strongman (which I herniated two lumbar discs doing a 300kg deadlift) and played rugby at amateur level but very competitively. I was working and progressing with engineering. But I never felt completely okay. But the most noticeable change for me was when I was competing strongman. Within that world there's a strong movement of anabolic steroid use, which I was part of. I used them heavily in 16 week cycles. This had a profound effect on my mental health, almost to a bi-polar level. Anyway, 5 years on from when I was competing strongman and using steroids, I'm far from perfect but I'm on the right path.
I also changed to a ketogenic diet, changed my training regimen to include a great deal more cardio, eventually getting up to running 5k, 3 times per week. But ultimately to make a more drastic improvement to my mental health I've been using Sertraline prescribed by my GP. That said, my love of the outdoors, mountain hiking, lowland walking including different forms of photography. In the last couple of years I've taken hiking into scrambling and I've been learning to advance scramble/mountaineer and trad climb, strangely enough which led me to your UA-cam channel. I feel like I'm on the right path in the right place. Although I'm still heavier than majority of the climbing community, my strength carryover from previous sports seems to be allowing me to move up rock fairly well. Ever improving.
Thank you for making such a candid and honest video though, it's a hard thing to put into words sometimes. You have to have a good level of self awareness to be able to notice these things within yourself.
Love your work.
All the best,
Gareth.
This is really excellent, thank you.
thank you so much for sharing this helps and means a lot to see someone i look up too going through something that i deal with myself ❤
Thank you Dave! To me you are a great person!!
Diet and exercise is soòoo underrated.
Also stepping back and not putting too much pressure on yourself is very liberating.
I've been feeling signs of depression from a very young age and can relate to so many points in the first half of this video. I have struggled through this during my development as an adult (currently in my early 20's) and similarly have never taken steps to combat it or talk about it. I have been doing things like skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding, climbing, playing guitar, etc. at a high level my whole life and similarly use those things to self-medicate. Although these things pull you away from depression momentarily, it still feels consistently present in the grand scheme of things.
Videos like this are starting to help motivate me to talk about and do something about these feelings despite having all of the positive things that I have and have had in life. Even though on the outside you may look like a solid person who's doing well, things you don't understand about what's going on in your brain/body can choke out that feeling. Thanks, Dave for sharing your story! I'll promise that it will have an impact on me since before this video I've never had anyone to relate to about this stuff.
Thank you for sharing this Dave. I have had a similar experience with a very positive change in my disposition from changing my diet. For me it was including more non-meat protein like lentils and beans and more green vegetables and fruit that seems to help me the most, especially in terms of digestion. I do eat meat regularly still. However diet was just a fraction of the things I needed to change, and for me what's made an even larger difference to improve my depression has been implementing a large amount of stretching and self-massaging, and generally making my body fit together well. I've noticed my anxiety is highly linked to the tension within my body, and I've slowly reduced it over time. Also breathing well. As an athlete your body condition hasn't been your issue, so fixing your diet may have been the final piece of the puzzle for you. It's key no matter who you are so thanks for highlighting its importance. Also what you said about succeeding in the face of depression and that making you stronger, I definitely agree.
It's crazy I've never seen this video before, but my life very much parallels your own in terms of symptoms throughout your life. I'm 33 and am going to see a psychiatrist, however climbing has regulated by mood over the past couple of months.
I can't eat fish either, and I'll be looking into taking up keto for a month to see if it works for me.
Thanks for sharing Dave.
I just started watching your climbing videos and was so glad I stopped to watch this one. I lost a brother to depression and am still trying to understand depression for my own benefit and so I can help others. Thank you for sharing your experience in a very thoughtful way on a very complex subject. Keep climbing!
So sorry to hear that. Thanks for the comment.
Thank you for an important and helpful message.
For me this is a good remember to continue my own fight and look deeper into the physical part of it.
All of your videos are informational and inspiring, this one hit close to home.
I def. agree, that nutrition is the key with depression. very sad, that the most doctors dont tell you that, or maybe they dont even know. Thanks for the video!
Great story! You said you’re not sure if it was the change of eating but speaking from my own experience and countless of other UA-cam testimonies. It sounds exactly what we feel. Noticeable improvements immediately within weeks, for me it’s that severe for me with my health and my mood I feel better each day that passes if I stick to the small amount of food I can eat. (I don’t do Keto, I have my own restrictive diet)
And like you said, it’s amazing, you still feel pain but it’s not that darkness and intense feeling that’s lingers on. I call it a more balanced feeling, you feel pain but not in hopeless or obsessive way.
World class Dave as always 🙏
Thank you so much for being so open and honest about your experience, and sharing your story!
Thank you Dave this is great thank you!
Thank you for this. It helps in many ways.
Cheers Dave, you're a hero.
Thank you for sharing about your long experience with depression and what you've done to overcome it. If anyone reading these comments are looking to hear more about the science behind Dave's approach, you can also find tons of info at the following youtube channels; high intensity health or/& low carb down under. I too have had a profound change in my mental & physical well being while following the same lifestyle & food changes.
I'm glad you found a dietary way to treat yourself....and other things you've done.
thank you. Ive felt really in the thick of it and are aware that food contributes quite a bit. I think lowering my carb intake would be a worthwhile experiment
Thank you for the video Dave
Thank you Dave 🙏
I've literally gotten back into climbing as an attempt to climb out of my own experience with depression. Can't say that it's worked yet, but it's something to do in the dark times. Thanks for speaking out about this Dave.
Hows the climbing been going man? Still at it?
@@MrRellim94 uh-oh
Adam Smith uh ohhhhhh 😨
@@highvoltageboys Still here! UA-cam doesn't always alert me to messages. To be honest, I barely remember leaving this comment, so it was a bit of surprise to see this now.
As for the depression... I'm working at it. Life is still hard and 2020 hasn't helped with that. No climbing at the moment. Still, it's surprising and encouraging to see that someone has responded to my initial post. Thanks @MrRellim94.
@@MrRellim94 Missed your comment months back. Thanks for the question. I'm still working at it. Someday maybe it'll be better.
Thank you Dave!
Thanks Dave, one of my all time fave climbers ;)
So great! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this vlog, very helpful and inspiring. It convinced my wife and I to try Keto and after a couple of months the results have been impressive in terms of mood and energy levels (especially in the evenings).
Thank you so much for sharing this Dave! I would never have guessed you previously had depression. I dealt with it from age 8 to 21 and struggled with obesity that whole time as well. When I was 21, I made huge personal changes and lost 100 pounds in a year. Eating healthy and exercising regularly helped end my depression during that period and it's been 6 years now with no recurring episodes. Losing the weight allowed me to rekindle my love for the outdoors and eventually discover rock climbing, which has give me so much joy and personal satisfaction since I started 4 years ago.
Thats brilliant. Long may it continue.
Good vlog Dave. Thank you
love how academic this vlog is
Great Video Dave.
Thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm beginning a keto diet with the hopes to improve my depression. I'm glad you found healing!!
Did it work?
Hi Dave,
Thank you for your contributions - really open and informative and with lots of substance.
Down to the matter at hand: I could confidently say that I had/have similar issue and only in my late 30's (I am 44 now) and I managed to find successful coping mechanisms that involved, basically, being able to identify early the onset of a depressive episode and get ahead of it, usually with becoming immersed into activity/projects.
However, a year and a few months ago (during a three months recovery following an accident) I made a decision of removing meat (including fish) from my diet. The reasons were very impulsive and sentimental and I did promise to myself that if I crave meat (I was a great lover of beef steaks) I will not deny myself that. I will just take it a day at a time. Over a year now I did not crave meat and I noticed a few things:
- I sleep much better and feel much more rested in the morning
- I feel lighter
- I feel like I recover better after effort
- I seem (!) to have better endurance
- I had no occurrence of depressive onset so far which is quite impressive to me
I did and do have an active lifestyle (well, not now as I am in home confinement) since I work as mountain guide; I never had a planned or researched diet - not before, not now. I always ate what I felt like eating as I believed that my body is smarter than whatever charts I could devise.
Even now, since I switched to a vegetarian diet, I still do not plan meals nor do I take supplements. Also I'm not disciplined enough to follow a food plan... which is also probably a big factor. I eat what is available at hand and what I crave. I do not obsess over food but I do not eat meat or fish (nor crave it) and not so much milk either though I do not shy away from dairy products especially if the food is normally cooked with sour-cream or cheese. Occasionally, for a lazy breakfast, I eat eggs; or I eat dishes that would use eggs.
Now, I followed your vlog on the plant based diet and by all means it is researched and a really informative piece; No qualms about your conclusions. I also do take your point about vegan diet as well. However my change in diet (not researched, just instinctive) has produced similar results if one is to take the measure being how one "feels". Will I stay on it? As long as i feel good, I will. Will I eat meat? If one day I will crave it I won't deny myself that. However so far I feel much better physically and mentally this way. Go figure...
I'm really glad this has worked for you. I have no physiological explanation why positive changes in symptoms would be related to removing meat. The only ideas I might have that could explain your results are either that if you ate more eggs (which have some important nutrients for brain health such as choline), or you ate less of something else that came along with your meat (such as frying it in Linoleic acid rich oils or consuming it with a lot of refined carbs. Whatever the explanation, I'm glad you are doing well.
This video (along with others around the carnivore diet) inspired me to change my diet. As someone who has suffered from severe depression for about 20 years, it gave me something like a 10-20% reduction in depressive symptoms.
How much time have you continued the diet?
Thansk Dave, helps a lot!
Wow you're such a beautiful human. I've had a similar experience. Much time alone in the wilderness. Im now reworking the diet and the vision. Blood sugar and loneliness. Sending you a steak and a cuddle x
Hi Dave, This is a wonderful vlog and I'm so glad to hear that you were able to finally find some results to help your depression. I think you hit the nail on the head that depression can often be the fuel for many outwardly perceived successes in life, as they can be developed as coping and avoidance methods for depression. I'm a clinical psychologist in the US and one thing that stands out from your vlog to me is the absence of you mentioning talk psychotherapy. Granted, their may be a cultural divide here of the atmosphere around mental health in Scotland of which I'm not aware, but it sounds as if your doctors quickly saw medication as the only go-to option, as many general practitioners in the US also do unfortunately. But it does leave my curious if you ever had thoughts of going down that route?
As a psychiatrist in the US, I would tend to agree that meds are, unfortunately, often considered exclusively in western medicine. Psychotherapy is an extremely helpful, and generally low risk, approach to treating all manner of mental health challenges, including depression.
Hi Mike. Thanks. Actually my doctor was in agreement with my reluctance to opt for medication at first presentation, although they said they would prescribe it if I specifically asked for it. Their preferred first option was CBT and suggested I try this on my own since the waiting list for professional sessions was well over 1 year. I have a close relative studying psychotherapy now and hopefully will learn about it in greater detail. It's not needed for me now thankfully.
great video, great mind behind it. keep it up Dave. I study nutritional science because its that interesting, and a lot is still unknown. And 99% of the people are having problems with food, with not eating optimally for their own well being and health. And the only one who can tackle that problem are they themself.
Inspiring, heart warming, informative! After reading a few referred papers, it confuses me that many vegetables can have a high antidepressant "food score" (ref #1), yet inspire other researchers to conclude that men living on a vegetarian diet more often feel depressed as opposed to those who do not (ref #11). As a depressed male climber who is inspired by your video to make a change - these contradictory findings make it difficult to decide on what change would be best...
We just need to talk guys..our futures depend on it .. literally..there soo much climbing out there to be found and life is too short anyway...talk to someone you know will listen...start from there and go forwards...great video thanks..from UK's legendary climber..
Boy we sound familiar. I am going to try this nutrition program. Thanks so much for this information!! Cheers