Cyclical post cycle depression
Cyclical post cycle depression
In attempt to understand depression we are posed with several problems as bodybuilders.I have not seen this issue addressed in full and I cannot explain it in full either.So any input is welcome some ideas may help and some may not. I hope you find some value in this post. So feel free to add whatever you like to this subject.
Here is a little something I put together after chatting with a friend one night .He was describing to me how depressed he was after running his cycle of test and tren,his second cycle . Unfortunately the conversation got a bit out of control and he started talking about…..suicide! It was then I realized that I get similar feelings coming off a cycle but mine were more a symptom of test crash and not as strong as clinical or suicidal grade depressions. So I searched through some of the larger databases and what I found was one depressing story after another and no answers. All I read was “go see your doctor ”or “get a hold of some paxil”. You see bodybuilders are not dealing with a single typical depression; we are dealing with the possibility of two forms of depression. Understand, not every bber gets post cycle depression. So I guess what we need to ask ourselves, is the cup half full or is the cup half empty? Are you happy with the gains you’ve made or are you feeling that progressive lethargy and is that feeling bringing you down? If so you might be dealing with a post cycle depression of sorts. Or you may just unknowingly be predisposed to depression.
Do you even know if you are predisposed to depression whether it be clinical, S.A.D. (seasonal affective depression), Bi-polar, manic or whatever obscure form of depressions there are? Well, I believe post cycle depression is something completely underestimated and not documented very well to my knowledge. If you are predisposed to depression of any sort you should consult your physician so he/she can treat you case accordingly. Heres what NIMH (National institute of mental health) says about symptoms of depression: Symptoms of depression include sad mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, change in appetite or weight, difficulty sleeping or oversleeping, physical slowing or agitation, energy loss, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, difficulty thinking or concentrating, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. A diagnosis of major depressive disorder is made if a person has 5 or more of these symptoms and impairment in usual functioning nearly every day during the same two-week period. Major depression often begins between ages 15 to 30 but also can appear in children. 1 Episodes typically recur.
Some people have a chronic but less severe form of depression, called dysthymic disorder, which is diagnosed when depressed mood persists for at least 2 years (1 year in children) and is accompanied by at least 2 other symptoms of depression. Many people with dysthymia develop major depressive episodes.
Episodes of depression also occur in people with bipolar disorder. In this disorder, depression alternates with mania, which is characterized by abnormally and persistently elevated mood or irritability and symptoms including overly-inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, increased talkativeness, racing thoughts, distractibility, physical agitation, and excessive risk taking. Because bipolar disorder requires different treatment than major depressive disorder or dysthymia, obtaining an accurate diagnosis is extremely important.
Since someone with clinical depression is different from someone with cyclical depression he or she is dealing with both psychological and physical aspects complicating the two. So did I find any answers to this post cycle problem, yes and no.
What I did find is that preparation is the key in battling cyclical depression and that there are some tools I found that might help alleviate some symptoms. After looking into several meds, herbs and having a post cycle regimen of clomid, nolva, HCG, 5-htp I found that these drugs only minimize your symptoms. Your attitude can also play a strong role and mental preparation. Is that cup half empty or is it half full? Am I really happy with the gains ive made or depressed over what your going to lose? You need to take into consideration that the type and duration of your gear affects your post cycle regimen .Did you use a high dose of testosterone for a long period of time? Because you could be suffering from ‘test crash’ (link). Or are you using a highly androgenic cycle? Believe me the doseage and duration of your cycle can play a critical role and/or all these factors combined can make matters much worse and even make someone suicidal which im sure you’ve heard before.
Here is some info I dug up that describes a little better in detail about certain meds ,herbs, aminos and other methods available to help various meds But remember, everyone reacts differently to various meds and meds are all dose dependent.
One more thing we should look at as bodybuilders is a syndrome called bigorexic or Adonis syndrome, which is the opposite of anorexia. Also called dysmorphia shown in both males and females but predominantly in males. Heres something nandi pointed out to me regarding bigorexia and is a good read at SBI on dysmorphia that deals with depression.
To simplify things and shorten this up we are dealing with two or more forms of depression with preparation being the key…
· A strong post cycle is recommended. Clomid, nolvadex, HCG, slin, 5-HTP or HGH are helpful but remember these can only minimize your symptoms.
· Here is a link to help with some of your post cycle plans here
· Diet, workout and attitude do play a role before you start on any sort of medication. Try some herbs or supplements that are recommended first as you’ve seen.
· Meds and herbs can help and can keep you focused in and out of the gym, our goal.
These ideas, meds and methods can prevent that hard comeback of HPTA nad depression if applied. Remember, our common goal in the gym is to set and achieve our own personal goals, stay focused and simply enjoy what we like to do. This is a sport we all take seriously so prepare for your post cycle as you would your normal cycle. Take the precautions and enjoy your workouts like I do. Hope I could shed some light on this subject that has been unaddressed for so long and make for a smoother post cycle recovery. Happy cycling!
nersh
