Testosterone and Depression

Hi. I am new to this forum and am looking to learn more about using testosterone. I figured I'd start my inaugural post with an article that I recently read on Vice News. The author of the article talks about using testosterone as a way of dealing with his life long battle against mental illness/depression. I was intrigued by the idea and was wondering if I could get some of your thoughts. The author was not using the hormone under the supervision of a physician but stated that he did find significant relief with weekly injections. Anyone here have similar experiences?

go get blood work done and see where your test levels are at

I already had the blood work done. My levels are lower than normal. My problem is that I can't find a doctor that is willing to work with me given my age. I'm 27. I'd appreciate any advice you had.

I'd look into a 'mens clinic' that specializes in treating low test. they are more likely to treat you then a run of the mill GP.

do you bodybuild at all or your just looking to optimize your test levels for general well being ?

More for personal well being than anything else. I have a pretty strong wrestling background and was in good shape back in the day. But over the years I've been feeling a dramatic decrease in my energy levels and significant increase in my BMI, which I strongly believe to be the result of low T. I used to be very good at cutting a lot of weight and keeping it off but can't seem to do it anymore. I'm hoping that the testosterone can help give back some of the energy I used to have to get rid of this weight and get back to my life.

Welcome.

Did you test anything other than hormone levels? Many things can cause low T that are fixable. Hypothyroidism being a big culprit. When it comes to low T and depression there are many studies on the topic. In many cases correcting the low T alleviates the symptoms of depression.

Best of luck!

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Originally Posted by NihilistFighter

Hi. I am new to this forum and am looking to learn more about using testosterone. I figured I'd start my inaugural post with an article that I recently read on Vice News. The author of the article talks about using testosterone as a way of dealing with his life long battle against mental illness/depression. I was intrigued by the idea and was wondering if I could get some of your thoughts. The author was not using the hormone under the supervision of a physician but stated that he did find significant relief with weekly injections. Anyone here have similar experiences?

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I believe the cause of most depression is chemical imbalances. I also believe these chemical imbalances are literally cause by our enviornment and reactive thought processes.

Having a solid goal to set my sights on (AAS was included) pulled me out of suicidal depression. I took no prescriptions for the imbalance, I sought no treatment, and am happy now.

I have seen the chemical power of the brain when triggered by emotion to its greatest extent. Your thought processes are so powerful they can literally turn off conciousness or increase reactive function x10. I watched a person go from totally docile to covered in hives with their eyes turning from white to blood red in about 5 seconds.

There are chemical imbalances that can permanently damage us and some either can not be treated or must be treated indefinitely. Most standard depression does not fall in this catergory imo.

I changed my enviornment and outlook from isolated and sad to outgoing and furious. I later changed that into calm and happy.

Imo, a person can use their goals and life processes to treat depression in most cases. If getting more fit/bigger is ones goal... AAS would probably help greatly with this.
Having low T will make any man at a much greater risk for depression and make it much harder to change this without external treatment.

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Originally Posted by kelkel

Did you test anything other than hormone levels? Many things can cause low T that are fixable. Hypothyroidism being a big culprit. When it comes to low T and depression there are many studies on the topic. In many cases correcting the low T alleviates the symptoms of depression.

Best of luck!

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^very true. plus other issues can cause low T 'symptoms' that are not because of actual low T

To be totally honest, I was a little hesitant to post something about depression given the personal nature of the condition. I appreciate how honest and open you are about your experiences. For me there is nothing better than getting the perspective of someone who has been where you're at. I'd be lying if I said that I was not hoping that the testosterone would give me the strength I needed to cut some of this excess weight and sculpt my body into something more healthy both from a medical and psychological standpoint. As of right now, my plan is to find a physician who is willing to work with me to use the testosterone to get me out of a depressive state. It's an unconventional use for testosterone but it's something that I really think could do a lot of good and help me get my life back on track.

So that's the interesting thing about low T, from a biological perspective. Even if someone has blood serum levels that are considered "normal," they can still be suffering from the effects of low T. From what I understand, it's not just a matter of how much testosterone your endocrine system is producing but the overall physiological impact of your respective testosterone levels.

That's what I am hoping for. The author of article stated that his depressive symptoms lifted just 24 hours after his first injection. To be clear, he was careful to state that it was not a miracle cure by any stretch but that it was a solid step in the right direction.

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome buddy, hope the forums help you sort out your problems!