Hi Amy
I'm sorry you are experiencing such severe depression.

It sounds like maybe you just went back onto step 6 cold turkey. Going back through the steps gradually, getting step 3 steady with meals at regular times and sugar with meals and then gradually adding in the other steps in order would be a kinder, gentler way to do things. Also, you moved from Arizona, which has lots of sun, to Oregon, which does not have the same quality of sun (and parts of it have very little sun at all.) I know that when I lived in New England, I got the winter blahs every year, and then I moved to New Mexico and don't experience any of that because it is sunny almost every day and the altitude is higher so the sun is stronger. You've done the opposite. Exposure to sunlight does factor into serotonin production.

It will take more than a couple of weeks of doing all the steps to get things back in balance. In the meantime, getting some exercise (going for walks is great, especially if you have somewhere pleasant to walk),and spending time outdoors when it's sunny may help. I think adding in extra timed carbs may not be the best way to go because if your serotonin rises too fast you may experience insomnia and weird dreams, and your body may shut down some of your serotonin receptors. I've found with all these things that slow and steady is the way to go.
Allison

: Hello. My name is Amy and I have.
: Even “doing the food” on and off
: since 2000. In February 2013, I
: finally got serious and by the end
: of that year I was on step 6 and
: 7. I can honestly say these have
: been the best years of my life! In
: January of this year my husband
: and I moved our family from
: Arizona to Oregon. The move was
: stressful and challenging and as
: such I relapsed from the program.
: Now I still did breakfast with all
: four parts, took my vitamins, and
: ate three meals a day with
: protein, but fell in to eating
: sugar throughout the day, ate my
: three meals at inconsistent times
: throughout the day, and did not
: journal or have my nightly potato.
: As a result, I have been suffering
: from crushing depression. Two
: weeks ago I was able to drag
: myself back on the plan. I was
: able to go off sugar again and
: have no cravings, headache,
: crankiness, or other withdrawal
: symptoms. However, the depression
: is still almost crippling.
: Yesterday I added a carb
: (trisciuts and butter) three hours
: after breakfast and lunch in
: addition to my nightly potato to
: help increase my serotonin until I
: start to feel less depressed. Has
: anyone else done this and had
: success? Thanks!