Depression
It is unfortunate that while the term "depression" is used commonly to refer to everything from a feeling of mild irritation to utter anguish, its real meaning is little understood and often trivialized. In fact, depression is the most common mental disorder suffered by Americans. Some estimates claim that roughly fifty million Americans will suffer from depression at some point in their lives.
There are two facts that are important to recognize about depression: First, it is not a "weakness"; it is an actual disorder. And if the depression interferes with normal functioning, attention and treatment are required. Actual depression is not a state of mind that you can "snap out of." In one large study conducted by the RAND Corporation and UCLA, depression was shown to be more disabling than many other ailments that are often taken more seriously including arthritis, ulcers, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Only arthritis proved more painful, and only advanced heart disease caused more days spent in bed. Moreover, doctors are beginning to recognize that depression affects both physical health and mortality. For example, in 330 men infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, those who were depressed died at twice the rate of those who had no depression within the first three years after diagnosis.
Sometimes it's difficult to differentiate actual depression from sadness or melancholy. Those experiencing job loss, illness, or the loss or a loved one, for example, can feel overwhelming sadness but will retain their sense of self and their ability to function in the world. Other people will become clinically depressed, or as the American Psychiatric Association describes it, will experience "a loss of interest or pleasure in all or almost all usual activities and pastimes." While grief, sadness, and melancholy are a natural consequence of life's unhappy events, depression brings the normal round of activities to a halt.
Some people with a family history of depression are more prone to develop it. Some women suffer postpartum depression due largely to a fluctuation in hormones following the birth of a baby. Some women suffer a period of depression right before their menstrual cycle. Chronic diseases and alcoholism can also cause depression, as can some infectious diseases, including hepatitis, mononucleosis, and tuberculosis, probably due to a biochemical reaction. And finally, there are medications that cause depression, particularly steroids and antihypertensives.
What can natural medicine do for someone who is depressed? There are many steps that can be taken to help resolve depression, but first it's important to recognize that some people who are suffering from depression need outside help before they can attempt to help themselves. Here are the warning signals that indicate this need:
If, at least four of these symptoms are present for at least two weeks, you should seek professional help. You can contact the National Mental Health Association, 1021 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, phone (703) 684-7722, for the mental health association in your area that will in turn refer you to a specialist. It's very important to consult someone knowledgeable about sever depression. Many prescriptions for antidepressants are written by primary care physicians who don't have sufficient experience to be able to prescribe the right drug, the right dose, and the right duration of treatment. If the patient is unresponsive, it's then wrongly assumed that "drugs won't work." Most people with severe depression can be successfully treated with drugs, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. Once a patient is in treatment with a professional, the measures outlined below, which have been proven to help, can be adopted. In addition, many cases of mild depression can be headed off by means of a sound nutritional program without the use of medication.
If you suffer from depression, either mild or severe, you should be certain that you are getting adequate nutrients. Many people with depression eat erratically and inadequate nutrition actually exacerbates their depression. Deficiencies of Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12and vitamin C are frequently found in people with emotional disorders.
Some people who have problems with constant mild depression can be suffering from low blood sugar or hypoglycaemia and do not need medication.
Their eating habits are irregular, resulting in rapid fluctuations of' the blood sugar levels, which can cause mood swings including depression. I've seen many mildly depressed patients with low blood sugar who eat too many sweets (sometimes they say they're "addicted" to sugar) and drink too much caffeine. These people need to eat regular meals at regular times; they need to have protein at lunch and dinner; and they must also eliminate caffeine, sugar, and refined carbohydrates from their diet. The mineral chromium is also extremely helpful in controlling low blood sugar.
Some people have hidden food allergies that can manifest as mental symptoms including depression. One study found that the incidence of allergy was about 33 percent in a group of depressed patients compared with only 2 percent in a control group of schizophrenics. Another study found that 85 percent of a group of depressed children and adults was allergic. In my experience, I've found wheat to be the most common cause of depression among people who are sensitive to it. If you suffer from hay fever, dust allergies, or allergies to pets, then food allergies may play a part in your symptoms.
There are two amino acids that have been shown to help some people suffering from depression. One of these is tyrosine. Depression has been associated with decreased activity of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. But norepinephrine synthesis can be influenced by its amino acid precursor, tyrosine. Tyrosine (and ultimately norepinephrine helps to promote positive moods as well as motivation and drive. Depressed patients who were given tyrosine improved their sleeping patterns, mood, libido and other psychological and physiological patterns within a week.
Another amino acid that can help depressed people is D-phenylalanine, which is also involved in epinephrine metabolism, g-phenylaline is converted into tyrosine by the liver.
There is a particular kind of depression that afflicts people only in the winter and only in the northern climes, where light is reduced. It begins in autumn as the days become shorter and peaks in January, subsiding in spring as the days once again begin to lengthen. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that in winter people tend to stay indoors, reducing the amount of light to which they're exposed. Called Seasonal Affectlye Disorder (SAD), it differs from the typical pattern of depression. People who suffer from SAD are four times more likely to be women.
During the winter months they lose energy, suffer increased anxiety, lose interest in sex, oversleep, overeat, gain weight and crave starchy foods. It has been estimated that 5 percent of the population in the North suffers from SAD and one in four people complains of having to suffer through the winter with similar, if less severe, problems. Sometimes people who have regular annual cases of the "holiday blues"--particularly around Christmas--are really suffering from SAD.
No one knows precisely what causes SAD. But we do know that when light enters the retina, electrical impulses transmit signals to the hypothalamus, which sends chemical and electrical messages to other parts of the brain as well as elsewhere in the body. This process is separate from the process of vision, and this explains why blind people can remain synchronized with the daily rhythms of light and dark. Melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleepiness when it grows dark, seems to be intimately involved in the development of SAD. Supplements of melatonin, available in health food stores, can help regulate sleep cycles and combat SAD.
Once disorders such as thyroid malfunction or the taking of medications have been ruled out, the treatment for SAD is simple and straightforward: daily exposure to bright fluorescent light. The treatment, known as light therapy, requires that you sit in front of a light box that contains full-spectrum fluorescent lights at eye level. You can read, knit, or stare into space, but your eyes must be open and near the light source. The light should be about 2,500 lux (a welt-lit room is about 500 to 750 lux). Sources for light boxes are listed below, but I do recommend consulting a specialist before beginning treatment. You should expect to see results from the light therapy in two to three days.
Exercise can be a critical factor in treating depression. Most depressed people are not physically fit. One doctor reported treating depressed men who were unresponsive to standard drug and psychotherapy treatments with exercise regimes. As the men felt worse in the morning, the exercise was undertaken soon after rising. Some worked up to a daily half-hour workout on a stationary bike and a half-hour jog in the afternoon. The others worked up to a 3-mile brisk walk daily. Both groups subsequently responded to drug therapy. Many studies over the years have demonstrated the positive psychological effects of exercise, and I strongly recommend an exercise program--even if it's just a brisk daily walk--to my patients who complain of depression, whether they suffer from SAD, mild depression, or severe depression and are being treated with drugs and psychotherapy.
There's another natural approach you can take to fight depression: read. A recent study involving forty-five men and women suffering from mild to moderate depression recommended two self-help books to their patients: "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy" by David D. Burns and "Control Your Depression" by Peter Lewisohn. They were given four weeks to read one of their choosing. At the end of the study, significant improvement was reported by two-thirds of the readers, compared with only 20 percent improvement in the comparison group. A six-month follow-up revealed that the improvements were sustained in the group that had done the reading. Reliance on a good self-help book is especially useful for older people who might be reluctant to consult a psychotherapist.
NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR DEPRESSION
- Avoid sugar and caffeine, which exacerbate depression,
- Take a Walk at lunch.
- Exercise regularly.
- Take a winter vacation in a sunny place.
IN ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY SUPPLEMENTS, TAKE:
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