Depression is Not a Natural State of Mind
My previous article about the high suicide rate in Japan prompted several comments, including one from a woman in Japan who has had friends either attempt suicide or, in some cases actually do it, as a result of being depressed.
I want to be clear right here, if you or someone you care about is suffering from depression, get help now. This is a serious condition that often requires immediate intervention. There is no shame in being treated for depression. The shame is when a precious life is lost because of it.
When I was growing up, if you told someone you were “depressed,” you were brushed off and told, “get over it.” Fortunately, we have evolved as a society and now recognize that depression does, in fact, exist. We now know that it is serious and that it can be treated.
Even with this new awareness, there are still far too many people in our society today who are walking around with varying degrees of depression.
While I do not claim to be a mental health or medical professional, nor do I play on on TV, I have been studying health as a personal interest for over 30 years and, since my mother taught me to read at a young age, I have a certain amount of knowledge on the subject.
The reader I mentioned earlier suggested this rise in depression may be caused, in part, by too many electromagnetic fields (EMF’s), not all together an outrageous idea.
Last week the medical community released information linking cell phone usage to cancerous tumors, a report which was quickly discredited by the FDA. Makes you wonder who they’re working for.
In cases of mild depression, it’s been my personal experience that two of the primary causes are imbalances in either brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) or hormones.
If you are suffering from a non-life threatening case of moderate depression, before you run out and start taking heavy duty anti-depressant drugs like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and others, you may be better served by having your hormone and brain chemical levels checked.
Of course, seeing a therapist is another wise option, however, I would also be on the lookout for a physical cause behind it, especially if your depression is recent. While we all get “down” from time to time, being depressed for long periods is not a natural state of mind.
Brain chemical analysis can be done with a simple urine sample, is inexpensive, and is available from a variety of sources. Hormone levels, however, require a blood test and, of course, both should be evaluated by a qualified medical professional.
Often, as was my own experience several years ago, the problem can be treated with nutritional supplementation. I had been experiencing mood swings and feeling a bit “down.” I was just not my usual upbeat self.
My doctor, Dr. Neil Rosen who happens to be a holistic practitioner, ordered brain chemical analysis. It turned out I had low levels of serotonin, a problem that was easily resolved with a natural nutritional supplement.
If you’re a woman (or man) over 40, it’s a good idea to have your hormone levels checked. If you want to know more about this, Suzanne Somers did extensive research in her book, The Sexy Years and Ageless (she does great titles:-) Incidentally, I found Dr. Rosen in the back of her book where she has listed a number of doctors who use complementary medicine in their practice.
Remember, as I said earlier, in cases of serious depression, see a professional right away. Whatever the cause, depression is something that can, and should, be treated immediately.
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