Depression Q&A

What is Depression?

A complex condition characterised by an overwhelming feeling which:

Dulls thinking

Impairs concentration

Saps: energy, interest in food, sex, work and everyday activities

Disrupts sleep.

There are many forms of depression from mild depression to major depressive illness.

What causes it?

This complex condition has variable causes.

Ranging from emotional setbacks (bereavement, job loss, financial difficulties, stress, etc), to nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances & allergies.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of depression are as follows:

• F eeling - depressed, sad, anxious or bored

• E nergy -tired, fatigued, everything an effort, slowed movements

• S leep - waking during the night or too early in the morning, oversleeping or trouble getting to sleep

• T hinking - slow thinking, poor concentration, forgetful or indecisive

• I nterest - loss of interest in food, work, sex and life seems dull

• V alue - reduced sense of self-worth, low self esteem or guilt

• A ches - headaches, chest or other pains without a physical basis

• L ive - not wanting to live, suicidal thoughts or thinking of death

If 5 or more of the above FESTIVAL (acronym) symptoms are present for more than 2 weeks, it probably is a depressive episode.

Depression - The Different Types

Reactive Depression

This is an extension of the normal upset feeling following an unhappy event in a person’s life, such as the death of a close relative or friend, marriage break-up or loss employment. Typically a sufferer will feel low, anxious and often will be angry or irritable. For some people reactive depression can follow even minor set-backs, as the individual’s personality leaves them particularly vulnerable to disappointments.

Unipolar or Endogenous Depression

While this is primarily a biological or inherited condition, disappointment will often provoke its onset. The typical symptoms are those outlined in the Festival list of symptoms, where there is extreme tiredness, slowed thinking, impaired concentration, waking during the night and tending to feel worse in the early morning.

Bipolar Disorder or Manic Depressive Illness

The symptoms of the depressed phase of bipolar disorder are identical to those of unipolar depression, but, in addition, there are also episodes of elation or mania with which the depression alternates. Although elation is usually considered a pleasurable experience, it often has a devastating effect on a person’s life.

The symptoms of ELATION are:

• F eeling - elated, enthusiastic, excited, angry, irritable or depressed

• E nergy - great energy, ‘never felt as well’, over-talkative or over-active

• S leep - reduced need for sleep and marked difficulty in getting off to sleep

• T hinking - racing thoughts, pressure in the head, indecisive, jumping from one topic to another, poor concentration

• I nterest - increased interest in pleasurable activities, new adventures, sex, alcohol, street drugs, religion, music or art

• V alue - excessive and unrealistic belief in one’s ability, or having grandiose plans

• A ches - never tiring, being unaware of the physical symptoms of illness such as asthma, having muscle tension at the back of the head or round the shoulders

• L ive - thinking that one can live forever, taking reckless physical risks or, if angry or distressed, feeling suicidal

If 5 or more of the above symptoms are present for more than 2 weeks, it may be a manic episode, and professional medical advice must be sought (Aware.ie)

Who is affected?

This is a condition that knows no boundaries. It can affect anyone, at any age, from any socio-economic group.

At any one time over 400,000 people in Ireland experience depression

What are my choices for treatment?

Depressive and bipolar depressive illnesses are extremely responsive to treatment. Over 80% of the most serious depressions can be quickly helped.

Effective psychotherapies (talking treatments) and non habit forming antidepressant medications enable people to recover from depression and help prevent recurrences.

If given proper care, people with depressive and bipolar disorders can achieve recovery and lead productive and enjoyable lives.

Natural Therapies For Depression

There are many natural therapies/treatments available to support people suffering from depressive conditions.

The following information should in no way take the place of going to a qualified practitioner or consulting your GP.

This is a simple guide to show you what’s available.

Lifestyle

Exercise

By simply becoming more active you could enhance your mood!

A recent placebo-controlled study conducted by James Blumenthal, professor of psychology at Duke University and published in the September issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine compared exercise to a common antidepressant medication in a group of individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and found that exercise was as effective as the drug at alleviating symptoms of the disorder.This study provides powerful evidence that exercise may be a viable alternative to antidepressant medication in the treatment of major depressive disorder.

Meditation

Meditation may not be the first thing you’d think of for depression but recent studies have shown that it is extremely effective in managing depression & preventing relapse.

The University of Wales has found that training those suffering from depression about mindfulness through meditation, helps them to manage with the thoughts that can lead to a relapse of the depression.

Studies from Emory University on the physiological & mental health benefits of meditation have shown that there are a number of conditions that it may directly benefit, such as psoriasis, chronic pain, depression, fibromyalgia, etc.

Diet

You are what you eat!

There is increasing evidence that suggests the food you eat impacts your emotional & physiological health & well-being.

Food is not only vital to your survival but is also paramount to your mental health. Diets devoid of certain nutrients have devastating consequences on your overall health. There are specific nutrients that may be deficient in those suffering from depression, examples: Essential fatty acids (Omega 3, 6 & 9), Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, B vitamins (2,6,9,12), Vitamin C

Things to consider if you are suffering from depression:

Chemical imbalance is one of the major causes of depression. Affecting 10-30% of the population. Many go undiagnosed.

Some chemical disturbances that may lead to depression are as follows:

  1. Natural catecholamine exhaustion or depletion or imbalances with dopamine
  2. Hypercortisolism
  3. Cerebral imbalances of serotonin, dopamine & other neurotransmitters
  4. Food & chemical sensitivity: can give rise to poor concentration & mental activity, central nervous system depression with withdrawal &/or CNS elevation - agitation & hyperkinetic reactions with violent impulses
  5. Lipid soluble chemicals with convulsant properties such as pesticides & solvents
  6. The use of illicit drugs - speed, heroin, ecstasy, etc
  7. Nutrient deficiencies: folate, B12, B6, B3, etc

Other possible causes or contributing factors:

Viral infections

Oestrogen excess

Allergies

Your living environment:

An article in the American Journal of Public Health made the connection between mould in your house & depression. It reports on a study that has found a link between mold in the home and an increased incidence of depression.This association between mold and mood disorder was found by questioning six thousand adults from Germany, Italy, Switzerland and five other countries. They were asked about health and living conditions. Then their homes were visually assessed for prevalence of mold. Even when issues typically associated with depression such as overcrowding and unemployment were factored in, researchers still found more depression among those who lived in moldy homes. In fact, the study found that among those who lived in moldy surroundings the risk for depression went up approximately 40 percent.

Important nutrients to consider for depression/depressive disorders

  • Essential fatty acids
  • Phenylalanine
  • Tryptophan
  • B Complex
  • Vitamin C

    • This is very general information and correct treatment is dependent upon the cause of the depression. Consult a qualified practitioner or your GP for more advice.

    Western Herbal Medicine

    Many herbs have displayed beneficial results in the treatment of depression. Treatment is dependent upon the source of the depression (hormonal, addiction, chemical imbalance, allergy, etc) & therefore successful treatment will involve a full consultation to get to the root cause.

    Some generic herbs that are commonly used in the treatment of mild depression

    Bramhi (Bacopa Monniera): Increase cognitive function

    Damiana (Turnera diffusa): Traditionally used as an aphrodisiac & is known to be antidepressant.

    Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Assists the body to counteract & adapt to stress of many origins. It both strengthens & restores the body’s immune response & increases vitality. It can improve mood & general physical energy.

    Panax Ginseng: Increases vitality & the ability to withstand stress by acting on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis. It restores & strengthens the body’s immune response; promotes longevity, metabolism & growth of normal cells.

    In the case of Herbal medicine you should seek the advice of a qualified herbalist before you self prescribe. Many herbs can interact with pharmaceutical drugs & should not be self prescribed.

    Ayurveda

    Traditional Indian Medicine works to bring the body back into harmony by balancing the energies (doshas) in the body.

    As with any other condition there is no one definitive protocol for depression and each case must be looked at individually as each person is unique.

    There are many herbs, medicines & body cleanses that can help with this condition but a full consultation must be done before a treatment protocol is given.

    Your Ayurvedic treatment plan may include therapies (massage, nasya, etc), herbal medicines (teas, tonic wines, etc), lifestyle advice, etc.

    Some useful Ayurvedic Treatments:

    Abhyanga (Full Body Ayurvedic Massage): Generally massage is useful for improving wellbeing & mood enhancement.

    Shirodhara (Continuous pouring of oil on the third eye centre): This treatment is extremely beneficial for treating stress, anxiety, insomnia & neurological problems.

    Shiro-abhyanga (Indian Head Massage): This treatment is very beneficial for reducing feelings of stress & anxiety.

    Nasya: This treatment helps improve cognitive function & some of the common symptoms associated with depression.

    Nabhi Vijnanam: Abdominal massage & naval pulse correction. Useful for emotional trauma

    For our full list of treatments click here.

    For more information on Ayurveda click here.

    Homeopathy

    Homeopathy is extremely useful in the treatment of depressive symptoms but a consultation is required in order to find the appropriate remedy for the patient. The results achieved using homeopathy can be augmented with supportive measures like counseling and psychotherapy.

    For more information on Homeopathy click here.