Welcome to My World – Depression is On The Rise. Why???

Hello World! Today I’m discussing some good info I found that is near and dear to me. I bet there are a few others out there that will say the same, and it is unfortunate that this is the case…  Depression is not fun, but there are things we can do to alleviate the symptoms… this is the first of two posts about this issue. I hope you find it helpful, as I did.

Why Is Depression on the Rise?

Depression is rising throughout the world. Today, about 10 times more people suffer from depression than they did in 1945. And the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 300 million people globally suffer from depression, which is about 4% of the world’s population.

The WHO has found so many concerning global depression trends. They

estimate that depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.

Depression is also closely linked to suicide, and suicide rates have also steadily climbed since 1945. Around the world, 2 people kill themselves every minute, and suicide is now the second leading cause of death in people aged 15-29.

What’s fueling this global rise in depression? Depression is known to be linked to certain biological factors, such as genetics or brain chemistry. But this doesn’t explain the steep increase in depression in the past few decades. Human genes and biology don’t change that fast.

The rise in depression is most likely caused by a complex mix of factors,

including biological, psychological, social and environmental influences. Let’s take a look at some of the most likely causes research has shown so far.

1. GREATER SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE

In some countries, depression doesn’t have as much of a social stigma attached to it as it did in previous generations. People may be more likely to openly discuss their struggle with depression and seek help.

The United States is the “most depressed” nation in the world, with the highest rate of depression globally. But a reason behind this could be changing social norms in the US. Depression is becoming more recognized as a serious medical condition and treatment is widely available and encouraged.

The WHO points out that this is not the case in many countries. They

estimate that today fewer than 50% of people living with depression globally receive treatment. Ongoing efforts to increase awareness about depression and possible treatment are still vital.

Here are some natural treatments for depression…

1. Consider why you might feel depressed.

Sometimes depression is a symptom of something circumstantial in your

life, rather than biochemical imbalances. Does your job require you to sell out your integrity every day? Have you been unable to admit that you need to end your marriage? Are you feeling spiritually disconnected or sexually restless? Are you suffering from creative blocks? Is your body failing you? Are you facing financial ruin? Be honest with yourself about what might be off-kilter in your life, and make an effort to get to the root of why you might be feeling depressed.

2. Move your body.

Exercise releases happy-making endorphins, which act like natural anti-

depressants. Runner’s high, anyone? Exercise works well for me so I spread my exercise throughout the day and do more than two hours total. You may not have the time for this much, but anything will do.

3. Never skip a meal. 

Keeping your blood sugar stable reduces mood swings.

4. Eat a serotonin-enhancing diet.

Many anti-depressants like Prozac act by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin by receptors in your brain, thereby increasing serotonin levels. But you can increase your brain’s serotonin levels by eating foods that boost your serotonin levels naturally.

Serotonin-enhancing foods include:

• Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (such as wild salmon, sardines, herring,
  

  Eat more salmon. Your cold water Fish is a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids…

  mackerel, and anchovies, which are even higher in omega-3 fatty acids than other fish). Or check out these vegan sources.
• Healthy fats like coconut oil
• Eat a high protein diet, especially proteins high in tryptophan, like free range turkey. Or check out these vegan sources of protein

5. Avoid caffeine, which reduces serotonin levels.

If you need an energy boost, supplement with L-Tyrosine (500 – 1000 mg).

6. Expose yourself to sunlight

Sunlight can boost mood and increase vitamin D levels. If you live

somewhere that gets little sun, invest in a therapeutic light box. I know the sun helps me when I’m feeling low. I can tell the difference when we have a few rainy, cloudy days consecutively. I feel so much better when the sun pops out…

7. Try mood-enhancing supplements

(DISCLAIMER: Although you can get these supplements over the counter, I always recommend doing this under the care of a physician, since supplements can have side effects and risks and can interact with other medications.)

• 5-HTP 50-300 mg up to three times/day—start at 50mg in the morning. Converts directly into serotonin. If you are taking too much, you will feel sleepy or have runny stools. Also usually helps with anxiety, although sometimes it can paradoxically cause anxiety. Must use with great caution if you’re taking an anti-depressant.
• St. John’s Wort 300mg three times/day. If you don’t feel better within a week, slowly increase your dose to a max of 600mg three times/day. May decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills.

• SAMe 200mg on an empty stomach twice/day. Increase your dose every two weeks to a maximum dose of 600mg twice daily. This can be a very effective antidepressant, but it can also be expensive. Side effects at higher doses include GI upset, nausea, agitation and insomnia.
• L-Theanine 100-600mg daily. Reduce if you feel sleepy. Found in green tea.
• Fish oil (DHA/EPA) 1-3 g/day with food.

8. Meditate or try guided imagery.

Meditation’s effects on mood are well documented. Settling your mind can

lift your mood, in addition to a whole host of other health benefits. I try to end my exercise with meditation. I know I can improve my technique, but I believe something is better than nothing.

9. Get your hormones balanced.

If your thyroid, adrenal or sex hormones are out of whack, your mood can get all wonky. See a good integrative medicine doctor and ask them to order and interpret the following tests:

• Thyroid gland tests – TSH, free T4, free T3, total T3, thyroid antibodies
• Adrenal gland tests – cortisol, DHEA-S, pregnenolone
• Sex hormone tests – estradiol, progesterone, free and total testosterone

10. Make efforts to bolster your mental health.

Too often, we walk around wearing masks, pretending to be something

we’re not. We fake it at the schoolyard, in the boardroom, in the bedroom, at church—and then we wonder why we wind up depressed. Practice letting your authentic freak flag fly and watch how your mood lifts.

Great if you can be real. Let people around you know how you feel. Sometimes I piss people off when I do so, but oh, well, I’ve learned that life is too short to pretend. Besides some people are not your real friends anyway…

11. Talk it out.

See a therapist, psychiatrist or life coach and express how you feel.

Sometimes just finding someone you trust who will help you work through your feelings can make all the difference in the world.

If all else fails and you need anti-depressants, don’t beat yourself up. Sometimes you can do everything right, and if your imbalance is biochemical, you may need the drugs. But don’t forget to nurture the rest of you, too. Depression, like most physical and mental illnesses, is multifactorial and requires a global investigation of your whole health—not just your mind and body, but your relationships, your work, your financial picture, how you express yourself creatively, how you satisfy yourself sexually, your environment and whether you’re letting your Inner Pilot Light (aka authentic self) shine.

I hope you gained as much as I did from this great information! Your thoughts are appreciated and you can leave me a message below…

Have a great healthy day! 

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