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I've been depressed for as long as I could remember. Never been a happy kid. My depression only started getting pretty bad these last few years because of a lot of life changes. I haven't been motivated to do much else than lay around and surf the internet. I remember how my GP offered to prescribe me anti-depressants when I told her I was feeling down because of a break up. I was shocked at how she was trying to throw a pill at me so I said no thanks. I felt better a few months later. I get nervous about taking pills to alter my mood but I don't know how to get me out of this slump.
I am 36, was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) when I was 14, shortly after my parents got divorced. I went on just about every antidepressant imaginable. It wasn't until my family got me to one of the top psychiatrists in the state that I got better and put on the right one. It's a struggle still, and it's not perfect. But the meds available to me now are light years better than the ones back then. Part of it is medication, the other parts are diet and exercise, counseling, and education. And at least for me, getting a lot of sunlight and vitamin D, from both food sources and doctor-prescribed supplements. In the winter I use a blue light machine and that also helps a lot.
The talk about materialism and other factors causing depression is what puts a stigma around mental health. It's not just about changing the way you think for some people, they can't.
It's a complex world - but many mental health pros will tell you that the alienation from a close society is partially responsible for our "epidemics". Why don't as many in Italy take meds?
I guess it depends your outlook. The USA is one of the only countries in the world that allows Direct to Consumer drug advertising. You are effectively saying the Drug companies spend MANY BILLIONS doing us all a favor. I say they spend the money to sell more drugs than they would.
Our medical system now often consists of a patient seeing a doc and asking for a drug. For the doc, who really doesn't get paid based on spending more time with each patient, it's an easy fix. If one pill doesn't work, another will.
I'm not some newbie at this having many mental health pros in my family and having gone through major Depression/Anxiety myself (think heart attack, total fear, no sleep for weeks, etc.
Most all of these were caused by life events - very few (or none) came out of the blue due to "imbalance" in brain chemistry.
The US consumes a large portion of the opiates in the WORLD. Is this because we have less stigma on them? I'd say no.
No doubt there are some people who "can't help it". But a lot of people can...but the pill is a lot easier than giving up the American lifestyle and completely changing ones attitude toward most everything.
Claiming that each and every person taking meds "can't help it" -when our stats are so much worse than many similar European and other cultures, seems off. Are 7.5% of our children in need of psych meds? More? Less? On the other hand, they say only 14% of children with mental health issues are taking meds...that means undertreatment - but put those two numbers together (multiply) and that means 100% of children should be on meds.
I guess it depends on how much of their own health people want to take responsibility for - and how much they want to give to others. No one doubts a small percentage of the population are born and develop serious mental health issues. What I AM doubting is that many of the light and moderates cases are temporary or aggravated by lifestyle, society and other factors who are under our control.
BUT, of course - if mom and dad can't take the hours per day to properly help and raise their children (have to work too hard), a pill is going to sound like a great solution.
I am a great believer in "better living thru chemistry", so not a purist. Still - when a pill has a measured effectiveness in 35% of the population and a sugar pill (placebo) is 31% effective, one has to be concerned.
I am 36, was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) when I was 14, shortly after my parents got divorced. I went on just about every antidepressant imaginable. It wasn't until my family got me to one of the top psychiatrists in the state that I got better and put on the right one. It's a struggle still, and it's not perfect. But the meds available to me now are light years better than the ones back then. Part of it is medication, the other parts are diet and exercise, counseling, and education. And at least for me, getting a lot of sunlight and vitamin D, from both food sources and doctor-prescribed supplements. In the winter I use a blue light machine and that also helps a lot.
Great example of "all of the above" causation and approach. Divorce and other stressful life events can cause major problems - mental as well as physical (as you know, they are connected). Divorce is part of the American "lifestyle"...
But the solutions you mention are mostly lifestyle based - diet, exercise, sun, etc.
My guess is that most people with problems on or off meds don't have an exercise program (only a small % of ALL Americans have such a program).
I have two friends who are doctors who were quite close to their last legs over a decade ago. Both quit their jobs and went "90% natural". One lost 75 lbs - the other (who had cancer) moved to Hawaii and uses mostly food as her medicine.
He's running marathons now at 78. She is well and kicking and giving others advice.
Anecdotes? Sure.
But if one looks at a lot of the "natural healing" which came out of the hippie culture:
healthy fresh foods
Meditation
Clean air and water - cleaner living
Massage
Exercise (hard work)
Rejection of the status quo (in general)...these people may take meds, but only as few as as small in dose as humanly possible.
I'd say Medical Science has been somewhat catching up. Again, not to diss modern scientific methods and medicine. But when Trillions of dollars are a stake, it's foolish to think Big Pharma and Big Medicine is 100% "for our good". It's not.
Harm from supplements? Probably a lot. Supplements are not regulated and can be anything. People think because it is 'natural' that it is okay. Misuse of supplements probably far exceeds misuse of prescription drugs. So that argument is out the window. Your anecdotal evidence means pretty much squat. Anecdotal evidence is fairly worthless. That is why I say everyone is different.
Sometimes a supplement can be the answer. Sometimes a doctor prescribed medication is the answer.
Probably NOT a lot. Maybe you can dig up stats on harm done by supplements.
I think you mentioned pharma has a hold on medical industry and that starts way back in medical schools as pharma in many ways supports these schools. I have NO stats. But I've been on groups long enough and have heard this from many over the years.
Grape Seed Ex wouldn't have a chance getting into the medical school minds.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 09-09-2017 at 09:59 AM..
I've had two bouts of depression, 10 yrs from 1991 to 2002 and it was thyroid that was crying for HELP.
After years of "doctor shopping" I hit a smart doctor, the doctor who worked on my back for years. Imagine that, a doctor who knew more than the back issues.
Then in 2006, a lowness hit me and it was Vit D deficiency.
As the article says, we all have ups and downs and I've had my share and live thru some right now.
It's like we're a country of despondent people.
Yep..Keep buying those drugs everyone. Got to keep those pharma companies fat and happy ....
I believe one of the reasons why it's on the rise is the stigma around depression is slowly ending and people are seeking treatment.
My husband suffers from depression, and his doctor actually sent him to a geneticist to see what was causing it. He has a gene mutation (MTHFR) that causes depression along with other symptoms. As much as I am not about pushing pills there are people who need it to survive on a daily basis. The talk about materialism and other factors causing depression is what puts a stigma around mental health. It's not just about changing the way you think for some people, they can't.
Many COULD have that MTHFR gene mutation. There is tons of info on the methyl folate dosing and this mutation. This mutation not only affects the depression issue but other issues like cancers and others.
There is a methyl folate drug prescribed and I can't think of the name at this moment. Oh it just came to me, Deplin. But one can also buy otc higher methyl folate cheaper than the Deplin.
A person on another health group has gone thru Hail and back due to lifelong depression, every imaginable drug for it, cancer battles and then found thru tests she has the gene mutation. Now they've found a couple of her daughters have it also. For those really suffering, get tested. The methylfolate COULD be your answer.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 09-09-2017 at 09:55 AM..
I've been depressed for as long as I could remember. Never been a happy kid. My depression only started getting pretty bad these last few years because of a lot of life changes. I haven't been motivated to do much else than lay around and surf the internet. I remember how my GP offered to prescribe me anti-depressants when I told her I was feeling down because of a break up. I was shocked at how she was trying to throw a pill at me so I said no thanks. I felt better a few months later. I get nervous about taking pills to alter my mood but I don't know how to get me out of this slump.
Yours could be "situational" depression but you could also have the MTFHR gene mutation just recently brought up since you talk about depression since a kid. I didn't feel it come on me until after menopause and that was over 50 and as I said it was thyroid.
People working in pharmaceutical industries are happy.
Wonder WHY?
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