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Depression

The purpose of this website is to address lifestyle changes which have been found to be significantly helpful for persons who wish to prevent or treat issues of mental health.

Some folks wish to avoid use of prescribed medications, or at best to keep them to a minimum.   Attention to these lifestyle areas can improve quality of life for anyone.

The website currently is addressing the issue of Depression.  More may be added at a later date.

PLEASE NOTE –   It is advisable to have a physical exam before putting lifestyle changes into practice.  If you are considering any medication changes you MUST make them in consultation with the prescribing physician.

Specifically regarding Depression Dr. Ilardi notes “it is always advisable to check with a physician before embarking on a new exercise program.  The same goes for taking high dose nutritional supplements or increasing sun exposure”.  It is important to get your doctors OK.  Furthermore, you “MUST make any medication related decisions only in close consultation” with your prescribing physician.  Further, it can be dangerous to discontinue an antidepressant or some other medications without close medical supervision.  “Also it is important to note depression can be triggered by many common medical conditions – diabetes, sleep apnea, thyroid disorder, heart disease, chronic infection, and hormonal imbalance, to name a few and the disorder can be vey difficult to treat effectively until such underlying medical problems are addressed.”

Two sources have been drawn on heavily for information and are available in the Jacksonville Public Library :

THE DEPRESSION CURE   The 6 – Step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs by Stephen      Ilardi,  Ph.D

CHANGE YOUR BRAIN CHANGE YOUR LIFE   The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Lack of Focus, Anger, and Memory Problems by Daniel G. Amen, M.D.

Areas discussed here are:  Exercise, Sleep, Nutrition,  Supplements, Light, and Rumination.   This information is intended only as a beginning.  Hopefully you can use it to determine what areas may be most important for you to address and you will gather good information to help you address these areas.

 

EXERCISE –   Many people are aware of health benefits that come from physical activity.  Few realize it is equally important for preserving MENTAL health.  Clinical trials have shown exercise can effectively treat depression.  Exercise is Medicine!

Researchers have observed a powerful therapeutic benefit from AEROBIC exercise – the kind of workout that causes your heart rate to be elevated for several minutes.  If you can effortlessly carry on a conversation during your workout it is probably not aerobic.   There are a number of aerobic activities that one can choose.    90 aerobic minutes a week is a good target.  Some sports medicine doctors suggest 150 minutes or more a week.  You can start with less and work up to it.  Make it enjoyable.  Possibly have a friend or family member join you – or a friend’s dog!

You can make it absorbing with games, listening to books or music.    Create a schedule and a routine.  A Canadian exercise woman said, “the best time to exercise is “WHEN  YOU WILL”

 

SLEEP –   is often a problem. A consensus is that most people function best with between 7 – 8 hours of sleep.  Others require more and some less.  It is useful to determine what your personal sleep needs are.

Becoming aware of Ilardi’s    Good Habits of Sleep    and working on them can be very useful.   These habits are good for everyone whether for treatment or simply good health.

Habit 1 – Use the bed only for sleeping and sex

Habit 2 – Get Up at the same time every day

Habit 3 – Avoid Napping

Habit 4 – Avoid Bright Light at Night

Habit 5 – Avoid Caffeine and other Stimulants

Habit 6 –   Avoid Alcohol at Night

Habit 7 –   If Possible, Keep the same bedtime every night

Habit 8 –  Turn  Down Your Thermostat at Night

Habit 9 –   Avoid Taking Your Problems to Bed with You

Habit 10 –   Don’t Try to Fall Asleep.

Another good resource on improving sleep can be found at this link:  how-to-sleep-better

 

NUTRITION & SUPPLEMENTS  – Research and studies by medical personnel point to supplements that have a significant effect on overall health and longevity.  More specifically they have found certain supplements have potent effects on depression and other mental health problems.   In a chapter on Brain Food in Ilardi’s  book  he informs and explains how these supplements work, and recommends specific supplements for certain purposes, and how to use.

Two essential dietary fats are omega -3 and omega-6.  When they fall out of balance we become vulnerable to many forms of illness of which depression is one of the most common.    The Western World with its industrialized society has made Omega 3 fats scarce and Omega 6 fats superabundant.  We have 2 choices – Increase Omega 3 intake or Decrease Omega 6 intake.  It is extremely difficult to achieve a proper balance from our diet without adding Omega 3.  The richest, natural source of Omega 3  EPA and DHA is fish oil.  Dr. Ilardi recommends a beginning Omega 3 daily dose of 1000 mg EPA and 500 mg DHA. The terms molecularly distilled, and pharmaceutical grade generally indicate a better fish oil. As with antidepressant medications it will likely take between 1 – 2 weeks and sometimes up to 4 weeks for their antidepressant effect to kick in.

Ilardi states that some of the best supplements are highly affordable and provides an online resource.  Cost affordable selections are available at www.vitacost.com .

Other supplements can be helpful in treating various mental health problems.    As  with all supplements it is important to get thoughtful research based information.

 

LIGHT – Circadian rhythm known as the body clock is affected by environmental clues that tell our bodies when to sleep, rise, eat, etc.  When the body clock is disrupted there can be adverse effects including a correlation with neurological problems like depression and bipolar disorder.  Thus it behooves us to pay attention to things like sunlight, sleep, and eating habits.

Bright light stimulates the brain’s production of serotonin.  Serotonin is a neurotransmitter with widespread effects on mood and behavior.  Bright light doesn’t just suppress stress related emotions; it also boosts feelings of well-being.   Fifteen to thirty minutes of bright sunlight each day should be enough to reset our body clocks.  Sunlight is brighter at certain times of the day, especially the first two hours after sunrise.  Thus, it is important to find ways of getting the sunlight that can give the individual the bright light they need. Getting bright light exposure can be combined with enjoyable activities such as reading or studying in the outdoors, playing games with friend(s), meeting someone for lunch once a week at an outdoor café, walking someone’s dog  or combining it with morning exercise.

Note of Caution:   Some people usually in colder climates use a light box to obtain their bright light.   Ilardi includes the caution that people with serious eye disorders should avoid the light boxes and indicates that it is always wise to check with one’s doctor before beginning any new treatment affecting the body.

He adds that “if you have bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) you should never start light therapy except under a clinician’s direct supervision”.

RUMINATION  –   Do you ever feel like a prisoner in your own mind? Do you constantly replay or obsess over negative situations? If you answered yes, then we are here to help. Obsessive thinking, also known as rumination, is like a hamster wheel or a broken record that plays the same bad song over and over again.

For anxious folks, even when life is going well, we tend to hyper-focus on the negative. It’s as if our brains work to hold on to the negative experiences and release the positive. Rumination can be a problem because it rarely offers new insights or solutions on how to handle a situation. Instead it emotionally hijacks us and intensifies our negative feelings.

So, how can we free ourselves from ruminating? Consider these tools for a less anxious you:

  1. Increase Awareness 
    The first step in changing any behavior is becoming conscious of it when it arises. We have to recognize our patterns before we can change them. Often when we are stuck in a cognitive loop, we engage in a well-established habit. It’s similar to biting nails or checking social media every few minutes—it happens unconsciously. The next time you catch yourself ruminating, think: “Stop!” (Say it out loud to break the loop.) I also have my clients practice visualization: imagine taking a current thought and putting it in a trashcan. I had one client put a rubber band around her wrist and snap it every time she ruminated to remind her to stop.
  2. Name It
    When we are caught in the cycle of rumination, generally there is an underlying fear that something bad is going to happen. You might be obsessing over a mistake at work, an unfinished conversation with your partner, a fight with a friend, or not living the life you envisioned for yourself. Whatever the reason, try to sum up your rumination into one single sentence: “I am scared that I may lose my job” or “I’m angry at my friend for the way she treated me.” You gain control by being able to address the real situation. If you can identify your greatest worry/fear, ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen? Can I handle that?” Most likely, the answer is yes. You’ll deal with it in the moment just like you’ve always dealt with any hardship.
  3. Practice Mindfulness
    Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on your present moment experience. We spend so much time dwelling on past mistakes or worrying about future events that we spend very little time in the here and now. The practice of mindfulness can help us reduce our “thinking” selves and increase our “sensing” selves. A good example: any time you find yourself in “auto-pilot.” For instance, the next time you are eating lunch, try not giving into the impulse to check your emails (or other social media). Instead focus on what you see, hear, smell, feel, and taste. This can help ground you in the present moment. When you catch your attention wandering into the past or future, gently guide yourself back to the present moment and remember: The future does not exist anywhere but in your mind.
  4. Acceptance
    Take a moment and think about the source of your anxieties. I imagine a lot of them have to do with future projections or past hurts, mistakes, or regrets. Do your best to accept your situation as it isright now. I know how hard this can be, and I also know that pain and suffering gets worse depending on how we think about it. Try to lean into your feelings and take them for what they are. We often feel sad because we feel sad, are angry because we feel angry, and so on. Accept your current state as it is. Stop wanting things to be different. When you find yourself obsessing about the past or worrying about the future, ask yourself the following question: “Can I do anything about this right now?” If the answer is no, do your best to accept what is. Take a breath and do something that brings you joy. If the answer is yes, identify what you can do and do it.
  5. Schedule a Worry Break
    My clients often report how hard it is for them to fall asleep at night because they can’t quiet their minds. I can really relate to this. For me, for a long time, falling asleep was like a rumination carnival. I would feel fine all day and at bedtime my thoughts bounced all over the place—relationships, body image, career, finances, the future, and what I was going to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was exhausting and it kept me awake and anxious. After trial and error, I found that allowing myself a short period of time to worry (about 15 to 30 minutes) helped me have better boundaries. During the “worry time” I write down what’s on my mind. At night when my thoughts keep me awake, I say to myself, “Nothing is going to get solved right now, it’s time to sleep. You can think about it tomorrow.”

Working on yourself in this way can be exhausting, I know. Honestly, it’s not easy; the concepts themselves are easy. But enacting them? That’s another story. Like any new skill, it takes practice, repetition, and self-love. Be compassionate with yourself and remember you don’t have to do it all at once—don’t feel like you’ve failed if you have a fearful or anxious thought. This is not a linear process and frankly, a certain amount of fear and anxiety is normal. However, if ruminative thoughts are interfering with living the life you want to live, consider reaching out for help. Therapy is a great way to learn how to use these techniques with the help and guidance of a professional.

From Psychology Today

Other practicioners have suggestions for ways to stop or reduce ruminating.  Dr. Amen speaks of ways to get  “unstuck”.  He also speaks of the thoughts as ANTS – Automatic Negative Thoughts.  Becoming Aware is a powerful tool in dealing with them.  I believe each individual needs to consider the possibilities and try to adopt what seems most likely to help them.