Mental Health Month Spotlight: Depression

Old-timey physicians saw depression as the exhaustion of the nervous system and the inability to accommodate life stressors. Think about that for a sec… it’s pretty profound. In that same vein, Naturopathic Doctors start by looking for organic root causes - lifestyle, social support, and electrolyte, hormone or neurotransmitter imbalances. This allows us to make individualized recommendations for prevention and treatment of depression. For example, we might focus on exercise, digestion, stimulation to the nervous system, immune support, balance of the sex hormones, and we almost always recommend some form of counseling. And yes, in states with a formulary associated with there license, NDs can prescribe antidepressants when they are truly needed. Depression does not have to be permanent and it does not need to be faced alone.

PREVENTION: several lifestyle habits have been shown to be effective for prevention and treatment of mild-to-moderate depression, including high-intensity exercise or weight-lifting, healthy diet, and regular sleep schedules. These are all things we can choose to incorporate today, whether on their own or alongside other therapies.

Several people have shared with me just how afraid they are to share their suicidal ideation... with anyone. I truly believe that fleeting thoughts of suicide are more common than we think or acknowledge, perhaps even "the call of the void." What qualifies as dangerous is the consistent thought of death by suicide or creation of plans around how it might be done. Please consider adding your local crisis line into your phone in case you or someone you love is in a place of real need. My favorite? The Crisis Text Line: 741-741. They are really wonderful people and are happy to simply say "hello" to you, your friend, or your patient.

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