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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Introduction ...........................................................................................................4
What is Depression?.............................................................................................6
Causes of Depression...........................................................................................8
Childhood Trauma.............................................................................................9
Interpersonal Problems .....................................................................................9
Prescription Medications .................................................................................10
Trauma............................................................................................................10
Other illnesses.................................................................................................11
Substance abuse.............................................................................................11
Who is at Risk of Developing Depression? .........................................................12
Women............................................................................................................12
Married Men and Women ................................................................................13
The Elderly ......................................................................................................13
People with a Family History of Depression ....................................................14
People who Work in Medical or Emergency Fields .........................................14
Smokers ..........................................................................................................15
Symptoms of Depression....................................................................................16
Types of Depression ...........................................................................................19
Chronic Depression ............................................................................................20
Major Depression................................................................................................22
Bipolar Depression..............................................................................................23
Seasonal Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder.........................................25
Psychotic Depression .........................................................................................27
Postpartum Depression ......................................................................................29
Treatments for Depression .................................................................................31
Cognitive Therapy...............................................................................................32
Distorted Thinking Addressed Through Cognitive Therapy .............................33
Goals of Cognitive Therapy .............................................................................35
Light Therapy ......................................................................................................36
Psychotherapy ....................................................................................................38
Drug Therapy ......................................................................................................39
Tricyclic Anti-depressants ...................................................................................41
MAOI...................................................................................................................43
SSRIs..................................................................................................................45
The Controversy Over Anti-Depressant Side Effects ..........................................47
Anti-Depressant Drugs Don’t Cure Depression ..................................................49
Alternative Therapies And Depression................................................................51
Why Alternative Therapies Work.........................................................................52
What is Homeopathy?.........................................................................................53
How Homeopathy Works ....................................................................................55
What Training Do Homeopaths Go Through?.....................................................57
Is Homeopathic Appropriate for Everyone? ........................................................58
Homeopathic for Children ...................................................................................58
Homeopathic for Depression ..............................................................................59
Five Reasons You Should See a Trained Homeopath for Treatment .................63
1. Homeopathy is a specialty ..........................................................................63
2. Someone needs to monitor your progress ..................................................63
3. You might need custom blends ...................................................................64
4. A full understanding of Homeopathy takes years of education....................64
5. Homeopathy can treat more than depression .............................................64
Five Questions to Ask a Homeopath Before You Begin Treatment ....................65
1. What is your educational background? .......................................................65
2. What experience do you have treating depression?....................................66
3. Can I speak to some of your patients? ........................................................66
4. Do you accept insurance? ...........................................................................66
5. What does a typical session involve?..........................................................67
Kampo – Japanese Herbalism and Depression ..................................................68
Commonly Used Kampo Herbal Treatments for Depression ..............................70
Individual Kampo Treatments..........................................................................70
Kampo Multi-Herb Formulas............................................................................71
Conclusion ..........................................................................................................73
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must comply with the following license agreement: .....................................75
INTRODUCTION
Depression is a serious illness that affects more than 18 million adults in the
United States alone. Experts say that depression is the second most common
illness among adults, with heart disease being the most common. People that
suffer from depression have a hard time dealing with daily life and may have
trouble forming or staying in relationships, holding a job, or even just going
outside.
Depression can affect anyone at any age and could come from any number of
causes. Depression can be brought on by a severe trauma in a person’s life that
they have trouble dealing with. Or depression can just appear seemingly out of
nowhere and with no obvious cause.
There are a lot of physical problems that are attributed to clinical depression. So
if you’re suffering from serious aches and
pains and you’ve seen a doctor and the
doctor can’t find a physical reason for the
pain, the cause might not be physical; it
might be mental. The cause might be clinical
depression.
Depression is not the same for every person
who suffers from it either. There are, in fact,
many different types of depression.
Sometimes depression lasts for months or
even years and sometimes it lasts only for a
few weeks depending on what type of
depression you have.
Depression is a psychological condition that has a physical component so
generally, unless the psychological condition is treated, the depression will come
back over and over again until the underlying psychological problem is dealt with.
Because depression is such a common illness, Western medicine and the big
drug companies have created many different kinds of drugs to treat depression.
The problem is that not all of these drugs are effective. Even worse, some of
these drugs can have serious side effects that include a deepening of depression
and even suicidal thoughts. Some drugs can also cause additional psychological
problems.
The truth is that drugs alone cannot cure depression. The best that drugs can do
is to manage the symptoms of depression and many drugs only mask the
symptoms.
Because depression is such a common problem and because of the serious side
effects associated with drug therapy for depression, millions of people are
looking to alternative therapies like Homeopathy to manage their symptoms and
treat their depression. Homeopathy as a medical practice has been practiced for
thousands of years and there is evidence that Homeopathy and other alternative
treatments can be effective for managing depression.
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression is categorized by doctors as a mental health disorder even though it
does have physical components. It is a disease; it isn’t “just all in your head” and
it is not simply a matter of needing to cheer up. Depression is more than just a
feeling of sadness. Depression is usually considered to be a feeling of apathy
towards life in general or a feeling of not caring about things that persists for
more than two weeks.
Depression can be hard to diagnose as a condition because everyone feels sad
or apathetic towards life at some time, usually after a major life change or a
traumatic event.
There are many different symptoms that are associated with depression and
each person experiences those symptoms differently. Because each person
responds in a unique way to depression, it can be hard to find a therapy that will
help each person deal with the symptoms of depression and people that are
suffering from depression may need to try several different medications before
finding one that helps them.
There are also five different types of depression. Some, like clinical depression,
can last over a period of years while others like Seasonal Affective Disorder or
postpartum depression are relatively short-lived because they are tied to cycles
of life. Depression tied to recent life events, such as a tragedy, are also shortlived.
Depression can also be a symptom of other illnesses. When depression is
combined with another illness it can be difficult for doctors to know if the
depression is only being caused by the other ailment or if the depression is a
separate condition.
Doctors have found that depression is often a problem for people that suffer from
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, social
phobia, anxiety, panic, and sometimes even substance abuse.
People that suffer from depression are statistically more likely to also have
substance abuse problems because they will often try to self-medicate with drugs
and alcohol to alleviate the symptoms of their depression. Since drugs and
alcohol actually tend to intensify the symptoms of depression instead of stopping
them it becomes a vicious cycle of depression and dependency.
People trapped in this vicious cycle usually end up needing treatment for the
underlying depression even more than they did before they started trying to get
rid of their symptoms with drugs and alcohol.
Because each person experiences depression in a different way doctors often
have trouble diagnosing depression. Some studies have estimated that more
than 15 million people suffer from undiagnosed depression in the United States
alone every year.
CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
Because depression has both physical and mental components depression can
be caused by many different factors. Some people might develop depression
because of chemical imbalances or other physical illnesses while some other
people might find their depression triggered by emotional or psychological
issues.
Sometimes depression can run in families but not always. It is complicated and
depression can also have more than one cause in a person. Untangling the web
of causes can be difficult.
The most common causes of
depression are childhood
trauma, interpersonal
problems, prescription
medications, trauma, other
illnesses, and substance
abuse.
Childhood Trauma
Adults that suffered from abuse or a traumatic childhood often suffer from
depression later in life. This may be the case even if the symptoms of depression
did not begin in childhood. Children who are sexually or physically abused are
very likely to develop depression at some point. Death or other tragedies in the
home at a young age can trigger depression as a child or later as an adult.
The trauma does not have to be severe. Mild cases of depression can result later
in life from simply a lack of love or safety in childhood. Children who grow up in
households that aren’t outwardly abusive but are still emotionally or economically
unstable also are more likely to battle depression when they get older than
children who grow up in more stable homes.
Oftentimes, the person suffering from depression caused by childhood trauma
has no conscious awareness of the trauma. The painful memories of the trauma
may be consciously repressed but still cause psychological harm. Some schools
of psychological thought believe that most if not all depression is caused by
issues of childhood trauma.
Interpersonal Problems
People who are having ongoing conflicts with
family, friends, co-workers, or other people in their
lives are at high risk for developing depression.
This is especially true within abusive relationships.
The problems do not have to be hugely traumatic
though. Little things or constant tensions and strife
can build up over time. Nor do the relationships
have to be significant to cause problems. A stressful work environment can
cause depression or an unhappy living situation. Left untreated, a depressive
episode caused by these conflicts can become clinical depression, which is more
serious and harder to treat.
Prescription Medications
People who take certain medications for physical illnesses might find themselves
suddenly fighting off depression as well. Because drugs alter the body’s
chemistry they may throw off a person’s chemistry in such a way that it manifests
as a kind of depression. Many commonly prescribed medications can cause
depression in people that take them. It is always important to read medication
labels to see what the side effects may be. Depression is a common side effect.
If you are on medications for physical problems and you notice that you are
depressed but you have never had depression before, the cause could be the
medications that you’re taking.
Trauma
Getting hurt physically or emotionally can also be damaging in causing
depression, either immediately or even years later. Anyone who suffers a major
loss in their lives like the death of a family member or friend, or even the death of
a pet, can become depressed. A car accident, the loss of a job that you’ve had
for many years, or any major life change can also trigger depression for some
people. For some sensitive people, witnessing trauma to others can throw them
into depression.
Other illnesses
Depression can be a part of another illness like Social Anxiety Disorder. If you
have a disorder that causes you to be uncomfortable around others the social
isolation can also trigger depression and feelings of sadness that could become
clinical depression. This becomes a vicious cycle of guilt, embarrassment,
sadness, and regret.
Substance abuse
Many people develop depression as a
result of addiction to drugs or alcohol.
The impact of illegal drugs or too much
alcohol on your body can cause
chemical imbalances and other
problems that can lead to depression.
In addition, the psychological effects of
dependence on drugs and alcohol can
also increase feelings of paranoia,
anxiety, and sadness.
WHO IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING DEPRESSION?
Almost anyone can develop depression at any time. Because the causes of
depression are so varied it’s possible for people to become depressed for
hundreds of reasons. But some groups of people do have a higher risk of
becoming depressed.
If you fall into one of these categories then you might have an increased risk of
depression without even knowing it:
Women
Studies show that women as a group are more likely to develop depression than
men. Research indicates that at least a quarter of all women will suffer from
depression at some point in their lives but only about 12% of men will struggle
with depression. That’s one out of every four women.
Some experts think that more men do suffer from depression but since men are
less likely than women to admit their feelings or seek professional help for
depression the number of men with depression seems low. Even if this is so,
women are more prone to need help for depression. Since so many women also
have to face additional stresses and pressures in life, depression in women is
more common than in men.
Childbirth is one of the causes of depression in women. It is known as
postpartum depression. Long scoffed at by doctors, who were mostly men,
postpartum depression is now recognized as a real issue that occurs in some
women who have given birth. The hormonal changes of pregnancy and birth set
off physical and emotional changes that trigger depression in some women.
Some women also have short or long-term depression caused by hormonal
issues. These issues can include the normal menstrual cycle and also
menopause. Because depression can be triggered by changes in the body’s
chemistry, even the regular and very normal hormonal changes of the menstrual
period can trigger depression.
Married Men and Women
Not all in marriage is wedded bliss. Research shows that men and women who
are married are more likely to become depressed than single men and women.
This is mostly because of the stresses and problems that occur within
relationships. This is not to say that marriage is bad or that even most marriages
are causing depression. However, if people are not able to deal with the
pressures and conflicts of marriage, or lack the help they need to deal with them,
then depression can be a result.
This is not to say that being single is not a cause for depression. Loneliness can
very definitely be a cause for depression in some people distressed by that
situation. However, single people have less interpersonal conflict because they
do not have a spouse.
The Elderly
Men and women who are over the age of 65 are especially vulnerable to
depression. Many aging experts believe that depression occurs among older
men and women because of the life changes that come with old age such as
retirement. For women, menopause can ignite depression. Other hormonal
changes may also be occurring in old age. Medical science is only just beginning
to study and understand the effects of aging.
Also, the elderly have significant life issues to deal with that could cause
depression. Loneliness is common among the elderly. Loss of friends and family
can be a cause for depression. Plus, loss of capacity, physical and mental, can
throw some people into depression.
People with a Family History of Depression
While the medical jury is still out on whether or not depression is hereditary, it
has been proven that people who have family members that suffer from
depression are more likely to become depressed themselves. This is especially
true if the family member is a parent or guardian. Having a close family member
that suffers from an illness related to depression like bipolar disorder can also
influence whether or not someone develops depression during their lifetime. It
remains unknown if this influence is psychological, environmental, or physical,
but it is certainly real. People who do have a family history of depression need to
be extra aware of their own symptoms. They are not sentenced to depression if it
runs in the family, but they do need to realize they are more prone to it.
People who Work in Medical or Emergency Fields
Scientists have found that people like doctors, nurses, and other health care and
emergency services workers who work in careers where they are routinely
exposed to tragic circumstances are more likely than other groups to develop
depression.
No doubt much of this is due to the nature of their work. Medical and emergency
people are dealing with trauma every day. The fact that the trauma is happening
to others does not mean it does not affect them. Also, the stresses of working in
those fields are huge.
Smokers
New research has shown a link between smoking and depression. If you are a
smoker you could face an increased risk of depression. Smoking screws up your
body chemistry, especially in your brain.
In case you needed another reason to quit smoking there it is – you can lower
your risk of becoming depressed if you quit smoking.
Studies show that women as
a group are more likely to
develop depression than
men.
SYMPTOMS OF
DEPRESSION
The symptoms of depression can
be hard to recognize, even for a
trained doctor. Because the
symptoms of depression vary in
their intensity and because each
person will have a different
combination of the symptoms of
depression, it can be difficult to
know if you are suffering from
depression or another illness.
Diagnosing depression can also
be hard because the symptoms of
one particular type of depression might not be the same symptoms as another
type of depression.
Because this is such a complex matter and every person is different, it is not a
matter to be taken lightly. Self-diagnosis can lead to almost worse results than
leaving depression untreated.
Also the symptoms a person has might seem to come and go if the depression is
cyclical or based on a season as is the case with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
No one knows you as well as you do though and yes, your feelings, thoughts,
and concerns do matter. This is about you.
If you feel like something isn’t right or if you have two or more of these
symptoms then you might be suffering from depression:
•
Difficulty concentrating
•
Inability to make decisions, even about small things
•
Extreme fatigue
•
Feeling lethargic or unmotivated
•
Feeling guilty
•
Feeling worthless
•
Feeling hopeless
•
Being afraid of social situations or of other people
•
Feeling helpless and unable to change your current situation
•
Sleeping all the time
•
Not sleeping, or waking up frequently throughout the night
•
Extreme irritability
•
Feeling restless
•
Not being interested in activities or hobbies that you used to enjoy
•
Overeating
•
Not eating at all or not having any interest in food
•
Extreme aches and pains that don’t seem to go away
•
Digestive troubles and other upsets that don’t go away even with
treatment
•
Feeling empty all the time
•
Feeling anxious
•
Feeling sad or “blue” all the time
•
Having suicidal thoughts or thinking that life just isn’t worth living
These are just some of the more common symptoms of depression. Depending
on what type of depression you have there might be other, more specific
symptoms that are harder to notice because they relate directly to the type of
depression that you are suffering from.
TYPES OF DEPRESSION
There are at least six intense types of depression that people can suffer from
including Chronic Depression, Major Depression, Bipolar Depression, Seasonal
Depression (also sometimes called Seasonal Affective Disorder), Psychotic
Depression and Postpartum Depression.
There are also other, less intense forms of depression that are less common but
can affect anyone, even people that already suffer from a more serious type of
depression.
These are depression disorders that occur as a symptom of another illness, or
that have no physical cause that doctors can find, or that occur as a result of
another illness. Sometimes a secondary depressive condition is a result of
prescription medication that is given to a person by a doctor to treat a serious
medical condition.
As mentioned earlier, understanding an individual’s depression and its causes is
a complicated matter, No two people have the exact same set of symptoms. It is
important not to expect simple answers or to pigeonhole yourself or others into
one type of depression.
CHRONIC DEPRESSION
Chronic depression is also called dysthymia. Chronic depression is, as the name
implies, a type of depression that lasts for a long time. Usually, chronic
depression goes on for at least two years, sometimes longer. Unlike some of the
other intense depressions, chronic depression isn’t debilitating.
It will still have an impact on the daily life of someone that has it but it won’t
interfere too much with a person’s ability to function. Think of this type of
depression as a long, slow simmering of symptoms, a dull ache but not a sharp
pain.
Scientific research has linked chronic depression with chemical imbalances and
hormonal changes that happen to people throughout their lives.
People who have low serotonin levels in their brains are more likely to have
Chronic Depression than people with normal serotonin levels. Serotonin is the
chemical that your body produces during times of stress to help you deal with
traumatic events.
Chronic Depression can also sometimes be caused by an underlying illness like
hypothyroidism or any disorder that disrupts the body’s chemistry and causes
some chemical or hormonal imbalances that reduce Serotonin levels and raise
Cortisol levels.
People that have Chronic Depression can still hold a job, take care of a family,
and do all the things that they normally do without seeming as if they are
depressed although they might seem more unhappy than most people. Even
without having severe symptoms that person will still be suffering from the
symptoms associated with depression like feeling worthless, being unable to
concentrate for very long, feeling sad and anxious or hopeless.
The first symptoms of Chronic
Depression can appear as early
as late childhood in some people.
Girls are statistically more likely to
suffer from Chronic Depression than
boys, especially as the stresses and
worries of puberty set in.
Women are much more likely than
men to have problems with Chronic
Depression.
Figures show that as many as 25%
of all women have suffered from
Chronic Depression at some point during their lives.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than 10 million per
year suffer from Chronic Depression.
Because Chronic Depression isn’t severe enough to limit a person’s activity there
are most likely millions more cases that go undiagnosed each year because the
people suffering from it don’t recognize the symptoms and don’t realize they have
Chronic Depression.
MAJOR DEPRESSION
Major depression is also called clinical depression. Estimates are that one in ten
people are suffering from major depression at any given time. Doctors and
health experts say that as many as 30% of the population will experience at least
one episode of major depression during their lifetimes.
Major Depression is different from other types of depression because of the
intensity of the negative feelings that someone experiencing it has. People that
suffer from major depression report feeling very strong feelings of hopelessness,
worthlessness, sadness, and anxiety for most of the day every day during a
period of major depression. A period of major depression can last anywhere
from a week to years, depending on the person.
Major depression is often caused by a triggering event. The loss of a loved one
or family member, childhood abuse, a major change in life circumstances like
changing jobs or moving to another place, or surviving a natural disaster like a
flood or hurricane can all be triggers of major depression. Also, experts say that
children of parents who suffer from major depression are more likely than other
children to suffer at least one episode of major depression. Once you have had
an episode of Major Depression you are a high risk to have another whenever
another trigger presents itself. That doesn’t mean you will necessarily have one,
but it is a good idea to pay close attention.
Even though major depression develops as the result of a triggering factor there
is a physiological change in the body that causes prolonged depression. This
makes the person more likely to suffer from another major depression later on.
So far at least, science doesn’t know how exactly the physical component of
major depression and the mental component of major depression intersect, but
medical science does admit that clinical depression has both physical and mental
components.
Major depression can be treated but not eliminated. Once you have had a bout of
major depression it’s important to stay on guard and watch for any triggers that
might cause you to have another episode of Major Depression. If you are aware
of the triggers that can touch off your depression you will be able to take the
extra steps that you need to take in order to fight off depression when a triggering
event, like the death of a loved one or the loss of a job happens.
Major depression is not a sentence to a life of misery. People who suffer from
major depression can still learn how to handle and treat the symptoms and have
a productive life. It is like any other disease that can be managed.
BIPOLAR DEPRESSION
Bipolar depression used to be called manic depression. Bipolar depression is an
illness where the person that has it swings between a period of clinical
depression and a period of self induced elation called mania. Sometimes the
person affected can stay in the depression phase of the illness for weeks or even
months, and sometimes just minutes.
The extreme changes in the person’s mood can make the symptoms of
depression more severe and often, almost uncontrollable.
There are two types of Bipolar Depression, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is the
more serious type. People that suffer from Type 1 Bipolar Depression usually
end up being hospitalized in a psychiatric facility at least once during their lives
due to the severity of the symptoms that they are suffering from. Someone with
Type 1 Bipolar Depression that is in a depressed mood will often talk of suicide
and may even attempt it.
Type 2 Bipolar Depression is less serious and can usually be managed if the
person suffering from it makes an effort to get treatment and is aware of their
changing moods. Even though Type 2 Bipolar Depression is less serious it still
can have a dramatic impact on the lives of the people that are close to the
person that has it. People that suffer from Bipolar Depression have all the usual
symptoms of clinical depression but also may suffer from extreme paranoia and
episodes of rage that can be dangerous.
Bipolar Depression usually is recognizable in children as young as 3 or 4. Often,
adults that have Bipolar Depression will exhibit signs before they are 24; there
are cases of people developing this type of depression after that age.
However older people that have never been diagnosed may still be exhibiting all
the symptoms of the disorder but might not be aware that they are suffering from
Bipolar Depression.
Bipolar Depression can be hard to treat because when the person is in the mania
phase they will feel elated and happy and often will feel that they are not sick and
don’t need to continue to treat or manage their illness. So making sure that a
person that has Bipolar Depression continues to manage their symptoms on a
regular basis is critical to keeping that person from falling into rapid cycling.
Rapid cycling is when a person’s moods switch extremely quickly, sometimes
within minutes, from depression to elation and back to depression. When a
person with Bipolar Depression is rapid cycling that person might become out of
control and need to be hospitalized.
SEASONAL DEPRESSION OR SEASONAL AFFECTIVE
DISORDER
Lots of people feel blue in the winter months when there isn’t as much sun, but if
you have extreme depression during the winter you could have Seasonal
Depression, which is also sometimes called Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Seasonal Depression affects hundreds of thousands of people every year to
varying degrees.
There are actually two types of Seasonal Depression, one type that occurs
during the winter months and one type that occurs during the summer months.
Fall seasonal depression or winter seasonal depression is far more common.
Summer Seasonal Depression occurs only in very rare cases.
Seasonal Depression almost never occurs in places that are sunny and warm
year round, which is one of the reasons that scientists and doctors think that
Seasonal Depression is caused by a physical imbalance rather than a triggering
incident like other types of depression.
Most doctors and medical professionals think that seasonal depression is the
result of the brain producing less serotonin. Serotonin is a natural chemical
produced by your body that makes you feel calm and happy.
It’s been proven that sunlight and regular exposure to daylight makes your brain
produce more serotonin. So in the winter months when there is less sunshine,
and less daylight, your brain produces less serotonin.
This slow down of serotonin production can cause some people whose serotonin
levels are already low to suffer from depression.
Even though most people find themselves feeling a little sad or sleeping more
during the winter because of the weather people that have Seasonal Depression
will usually experience extreme symptoms that can’t be mistaken for normal
periods of sadness that occur during the winter months. Some of the most
common symptoms of Seasonal Depression are:
•
Excessive fatigue - Feeling like you just can’t drag yourself out of bed in
the morning or like you want to collapse into bed at the end of the day
could be a symptom of depression.
•
Weight gain – It’s normal to gain a pound or two during the winter months,
especially around the holidays, but if you regularly put on a lot of weight in
the winter and drop it in the summer the cause might be Seasonal
Depression
•
Craving starchy foods or carbohydrates – Starchy foods or foods high in
carbs stimulate the brain to produce Serotonin. People that have Seasonal
Depression will often crave these types of foods because eating them will
boost their Serotonin levels.
PSYCHOTIC DEPRESSION
Psychotic depression is the most serious type of depression. Most of the time
people that have psychotic depression end up hospitalized to try and control their
symptoms and keep them from harming themselves or others. Of the people that
are admitted to the hospital for depression every year, one in four of those
people are usually suffering from psychotic depression.
What makes psychotic depression so serious is the intensity and scope of the
symptoms. A person that has psychotic depression will suffer from the wellknown symptoms of depression like feeling sad and hopeless, feeling anxious or
scared, feeling lonely and so on but will experience those feelings very intensely,
almost to the point of being overwhelmed and debilitated. The person can even
experience violent episodes.
In addition to the serious clinical depression that they feel, people who have
psychotic depression also experience symptoms associated with psychosis that
can be made worse by the depression they are already experiencing. Psychosis
is dangerous and can lead to very serious problems not just for the person
suffering it but to those around them.
The symptoms of psychosis that are associated with psychotic depression
include:
•
Being highly agitated most of the time
•
Experiencing hypochondria
•
Experiencing extreme paranoia and anxiety
•
Being unable to think or speak clearly
•
Having extreme insomnia
Because of the seriousness of the illness most people that have psychotic
depression need to be hospitalized and receive regular doctor’s care to make
sure that they don’t hurt themselves or someone else.
Diagnosing psychotic depression can be hard because, in many cases, people
that suffer from the symptoms of this disorder know that their thoughts are
irrational or that they are depressed and they are ashamed and want to hide their
illness rather than get treatment for it. But because of the extreme nature of the
illness, getting regular treatment is the only way to manage psychotic depression.
Having a psychotic depression also makes a person more likely to develop
bipolar depression and major depression.
It is a very serious condition and even when the symptoms are managed the
person needs to be closely monitored. It is still possible for a person suffering
from psychotic depression to return to a somewhat normal life.
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION
Postpartum depression is often experienced by
new mothers. There is a difference between
postpartum blues and postpartum depression.
Most of the time women experience mood swings
for up to four days after giving birth because of the
rapid hormonal shift taking place in their bodies
after the birth.
But postpartum depression can take months to fully develop even though doctors
think that it is caused by the hormonal shifts a woman experiences after giving
birth.
Postpartum depression can be very serious and can significantly impact a
mother’s ability to care for her baby. Even though postpartum depression is
caused by a physical shift in the body’s chemistry, environmental stress like lack
of sleep, not enough help caring for the new baby, and other triggers can
intensify the symptoms of postpartum depression and make it much harder for
the new mother to manage her symptoms.
For far too long the medical establishment ignored or scoffed at women who
complained of postpartum depression. Fortunately, that has changed in recent
years.
Now, doctors routinely tell new mothers that they should be aware of the
symptoms of postpartum depression and they should get treatment for
postpartum depression if they exhibit symptoms like:
•
Insomnia or sleep problems
•
Crying easily or crying all the time
•
Intense feelings of guilt
•
Intense feelings of hopelessness
•
Paranoia
•
Anxiety
Some women report having thoughts or desires to hurt their babies. Usually, if a
woman is having thoughts about harming herself or her baby she is suffering
from postpartum psychosis.
Postpartum psychosis is similar in nature to postpartum depression but
commonly has symptoms that are specifically associated with psychosis like
hallucinations, thoughts about hurting the baby, extremely irrational thoughts or
actions, disorganized thinking, and feeling removed or detached from the baby.
TREATMENTS FOR DEPRESSION
When it comes to traditional medical treatments for depression there are really
just two types of treatments: psychological counseling to deal with the mental
components of depression and drug therapy to treat the physiological causes of
depression. Most doctors prescribe anti-depressants for patients even though
some anti-depressants can have terrible side effects. Some of the antidepressants on the market include depression and suicidal thoughts as side
effects.
Psychological counseling is an effective treatment for depression when the
patient learns a lot of coping skills in addition to dealing with the triggers and
stressors that are causing his or her current depression. Having better coping
skills helps people that have a tendency to be depressed learn how to not give
into their feelings of depression.
Drug therapy isn’t always effective at treating depression although some people
find that a combination of psychological therapy and the right medications can
really help them deal with their depression and learn how to function in the world.
Electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, is sometimes used to treat cases of extreme
depression and cases of psychotic depression where the person suffering from
the depression is in danger of hurting themselves or someone else
There are non traditional or alternative therapies to treat depression as well, and
these alternative therapies are becoming increasingly popular. Alternative
therapies can also be very successful at treating specific types of depression like
Seasonal Depression or Postpartum depression. Light therapy, Homeopathy,
and Acupuncture are just a few of the alternative treatments that have been
successfully used to treat depression.
No matter what type of treatment is used to treat a particular case of depression
chances are good that the treatment will need to be ongoing. Depression is not
usually an illness that someone has once and then gets rid of it. It’s always
around, and once you have had an episode of depression you are much more
likely to have another in the future.
Ongoing treatment helps people that have depression learn to manage their
symptoms and learn what triggers their depression so that they can avoid falling
into depression. Relapses and remissions come and go but someone that has
been diagnosed with depression will always be susceptible to having another
depression episode in the future.
COGNITIVE THERAPY
Cognitive therapy is a psychological treatment that was developed specifically to
treat depression. It was created by a psychiatrist named Aaron Beck in the early
1960’s. The basic theory behind cognitive therapy is that people who suffer from
depression have a negative view of the world.
They learned this negative view of the world from a parent that suffered from
depression or from being rejected by their peers or generally negative attitudes in
the home while they were growing up. According to cognitive therapy theory the
depression that they suffer from is the result of negative attitudes and beliefs that
aren’t necessarily true. So, correcting the negative way of thinking and helping
people that are depressed learn to think in a positive way will eliminate their
depression.
Distorted Thinking Addressed Through Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive therapy also stresses that along with a negative world view people who
are depressed also tend to have a distorted way of viewing the world, other
people, and themselves. These distorted ways of thinking include:
Arbitrary Inference
When someone is operating under the influence of arbitrary inference they jump
to a negative conclusion about a situation that reinforces a fear or a negative
belief that they already have and reject any other possible explanation of the
situation.
For example, if a woman is dating a man and she calls that man up on a night
when they don’t have plans and he doesn’t answer the phone and she assumes
that means he’s out on a date with another woman that is an arbitrary inference.
This is clearly unreasonable and irrational, yet the woman still thinks it. Men have
similar insecure thoughts.
Selective Abstraction
Selective abstraction is when someone focuses on one perceived flaw and
makes an assumption based on it.
For example, if a man thinks that because he doesn’t have the right kind of car
no woman will want to date him then he will convince himself that without that car
he will never get a date, even if he has a lot of other positive attributes that make
him popular with women. Or a woman will convince herself that no man will want
to date her because her nose is too big and will ignore the fact that she does get
asked out on dates regardless of the size of her nose.
Overgeneralization
Overgeneralization is when someone draws a broad conclusion based on one
event and without all the facts.
For example, a teenager decides to dye a piece of her hair blue. A parent
decides that the teen couldn’t possibly have thought of that on her own so she
must have gotten the idea from her friends. Then the parent concludes that the
girl needs to make new friends because all of her friends are bad influences.
That would be an overgeneralization about the girl’s friends.
Magnification
As the name implies, magnification is taking a small event and making it much
more significant than it is.
For example, if a person that has a tendency to over magnify things gets a traffic
ticket, instead of viewing that ticket as just a mild annoyance that person will see
it as a major life tragedy. If a waitress forgets to bring that person his or her iced
tea at lunch that person will be sure the waitress did it deliberately to insult them.
Minimization
Minimization is not valuing your own attributes or not believing in your own worth
because you are focusing on a perceived flaw. One is minimizing their own self
or value.
For example, if someone gives you a compliment and you immediately start
pointing out all your flaws you are minimizing that compliment. If you look in the
mirror and focus on one particular flaw instead of seeing the whole picture that is
also minimizing.
Goals of Cognitive Therapy
The goal of cognitive therapy is to correct those distortions in the mind of the
person that is suffering from depression and teach them more accurate and
better ways to see and interpret the world. Once the person has corrected their
thinking they will be less likely to get pulled into negative thoughts that can cause
depression.
Cognitive therapy can also help people learn better coping skills so that they are
able to handle the setbacks, losses, and stress that come with life. If a person
has strong coping skills they won’t be thrown into depression by a job loss, the
death of a loved one, having to move to another state or another country, or any
of the other stressful things that can trigger depression for people.
Cognitive therapy can be very effective at treating the mental components of
depression. It does not deal directly with physical components of depression,
though alleviating the mental components can help with the physical ones.
People who prefer to use alternative therapies to treat depression usually find
that some cognitive therapy combined with the alternative treatments can be a
great way to manage their depression.
Managing depression over the long term is the goal of any depression treatment.
Using cognitive therapy is an important part of managing depression because it
teaches people that are suffering from depression how to change the way that
they think and the way that they see themselves. Once they see themselves in a
more positive way and react with less suspicion and fear to the rest of the world
they usually find that the symptoms of depression gradually lessen or disappear
entirely.
Cognitive therapy isn’t an easy fix or a quick fix. Sometimes cognitive therapy
can take years to be effective but cognitive therapy is a depression management
technique that has been proven to have great results for treating most types of
depression, especially clinical depression.
LIGHT THERAPY
Light therapy was first
developed as a
treatment for seasonal
depression. Since
natural light triggers the
production of serotonin
and seasonal depression
is caused by a serotonin
imbalance that is due to the lack of sunlight during the winter months, it makes
sense that using lights that simulate natural light will be a help in restoring the
serotonin balance in the body.
But light therapy does more than just treat seasonal depression. Light therapy
has been proven as an effective treatment for many disorders including acne and
psoriasis, jet lag, and jaundice. Light therapy is also used to treat sleep
disorders, which can indirectly contribute to depression.
Using light therapy, doctors can help people that have had chronic sleep
disturbances and sleep problems realign their body’s natural clock so that they
can get back into a natural sleep pattern. Since lack of sleep and insomnia can
be causes of depression, using light therapy to treat sleep problems also can
help prevent depression.
Light therapy is also used to treat non seasonal depression. The practice is still
in the early stages so doctors aren’t quite sure how effective light therapy will
prove to be in treating non seasonal depression but the early tests and trials
indicate that light therapy can be just as effective at treating non seasonal
depression as it is for treating seasonal depression.
There are some side effects that come with using light therapy though. Because
light can burn skin some people end up with the equivalent of sunburn after light
therapy sessions. Light therapy can also make people jittery or jumpy or make
them feel “wired” because of the rush of chemicals to the brain. Overexposure to
light therapy for treating other conditions may end up causing sleeplessness or
wakeful sleep.
Even though there are some side effects that are possible from light therapy
many people that suffer from depression like light therapy because it’s natural
and doesn’t involve taking drugs that might have a lot more serious side effects
than feeling wired or not being able to sleep. Light therapy is still considered an
alternative treatment but it’s one of the most popular alternative therapies for
treating depression.
Light therapy combined with other alternative treatments like homeopathy can be
an effective natural way to manage seasonal depression for most people. It does
not effectively treat all types of depression but it can be helpful for people whose
depression is tied to the seasons.
PSYCHOTHERAPY
There is another psychological treatment for depression, Psychotherapy, which is
usually used in conjunction with cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy focuses on
changing the way that a person interprets the world and their place in the world,
which will help them fight off depression in the future but at the same time that
person needs help and support to deal with the feelings of loneliness, pain,
sadness, and despair that result from the depression.
Psychotherapy is a lifeline for people that are dealing with extreme depression
because it gives them an outlet for the pain and sadness that they are feeling.
Depression feeds on negativity, so when a person is sad and lonely and anxious
because they are depressed it’s hard for them to break that negative cycle in
order to start to get better. Psychotherapy combined with cognitive therapy and
other treatments are much more effective for treating depression than just using
cognitive therapy alone.
Psychotherapy is not an ongoing treatment for depression but can be used
whenever the symptoms of depression are acute or when a person enters
cognitive therapy. If someone that has had episodes of depression in the past
experiences a trauma in their life that they feel might set off another episode of
depression they might choose to enter psychotherapy as a preventative
treatment to make sure that they don’t fall back into a depression.
One of the drawbacks to Psychotherapy is that often the patient will feel much
better because he or she is getting a lot of care and support from the therapist
and might decide to stop treatment. Psychotherapy treats the immediate
symptoms of depression but that person that is suffering from depression still
needs to learn the right coping skills and mental attitudes to deal with life that are
taught in Cognitive Therapy.
The statistics show that more than 80% of the people with depression that go to
Psychotherapy start feeling better and notice an improvement in their depression.
But in order for depression patients to fight off depression over a long period of
time they really need to have Cognitive Therapy in addition to Psychotherapy to
make sure that they correct the negative thought patterns that contribute to their
depression.
DRUG THERAPY
Drug therapy is the most common form of treatment for depression, but it’s also
controversial. Many patients are concerned that the drugs that are prescribed for
depression don’t cure depression and might even make depression worse. Many
of the drugs that are commonly prescribed to treat depression can have very
serious side effects like increased risk of cancer or other illnesses, or having
suicidal thoughts.
The drugs that doctors prescribe to treat depression are very different but work in
very much the same way. They all increase natural chemicals in the brain called
neurotransmitters that are supposed to help the body and mind deal with stress
and manage emotions. When the brain creates these chemicals they are used by
the body and reabsorbed.
Anti-depressant medications block the neurotransmitters from being reabsorbed
into the body so that there are higher levels of these chemicals in the brain,
which should make a person that is normally depressed start to feel better and
less negative.
The biggest problem with using prescription anti-depressants to treat
depression is that they don’t work for everyone.
Most patients will respond to the drugs but even in the best case scenario the
drugs only partially alleviate the symptoms of depression. Without ongoing
cognitive therapy or other treatments the person will continue to suffer from some
level of depression even if they are taking anti-depressants.
Anti-depressants can have very bad side effects that some people just can’t
tolerate even if the medication helps their depression. When a depression
patient first starts getting treatment for depression it could take months for
doctors to find out what the best anti-depressant for that person is. Only a long
process of trial and error can show the patient and the doctor which drug seems
to work the best and which one the patient can tolerate the best.
There is always a danger that people who are on anti-depressants could become
dependent on them. Most of the drugs used to treat depression are expensive
and are considered controlled substances and are subject to a lot of special
handling rules because there is a strong chance that they could be misused or
even sold. Because of the risks involved in taking anti-depressants that might not
work at all or might only partially work many people are searching for alternative
therapies that can treat depression.
Those patients that choose to stay on drug therapy have several different types
of drugs that that they can try that might help them manage their depression.
TRICYCLIC ANTI-DEPRESSANTS
Tricyclic anti-depressants were the first anti-depressants developed to treat
depression. This particular type of drug increases the amount of two particular
neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. TCA’s, as they are
called, were first used for treating depression in the 1950’s.
They are also used sometimes to treat ADD/ADHD and migraines as well as
other pain disorders. Some research has found that TCA’s might also be useful
in treating bedwetting in children.
TCA’s are not usually the first choice of doctors to treat depression. Increasingly,
they have become a treatment only of last resort when all other methods are not
getting results.
Many doctors will only prescribe
TCA’s if the patient doesn’t respond
to other types of drug therapy
because TCA’s are known to have
severe side effects that many people
can’t tolerate.
TCA’s also are known to have bad
reactions with many other common
drugs so patients that are put on TCA’s
have to be very careful about taking
other drugs.
Some of the side effects that are commonly experienced by people who
take TCA’s include:
•
Dry Mouth
•
Dry Nose
•
Hyperthermia (where the body produces too much heat)
•
Restlessness
•
Anxiety
•
Confused thinking
•
Irregular heartbeat
•
Nausea and vomiting
•
Hallucinations
•
Seizures
•
Muscle breakdown
Patients that take TCA’s for a long period of time usually develop a tolerance for
the medication and when they increase the dosage they might find that they
develop side effects that they previously haven’t encountered.
MAOI
An MAOI is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. This class of drug is used to treat
depression but also has been proven effective at treating social anxiety disorder,
agoraphobia, Parkinson’s disease, and also can sometimes treat migraines
depending on the patient. There is growing evidence that MAOIs might also help
smokers quit smoking.
MAOIs were developed around the same time as TCA’s and were originally
meant to be an alternative drug that people who couldn’t tolerate the side effects
of TCA’s could use to treat their depression.
MAOIs have less severe side effects than TCA’s but still there are some serious
risks associated with using MAOIs so doctors usually will not prescribe MAOIs
unless other drugs have not been effective. MAOIs have been very effective at
treating atypical or unusual depression so patients that have unusual or overly
severe symptoms of depression might get relief from MAOIs.
The biggest danger when using MAOIs is the danger of serious interactions with
certain kinds of common foods and beverages that people consume. MAOIs
stop the body from breaking down chemicals in foods so this may make a normal
food harmful.
For example, if a person is taking MAOIs and eats or drinks items containing
chemicals like trypophan, which are broken down by the body into
neurotransmitters, then the body will be off balance because there will be too
much of that particular neurotransmitter.
Other side effects of MAOIs include:
•
Insomnia
•
Dizziness
•
Sudden drop in blood pressure when standing
•
Weakness
•
Sexual dysfunction in men and women
•
Chest pain
•
Anxiety
•
Nausea
•
Migraines
SSRIS
SSRIs are selective serotonergic reuptake inhibitors. SSRIs are most often
prescribed to treat clinical depression but they also are commonly used to treat
anxiety, personality disorders, and premature ejaculation. Some of the most
commonly prescribed anti-depressants that most people are familiar with belong
to the SSRI class. Prozac, Paxil, Lexapril, and Zoloft are all SSRIs.
SSRIs are different from the other types of anti-depressants used to treat
depression because they work only on the Serotonin neurotransmitter. Because
of this SSRIs are considered by doctors to be safer than other types of antidepressant drugs. There are also less severe side effects from SSRIs than there
are from other types of anti-depressants.
SSRIs are controversial because in 2004 a study found a link between the use of
SSRIs and teen suicide. While most doctors feel that SSRIs are still the most
effective anti-depressants to use for treating some types of depression it’s not
recommended for doctors to prescribe SSRIs to teens or to the elderly until more
research is done to see if there really is a link between the use of SSRIs and
suicide. Suicidal thoughts have been reported as a side effect of SSRIs.
Other side effects of SSRIs include:
•
Nausea
•
Sleepwalking
•
Teeth clenching
•
Migraines
•
Dizziness
•
Vivid dreams
•
Weight gain or loss of more than 7 pounds rapidly
•
Increased sensitivity to light
•
Sexual dysfunction
•
Liver damage
THE CONTROVERSY OVER ANTI-DEPRESSANT SIDE EFFECTS
Most people that take anti-depressant drugs don’t suffer from the severe side
effects that can cause permanent damage to their bodies or cause suicidal
thoughts. But even in mild forms the side effects of anti-depressants can hurt the
treatment of someone suffering from depression.
Many people feel, after being on
anti-depressant drugs for awhile,
that they feel worse on the drugs
than off of them.
One of the most common side effects
of anti-depressant drugs is anxiety.
People that are already suffering from
depression and anxiety who take a
drug that causes more anxiety most
likely won’t find that treatment to be
effective. Anti-depressants don’t get
rid of the depression. These drugs
just help people manage the
symptoms of depression.
Many anti-depressants have side effects that mimic or enhance the symptoms of
depression and have a lot of other negative effects on the body. For these
reasons, critics of anti-depressants argue that the drugs don’t actually work and
can cause the delicate chemical balance of the body to become permanently
altered.
Some people who have been on anti-depressant drugs claim that even though
they stopped taking the drugs they have never felt the same again. The medical
community is still split on this issue.
For many patients the process of finding an anti-depressant that gives them
some relief from depression and doesn’t have terrible side effects is a long one
and can result in a lot of pain and chemical imbalance.
Taking one medication for awhile and then switching to another and then to
another is not good for the body but that’s the only way to find an anti-depressant
that works for each person since the symptoms of depression are experienced
differently by different people.
Critics of anti-depressants also argue that anti-depressants are over prescribed
and that doctors put their patients on anti-depressants without even trying other
forms of treatment that might be as effective, or more effective, and won’t have
the dangerous side effects that anti-depressants can have.
Because of the controversy over the use of anti-depressants more people are
exploring alternative therapies to treat depression.
As more research is done about the long term effects of anti-depressant use and
people become more informed about their medical options they are choosing to
use anti-depressants as a last resort.
Parents, especially, are turning to alternative medicine to treat their children for
depression, anxiety, ADD, and other problems because they are afraid of the
side effects that anti-depressants have.
ANTI-DEPRESSANT DRUGS DON’T CURE DEPRESSION
It would be nice if there was a silver bullet to cure depression. If there was a
simple pill everyone could take and all the symptoms of depression would go
away forever then so much suffering would be healed. Sadly, this is not the
reality.
There has been a great divide in the medical community for years over the issue
of using anti-depressants. Despite their concerns some doctors continue to
prescribe anti-depressants for patients because they believe that even with the
risks and the side effects their patients will benefit from taking them.
But new research shows that the drug companies that manufacture antidepressants may have been manipulating data and only putting out studies that
showed their products work and might have ignored data that anti-depressants
aren’t effective for treating depression.
Doctors have known for a long time that anti-depressants don’t cure depression.
What anti-depressants are supposed to do is to help make the symptoms of
depression manageable so that the people diagnosed with depression can live
their lives without having to deal with the sometimes severe symptoms of
depression.
Anti-depressants are also supposed to help alleviate the symptoms of depression
while a patient is in therapy so that they can get some relief from the symptoms
long enough to concentrate on changing the negative thought patterns that lead
to depression.
But a study published in February 2008 in the Public Library of Science journal
found that anti-depressants did not even reliably alleviate the symptoms of
depression for many people. In this study a group of people were given a
placebo pill, and then they were given an anti-depressant. According to the data
the anti-depressant worked only slightly better than the placebo at getting rid of
the symptoms of depression.
In addition, an article recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine
provides proof that the companies that make anti-depressants have been
misleading doctors and the public for years about how well their products work by
only releasing data that shows good results for anti-depressants and hiding
studies that show anti-depressants don’t work to get rid of depression.
With all the new scientific data about the effectiveness of anti-depressants now
coming out, people that were already concerned about taking anti-depressants
because of the possible side effects are now actively looking for alternative
therapies to manage their depression.
ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES AND DEPRESSION
People who have not received results from standard anti-depressant drugs, or
people who are leery of the side effects of those drugs do have an alternative.
Actually, they have many alternatives. Because depression is so wide-spread
and such a huge problem, many people around the world have devoted
themselves to developing treatments that are alternatives to conventional drug
therapy.
There are several different types of alternative treatments that are regarded as
being very effective for treating depression.
Alternative treatments combined with cognitive therapy can do wonders to
help depression.
Some of the most commonly used alternative treatments for depression are
acupuncture, acupressure, aromatherapy, diet and exercise therapy,
homeopathy, hypnosis, Kampo, and massage therapy.
Stress management techniques and meditation can also help lessen the
symptoms of depression because stress can be a big contributing factor to the
onset of depression symptoms.
Alternative therapies have not always been widely embraced in the US but these
days millions of people who are worried about the effects of traditional drug
therapies are researching alternative therapies to help battle depression.
WHY ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES WORK
So why do alternative therapies work to treat depression when anti-depressant
drugs don’t work? Alternative therapies can be better at treating depression
because it’s easier to adapt alternative therapies to fit each person’s unique form
of depression. Everyone experiences the symptoms of depression in a unique
way and experiences symptoms to different degrees, so it makes sense that in
order to treat the symptoms each person would need to have a treatment plan
that was unique.
Alternative therapies are also more effective than drug therapy for treating
depression because of the mental component of depression. Therapies like
meditation, exercise, and proper nutrition can help the body naturally fix any
chemical imbalances that might be causing depression so that the body can fix
itself without the need for drugs. Anytime a treatment helps the body to correct
an imbalance without using drugs the results will be longer lasting than any
results that come from drug therapy. Also, there are no harmful side effects
involved when using alternative therapies.
Another advantage to alternative therapies is their method of approach. The antidepressant drugs are harsh while alternative therapies are gentle. Many
alternative therapies aim not to force the symptoms away or dramatically alter a
person’s body chemistry but instead to gently nudge a person into a more
healthy state over time.
Depression, unlike many other illnesses, is directly affected by your body and
your mind. Alternative therapies stress creating a balance between mind and
body and taking care of both, which will reduce stress and help fight off
depression.
WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY?
Homeopathy is an alternative health care practice that first began being widely
practiced in the 1800s.
Homoeopathy is based upon the idea that in order to fix the body of certain
illnesses it’s necessary to ingest herbs that produce the same symptoms that the
person is already suffering from, but in such small doses that the herbs don’t
harm the person or make the condition worse.
Homeopathy was
widely regarded
until the early 20th
century when it fell
out of favor and
was replaced by a
more scientific
emphasis in
medicine.
In the 1970’s
homeopathy
became popular
again and schools
opened to teach homeopathy and train homoeopathic practitioners, called
homeopaths.
Homeopathy is based on two basic principles; the Law of Susceptibility and the
Law of Similars.
The Law of Susceptibility
The Law of Susceptibility states that the body has an internal vital life force that
can grow strong or weaken based on surroundings, stress, and other factors.
When the vital life force fluctuates or is drained for any reason then illness will
occur. When the vital life force is restored then the body will once again be
balanced and healthy.
The Law of Similars
The Law of Similars states that in order to get rid of illness in the body it’s
necessary for the person to eat or drink herbs that will produce the same
symptoms that the person is already suffering from if given in large enough
doses. The herbs are never given full strength; they are diluted with water to
make sure that the person doesn’t end up suffering from more of the same
symptoms.
In Homeopathy it is believed that illness or disease in the body is caused by a
miasm, or anything that drains vital life force. The founder of Homeopathy,
Samuel Hahnemann, believed that miasms are responsible for chronic and long
term illness and believed that restoring the body to full energy and getting rid of
the miasms that were draining the person’s life force would help people get rid of
chronic depression and other chronic illnesses.
HOW HOMEOPATHY WORKS
“Like fixes like” is the best way to sum up how Homeopathy works. The Law of
Similars states that giving a sick person small doses of a medicine that would
cause the same symptoms that the person is already experiencing in a healthy
person will be enough to alleviate that person of those symptoms.
Homeopathy seeks to help the body’s natural defense mechanisms reactivate
and strengthen. By giving people small doses of herbs that produce like
symptoms, the body will learn to adapt to soothe those symptoms.
It’s not just Homeopathy that has this belief. In traditional Western medicine
children are given vaccines that are made from the very virus that the vaccine is
supposed to prevent.
The theory is the same - that giving the child a dose of the virus that has been
made safe will be enough to help the body fight off the real virus if the body is
exposed to it.
Homeopathy also uses the person’s individual energy to help alleviate the
symptoms.
The goal of Homeopathy is to treat the symptoms that the person is experiencing
and also to clear out the miasm, or energy blockage, so that the illness doesn’t
return.
In order to clear the blockage and treat the symptoms a Homeopath will pick a
particular herbal treatment known as a Similium. The Similium is carefully
chosen after a lengthy consultation to make sure that the Homeopath has a clear
understanding of both the mental and physical issues that are causing the illness.
The Similium, when taken according to the Homeopath’s directions, will clear the
energy blockage and help treat the symptoms of the illness, which will make the
depression go away.
Like most alternative treatments there is no clear scientific understanding of how
exactly Homeopathy works on the body because there is a mental component to
Homeopathic treatment as well as a physical one. But patients who use
Homeopathic care to treat depression report that mild forms of depression can be
quickly helped by Homeopathic treatments.
Some people that suffer from chronic depression have a harder time getting relief
from Homeopathic means but eventually, most report that the Homeopathic
treatments did help their depression.
If the depression is caused by negative thinking then Homeopathic treatments
combined with psychotherapy and cognitive therapy can treat the immediate
symptoms of depression and prevent the depression from returning. As with any
therapy, a combination of therapies works best.
WHAT TRAINING DO HOMEOPATHS GO THROUGH?
Homeopathy is a field that requires a lot of study. Even though there is no
nationally recognized or required license to become a Homeopath there are three
different types of certificates that many Homeopaths get to reassure their clients
that they have completed advanced training in Homeopathy:
CCH (Certified Classical Homeopath)
Any Homeopathic practitioner can study for this certificate. When you are
choosing a Homeopath it’s always a good idea to check their educational
credentials carefully because there is no required license that a person has to
have in order to prove they have been trained and are capable of practicing
Homeopathy
DHt (Diplomate in Homeotherapeutics)
This certification is only for medical doctors that decide to specialize in
Homeopathy. This certificate is proof of advanced training in the medical
applications of Homeopathy and the education uses medical techniques and
terminology that medical doctors are familiar with.
DHANP
(Diplomate of the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians) Naturopathic physicians are professionally certified in the US because
Naturopathic Medicine is a recognized alternative medical practice. The DHANP
serves as proof that a certified Naturopathic physician has completed a thorough
education in Homoeopathy that complements their original Naturopathic medical
training.
IS HOMEOPATHIC APPROPRIATE FOR EVERYONE?
No treatment for depression is appropriate for everyone. Because many people
that suffer from depression are worried about the side effects of antidepressants, the question of whether or not homeopathic treatments are safe
and who they are safe for is a very important one. Homeopathic treatments are
regarded as safe for everyone, including children and babies, and are not known
to have any bad side effects at all.
The reason that homeopathic treatments have no side effects is that they are
made from all natural ingredients. They are not “drugs” per se; they are herbal
remedies that don’t have the same harsh side effects that drugs have. Also, they
are heavily diluted to make them less potent. Because there are no side effects
homeopathic treatments are appropriate for almost everyone.
HOMEOPATHIC FOR CHILDREN
Parents that have children who suffer from depression or have depressive
tendencies are often concerned about putting their children on anti-depressants
because there is evidence that kids using anti-depressants might suffer from
even worse depression or might even start to have suicidal thoughts.
But parents can give Homoeopathic treatments for depression to their kids
without fear. Because there are no known side effects associated with using
Homeopathic treatments even small children can be given Homeopathic
treatments.
Homeopathic treatments, when given regularly, can also help boost a child’s
immune system, manage their stress levels, and keep them from developing any
of the symptoms of depression. Homeopathic practitioners are experts at
knowing how to help children homeopathically.
HOMEOPATHIC FOR DEPRESSION
If you or someone that you love is suffering from depression and you want to try
some homeopathic treatments but you’re not sure which homeopathic treatments
you should try here is a brief guide to the homeopathic treatments that are most
often used to treat depression.
Often, these Homeopathic treatments are available at any natural food store or
natural health practitioner. You can also order them online, usually at a much
cheaper price.
If you’re not sure which remedy you should be using it’s a good idea to schedule
a few treatments with a certified Homeopath that can give you the guidance you
need to pick an effective Homeopathic treatments for depression.
Arsenicum album
This homeopathic treatment is commonly recommended for people that are
suffering from anxiety or insecurity. People that have perfectionist tendencies or
need to be perfect all the time can also benefit from this herbal remedy. Anyone
that has bouts of despair or fears about money can also find relief with this
treatment.
Aurum metallicum
People who are overly focused on being high achievers or being successful and
feel like they never quite measure up can usually benefit from taking this
homeopathic remedy. Also, people who have symptoms like feeling discouraged,
overly sensitive to humiliation, or who suffer from feelings of emptiness or
worthlessness should take this remedy.
Calcarea carbonica
This herb alleviates anxiety and worry. This remedy is recommended for people
that become overwhelmed with worry, stress, or fear. People who frequently get
sick or have bouts of self-pity, discouragement, or dread can find relief taking this
homeopathic treatments. Also, people who feel lethargic a lot of the time or are
always cold should take this.
Causticum
A person who feels depressed because of grief and loss (either recent or over
time) may benefit from this remedy. Frequent crying or a feeling of mental
dullness and forgetfulness (with anxious checking to see if the door is locked, if
the stove is off, etc.) are other indications. People who need this remedy are
often deeply sympathetic toward others and, having a strong sense of justice,
can be deeply discouraged or angry about the world.
Cimicifuga
People that have clinical depression, or are unusually dark and sad most of the
time should take this homeopathic treatment. People who suffer from irrational
fears and excessive anxiety about tragedies occurring, like being afraid the
house will catch will fire or the car will crash, can find relief taking this.
Ignatia amara
This homeopathic remedy is most often recommended for people that are going
through a period of grief after losing a loved one, a pet, or even a job or home.
Anytime that someone is grieving, this remedy can help. This remedy is also
appropriate for people that are overly sensitive, moody, or have a tendency to cry
easily.
Kali phosphoricum
This has a calming and focusing affect. When a person is having trouble
concentrating on their work, or has a tendency to drift from topic to topic or job to
job or person to person this remedy can help. People who have attention deficit
disorder symptoms including being jumpy or overly alert and paranoid can
usually benefit from taking this homeopathic treatment.
Natrum carbonicum
The people that can benefit the most from this homeopathic remedy are people
who are overly sensitive by nature. Often, people that are very sensitive lapse
into depression as a result of feeling hurt or beaten down by the outside world.
They internalize that hurt and become depressed. People who are sensitive,
lonely, and feel isolated should take this remedy.
Natrum muriaticum
This remedy works best for people who outwardly seem very capable and not
likely to be depressed but still suffer anyway. Even though these people keep
their feelings carefully hidden they can be very susceptible to depression
because they tend to brood about perceived slights or insults. These people
often experience insomnia, back pain, and migraines that can all be helped by
this homeopathic treatment.
Pulsatilla
This remedy is often recommended for children. It is very helpful for children and
for people who have a tendency towards child like behavior. When someone is
moody, whiny, gets jealous very easily and is overly sensitive this remedy can
really help. This remedy is also particularly useful for girls and women that
become depressed or irritable when they hit puberty or during certain parts of
their menstrual cycle.
Sepia
Loners who tend to get crabby and lash out at others when they are depressed
should take this remedy. People who keep their feelings buried may get angry
when they really feel like crying and might seem very irritable and nasty to those
around them when they are depressed. Taking Sepia can help alleviate those
symptoms.
Staphysagria
People who suffer from depression as a result of childhood trauma often find this
remedy very effective. It is particularly good at alleviating the depression
associated with feelings of shame, hurt, guilt, resentment, and other suppressed
emotions. People who suffer from episodes of rage can also benefit from doses
of this remedy.
FIVE REASONS YOU SHOULD SEE A TRAINED HOMEOPATH
FOR TREATMENT
If you or a loved one suffers from depression but you are hesitant to try antidepressants because of the risks, Homeopathy can be a great alternative
therapy to treat depression. It is common now to find pre-packaged Homeopathic
products for sale in health stores, even some grocery stores. But, when you are
first starting to use Homeopathic depression treatments it’s always a good idea to
consult with a trained Homeopath first. Here’s why:
1. Homeopathy is a specialty
Just because they sell Homeopathic treatments over the counter doesn’t mean
that everyone knows how to properly use them. Everyone is different, and
consulting with a trained Homeopath means that you will have someone who
knows what they are doing tell you how much of that remedy you need to take.
2. Someone needs to monitor your progress
Don’t you want to know if the remedy is working or not? Just because you are
feeling better doesn’t necessarily mean the remedy is working or that it will
continue to work long term. Regular visits to a trained Homeopath can help you
because you will have a qualified professional keeping track of your progress and
making suggestions if you need to change treatments.
3. You might need custom blends
Homoeopathy isn’t an exact science, it’s an individual one. Each person is
different and you might need to have a blend of several remedies to help get rid
of all of your symptoms. A trained Homeopath can prepare unique herbal blends
that will be made specifically for your unique combination of symptoms.
4. A full understanding of Homeopathy takes years of education
Because everyone’s depression is different it takes a lot of skill and education to
decide upon a course of treatment and to figure out what herbal remedies are
right for you. A Homeopath with years of education in Herbalism and
Homeopathy is better qualified than you to decide what treatments you need and
they are there to help.
5. Homeopathy can treat more than depression
Homeopathy can be used to treat a wide range of health conditions, not just
depression. Going to a trained Homeopath can help you get the treatment you
need for all your medical problems. Homeopathy is designed to treat the whole
person not just isolated symptoms. As such, it is a great way to achieve whole
health by working with a Homeopath.
FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK A HOMEOPATH BEFORE YOU BEGIN
TREATMENT
If you do decide to seek out a trained Homeopath to help you treat your
depression naturally there are a few things that you should ask before you agree
to let that person treat you. Remember, you are going to trust this person with
your health so you have a right to ask questions beforehand. Check into their
background and make sure they actually have been properly trained and certified
in their discipline.
To make it easier to assess each Homeopath you should schedule a short
session so that you have time to sit down with the person one on one and talk
about your health, your symptoms, and his or her qualifications. Here are five
things that you should ask a Homeopath or any alternative health care
practitioner before you start treatment with them:
1. What is your educational background?
Many Homeopaths have a medical background. Some of them are even medical
doctors who have chosen to pursue a career in alternative therapies instead of
traditional medicine. If the person that you’re meeting with doesn’t have at least
a college degree from an accredited school and several years of training as a
Homeopath it’s probably a good idea to move on and find another person to treat
you.
2. What experience do you have treating depression?
Homeopaths treat all kinds of health problems and, like doctors, some specialize
in treating particular kinds of problems. Not all of them have experiences treating
depression. Always ask if the person has experience specifically treating
depression before you agree to be treated by that person. It doesn’t make them
unqualified if they never have specifically treated depression before, but it may
be worth it for you to go to another Homeopath who has.
3. Can I speak to some of your patients?
Any good alternative health care practitioner won’t mind if you want to speak to
former or current patients that provide a reference. Be suspicious if the
practitioner doesn’t want you to talk to their patients. Understand though that
there are some legitimate privacy concerns. Not all patients want to have their
identities known.
4. Do you accept insurance?
Not all practitioners will accept medical insurance for Homeopathy treatments,
and not all insurance companies will cover it. If you’re worried about the cost of
the treatment ask up front whether or not whether insurance is accepted and
then see if you can get your insurance to cover the cost of the treatments.
Even if the Homeopath doesn’t take insurance, or your insurance company won't
cover the treatment, the Homeopath may be willing to make financial
arrangements to help you afford treatments. It certainly does not hurt to ask.
Some Homeopaths also treat on a sliding scale. A sliding scale means that
people pay what they can afford. This means revealing your financial situation to
the Homeopath, which may be of concern to you; but it may help you to afford
your treatment.
5. What does a typical session involve?
If you’ve never had a Homeopathy treatment session before, ask for details
about what the session will be like, how long it will take, what kind of information
the practitioner will need from you and so on. You deserve to know beforehand
what to expect. When you do know what to expect you can come to your first
treatment session with any paperwork or documents or medical information that
the Homeopath might want to have for reference.
It is also a very good idea to get from the Homeopath a broad view of the
proposed treatment. How long will it last? How long will it be before you start to
see results? What are you expected to do and for how long to help in your
healing? You deserve to know everything about what you are getting into and
any reputable Homeopath will be more than happy to tell you the answers.
Knowing those answers can prepare you.
KAMPO – JAPANESE HERBALISM AND DEPRESSION
Kampo is a Japanese based herbal treatment system that is just starting to be
used in the West to fight depression. Kampo has been used in Japan for
thousands of years and is based on traditional Japanese medicine. Unlike
Homeopathy which uses particular herbs in small doses to treat depression,
Kampo uses blends of different herbs together to treat depression. There are
some individual herbs used to treat depression under the Kampo system but
these are generally used to treat mild cases of very specific conditions rather
than depression as a whole.
Kampo is based on the belief that depression is a purely physical illness but that
the physical illness causes the mental and emotional symptoms that are
associated with depression. So Kampo uses herbs to treat specific conditions of
the body, which will then alleviate the other symptoms that people suffer like
paranoia, irritability, sadness, and so on.
Kampo refers to depression as a “broken heart” and classifies depression into
one of three types:
1. Depression that is caused by not enough nutrients reaching the heart.
The primary symptoms of this type of depression are night sweats,
insomnia, and irritability.
2. Depression that is caused by too many nutrients flowing through the
heart. This condition usually causes excitability, redness of the face,
mania, and mental illness
3. Depression that stems from the liver. This type of depression is rooted
in anger and often causes the physical systems of chest pain, anxiety, and
bloating.
Once a person has been diagnosed as having one of those types of depression a
Kampo healer will then use a series of treatments to fix the imbalance in the body
and the physical symptoms will disappear as the body heals. Most Kampo
treatments are only to be taken according to the direction of a Kampo healer but
some of the individual treatments that are used to treat mild or chronic cases of
depression can be used every day, or regularly over a long period of time, to
keep depression from returning. Communicate with your Kampo healer and be
sure you understand what you can and cannot do with the herbs they give you.
Your healing depends on it.
Some Kampo practitioners tell their patients that Kampo herbal remedies for
depression can be taken with anti-depressant drugs but because of the potential
for bad interactions most doctors and Kampo healers would suggest that the
Kampo treatments not be taken in conjunction with anti-depressants. It is very
important that you be very open and honest with your Kampo healer about what
other drugs, supplements, even vitamins, that you are taking. This way your
Kampo healer can help you avoid dangerous interactions.
COMMONLY USED KAMPO HERBAL TREATMENTS FOR
DEPRESSION
Here is a brief overview of some of the most commonly used Kampo herbal
treatments to fight depression:
Individual Kampo Treatments
These treatments use a single ingredient.
Barley Sprouts
Barley sprouts are used in Kampo by adults that have diabetes or ADD. Barley
sprouts are given to alleviate mild depression with loneliness and sadness.
Biota
Biota is an herb usually recommended for memory loss and depression that is
commonly found in older or elderly people. This herb is not usually given to
anyone but the elderly.
Ginkgo
Most people are familiar with this herb that you can get at any drugstore. Ginkgo
has been proven to help treat the symptoms of mild depression, especially in
older people.
Licorice
Licorice extract or licorice tea is used to treat people that suffer from chronic
painful disorders that can cause depression like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Licorice stimulates the brain to produce Cortisol, a neurotransmitter.
Morinda
This herb is often given to men that suffer from depression because it works like
an anti-depressant but it increases male sexual function. It increases the amount
of tryptophan in the brain without affecting the other neurotransmitters the way
that anti-depressant drugs do.
Kampo Multi-Herb Formulas
These treatments use two or more ingredients together.
Biota Seed Pill
This remedy works directly to alleviate the symptoms of chills, poor blood
circulation, insomnia, agitation, and vivid dreams.
Bupleurum Plus Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell Decoction
This bizarrely named Kampo herbal formula helps treat depression with
migraines, and also can alleviate confused thinking, delirium, irritability, and
chest pain.
Coptis Decoction
This treatment is used for people who suffer from symptoms like fevers, red face,
tension headaches, and nervousness as a result of their depression.
Drive out Stasis from the Mansion of Blood Decoction
This bizarrely named remedy is used specifically for people that tend to also
have symptoms that are induced by their depression like chronic headaches,
insomnia, mood swings, fever, all over body pain, and nausea or vomiting. It
helps to lessen those symptoms.
Frigid Extremities Decoction
This remedy is used to treat nausea and vomiting.
Ginseng Decoction to Nourish the Nutritive Qi
This formula is specifically to treat depression induced by high levels of stress. It
can also help people that are suffering from lack of sleep and a general run down
feeling because of their depression. It boosts the immune system too.
Licorice, Wheat, and Jujube Decoction
This remedy acts as a sedative and is great for calming people who have intense
feelings of sadness or anger as a result of their depression. It has a sedative
effect that is similar to that given by opiates but it has no opiates in it. It’s often
given to children who cry a lot or show symptoms of depression.
Restore the Spleen Decoction
This remedy is used to combat depression that comes from the liver, or
depression with strong anger. It’s also a good treatment for people that have
trouble with their memory, or are overly tired all the time.
Because Kampo is still relatively new in the United States there aren’t too many
qualified Kampo practitioners who are active in the United States. If you decide to
learn more about Kampo as a treatment for depression, make sure that you visit
several different Kampo practitioners to find one that is highly qualified and has
been trained in Japan in the art and science of Kampo.
There are many people who claim to have cures and claim to have knowledge
about Kampo or other herbal treatments. Not all of them do have the knowledge
they claim. Check into a person’s background and make sure they actually have
been properly trained and certified in their discipline and method of healing.
CONCLUSION
Depression is a very serious illness that should never be taken lightly. There are
a lot of different treatment options for people that are suffering from depression
that encompass both traditional Western medicine and alternative therapy. There
are so many, in fact, almost everyone should be able to find some combination
that helps them in their unique circumstances.
There are different kinds of depression and each type has particular symptoms,
but every person that suffers from depression will have different combinations of
symptoms and those symptoms will vary in intensity for each person. It is
important not to expect simple answers or to pigeonhole yourself into one simple
diagnosis of depression.
Psychotherapy and cognitive therapy are very effective and should always be a
part of any long term depression treatment plan. Anti-depressants and other
drug therapies do carry some heavy risks, and people that are worried about the
serious side effects of these drugs should consider alternative therapies to treat
their depression. Still, anti-depressants do provide relief for some. Those for
whom anti-depressants do not work or those for whom the thought of possible
side-effects are too worrisome have a number of alternative treatments for
depression to consider.
Acupuncture and acupressure, diet and nutrition, exercise, Kampo, and
Homeopathy are all good alternative therapies that can be used to successfully
fight depression. Kampo and other herbal therapies have no known side effects
and can be very effective at dealing with depression. Homeopathy has no side
effects and can be a big help when it comes to managing the symptoms of
depression that can make day to day life difficult, like feelings of sadness,
loneliness, despair, and hopelessness.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember about depression is that it is not a
cause for shame. It is not your fault that you suffer from depression. Depression
is a disease and should be treated as a disease. Depression is also a very
treatable disease. It is not a condition that people have no choice but to put up
with it.
If you or a loved one suffers from depression don’t give up hope. There are lots
of effective ways to treat and manage depression. With a little effort and the
knowledge you have gained from this book about treating depression you can
move forward and make a plan with your doctor to treat your depression and live
a happy life again.
Good luck!
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