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A Holistic Alternative to Antidepressants To optimize the function of the healing system, you must do everything in your power to improve physical health, mental/emotional health, and spiritual health. . . . One of the disappointments of my professional life is meeting so few teachers who see the whole picture of health, who understand the importance of working on all fronts. — Andrew Weil, M.D., Eight Weeks to Optimal Health Despite the recent advent of Prozac and other designer drugs, depression is on the rise. Since World War II, rates of depression have doubled in the U.S., and depression is now the second most disabling illness in the Western world after heart disease. While antidepressants continue to be the mainstay for the treatment of depression, "55-65% percent of people are not helped nearly enough, or they cannot endure the side effects," according to a recent article in the New York Times. I am one of those people for whom medications were not a good fit. As a result, I have put together a holistic program for the prevention and treatment of depression and anxiety. I have organized this treatment plan into five areas: physical self-care, mental/emotional self-care, spiritual self-care, people support, and lifestyle habits. As you read through this material, think of my recommendations as guidelines, not hard-and-fast prescriptions. Each person’s healing journey is unique. Now, let’s begin. Your physical health is your greatest ally in preventing or overcoming depression. Caring for the body creates a strong foundation upon which to build good emotional health. On the other hand, when the body is out of balance, it can be difficult to maintain emotional serenity. As Thomas Jefferson put it centuries ago, "If the body is feeble, the mind will not be strong." This is why physical self-care is the starting-off place in your recovery program. Here are ten basic, common-sense physical self-care habits that will help you to attain a better mood. 1. Avoid putting junk in your body. Start with the obvious toxins like tobacco, alcohol, and hard drugs. In addition, eliminate processed foods such as soft drinks, diet sodas, candy, cookies, cakes, prepared entrees made with artificial ingredients, etc. For people who are sugar-sensitive, refined sugar acts like a drug and wreaks havoc on the brain and body. 2. Give the body sufficient exercise: at least 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week, in a way that breaks a sweat. The practice of yoga is particularly helpful in conditioning the body, calming the nervous system, and balancing the emotions. 3. Drink plenty of water: at least 64 ounces a day (one ounce for every two pounds of body weight) and more if you are active. Carry water with you so that you drink most of it in between meals, as drinking during meals can dilute the digestive enzymes. Make sure the water is pure, not city water. The best way to ensure this is to use a good water filter. 4. Meet your body's need for sufficient sleep. Keep a regular and consistent sleep schedule. 5. Eat a diet that contains of a wide variety of fresh unprocessed foods. Buy organic whenever possible. Make sure you eat at regular intervals to keep the blood sugar stable. Also eat sufficient protein, as the brain’s neurotransmitters are made from the essential amino acids from protein. 6. Learn how to properly oxygenate your body through deep, diaphragmatic breathing. 7. Get enough exposure to natural light (morning hours are best), especially if you have SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Light boxes are therapeutic for some people. 8. If you wish to explore medicine that directly impacts your brain chemistry, whether it is conventional antidepressants such as Prozac or Zoloft; herbal remedies such as St. Johns Wort and Kava Kava; or amino acids such as 5-HTP or SAMe, find an appropriate prescriber or nutritionally oriented physician to work with. 9. Find a way to fulfill your body’s need for touch through hugs or therapeutic massage. 10. Appreciate your body for the wonderful miracle that it is. The new science of psychoneuroimmunology clearly documents the impact of the mind on the nervous system and immune functioning. Thus, developing positive thinking and feeling habits is an essential part of your "brain maintenance" program. Since negative thinking can actually create painful feelings, it is important to become aware of and release your irrational and self-defeating beliefs. Such beliefs include, "It is important for everyone to like me all of the time," "I must be perfect in all that I do," and "It is my fault that I am depressed." Other painful feelings are often the result of distorted, negative thinking, known as "cognitive distortions." Some common distortions are: • all-or-nothing thinking (seeing things in black-and-white categories), • mental filter (picking out a single negative detail and dwelling on it exclusively), • disqualifying the positive, • jumping to conclusions (making a negative interpretation, even though there are no definite facts that support the conclusion), • mind reading (arbitrarily concluding that someone else is reacting negatively to you without checking it out), • emotional reasoning (assuming that negative emotions reflect the way things really are — i.e., "I feel it, therefore it must be true"), • should statements, and • personalization (seeing yourself as the cause of some negative external event which you are not responsible for). Identifying and correcting self-defeating beliefs will enhance your mood and help to balance out your emotions. Often, it is hard to do this alone, especially if you experienced trauma or abuse in your childhood. This is when finding a good therapist becomes an important aspect of your recovery program. There are many types of guides to choose from — psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, pastoral counselors, licensed professional counselors, drug and alcohol counselors, etc. Locating the right therapist means finding the right fit, just as in a marriage or business partnership. Take the time you need and trust your instincts. The person you work with will be an indispensable part of your healing journey. "Anything that promotes a sense of isolation often leads to illness and suffering. Anything that promotes a sense of love and intimacy, connection and community, is healing." — Dean Ornish, Love and Survival In my book, Healing From Depression, I emphasize that social support is an essential requirement for surviving a depressive episode. Having healthy relationships not only helps to alleviate depression, but also helps to prevent its recurrence. Isolation, on the other hand, makes one more vulnerable to mental and physical illness. Building a good support network takes time and the process is unique to each person. It means surrounding yourself with people who can validate what you are going though and who can unconditionally accept you. Some of the members of a support system may include: • family and close friends. • an ally such as a counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist, rabbi, minister, priest, 12 step sponsor or friend in whom you can confide. • group support such as group counseling or a 12-step meeting. Here is where you can gain (and give) help and encouragement from (and to) others who are going through experiences like yours. In a support group, you learn that you are not alone in your suffering, and that there are others who truly understand your pain. • domestic pets. The unconditional love we give to and receive from these beings can be as healing as human love. Even with the many resources that are available, some people feel too ashamed, shy or anxious to reach out for help. If asking for assistance seems hard, please reconsider calling someone, even if it is a crisis line. Reaching out will make a real difference in your recovery. I promise. Mental health researchers have defined a phenomenon known as "religious coping" — a reliance on a spiritual belief or activity to help manage emotional stress or physical discomfort. Having strong spiritual beliefs can also increase feelings of hope and faith, which in turn produce positive chemical and emotional changes in the brain. Aspects of spiritual self-care that can be used to promote emotional serenity include: • prayer. • mediation. Meditation involves stilling the mind so that we can hear the "still small voice" of God within and be open to spiritual guidance. There are many sources of training available: TM (transcendental meditation) books and classes, Zen centers, the books of Buddhist priest Thich Nhet Hahn, and Herbert Benson’s work, The Relaxation Response, which describes a simple form of meditation. • spending time in nature. Whether it’s watching the moon rise over a mountain peak, the sun set over the ocean, or simply taking a leisurely walk in your city park, spending time in nature can elicit a healing connection to Mother Earth. • getting involved in a spiritual community. All spiritual traditions have emphasized joining with others as a way to gain assistance in strengthening one’s spiritual life. One of the greatest spiritual movements of the 20th century, Alcoholics Anonymous, has made community fellowship the foundation of its healing work. Moreover, as I have discovered, the power of prayer can be enhanced in a group setting. • practicing forgiveness. • engaging in selfless service. All spiritual traditions stress service as a part of one’s spiritual path. A fundamental symptom of depression (and unhappiness in general) is self-absorption. Service allows us to transcend our suffering by shifting our focus away from ourselves. (Researchers have documented a phenomenon called "helpers high" among people who volunteer their time to help others.) Finally, certain lifestyle habits can help you to maintain balance and stability and thus prevent the onset of depression. These include: • finding ways to include structure/routine in your daily activities. • setting worthwhile goals. • finding fulfilling work that connects with an inner passion or sense of purpose. • finding ways to connect to the natural world. • getting enough exposure to natural outdoor light. • finding ways to reduce the stress in your life by scheduling in periods of time to relax and just "be." • engaging in activities that give you joy and pleasure — e.g. eating a good meal, working in the garden, nurturing a pet, spending time with friends, etc. — and sprinkling your life with them. •taking time each day to give and receive hugs. There is nothing new or radical in what I have suggested. This body, mind, and spirit recovery plan is a simple common sense approach to living a healthy and balanced life. By putting these ideas into practice, you can strengthen your "psychological immune system" and become more resistant to mood disorders such as clinical depression. Best wishes on your transformational journey! Douglas Bloch is the author of Healing from Depression, available at your local bookstore or by calling (503) 284-2848. Contact Douglas at <dbloch@teleport.com> or <www.healingfromdepression.com>. Douglas will be presenting two workshops in the Seattle area: November 9 at the Depression Wellness Network, (206) 528-9975, and November 10 at the Unity Church of Bellevue, (425) 747-5950. |