Depression robs sufferers of all joys of life and leaves them a shell of what they once were. In addition to the despair, loneliness, and overwhelming sadness, it can even be fatal as some people can become so desperate to end their pain they attempt suicide to escape the prison of depression.
Although depression may occur only once during your life, people typically have multiple episodes. During these episodes, symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day and may include:
Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
Even with medication, countless depression sufferers continue to struggle. Medications don’t teach the brain how to get out of the unhealthy brain pattern of depression. While drugs can serve some positive benefit, there are numerous problems with these medications, including:
Uncomfortable side effects
Reliance on the medication making it difficult to stop taking it and manage mood on one’s own.
Medication tolerance can develop, necessitating a dosage increase or medication change which may produce new side effects.
If medications are stopped, symptoms often return.
For many people with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities or relationships with others. Some people may feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why.
Lifestyle Recommendations:
• Reduce lifestyle stressors and establish boundaries for emotional well-being. • Seek professional help from qualified professionals trained to treat depression disorders. • Resist the urge/tendency to isolate; accept emotional support from true friends and counselors. • Check neurotransmitter function; consider testing for methylation or other SNPs that affect neurotransmitters such as MTHFR, CBS, and COMT. • Rule out vitamin D deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, overgrowth of candida albicans, hormone imbalance, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism and weak adrenal function. • Strive for 30-60 minutes of exercise a day; consider high-intensity training or aerobic activity to enhance brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotransmitter function. • Consider practicing mindfulness or yoga to effectively handle stress. • Get help for substance addiction and smoking cessation.
Dietary Tips and Caveats:
• Taper off and eliminate stimulants such as caffeine in energy drinks, coffee and chocolate. • Work with nutritionist to determine food sensitivities such as gluten and dairy; consider an elimination diet. • Replenish blood sugar by eating a healthy high protein breakfast, preferably by or before 10:00 am or within 2 hours of waking. • Avoid foods that spike blood such as high-sugar snacks and beverages (includes sodas and fruit juices), refined carbohydrates, and high fructose corn syrup. • Eat high quality protein including whey or pea protein, healthy fats and whole foods at each meal to support the adrenals. • Snack on healthy proteins and fats such as raw nuts, seeds, avocados, and coconuts flakes to balance blood sugar throughout the day; divide 3 meals into 5-6 smaller meals if digestion is sluggish or if fatigued.
How Can Neurofeedback Help With Depression?
Neurofeedback can help restore healthier brain patterns and eliminate depression by teaching the brain to get “unstuck” and better modulate itself. After brain training with neurofeedback, people with depression report they are better able to stabilize their moods and that their motivation improves. Neurofeedback works on the root of the problem, altering the brain patterns affiliated with depression. Neurofeedback can bring lasting brain changes, is non-invasive, and produces no undesirable side effects. We can help depression sufferers get their lives back. Your brain changes when you are depressed, and neurofeedback can help it relearn healthier patterns, giving those who suffer from depression a way out of the prison of their minds.
Chiropractic Care For Your Depression:
Chiropractic care has long had a relationship with mental health. As early as the 1920’s in patient facilities were established featuring chiropractic adjustments and lifestyle changes as ways to help people suffering with mental health issues. Chiropractic deals with maximizing the health of the nervous system. Emotional and psychological health are greatly effected with chiropractic care because they are controlled through the nervous system. Specifically, removing nerve interference allowing regulation of the sympathetic nerves which control the fight or flight mechanism of the brain.