A Brief Guide To Depression

Over 30 million Americans suffer from some form of depression. Depressive illness, unlike the occasional "blue" days everyone experiences once in a while, is a persistent disorder which can present physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.

Many symptoms may fool you: deriving little or no pleasure from anything, loss of interest in work, family, hobbies, sex, even life; experiencing a "low" period that won't go away; unexplainable crying spells; loss of self-esteem; irritability; jumpiness; anxiety; some form of sleep difficulty (difficulty falling asleep, waking up very early, not sleeping soundly, sleeping too much); concentration or memory problems; physical pain you just can't pin down; loss of appetite or obsessive-compulsive behaviors; constipation; panic attacks; worry and negative thinking; strong PMS symptoms; severe allergies; skin problems; ulcers; nail-biting; addictions; significant fearfulness; significant guilt; hypoglycemia; itching over many areas of the body; and even bed-wetting in children.

What causes depression? An imbalance of chemical messengers in the brain, causing a decrease of natural anti-depressants! This imbalance of natural anti-depressants can be caused by a thought disorder (worry, negative thinking), and/or by a purely physical problem at the neurotransmitter level: an inherited tendency to make inadequate supplies of natural anti-depressants in the brain.

Thus, two major categories of depression exist: a type that is inherited, or produced by illness, loss of a loved one, drug use, nutritional deficiencies, lack of exercise, low thyroid, etc.; and a type that is caused by negative thought patterns, which in turn creates a neurological problem.

Depression requires holistic treatment based upon thorough investigation and diagnosis. Some people have simple nutritional deficiencies while others need the help of therapy (Cognitive-reconstruction- shows best results) and/or antidepressants.

HOW STRESS CAN CAUSE DEPRESSION

On the physical level, the hypothalamus, buried deep in the brain just above the brain stem, sends messages to the pituitary gland in the front of the brain. The pituitary gland releases certain hormones, the most potent of which is ACTH along with several pain-lessening Beta-endorphins.

Now the action really begins: ACTH rushes to the adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex, to be exact, and causes it to release corticosteroids which, through some plan or accident by Nature, causes a suppression of the immune system.

The adrenal gland medulla gets the message and releases adrenalin. It is also must make more. Adrenaline and noradrenalin, the accelerator and the brakes of many bodily events, are released to affect the sympathetic nervous system, the heart, the stomach, the liver, and so on.

The heart is then aroused by the impulses along the sympathetic nervous system, and if that isn't enough, adrenalin acts as a backup, we might say, to speed up the heart.

The stomach is affected by messages coming by way of the parasympathetic nervous system route. It produces more acid which can lead to ulcer.

The liver is aroused within the few seconds of the entire event: it releases stored sugar - glycogen - important in providing food to muscles and to other areas for rapid responses leading to what is known as "fight or flight."

When the fight or flight occurs quickly, there is little problem for the body, for that is what the whole constellation of actions is designed to do.

However, when there is no physical release (resolution) and the body endures "freeze" rather than fight or flight, the chemical messengers are constantly pressured into release until damage occurs.

This is one important reason why competent evaluation is necessary in all cases of suspected depression, and why mind-training is such an important component of a complete recovery program.

Dr. Williston consults by phone and by email: http://www.wholarts.com/options/

Quotable Quotes

Happiness may well consist primarily of an attitude toward time.

Robert Grudin

You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost.

Martha Graham

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