ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

How common are anxiety and depression? Along with fatigue and insomnia, anxiety and depression are the most common complaints raised by my patients.  Without exaggeration, I would say they are epidemic problems and definitely a harsh reflection of our lives, choices and priorities.  Many people come to me looking for alternatives to their medications. 

Are drugs effective for anxiety and depression? Allopathic medications can definitely be effective in helping to control symptoms of anxiety and depression, and in severe cases can be life saving.  Many people are unable to stay on these medications because of their side effects.  Another drawback of medications is that they provide little incentive for most to address the root causes of their problems.  No one suffers depression because of a Prozac deficiency; therefore while it may be helpful temporarily, one should go beyond the masking of symptoms. 

There are many physiological and organic causes or contributors to depression which should be addressed.  Some of these are chronic pain, liver disease, adrenal dysfunction, hormone disruption, food allergies, PMS, thyroid dysfunction, sugar imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, sleep disturbances, heavy metal toxicity, prescription drugs and more.  Postpartum depression and PMS, for example, show us how hormone changes can profoundly affect our moods.

 Depression and anxiety are often firmly rooted in lifestyle choices.  Whether one opts for medications or natural remedies, these should not be depended on indefinitely.  Depression and anxiety are your body’s way of crying out to you that your existing choices are not sustainable.  Many substances used to manage anxiety, insomnia and stress, such as alcohol, smoking and coffee, while helpful in the short run, have the opposite effects long term.  People need more and more of these substances to get the same effects.  Over 100 clinical studies indicate that exercise has profound antidepressant effects, and yet few people resort to this before trying prescription drugs. 

Nutrition is a cornerstone treatment for all my patients.  Did you know that a deficiency of any single nutrient can alter brain function and lead to depression, anxiety and/or other mental health issues?  B vitamins are a good example.  However, the solution is not to run out and purchase every synthetic vitamin linked to depression, but to address the digestive difficulties or nutritional shortcomings that may be causing them.

Can naturopathic medicine treat anxiety and depression? Along with nutrition and lifestyle changes and learned skills such as meditation, herbs can help rebuild and rebalance the body and mind in order to function productively.  Herbal nervines  help calm and build the nervous system, while adaptogenic and adrenal herbs help the body better cope with short and long term stress as well as balancing hormones and blood sugar.  Some of these herbs are thought to duplicate the same biochemical pathways as some medications but with much fewer side effects.  Nevertheless they should be advised by an experienced naturopath or herbalist to select the best combination of herbs, doses and appropriate durations.

It concerns me that many people are self-prescribing remedies such as GABBA, Progesterone, 5-HTP, Melatonin, L-Tyrosine, D-L-phenylalanine, Tryptophan, SAMe and the like found in health food stores.  While these may be helpful, they should only be used under advisement, especially if on any medications. Unlike whole herbs, many of these are hormones, or precursors to hormones, and bring with them short and long-term side effects as well as higher risks.  They should not be used long term and insofar as ‘natural’ remedies go, should be the last resort.  I rarely use them for my own patients.