What is depression and can you combat it naturally?

Depression is so much more than just feeling down or flat. Depression is a serious mental health condition that affects both your physical and mental health. The researchers cannot agree on what causes depression, but it is linked to a number of factors. According to the Beyond Blue website, “Depression usually results from a combination of recent events and other longer-term or personal factors, rather than one immediate issue or event.” The Beyond Blue website also reports that researchers believe it is often caused by ongoing difficulties like long-term unemployment, living in an abusive or uncaring relationship, isolation or loneliness, prolonged work stresses. People who have had difficult childhoods can be more susceptible to depression too.

Common factors linked to depression

Beyond Blue explains that there are personal factors common to depression. Sometimes depression runs in families, and members of that family can have a higher genetic risk of developing depression, however just because someone in your family has depression doesn’t mean you will get it. Also environmental factors can contribute to depression. If you belong to a family in which many members of the family have negative thinking patterns, then you may inadvertently learn those patterns. Unhealthy thinking patterns can contribute to developing depression.

Some people have personality traits that put them more at risk of developing depression. For example, if you have a tendency to worry, have low self-esteem, are a perfectionist or are sensitive to personal criticism, or are self-critical and negative you are more at risk of developing depression.

Long-term illnesses can lead to depression

Long-term painful medical conditions which impact on your quality of life also make you more at risk of developing depression. The stress and worry of coping with an ongoing condition leads to depression, especially for people dealing with long-term and chronic pain.

Drug and alcohol use can both lead to and result in depression. It is sort of like the chicken and egg scenario. Although there’s been a lot of research in this complex area, there’s still much we don’t know. Depression is not simply the result of a ‘chemical imbalance’, for example because you have too much or not enough of a particular brain chemical. It’s complicated, and there are multiple causes of major depression. Factors such as genetic vulnerability, severe life stresses, substances you may take (some medications, drugs and alcohol) and medical conditions can affect the way your brain regulates your moods.

Conventional treatments

Beyond Blue explains that prescription antidepressants impact your brain’s chemical transmitters (serotonin and noradrenaline). These relay messages between brain cells, but prescription antidepressants are not the only way to treat depression. There are natural options. However it is vital to remember that depression is a serious illness. It is life-threatening, like cancer. If you have depression you need to seek professional help. You need to visit your doctor, however you have every right to ask your doctor or psychiatrist if natural remedies might be a treatment option.

Natural remedies for depression, including St John’s wort

The best known natural treatment for depression is the herb, St John’s wort. The botanical term is hypericum perforatum. This herb has been used to treat depression since ancient Greek times.

This is what the Black Dog Institute says about St Johns wort, “The plant has many chemical compounds, some of which are believed to help depression by preventing nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing the chemical messenger serotonin, or by reducing levels of a protein involved in the body’s immune system functioning. Most preparations have been standardised to include the main active ingredients of hypericin and hyperforin. It is important to note that although St John’s wort is a herb, it is still an active treatment that has specific chemical effects. There have been many clinical studies comparing the effectiveness of St John’s wort with placebos and antidepressant medication. Most have found the herbal remedy to be superior to placebo and equivalent to standard antidepressants for the treatment of mild to moderate depression.” That means for people suffering mild to moderate depression, St John’s wort is an effective alternative to prescription antidepressants. You need to discuss with your doctor, whether St John’s wort will be suitable for you. Another option to consider is to use prescription antidepressants to begin with, and once your mental health has improved move to St John’s wort.

In a web survey on the Black Dog Institute website, where nearly 3000 people who had experienced clinical depression evaluated different treatments, St John’s wort was rated as distinctly less effective than most antidepressant drugs. There are also side effects to St John’s wort.

The most common side effects with short-term oral use of St. John’s wort supplements have included mild stomach upset, allergic skin reactions, tiredness, restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, photosensitivity, vivid dreams, diarrhoea, tingling, dry mouth, headache, and liver injury. St John’s wort also makes your skin more likely to burn in the sun. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive, talk with your doctor before taking St John's wort. Also be aware that St John’s wort can negate the contraceptive pill and antibiotics.

Other mood-enhancing supplements

Again I say to you, do not consider taking these supplements unless first consulting a doctor as these supplements can have side effects and interfere with other medications.

The seeds of an African plant known as Griffonia simplicifolia are referred to in the chemist as 5-HTP. People take 50-300 mg of 5-HTP three times a day. This drug also suppresses appetite and enhances sleep. This supplement converts directly into serotonin. If you take too much, you will feel sleepy or have runny stools. Note this drug can also cause anxiety. Use it with great caution if you're taking an anti-depressant. Please see your doctor first.

According to The New York Times, SAMe is a popular dietary supplement that may help depressed patients who don’t respond to prescription antidepressant treatment, according to a new study. SAMe stands for S-adenosyl methionine, a naturally occurring molecule that is widely used in Europe for depression, arthritis and other ailments. It is found throughout the human body, with high concentrations in the liver, adrenal glands and brain. The latest research was conducted by investigators at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The amino acid, L-Theanine, is another natural remedy for depression. It is found in green tea. According to naturopaths, it induces relaxation, relieves anxiety and stimulates the production of alpha brain waves (similar to brain activity during meditation). It strengthens cognition from depression and stress-induced impairment. It may particularly benefit individuals with depression and high anxiety as an add-on therapy to conventional antidepressants.

Fish oil supplements may help ease symptoms of depression. Some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial to those with mild to moderate depression, but more research is needed. Fish oil is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which play an important role in brain function. People with depression may have low blood levels of brain chemicals called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA can be found in fish oil.

In my next blog I will look at whether exercise, diet and counselling can help you recover from depression.