Aren’t we all a little depressed?

Why it’s important to address your mental health now.

It’s true. We all get a little bit down sometimes. As many as 1 in 4 Canadians report feelings of depression and in my practice, I often see clients who claim to have no mental health challenges and yet they still feel like they are struggling to stay above water, 1 minor incident away from losing grip. 

Depression’s impact on individuals, families, and society is deep and far-reaching. Sick days, disability payments, the effects on the affected person’s household, strained relationships, and even the horrible losses associated with suicide. Often not considered are the co-morbidities. For example, women with depression have double the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and in men, the risk is 4x!

So what can you do? 

Allopathic medicine has many pharmaceutical band-aids for feelings of low mood and doctors are quick to offer a pill-for-your-ill. However, did you know that studies show that antidepressant medication is no more effective than placebo? A recent meta-analysis even debunks the “chemical imbalance” theory behind SSRI medications entirely! Now, this isn’t to say that some folks couldn’t benefit from a boost in serotonin but I have many concerns about GPs writing prescriptions for anyone coming in feeling a little low without looking into what is driving the depression in the first place. Especially considering how incredibly difficult it can be to come off of these medications. 

Causes of Depression

I don’t know about you but when I was a kid I understood very early that it was not ok to express anger. Especially as a girl, yelling, stomping and carrying on was not only “disrespectful” to my parents but also very unladylike. So if our acceptance in our family or society is at risk, we learn to DEPRESS our authentic emotions in order to retain an attachment to our tribe. These patterns continue into adulthood if we don’t do the work of listening to our inner knowing and going back to a place of self-trust. 

Beyond this, depression is a signal from our bodies that something is out of balance. Some conditions that can look like depression are dehydration, low thyroid, hormone imbalances, poor sleep (due to sleep apnea, circadian issues or otherwise), nutritional deficiencies like low iron, vitamin D or B vitamins, and even a lack of play or social connection. Many medications like statins and hormonal birth control have the potential to majorly impact mood in a negative way. Plus, there is new evidence showing that inflammation can be a driving factor for depression stemming from poor diet, obesity, food sensitivities, gluten intolerance/celiac disease, autoimmune disease, gut dysbiosis, stress, viruses, pathogens, toxins, etc. Lastly, cellular energy is needed to make any lifestyle changes even when we KNOW they will make us feel better. Supporting mitochondrial health can be really helpful in getting the engine started when you have lost your “get up and go.”

As a practitioner, I look at all of these potential contributors and more. On a nervous system level, depression is a state of dorsal vagal shutdown or what is also referred to as a trauma response. I teach somatic practices that help you get to know your own nervous system and create a sense of safety which can allow your system to mobilize into a more calm-alive state from which we are better able to heal both our emotional wounds and our biological conditions.  (Book a nervous system session here)

As you can see, focusing solely on psychotherapy or expecting a medication to do all the heavy lifting is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. Working with a trained professional who looks for root-cause can help you get to the bottom of these contributing factors and get lasting results. 

5 things you can do to improve your mood today. 

• Exercise: aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity. Cardiac health = brain health.

• Sun Exposure: spending a safe amount of time in the sun without sunglasses or sunscreen improves mood and reduces inflammation. Morning is best.

• Red Light therapy: Daily exposure to red and NIR light is shown to improve mood (and improve skin, reduce inflammation and pain)

• Meditation: Just 13 minutes a day is proven to improve mood, memory and cognition. 

• Nature: Get outside. Trust in the healing power of Mama Earth. 

Book a discovery call today to see if I can help you. 

If you are having thoughts of ending your life, please seek emergency care. 

Call 1.833.456.4566 or text 45645 to speak with someone. 

I am trained in supporting those with suicidal thoughts but I HIGHLY recommend being supported by a psychotherapist as well.