I don't mean to be insensitive to people with depression, keep that in mind as you read.
Lately I've seen magazine and television ads for a new prescription drug called "Abilify." It is a drug to take in addition to an antidepressant such as Zoloft, Prozac, Paxcil CR, etc. Why? Because people who are taking these and other antidepressants are still having symptoms of depression!
(No kidding, really?)
Could it be because hormones primarily drive your sense of emotional well-being, and prescription drugs, and a diet of processed, artificial, non-nutritional "food" disrupt your body systems, including your hormones?
The second greatest factor in mood and emotion is brain chemistry-- again, if the chemistry you put into your body isn't good (poor food, drugs, chemicals) then it is to be expected that the internal chemistry will be messed up as well!
Depression is one of the most naturally treatable ailments. To begin to balance the hormones and adrenal system: eat natural, healthy foods; take Omega-3s; exercise-- everyday; get sunlight; look at your life stressors and possible solutions or resources; and do something to feel good about.
When I was sick as a teenager, I had my own bout with depression-- my body was out of whack, including my hormones. The M.D.s didn't know what to do to help me recover from feeling sick and exhausted all the time, but they offered antidepressants to help with the feeling like crap.
I'm happy to say (no pun intended) that I never took any. As I started doing healthy things for my body, the depression was alleviated and then gone. I think most people on antidepressants continue to have problems if they stop taking the drug. Obviously taking an antidepressant is not a cure, it's a symptom cover-up. Sometimes it doesn't even treat the symptoms! According to Abilify's own ad, 2 out of 3 people have unresolved symptoms of depression when taking an antidepressant.
I find it ironic that the side effects of antidepressants can include being more depressed, and suicidal. In violent crime cases such as the Columbine High School shootings, the perpetrators were on antidepressants. What most people don't realize is that studies are suggesting that the antidepressants can actually cause these incidents. (See Ann Blake Tracy's book, "Prozac: Panacea or Pandora.") You see, the anti-depressants aren't smart enough to distinguish "good" emotions from "bad" ones. They may block feelings of sadness, but they can also block feelings of joy, love, and empathy for others.
In a 2002 study (Penninx and others) depression patients were told to do aerobic walking exercise, and they were given a tricyclic antidepressant. Another group did aerobic walking exercise only. The study found that the treatment that included the antidepressant was no more effective than exercise alone. And there were no side effects!
As for the side effects of Abilify, it can effect behavior, create uncontrollable movements that may become permanent, cause seizures, and impair judgment and motor skills. It increases the risk of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, stroke, coma and death. More than 10% of Abilify users experienced nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, dizziness, an inner sense of restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia. Hmm... I mean, this is all in the fine print right on the ad! Somehow we still think this is an ok thing to have on the market? Then again, I guess it's about the same as all other prescription drugs. As a society we've come to accept these effects-- I shouldn't call them side effects, they are effects.
I understand myself the discomfort and fear of being sick, and of having depression. There are times that a prescription drug may be necessary, even life-saving-- but I think that 95% percent of the time, we as a nation are popping pills rather than taking responsibility and doing something for our own health. ("Effort-- waaaahh!") We put our trust in medical doctors who may be well-meaning, but also get a kick-back for each Rx they write up, and seem to either not know or not care about what makes the body function at its best and heal itself.
Illness is not fun whether is is physical, mental, or emotional, but there are things we can do to truly be cured with nature, not just to be "treated" with bad science.
3 comments:
Wow, what an informative entry! I am in complete agreement with you. I have done some resarch, and have found that the all time best cure for depression is 1) frequent exercise... getting your heart rate up for a period of time every day, and 2) eating healthy. I feel guilty for even saying that because today I went out and participated in the SAD (Standard American Diet). We went to a fast food chain. I don't remember the last time I ate somewhere that unhealthy, but I was having a tough day and foolishly went for the quick fix... I didn't have to cook dinner, which always helps things. Unfortunately I wasn't taking into consideration the nutritional needs my body has. If only more people could read your blog and become informed!
Thank you for a very well written article on these very dangerous drugs Sheryl. And thank you for mentioning my book - what most refer to as "The Bible" on the serotonergic medications like antidepressants, antipsychotics and pain killers. It took me four years of intensive research to write the first edition of the book and now I wish everyone everywhere knew as much as I do about these drugs because they NEED to know even if they are not taking the drugs themselves because we are all being affected by someone's use of these drugs.
I wish people could see what I see. Right now the first boy shot at Columbine is visiting in my home. He is known as the "Columbine Miracle Boy" because he survived 7 - 13 bullets (9 mil). Ten years later he is not doing well at all. And now there are so many school shooting incidents I cannot even begin to keep up with them all. Antidepressants are involved in nearly every case. We never had these things before these drugs hit the market.
Diet and exercise may take a little effort, but are SO MUCH more effective and FAR MORE painless than taking an antidepressant! Even the scientist who discovered the serotonin binding process that made these drugs possible, Dr. Candace Pert, agrees with that last statement and refers to these drugs as "monsters" that she wishes she had never had anything to do with their development. And we now know that the early studies which were hidden until early this year show that antidepressants performed no better than placebo. In light of those two points alone, WHY are we still using these very dangerous drugs?
Dr. Ann Blake-Tracy, Executive Director,
International Coalition for Drug Awareness, www.drugawareness.org & www.ssristories.org
Hey Sheryl! I love your blog!
So are you ready for my slight rebuttal on this? I agree that we are a nation of pill-poppers. And while eating healthy, getting exercise, getting sleep, etc... is helpful, in some cases it's just not enough. I know of someone who has SEVERE depression and he's gone through all of the tests, the drugs, the psychologists, the psychiatrists, the nutrition plans, the mental health "programs", acupuncture, hypnotism, numerous visits to the hospital, etc. etc. etc... and nothing has worked. I agree that there is more that he could be doing on his end, but I totally understand how hard it is to be motivated to any thing for yourself when you are engulfed by such a heavy blackness of misery, and you wished that it would all just end. I agree that pills are scary. I've seen what happens when someone goes off of antidepressants "cold-turkey", and it's an experience I hope I never have to go through first hand. But sometimes you need a little help, in whatever form it comes in, to get though all that life is throwing at you. Even if it is just for a little while.
Okay. I'm done venting. :)
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