Depression: From hopelessness to hopefulness

There has been a lot of media attention focused on the topic of Depression in recent days in Canada. Many proactive individuals shared pieces of their personal experiences with the condition, including the challenges they faced in getting help and finding a solution.

Some very important points were not acknowledged, or at least not emphasized, which I will list below.
Firstly, the experience of depression is not exactly the same for everyone, especially because there are differing causes and varying degrees of depression.

Possible Causes:

(One or more of the following may exist concurrently.)
Thyroid imbalance (Check out The Thyroid Solution)
Progesterone and/or Testosterone deficiency
Trauma
Abuse
Neurotransmitter imbalance
Nutritional deficiency (ie: mineral or amino acid deficiency)
Heavy Metal Toxicity (ie: Mercury, Lead, Aluminum, Arsenic, etc.
Chronic Viral or Bacterial Infections

Remedies:

Counseling
Bio-identical Hormone supplementation
Nutritional Support (vitamins, minerals, amino acids)
Medicinal Herbs
Detox (The liver needs to be functioning optimally for hormone levels to be balanced and heavy metals need to be eliminated as much as possible from the body.)

Antidepressants are not the answer for every individual suffering from depression ESPECIALLY if the cause is toxicity. There ARE natural alternatives. Sometimes antidepressants intensify symptoms of depression and anxiety AND may cause suicidal thoughts/actions. If you decide to try an antidepressant, be sure to detox  during, and after treatment as most medications negatively impact the liver. Also, make sure you tell your Dr. and a trusted friend or family member immediately if your symptoms get worse or if you notice suicidal tendencies. If your Dr. is not available, go to the hospital. You CAN get better. It may take some time and may feel like you’re body surfing in a severe thunderstorm so do your best to stay connected with people who you can depend on to encourage you and support you in the process.

Talk about your experiences and journal them as well. The sun WILL shine again.

If you have anything to add, please leave a comment. If you’d like to share your journey with mental illness for the benefit of others, please leave a comment. THANK YOU!