Melanie Grant

D. Liese
Draft #1
English 2010
Taking Charge of our Mental Health

It seems everyone knows someone who is suffering from anxiety or depression. What is this
new epidemic, and why are so many people afflicted? Are drugs the answer they claim to be?
Even though antidepressant use has skyrocketed in recent years the rate of depression has not
gone down, it has increased. Are there alternatives to taking drugs to relieve us from the
symptoms of anxiety and depression?

Why are we Depressed and Anxious?

When people, especially children are constantly overwhelmed by fear or threat the brain trains
itself to react differently. Chronic or highly stressful events in childhood make it difficult for the
developing brain to respond normally. Such experiences can include abuse or neglect, emotional
deprivation and separation from people with whom children have an important attachment.
(Williams, Belnap, Livingstone, p. 122)

Other causes are low serotonin in the brain, low exposure to daylight, malnutrition, absence of
father during childhood, poverty, low cognition skills, critical voices in your head, substance
abuse, perfectionism, excess guilt, rumination, stress, genetics, cognitive distortion, problems in
relationships, abuse, emotional conflict between behavior and values, childbirth, hormone
fluctuations, job loss, death of a loved one, bullying, low self-esteem, health issues, lost hope,
living in the past, wanting to change the past for a different present, wanting to be in a different

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stage of life, financial problems, a life that doesnt turn out like you planned, and the stress of it
all. High amounts of stress cause changes in our brains. We run ourselves ragged and then
wonder why we cant keep up. Our bodies were never designed for the sleep-deprived, poorly
nourished, frenzied pace of twenty-first century life. (ILARDI)

Lifestyle affects Depression

Your lifestyle affects your mental health. Martha Southwick RN, FNP runs the Theta Wellness
Center in Sandy Utah. It is a clinic that has been very helpful it treating depression and anxiety.
The first thing she looks at when treating depression is nutrition. How are you feeding your
body? Is it getting the proper nutrients it needs? We fill out bodies up with fast food and junk
food and wonder why we feel the way we do. We have plenty to eat, but there is no nutrition in
what we too often put into our bodies. She looks at how you are sleeping. Are you getting the
proper amount of rest that you need? We need to do what we can to reduce the stress in our
lives. One of the things that stress causes is changes in the way we sleep. Not only do our sleep
patterns change, but the quality of sleep is different. We are not getting enough REM sleep. It is
important to keep a regular sleep, wake cycle. She will also do bloodwork to see if there is a
physical cause. Often she finds that people are low in Vitamin D because we are not getting
enough sunshine, and will give them a supplement to raise their levels.

With so many contributing factors it is no wonder there is not an easy cure. Such a complex
source of causes is going to involve complex treatment. Many people dont want to change
things in their life, and would prefer a pill to just make the pain go away as we do with physical
pain.

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Physical Changes in the Brain

Research shows that the hippocampus is smaller in some depressed people. For example, in one
fMRI study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, investigators studied 24 women who had
a history of depression. On average, the hippocampus was 9% to 13% smaller in depressed
women compared with those who were not depressed. The more bouts of depression a woman
had, the smaller the hippocampus. Stress, which plays a role in depression, may be a key factor
here, since experts believe stress can suppress the production of new neurons (nerve cells) in the
hippocampus. Researchers are exploring possible links between sluggish production of new
neurons in the hippocampus and low moods. (Invitation to the Lifespan)

Side Effects of Antidepressants

Antidepressant medication, used under the guidance of a mental health professional,
may relieve some of your depression symptoms. But antidepressants also come with
significant side effects and dangers. Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or
actions in some children, teens or young adults within the first few months of treatment
or when the dose is changed. Whats more, recent studies have raised questions about
their effectiveness (ILADI)

Learning the facts about antidepressants and weighing the benefits against the risks can
help you make an informed and personal decision about whats right for you. Fewer
than 50% of people become symptom free on antidepressants. Other side effects include
nausea, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, decreased sex drive, dizziness, weight gain,
tremors sweating, sleepiness or fatigue, dry mouth, diarrhea, constipation, irregular

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bleeding, bruising, and headaches to name a few. There are serious risks involved. One
would be wise to do their research before taking an antidepressant.
In the pamphlet that comes inside the package for Paxil, it lists suicide as a side effect. A report
by an expert witness, previously sealed with a protective order, reveals how Glaxo concealed and
manipulated data concerning Paxil-induced suicidality and how suicide attempts in studies by
patients on Paxil were underreported and attempts by people taking a placebo were inflated.
(lawyers)
Studies have been done that link violent acts to antidepressants. Data provide new
evidence that acts of violence towards others are a genuine and serious adverse drug
event that is associated with a relatively small group of drugs. Varenicline, which
increases the availability of dopamine, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors were the most
strongly and consistently implicated drugs. (Plosone)

Dr. Candace D. Pert, the discoverer of the opiate binding process that made Serotonin Reuptake
Inhibitors possible wrote a letter to time magazine in 1997 stating
I am alarmed at the monster that Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Solomon Snyder and I
created when we discovered the simple binding assay for drug receptors 25 years ago.
Prozac and other antidepressant serotonin-receptor-active compounds may also cause
cardiovascular problems in some susceptible people after long-term use, which has
become common practice despite the lack of safety studies.
The public is being misinformed about the precision of these selective serotonin-uptake
inhibitors when the medical profession oversimplifies their action in the brain and ignores

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the body as if it exists merely to carry the head around! In short, these molecules of
emotion regulate every aspect of our physiology. A new paradigm has evolved, with
implications that life-style changes such as diet and exercise can offer profound, safe and
natural mood elevation.

Questions to ask yourself would be - Is my depression severe enough to justify drug treatment?
Is medication the best option for treating my depression? Am I willing to tolerate unwanted side
effects? What non-drug treatments might help my depression? What self-help strategies might
reduce my depression? At the very least, its clear that medication alone isnt enoughyou also
need to make changes in your lifestyle.

The Real Problem

We need to look at the body as physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. It cannot be divided. It
is important to look at our thoughts and see how that could be contributing to our illness. You
can either choose to live by others rules or your own conscience. Only one will bring you
peace. (Frankyl) Many of us have the answers inside of us, we are just afraid- Afraid of the
consequences, being judged, making a mistake, being wrong, failing, or succeeding, and what
that would mean, change, and the unknown. So instead of dealing with things as they come up,
we stuff our feelings and desires deep inside us and wonder when the pot goes boiling over. We
attempt to contort who we are into something that others wont ridicule or abuse.

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Drug Free Options

In 2001, renowned addictionologist Martin Wallace, PhD, CCN, CAD, was unable to
find any means of coping with the depression that brought him to a standstill in the
aftermath of eight hours spent trapped in a building at Ground Zero on 9/11. In 2002 he
discovered a Stimulator and used it to successfully treat his depression. He later bought
the company and now sells it at fisherwallace.com. The Fisher Wallace Stimulator uses
patented radio frequencies to safely stimulate the brains production of neurotransmitters
(such as serotonin) required for healthy mood and sleep. Patients typically use the device
twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Columbia University
psychiatrist Richard P. Brown says he has used the device with 400 severely depressed
patients and that more than 70% find relief -- about twice the rate of anti-depressants."
(Fisher Wallace)
Rapid Eye Technology is another technology that has been helpful in dealing with depression. It
is a process where a technician takes you into the REM state of sleep while you are awake to
assist you in processing, and has been known to be very helpful in releasing anxiety and
depression. A Rapid Eye Technician also teaches you new ways to think and process information
in Skills for Life Classes. Thought is the beginning of all creation. (Johnson)
Lifestyle Changes
Changing our lifestyle can make dramatic changes in our life over time. We can learn from our
ancestors who lived a simpler life, and had less depression. Studies show that although the rates
of suicide have dramatically increased in the general population, they have not increased among
the Amish people. Studies suggest integrating the following six elements into your life: a diet

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rich in Omega 3, exercise, plenty of natural sunlight, ample sleep, social connections, and
participation in meaningful tasks that leave little time for negative thoughts. (ILARDI)
The body mind and spirit is part of a whole. Usually we focus on the physical, and we try to
make everyone believe that everything is ok by keeping up appearances. This causes emotions
we dont want to have, mental stress, and spiritual degeneration. When we turn it around and
begin with spiritual we can make changes. Listen to your gut, honor your heart, and speak your
truth. As we do this we will feel better mentally because our minds will not be divided between
what we want and what we are creating. Our emotions will then be in harmony and our
vibrations will be higher. From this place we can show forth a physical body that manifests
everything it really is. The walk will match the talk. We have been counseled for centuries by
Shakespeare To thine own self be true.
Getting counseling on how to handle your life situations better is helpful. Deborah Wayman MSMHC, CMHC says that counseling, especially counseling that involves the whole family is very
beneficial in a persons treatment. If we are in a situation that is not in our highest interest we can
change our situation. Simply ask the question Is this working or not working? or Is this for
my highest and greatest good? (Johnson)
There are many natural things that can help improve our mood. Exercising for hour three times
a week is eight times more effective than any antidepressant. (drugawareness.org). Walking
every day and looking at something far away has been known to improve depression. Bouncing
on a Rebounder also lifts the mood. (Natural Cures) Lifting the hands high above the head for
five to ten minutes increases the mood, as does smiling. We want to do what we can to change
our state. People say that they are depressed and cannot change. Yet look at the example of when

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you are in the middle of a fight at home, and the phone rings, you can quickly change your state.
Then when you hang up you can immediately go back to being angry. (Robbins)
Taking control of our life, and becoming someone we want to be will improve our state of mind.
People who like themselves are happier, prouder, and more willing to help strangers. (Lifespan)
Forgive yourself and your past. Forgiveness is giving up the hope for a brand new past. (Martha)
We can only move forward from where we are today. From the actions that we take today, we
can make a better tomorrow. This day is the future I created yesterday. (Hay) Some people
dont like what they created and so will go into hiding in their depression in order not to face the
present. Often people will go into confusion and say {I dont know what I want, I just cant
think. Actually they do know what they want they just dont believe they can get it.}(Tuttle)
When it comes to depression people usually need to make a lifestyle change. Often depression
was chosen as a lifesaving mechanism.
There are many things that we can do to release stress, and improve our lives. Sometimes we
just need to start. Even if we are not in the mood, the very act of taking action can improve our
mood. Every day is precious. Every decision matters. Now is the time to determine what kind of
lives we want to live not just now, but forever. I for one grew tired of living a life I knew was
below my potential. (Sorenson) I believe we were all born for greatness yet most of us mire in
the mediocrity of life. We become complacent, or worse, discouraged and stagnant.(Sorenson)
Dont ever leave yourself off your list of priorities. We set goals to achieve success or avoid
pain, to find pleasure or avoid failure. Nothing happens until you move.
Ask yourself: What am I avoiding? What am I running away from? What do I need to do to
make my life better? Who do I need to forgive? Often it is yourself. Become who you truly want
to be, not what you think others want. Strength comes from struggle. Go from a place of I cant
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do this, to I must do this! Changing the thoughts in your mind will change the chemistry. We
can bring power in through our thoughts. Know what lifts you and what brings you down. Take
responsibility for your own mental health and create a life you love.
Do what you can to feel good in the moment, and long term. Get regular aerobic exercise, sleep,
break tasks into smaller goals, and engage in activities that you enjoy. Be patient with yourself,
and give yourself time to heal. Take good care of your body; do relaxation activities such as
journaling, yoga, getting a massage, listening to soothing music, meditation, prayer, and essential
oils. Do things that energize you such as bright light therapy, friends, getting out of your normal
environment, put on music that gets your blood pumping, put up pictures of the good times and
the people you love, roam a bookstore or somewhere else that you can lose yourself in. Get a pet,
take classes, discover your own mission on earth, do service, form healthy relationships, talk to a
good counselor, and do one thing every day that makes you happy.
Find ways to manage stress such as support groups, getting help at home, taking a bubble bath,
go out in nature, and work toward realistic goals, Give up the hope of a brand new past, and
make a brand new future. Live in the present. Avoid all or nothing thinking. Arise early, there is
a different energy in the morning than there is later in the day. Be around people who make you
happy. Go to your house of worship, and participate in wholesome recreational activities,
creative activities, and social activities develop friendships, keep the commandments, Engage in
activities that you enjoy. Maintain healthy strong family relationships, leave if you need to.
Beautify your surroundings, fix something, develop new skills, garden, and focus on your
strengths. Do all you can to bring yourself into a positive state of mind.

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Whether your treatment includes antidepressants or not is your choice. Choose what is best for
you in your circumstances. Dont be afraid to take a real long hard look at your life and see what
might be causing your anxiety or depression. Make yourself a priority. .Choose to make the
changes that will improve your life. Taking control of your mental health is your responsibility.

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Works Cited
http://us.brintellix.com/?gclid=CI34jofF38ACFURgfgod9L0ANw
http://www.fisherwallace.com/pages/antidepressant-sideeffects?gclid=COXGqubF38ACFYqBfgodYyAA0w
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/what-causes-depression.htm
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/drugs-medical/paxil00172.html#.VDXhzJXu1y0
http://www.drugawareness.org/

Johnson, Ranae, Reclaim Your Light through Rapid Eye Technology, 1994
Williams, Belnap, Livingstone, Matters of the Mind 2008
Llardi, Stephen S. PHD The Depression Cure, The 6-step Program to Beat Depression without
Drugs, 2009
Robbins, Tony, Unlimited Power, 2003
Frankl, Victor E, Mans Search for Meaning, 1949
Invitation to the Lifespan, 2014
Tuttle, Carol, Remembering Wholeness, 2003
Sorenson, Toni, Refined by Christ. 2013

TIME Magazine, October 20, 1997, page 8.

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