Depression and anxiety can be overwhelming. Many people don’t really understand what is going on with them, they just know that they feel uneasy, irritable, weepy and alone. Seeking help can be scary but trying to help themselves hasn’t been effective.
Relationships can get tense, jobs can be lost, and life can feel chaotic. The good news is, it’s not all in your head. Mental health is chemistry. It’s all about balancing out seratonin, dopamine, and epinephrine.
A Naturopathic Doctor will design a comprehensive treatment plan specifically for you.
Treatment could include any or all of the following modalities, among others:
- Lifestyle changes
- Supplements
- Acupuncture
The other benefit of seeing a Naturopathic Doctor is that they can help you understand when medication is a good option.
The word depression is used loosely. It’s not uncommon to hear someone say “I’m feeling a bit depressed today,” but it is important to realize that clinical depression can gravely affect your life. It’s not something that you can just “buck up and get over” – it is a medical condition that requires treatment.
The official definition of clinical depression, according to the American Psychiatric Association in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), is based on the following eight primary criteria:
- Poor appetite with weight loss or increased appetite with weight gain
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Physical hyperactivity or inactivity
- Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities or decrease in sexual drive
- Loss of energy and feelings of fatigue
- Feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach or inappropriate guilt
- Diminished ability to think or concentrate
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
If you have experienced five of these symptoms for at least a month, clinical depression is indicated; four symptoms means clinical depression is likely. Clinical depression is also referred to as major depression or unipolar depression.
Commonly depression is associated with some other condition and is often seen in patients with:
- ADHD (especially adults)
- Thyroid conditions
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Addictions
- Diabetes
- Chronic pain and/or inflammation
- Cancer
- Multiple sclerosis
- PMS or PMDD
- Stress and/or low adrenal function
- Food allergies
- Sleep disturbances
Prescription drugs (such as birth control, anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids and sedatives) can also cause depression. The list could go on and on, but whatever the cause, there is help.
To get started with Naturopathic Medicine book your assessment here or call 705-792-6717
Interested but not sure? Meet one of our Naturopathic Doctors and have your questions answered by booking your free 15 min introduction here or by calling 705-792-6717