ARE ANTI-DEPRESSANTS THE BEST ANSWER FOR DEPRESSION?

3 Oct

Antidepressants were first clinically introduced in the 1950s. In 2021-2022, 1 in 6 Australians filled a mental-health related script - that's 4.7 million people across Australia. Of these scripts, 74% were for antidepressant medications.

When I think about these statistics, three immediate considerations come to my mind...

I believe it is positive that Australians are seeking out support for their mental health. This indicates awareness.
The research clearly indicates that the pandemic played a role in the spike in antidepressant use in recent years.
BUT... Are antidepressants the best answer?

Let's dive into this a bit...

A QUICK RUN DOWN ON ANTI-DEPRESSANTS

Anti-depressants are thought to work by increasing certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, but the process isn't fully understood.

Anti-depressants are generally prescribed in moderate to severe depression, but may also be used in other conditions such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or even chronic pain.

The effect of the anti-depressant really depends on the type of antidepressant and the person. Anti-depressants can take up to 6 weeks to "kick in", but I have spoken to people that said that they experienced an improvement in their mood within 24 hours of starting an antidepressant.

Anti-depressants improve the symptoms of depression for the majority of people who choose to take them, but they do come with a range of commonly reported potential side effects including emotional numbness, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, and withdrawal effects

Counseling or psychotherapy are commonly recommended alongside a prescription for anti-depressants.

DEPRESSION IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE, A COMPLEX INTERPLAY OF VARIOUS FACTORS

Taking a holistic perspective, I'd say there are three domains that play a role in each person's mental health.

Physical
Psychosocial
Spiritual

In the physical domain, there is a range of factors including genetics, nutritional imbalances, toxin exposure, hormonal imbalances, heavy metal exposure, poor gut health, poor sleep, autoimmunity, and chronic disease that should be explored.

Psychosocially, the impact of trauma, work-life balance, stress, and social life should be considered.

And lastly (but definitely not least!), the spiritual domain is imperative. Forgiveness, grace, purpose, connection, and gratitude are central to having deep peace and joy.

Antidepressants may be necessary for some people, but a holistic approach has so much potential to address the underlying issues and I believe that we need to raise more awareness around this.

THE INCREDIBLE POWER OF NUTRITIONAL THERAPY IN DEPRESSION

Many nutrients are showing incredible potential in the treatment of depression, these compounds such as magnesium, folate, vitamin D, vitamin B6, SAMe, and zinc. (Please don't self-prescribe! This can lead to worsening of symptoms in some cases. Far better to get an experienced practitioner to evaluate your case and prescribe the best forms, best dosages, and the best nutrients for your personal case.)

Let's consider just one of these nutrients, folate. If we look at the research, we can see that Folate deficiency has been associated with depression. And that Folate supplementation as an adjunct therapy in depression has been seen to improve client's depression scale scores, response rates, and patient remission. Folate is needed in the brain for the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. So it makes sense that a deficiency could be associated with a lack of motivation, feeling "flat", poor sleep, mood imbalances... and thus the diagnosis of depression.

TESTING (Not an extensive list or guide - get a practitioner to help you work out what is most applicable in your case)

This is where I would look first (pathology)

Folate
B12
Iron studies
Vitamin D
Thyroid studies
Fasting glucose
Liver studies
Hormone panels

Further tests to consider

MTHFR gene mutations
C-Reactive Protein
Coeliac serology or HLA typing
Mould exposure (pathology and urine)
Salivary cortisol
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis -> Heavy metal toxicity (e.g. copper, mercury, lead)
Gut Microbiome Analysis

ANTIDEPRESSANTS MAY BE NECESSARY, BUT WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?

Counseling should be considered as it may help to reduce the impact of past trauma, support resilience, improve stress management, and provide lifestyle techniques (e.g. breathing exercises) to improve your mental health.

Consider a Naturopath/Nutritionist/Integrative medicine practitioner who can support you with personalised nutritional advice, lifestyle recommendations, and tailoured supplementation.

Your holistic plan should be personalised by your practitioner, but would likely include an individualised combination of:

Nutritional support
Herbal support
Lifestyle adjustments
Personal compounding
Nutraceuticals
Referrals

READY TO CHANGE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH STORY?

Reach out and let me know!

I am in the process of launching my RESTORE Mental Health Program… and I will be taking on clients into this exclusive program as of January/February 2024. As this will be a premium program, space will be limited. If you’d like to be first in, flick me an email talitha@optimowellness.com.au

If you need help, are in a mental health crisis, and are not coping, please seek immediate support: