It’s the Hormones, Not Depression, Vol. 459, July 19, 2018
I received a text from a fellow student of a health program I took a few years ago while living in California. She wanted to know if I could give her some suggestions on how to deal with her “low mood” and irritability. She was arguing with her daughter and didn’t want to ruin her relationship with her daughter or wear her husband out with these emotional issues.
Now, do understand that most people would have her go straight to a mental health professional to deal with these seeming mental health issues. I did the exact opposite!
I asked her a couple of questions ruling out physiological causes for the ‘low feeling’ and irritability. I asked her:
Have you had your hormones checked, most importantly your thyroid and adrenal glands, and sex hormones?
She responded, “No, I have not.”
I next asked her if she was on any medication that could cause these symptoms as a side-effect. She told me she was on insulin and eating a lot of sugary foods, that she ought not.
I asked her if she took her blood test to find out her blood sugars. She said .‘No, but I do feel I am taking too much insulin.”
I looked up the side-effects of too much insulin, this not being my main area of expertise, and of several symptoms, depression, and irritability was strongly indicated.
I told her that she needs to see her endocrinologist to help her titrate the dosage of insulin to match her body’s needs. I also told her quite emphatically to stop acting like a child and take care of this illness of hers, as it can cause all sorts of problems including death when not treated appropriately. I told her of my college friend whose heart weakened as a result of drinking too many alcoholic beverages to deaden his physical and emotional pain, dying on the operating table as the surgeon was placing a stent in him. He was all of 57 years old.
She was very appreciative of my proverbial kick in the ass, and getting her to wake up to deal with her health situation with the respect it deserves, especially as a healthcare provider herself. Unfortunately, many healthcare providers are very poor providers of health for themselves. Look at the nurses you see at your doctors’ offices and the obesity that you witness there, as an example.
It is so important to stop running to psychotropic antidepressant medications that haven’t proven to work in over 70% of cases. Instead, we need to get to the “cause” of the problem to heal it correctly.
Interestingly enough, my friend told me she was on antidepressants and they didn’t help her, so she took herself off them. I would strongly suggest, that if you want to get off your psychotropic medications such as antidepressants, to do it safely through your prescribing doctor, to stay away from some very horrible side-effects of stopping your medications. The doctor may give you a hard time about it, but the reality of the situation is that these medications are very powerful and can cause very uncomfortable symptoms if not titrated off them correctly.
The second thing that I would like you to understand is the importance of being present for those people who trust your expertise to help them out. It took me all of 5 minutes to figure out the most likely culprit for her “low feelings” and irritability, and she is going to see her endocrinologist today or tomorrow, to get this taken care of in the most appropriate way. If I had not taken the time to talk with her, she would still feel “low” and not have any idea what to do, because the depressed mind is very slow and can’t think in the normal fashion. She needed someone outside herself that she could trust to listen and tell her what to do.
Many times people make all sorts of excuses to not be there for others when they reach out for help. Ask yourself this question: Have people been there to help you out when you requested help? If not, maybe that is because you never were present for anyone but yourself. Selfish people are not going to get the help requested, because they haven’t put their own energy out there to help others. It is those who are willing to help others that find help from the most unusual places. I haven’t seen this woman for almost a year and haven’t talked to her in almost the same time frame. Yes, when she called, I was there to help her out anyway.
Why? Because, when we were in class together, she offered to help me to learn some things I found very difficult to do. She didn’t need to take her time to do that, and yet she did. So, of course, I am going to be there when she needs me to help her with something as important as her own health
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About Suzanne
Suzanne Kellner-Zinck founded Dawning Visions Hypnosis in 2002, She has become an innovator in the use of hypnotism and neuro-linguistic programming in the areas of obsessive compulsive disorders such as: eating disorders, sexual addiction and substance abuse as well as working with those with anxiety and mood disorders.
Her clients have come to work with her from across the United States and as far away as Africa to help them to finally be freed from these emotional issues that once ruled their lives. Today she is in the process of bringing her work to many more in the form of ebooks and other downloadable formats.
She is a member of American Holistic Medical Association and the American College for Advancement in Medicine.
Prior to founding Dawning Visions Hypnosis, Kellner-Zinck worked within vendor programs for the mentally ill working to help them to live up to their fullest potential. Many of her previous clients were able to move out on their own and find fulfilling work.
Kellner-Zinck is a Certified Trainer of Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic programing through Tad James Company, Inc. and a Master Hypnotist and Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming through Advanced Neuro Dynamics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and political studies from Curry College.
Dawning Visions Hypnosis is teaching people that they can indeed leave their unwanted behaviors behind as they move forward to living fulfilling and joy filled lives.