Serotonin Has Been Proven to Have Zero Effect on Depression: Now What? -Vol. 318, July 16, 2015 

In my book Wake Up Doctors: 10 Steps to Reclaim Your Patients Respect and Trust, (available for FREE when you opt-in on the right side of the page), I wrote about the research that Dr. Irving Kirsh and Dr. Walter G. Brown had done over the previous three decades pointing to the fact that antidepressants work about 30% of the time, the amount of time we expect a placebo to work.

Cliff Weathers of RAWSTORY wrote an article based on new research that validates the previous research of Dr. Irving Kirsh and Dr. Walter G. Brown on June 6, 2015, What if everything we know about treating depression is wrong? He sites a study of mice that were bred so they wouldn’t produce serotonin, which was done by John D. Dingell, V.A. Medical Center and Wayne State University. The mice without the serotonin were aggressive and demonstrated compulsive personality traits. However, there were no symptoms of depression noted. If serotonin were necessary for one to feel good, then these mice would have demonstrated symptoms of depression. Not too surprisingly, when given antidepressants they showed no change in behavior.

This is very important research for those of us who would rather see people treated without these medications which produce a wide variety of side-effects, and are very hard to titrate off because of the adverse reactions suffered. Again, there is a detailed case history about such a case to prove the point in the book “Wake Up Doc” which would make anyone think twice before going on these SSRIs that are being handed out as if they were candy.

Also pointed out in this article is the fact that fully two-thirds of those placed on antidepressants don’t fully recover, according to the National Institute of Health. I would suggest we look at the reason that people are feeling depressed as depression is a sign like pain is, that there is something wrong that needs to be attended to. 

If there is a loss of some sort: be it a person close to one passing away, an inability to do something that was once taken for granted like driving or dancing, or a feeling of loss of something that was important, the way to heal it is to process that loss finding a new way to perceive that loss, allowing for a more positive way to move ahead.

Be mindful of the fact that depression can come from many sources making it a bit difficult to find the cause. If it is a physical symptom that needs to be addressed no amount of talking will take care of it. Likewise, if it is an emotional loss of some sort, no physical remedy will help. So, one needs to do the tests to find the cause of depressed feelings before deciding to pop a useless and potentially harmful pill.

Donna N. wrote an article with quite a long list of causes for depression that have nothing to do with emotional distress. You can find her article here: Are You Truly Depressed? Maybe it is Something Else Entirely.

If it is an emotionally based depression, it is important to seek help before it degenerates into a potentially fatal condition, especially for men who account for 79% of the suicides in the United States. This is because the males in this country are taught from a very young age that “only sissies cry” and later that they are not to emote their sad feelings. The best thing a man can do is to feel his feelings and talk to someone if he is feeling overwhelmed or sad about something that is going on in his life.

In last weeks article which you can find here: http://dawningvisions.com/mens-depression-and-even-postpartum-depression-heres-the-symptoms-you-can-get/ you will find the symptoms of male depression listed for you along with more of the statistics involved in male suicides.

I would also add that because people are feeling much more anxious these days with the amount of information coming out, the lack of security many feel in their jobs along with other pressures, that depression of the emotional kind is certainly on an upswing.

In 2012 an estimated 16 million adults, or 6.9% of those 18 and over in the U.S. experienced at least one major depressive episode. So, if you find yourself or someone close to you who is feeling depressed, do have it checked out.

Men’s Depression and Even Postpartum Depression: Heres the Symptoms so You Can Get Help For it -Vol. 317, July 9, 2015 

The month of June is Men’s Health month. One of the most important aspects of men’s health that we need to contend with is the fact that 78% of the suicides that occur in the U.S.are done by men. There are many reasons for this to be true and we will start with the most important. Men are told from a very young age that they are not allowed to cry. They are told to “buck up” and similar types of messages. As a result they learn from a very young age that they are not supposed to show their true feelings. What they are supposed to do is bury it and pretend like all is fine.

The main problem with this is that repressed emotions will come along and feel much worse then if allowed to be expressed and released. So, if you are a man and you are feeling sad, allow yourself to feel the feelings. Do stay away from alcohol, as many men turn to, to no longer have to deal with the inner voices of depreciative content. Alcohol being a depressive drug will depress you further.

Here are some ideas that you can use to lift your spirits:

1. Listen to music that is uplifting
2. Call a friend that has a great sense of humor to get you laughing
3. Change your posture from looking down and being hunched over to standing upright and looking up a bit.
4. Exercise will release endorphins which will also make you feel much better.
5. Get out in the sunshine because that allow one to feel more positive as well.
6. Do a favor for someone else, especially someone who would never expect you to do it for them, and their gratitude will bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart.

If none of the above suggestions help and the symptoms go on for more than two weeks, help needs to be found to help deal with the problem before it spirals out of control.

Men do experience depression a bit differently than women do. Here is a list of symptoms to be on the look for:

1. Problems with concentration or productivity
2. Increased irritability or frustration

    3. Arguing with others

    4. Conflict or fighting with others

    5. Violent behavior 

    6. Increased work hours

    7.Abuse of drugs and or alcohol

    8.Isolation from others

    9. Fatigue

    10. Increased complaints about physical health (headaches, digestive, or pain)

    11. Impulsiveness or taking undo risks like driving the car way too fast

    12.Loss of interest in those things once enjoyed

    13. Conflict about how he thinks he should be a man versus how he is acting

    14.Thoughts of suicide.

Men too can experience postpartum depression which is now known as Paternal Postnatal depression or PPND. It tends to develop more gradually then in women over the child’s first year. The symptoms of the depression will be similar to those mentioned above. The worse thing a man can do with PPND is to pretend that it isn’t happening, because depression of any sort can degenerate to the point of suicide if not taken care of in a timely fashion. Why take a permanent solution to a temporary problem? There is help for you, you just need to seek it out.

One more thing that I would like to make very clear here. Just because someone looks to be experiencing “depression” of the mental health sort, there are many reasons a person may be feeling depressed when in fact it is a physiological problem that is behind the problem. Hormonal issues, side effects of medications, malabsorption of nutrients due to leaky gut or celiac disease, and many others. You can find out a more complete list by looking at the article that Donna N. wrote back in May of 2010 here: Are You Truly Depressed? Maybe It is Something Else Entirely.

Sometimes it can be a bit challenging to figure out the culprit behind the negative feelings and lethargic manner of being. However, it is worth figuring out to have a life that feels much more happy and fulfilled, isn’t it?