Depression is often caused by ruminating on past events. By living in the past, we often feel that we don’t connect with those in the present. We feel different or distant from all those around us and even when loved ones do express care for us, it often just feels that they cannot understand and so we hold back from sharing this deep struggles with them. This causes further isolation, which amplifies the feelings that no one can ever understand or really care for us. It is a very vicious cycle and the longer we stay stuck in it the deeper we can end up traveling into depressive thoughts. In a way, it’s like being stuck in a whirlpool that is sucking you down and you are able to get to the surface and get some air every once in awhile; just enough to stay alive. However, you are in a constant struggle to not be sucked down to the bottom.
The Current Reality of Depression
350 million people have been diagnosed with depression, one million of which have been known and will commit suicide this year. One million! Depression is predicted to be the number one cause of disability through 2030. It is a global epidemic. It’s a public health crisis and so many people are on antidepressants and they’re not getting better. Just think of that – 350 million people. That’s the amount of people in America. The whole country of America depressed on the globe. If that doesn’t raise a red flag, that what we’re doing is incorrect, the diagnosis, this treatment, the whole experience as a patient, I don’t know what else will and it’s only getting worse.
Symptoms of Depression
tJust think about how common these feelings are that are the symptoms of depression. Feelings of guilt, sadness, worthlessness, desperation, inability to experience pleasure, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, who doesn’t experience that? Lack of energy, a lot of us are chronically fatigued. We sit down all day, right? We’re not exercising. Poor concentration, brain fog, poor memory, motor retardation, fatigue. If you go to a psychologist, you’re going to be diagnosed with depression.
The Explosion of Mental Illness
In recent years, there’s been an explosion of mental illness in our society and culture. We can see that mental illness is really on the rise. Recently, they found that there’s actually been a 500% increase based on follow up studies done back around World War II meaning five times more diagnosable mental health problems among young people in high school and college. That’s just one example.
But more general statistics state about a quarter of the United States adult population deals with mental health problems every year, like a diagnosable mental health problem. About 20%, give or take, is on some kind of psychiatric medication. That is antidepressant medication. But in recent years, there’s also been a lot of antipsychotics and, of course, those medications come with big risks associated. So, mental health in America is not getting any better.
I was “clinically depressed.” I know what it’s like to be in despair. I know what it’s like lacking energy and having brain fog and with all the other things, changes in appetite. I experienced all this stuff, but to label me as depressed, then to get me on an antidepressant, isn’t the solution.
I want people to realize that all these are just symptoms that change, and in 5 or 10 years it could be a whole new litany of symptoms. To say, “Hey, here’s an SSRI,” or, “Here’s a drug,” or, “Here’s a supplement, go for it, and it’ll heal your depression,” that’s a disservice to humanity.
