Depression is an individual problem that is linked to a cultural problem. A cultural problem because anti-depressant medications are the third most prescribed drug in the United States. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/drug-use-therapeutic.htm
That indicates to me a type of epidemic. To make it even worse, the depressive disorder is an epidemic that has become a normalized state of being. We have significant opportunities in this country, but let’s just look at the dark side of that for awhile. The shadow of “not enough”, such as the hungry ghost image of a skinny neck and a huge belly that can never be satisfied regardless of what it consumes or has in it’s possession. There is a sense of scarcity in how we feel about ourselves and our lives; such as, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not spiritual enough, not ambitious enough, so forth and so on.
Scientific American wrote:
However, if the standard is efficacy in comparison to placebo, the best available scientific evidence suggests that antidepressants do not work very well. Given their cost and side effects, the psychiatric community and the general public should not be satisfied with antidepressant medications that provide only a marginal benefit over placebo. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/antidepressants-do-they-work-or-dont-they/
Many of those in depressive episodes and chronic depression have the opportunity to understand depression from outside of this cultural limitation through various interventions other than the antidepressant drugs that are available at this time.
What else can I do besides antidepressants?
Here are some of the interventions I have seen used to get relief from depression: psychotherapy, meditation, acupuncture, exercise, anything meaningful, healthy diet, psychedelic medications, being in nature as much as possible, and making time to be with people you trust.
Looking for hope:
The placebo effect of anti depressant medications is 70 percent. That means, “we will get better because someone else says we will” or “I tell myself I will feel better when I take this pill”. The general population is highly suggestible because they need hope. http://www.todaystherapist.net/antidepressants-vs-meditation/
I have seen patients who benefit from taking antidepressants for a period of time, it really helped, so what if it is a placebo effect, we need a little magic sometimes.
Many others experience terrible side effects and it limited their natural experience of life. One person told me they knew it was time to drop off the meds because while attending a play they were the only person not crying in a very sad part.
Is depression a mental illness?
Yes, if it is getting in the way of your life. Some people have the occasional pangs of despair and others can be buried by overwhelming hopelessness. Sadness and loss of interest is the fundamental mood or experience of major depression or a major depressive disorder.
Depressed definition:
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/basics/definition/con-2003297
It is important to see what the pain of depression is doing for us, such as, forcing us to live differently. The above alternatives to antidepressants can help expand our perception of day to day reality, instead of the one dimensional grey reality of depression.
There is more on the topic of depression in the following previous posts:
http://www.todaystherapist.net/dealing-with-depression-lost-pieces-of-our-soul/
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