Hello. I’m glad that you’re here with me today. I hope you’re enjoying our 7 part depression selfhelp series. As you know we’ve examined 5 questions so far that can help determine the underlying physical cause of your depression. But today I want to do something a little different. Don’t worry I’ll continue with question 6 next time. I know you can’t wait, but I’m telling you that you’ll enjoy today’s blog too.

I’ve decided to start a monthly “Depression Stories’ Series. Each month we’ll hear from people just like you that have suffered with depression- but the exciting thing is that we’re going to hear how they broke free from their depression.

Today we’re going to hear Jacqui’s story. It’s such an inspiring and encouraging story. This is exactly the reason I write this blog every week, and why I wrote my recent book. To see people’s lives changed! To see people find freedom.

I’ve decided to share Jacqui’s story today because her family has a history of depression and other mental health disorders. For those that found question 5 close to home, you’ll love hearing Jacqui’s story of overcoming depression. Although there is probably a genetic reason for her depression- she was still able to heal from it.

Enjoy reading. I can’t wait to hear your successful depression story too!

Sincerely

Janelle

Dr Janelle Sinclair

Jacqui’s Story, age 35

Depression has plagued my life for all of my adulthood.  It sounds like something simple, something that once diagnosed can be ‘fixed’; I wish it had been that simple for me.  I knew that depression ran in my family; my biological mother had suffered from it as a teenager (in particular), and my uncle committed suicide – but I had no idea how much this twist of bio-chemistry would impact my life.  I was a good girl; never smoked, never used recreational drugs, and never drank to excess (well, even as a student, never drank enough to throw up!) – but still it crept in and has severely impacted so much of my life.

I’ve always had to work hard to get good grades, and like many people, worked two jobs to get myself through University.  It struck for the first time while I was trying to complete my Masters degree.  I ended up with one hefty student loan, and no piece of paper.  In my early-twenties, after an extremely stressful relationship break-up, depression kicked in and held me captive for four and a half years.  Well meaning doctors tried to help, and prescribed various anti-depressants (Prozac, Prothiaden, at least half a dozen others) and everytime they would start me on a small dose, when that wouldn’t work, steadily increasing it to maximum – but always to no effect (other than the side-effects of the drugs making my life miserable!).  Then they’d declare that perhaps that didn’t suit my metabolism, and try a different one – the same thing every time.  I’d become so saturated with medication that I couldn’t think straight, and none of it helped.  Nothing helped.  Those hazy years left me unable to work full-time ‘til I was twenty-five.  I started University as an A student, and seemed to drift to this.  If the depression itself wasn’t soul-destroying enough, the stalling of my life was pain in itself.

Finally having worked my way into a great job with a good job, it struck again in my early-thirties, this time leading a year off work.  Thank God (and I mean that sincerely, thank you Lord), that in this plunge into depression I was referred to a psychiatrist who tried the drugs (like the previous ones), and when he found that they had no effect, tried a different tack.  He did the tests described in Dr Janelle Sinclair’s book, and the results and his subsequent advice completely turned my life around*.  Now I take no anti-depressants* (zero, nadda, nil, not one); but everyday I take significant doses of the vitamins and minerals discussed in chapter four for people with high histamine levels.

How do I know this works?  How do I know that I wouldn’t have just got better anyway, etc etc.  I’ve (accidentally) tested this many times.  I travel a lot for work – and endeavour to always carry my medications with me…  but don’t always pack everything.  I’ve found that if I forget to take these supplements for a couple of days, you can put money on the fact that I’ll start to cry, with no particular reason.  That’s when I ask myself when the last time I had my supplements was…  and I realize what’s happened.  This has been true everytime (and the longer I leave not taking them, gradually my mental health slips downhill).  I know, now, that with my bio-chemistry it’s likely I’ll have to take these for the rest of my life.  Just like diabetics need to take insulin, us high histamine/under-methylaters need to take care of our bio-chemistry too.

It’s not just me that it’s affected.  My family, my darling adopted parents have been stressed and guilty that somehow they caused my illness, that they hadn’t been good enough or done the right thing.  That’s never been true, NEVER EVER.  It’s been horribly painful to watch how it’s affected them. Can I say that really clearly to any family members who may be reading this – it’s not your fault. I bet, that just like my family, you’ve done everything you could possibly think of to help.  Take heart, this book may be the answer that’s been hiding all this time.

*Please note that this testimonial is only one person’s experience, and this may not be a typical result. As explained in Dr Janelle Sinclair’s book, depression has multiple causes, and each individual is unique. It is therefore possible that the treatment approach that was effective for Jacqui will not be effective for you. As there are more than 20 different physical causes of depression, the treatment approach for those suffering from depression needs to be individualised. Please note also that Jacqui was under the care of a psychiatrist when reducing the dose of her anti-depressant medications, and switching to this nutritional treatment approach. Please do not stop using your antidepressant medication unless under the direction of your physician.