Hi there. We’re continuing today on our 7 part series entitled “Seven powerful depression self help questions”. We are using these 7 questions to uncover what physical imbalances can contribute to depression.

I’d love it if you’d join me on this journey, ask yourself the seven self help questions and see if they help discover the physical cause of your depression! Once we do that we can then find the most effective treatment for your depression. The treatments I suggest aren’t antidepressants, and most often they involve nutritional supplements, herbs, hormone medications and occasionally specific diets.

Let’s get started where we left off last time.

Question 1: Looking back, when did you experience the first signs of depression? What age were you?

Last time we considered what it could mean if your depression started in your 40’s, 50’s or 60’s. As we discussed hormonal deficiencies are the first thing you would rule out in both men and women who experience depression later on in life. It doesn’t rule out other causes for depression, but it is definitely the first place to begin.

Let’s now consider depression that has started at a young age.

When it comes to uncovering the physical causes for depression, in those that have had depression most of their lives, it is unfortunately a little more involved.

There are a lot of potential physical causes for depression for those that have suffered from it from a young age. Because of that fact, this blog is going to be a bit more general today, and the other 6 questions of this 7 part series will help bring more clarity to the situation. So keep in mind what I tell you below, when you answer the next 6 self help depression questions in this series.

Depression as a Child

If you’ve had depressive feelings from a very young age a number of physical or biochemical imbalances need to be ruled out:

  • Exposure to a toxin early on in life (as a child, or during your mother’s pregnancy with you) (for e.g. lead, mercury, pesticides)
  • A hormonal imbalance from birth or early on (for e.g. Low thyroid function)
  • A nutrient deficiency from birth or early on (for e.g. Omega 3 deficiency)
  • A food allergy or intolerance from birth or early on
  • Genetic biochemical imbalances that contribute to depression (that run in families).

Puberty

Puberty causes large changes in ones body (e.g. growth spurts, sexual maturity, the beginning of menstruation for girls). This can lead to nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes and emotional stress, all of which can lead to depression.

We’re going to discuss each of these biochemical imbalances in more detail throughout this 7 part series.

Depression that Runs in Families

For some of you, depression may run in your family and you may be saying ‘The depression is genetic and I’ve been told that there’s nothing I can do about it’.

I agree that sometimes there is a genetic reason that depression runs in families, but I don’t agree that there’s nothing you can do about it (at least in many situations when you know how). You may not be able to ‘fix’ the problem at the genetic level, or stop the next generation from having the same genetic cause for depression. But I tell you what, you can give the body what it needs to compensate or counteract the genetic abnormality. You can give the body (and your brain) nutrients to function properly and to help lift the depression. You can also give these same nutrients to your children and other family members, so they don’t have to suffer from depression either.

Question 5 of this 7 part series will discuss the biochemical imbalances that can lead to depression in families. Know that in all of these situations that I will discuss, the depression can be treated with supplements or diet. You don’t have to be defined by your genes you simply must compensate for them, and I can show you the best way to do that.

For Next Time

Before I go, I’ll give you question number 2 so that you can ponder your answer before next time.

Question 2: What was going on in your life during (or before) the onset of your depression? Did the depression start during (or after) a stressful time or event (emotional or physical) in your life?

Until next time. Here’s to your depression free life.

Sincerely

Dr Janelle Sinclair