Wow can you believe it? Our 7 part series has now come to an end. It took a little longer than the 3 weeks I thought it would take us but I think you’ll agree that it was worth it. There was so much important and helpful information in it, don’t you think? So what now? Let’s analyse what these questions and your answers tell us.

It’s actually quite simple.

  • Just go back and answer each of the 7 depression self help questions
  • Then refer to the table at the bottom of each blog
  • Find your answer in the table
  • Read off what your answer could mean and the type of physical or biochemical imbalance that might be involved in your depression
  • Look to see which specific physical imbalances come up often for you.

It is possible that these physical imbalances may be causing your depression.

Let’s look at a simple example for a female with depression now.

Question NumberHer AnswerWhat it May Reveal
1Depression started at age 40Peri-menopause could be triggering female hormonal imbalances which could be a cause of her depression
3Some weeks her depression is mild or non-existent. Her depression, anxiety & irritability is most severe 1 week prior to menstruationFemale hormonal deficiencies could be a possible cause of her depression
4She also suffers from heavy periodsThis symptom could show that female hormonal imbalances are a possible cause for her depression
6She experiences severe irritability, mood swings & anxiety (in addition to depression)These emotions could show that female hormonal imbalances are a possible cause for her depression

For our example above, hormonal imbalances brought on by peri-menopause would be the first place to start when treating her depression.

Ideally, she would have tests done to diagnose the hormonal imbalances, and then appropriate hormonal medication prescribed. I personally like natural bioidentical hormones, as their structure is not foreign to the body, and the doses that are usually used are lower amounts (and therefore safer). There are also herbal products that can balance hormones, but they are usually better for younger women rather than those approaching or going through menopause.

Now its time for you to look at your answers to the seven self help depression questions. What do they show? What do they reveal about a possible physical cause for your depression?

  1. Looking back, when did you experience the first signs of depression? (What age were you?)
  2. What was going on in your life during (or before) the onset of your depression? (Stress, surgery, toxin?)
  3. Do you always have feelings of depression, or are there days or hours during the day that you feel good?
  4. Do you (or have you in the past) suffered from any physical symptoms or health problems that may seem unrelated to depression?
  5. Are there any health conditions and diseases that run in your family’s health history? And what physical characteristics are common in your family?
  6. In addition to your feelings of depression, do you suffer regularly and severely from any of the following emotions? Suicidal thoughts? Anxiety, Anger, Explosiveness, Mood Swings, Violence? Addictive behavior? Fatigue?
  7. Is it possible that you have been exposed to a chemical or toxin prior to the onset of your depression?

I’ve decided to put all of these 7 selfhelp depression questions (and what the answers could mean) into a document that you can download and print off at home. This will be a little easier than going back over all the blog posts, don’t you think? I’m currently working on the document and I’ll have it available for you when I blog next.

Even though our 7 part series has finished, there’s still a lot of information to discuss- so please keep joining me to learn more about the physical causes of depression. If there’s a topic that you especially want to hear about feel free to suggest one by writing to me in the comment boxes below.

All the best.

Janelle

Dr Janelle Sinclair

Updated: To download a free report which discusses ALL of the 7 Self help Depression questions (and how to interpret them) visit http://www.breakingfreefromdepression.com