Depression

Depression is a physical condition and should not be confused with ordinary grief, as after a sad life event, or unhappiness, due to lifestyle circumstances.

Grief after bereavement wants time and consolation. Unhappiness needs consideration of circumstances, conversations, decisions and actions.

Physically induced depression will be a condition that needs a completely different approach. Mainly it comes as an aftermath to taking a substance that induces a “lift” in mood. This substance may be alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, sugar, street drugs of various potencies and strengths and similar medical drugs purveyed as “anti-depressants” “tranquillizers” and so on.

The fall, into a black, black mood will come anywhere between an hour or so after taking the substance to as long as five days afterwards, when it will be difficult to make the connection, unless it is a substance you only take very infrequently.

It has long been recognised that with excess alcohol “maudlin” (weeping or bitter complaining) often follows after euphoria or riotous hilarity. It is often less well recognised that other “mood-lifters” will have the same effect.

Some of the problems will be followed by reactive hypoglycemia, (falling blood sugar following the rise.) This is in part due to an exhausted pancreas, which is working erratically, most likely due to excessive use of alcohol, caffeine, sugar and/or refined carbohydrates.

Chromium, Cobalt, Manganese and Zinc help the pancreas to be more stable, as will the B complex vitamins and oils especially Omega 3. Dietary reform will also be helpful!

The oils in particular are helpful and an imbalance in oil intake of too high a preparation of Omega 6 over the Omega 3 oils will also lead to depression and inefficient brain function. Fish oils and linseed (flax) oils will be particularly helpful, as they are high in Omega 3.

Too high an intake of drugs of any type can lead to disrupted liver function, this is most marked with alcohol and certain types of street drugs. It is well known that this can induce paranoia. Psychosis is a result of cannabis and is costing the country an absolute fortune. Unfortunately on the NHS this is not treated with nutrients and allergen avoidance, but usually with further drugs.

Nutrients for enhancing liver function are Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3), Vitamin C, Vitamins B6, B1 and B12 and our old friend Zinc. The herbs garlic and milk thistle also help.

In fact, following drug use of any kind a hair analysis is useful to find out exactly what minerals are very low, and also what toxins have been retained. High levels of the heavy metals are usually seen in these circumstances. In fact, following cannabis there is often high Lead, Cadmium and Aluminium and often high Manganese and Nickel. These latter two are not toxic metals in the ordinary sense of the word. At normal levels they are essential to a number of functions, but they can rise to surprising and perhaps unpropitious levels after drug use.

I am not sure if this is due to minerals contained in the “weed” normally, or whether it is fertilized in a particular way, or if use obstructs liver/kidney function so that the metals are not taken out of the body in the normal way.

Certainly Lead and Cadmium will contribute to depression. Stagnant liver function also contributes. Certain allergies particularly gluten, cows milk and alcohol can do so.

My own (unscientific) belief is that an alcohol-using parent can contribute to this condition by compromising the liver function of the offspring prior to birth. If the parents’ liver is put under severe stress, the nutrients needed to keep it going will have been much in demand, perhaps leaving a depleted store for the sperm, ova and possibly later for the fetus to draw on.

I have known people with depression in these circumstances. I would be interested in further information. If these are your circumstances, I would revive your liver, kidneys and central nervous system with the appropriate nutrients.