Beat Those Lonesome Blues

I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety off and on throughout my life. If you’ve ever experienced these conditions, you know how absolutely debilitating they can be. Not only can they adversely affect our own lives, but the lives of our loved ones as well. Over the years, I’ve tried every treatment out there and have landed on a treatment plan that works for me and can be adapted for many people who suffer from these conditions. There is no shame in admitting to these diagnoses and you are certainly not alone. These are complex neurological conditions that are treatable, though it will take some effort. Trust me, the effort you put in will be well worth it! My experience is personal and anecdotal. These suggestions are not meant as a replacement for medical care. Check with your doctor if you have questions about any of the recommendations I’ll offer. Also, it is not advisable to stop taking medications or to combine supplements with medications without a doctor’s supervision. That said, let’s start with the basics, exercise and nutrition.

Exercise

Before you roll your eyes and stop reading, I want to point out that inertia is one of the symptoms of depression; a symptom that makes the overall condition worse. The first step to tackling this illness is to break the inertia, which is done through sheer willpower. The initial push is temporary, and exercise will become an enjoyable part of your routine. It is vitally important for treating mood disorders. I am not athletic. At all. I am ridiculously awkward in my body. Even at 40, it still doesn’t seem to fit me quite right. There may have been a mix up somewhere along the way… I am not going to exercise if it means going to the gym to grunt over a series of sweaty machines. I’m also not going to join a softball or soccer league (running and balls flying, eww!) or take a tango class (too dangerous what with the tripping over my own feet). If that’s your thing, that’s so great! Do it! My point is, it is hard enough just to break the inertia of depression and it is more likely to happen if you enjoy the type of exercise you’ve chosen. I like walking and yoga. Hatha and yin are the most balancing yoga styles for my body, and I enjoy it more if I practice at a studio. If yoga interests you, check out my post on Therapeutic Yoga. Find something you enjoy and do it most days. Sign up for a class, get a gym membership, find a pool, a hiking trail, a park, get a bike, download an app (Just Fit, Apple Fitness + and 8Fit are a few), join a sports league, enlist a workout buddy or dance alone in the dark. The important thing is that you enjoy it. Ditch the idea of “working out” and replace it with “joyful exercise” because we all work hard enough already.

Nutrition

I’m only going to touch on nutrition because I firmly believe in different strokes for different folks when it comes to food. In general, I recommend simplifying your meals. Minimize highly processed foods and focus on adding in foods that will pack a nutritional punch. I think there is too much emphasis on dieting in our culture. Food should be enjoyable (think live-it, not diet). It’s yummy, it’s comforting and it’s social. If you find yourself glaring at that unappetizing pile of tempeh on your plate or trying to convince yourself that you’re full after eating 5 grapes, you’re probably denying yourself the joy of eating, and eating joyfully is healthy. I prefer a diet of high-quality meats, organic vegetables and fruits, healthy fats and fermented foods. I enjoy a nutritious smoothie in the morning (my multivitamin). I throw in fruit, greens and whatever superfood powders I’m excited about. When I want to eat a meal out with family and friends, I eat what I want and don’t sweat it. If I’m in a funk, I make sure to include some “happy foods” like chocolate (a pleasure rather than a “guilty pleasure” if it’s high quality), avocados, turkey and raw dairy. Some states have outlawed raw dairy, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. When I lived in Hawaii, I bought a “cow share”. Yep, I owned stock in a cow so I could legally purchase said cow’s unpasteurized milk. When my friend lived in Alaska, she ditched her clothes when visiting California and brought back a suitcase of raw butter. True story. Listen to your body and give yourself what you need. Food can be great medicine. And yes, healthy food costs more. Think of it as an investment in your health.

Supplementation

Food and exercise are wonderful for maintaining a healthy and happy state of mind. However, when dealing with a neurotransmitter imbalance, it is often necessary to chemically correct the imbalance before we can arrive at that state of maintenance. This is where supplements can be helpful. Brain chemistry is complex so unfortunately, this is not a “one size fits all” fix and may take some experimentation to find the supplement or combination of supplements that are right for you. As is true with most over-the-counter supplements, more research is needed to definitively prove safety and efficacy. There is a risk of adverse effects or adverse interactions with other supplements or medications. It is always a good idea to check with your doctor to ensure that these supplements are safe for you.

Amino Acids

First, I’ll go over a few amino acid supplements. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. We get them in our food all the time, but by isolating a specific amino acid, we can achieve a more direct result than by simply eating protein. Finding the right amino acid to address an imbalance in your specific brain chemistry is where some experimentation may be necessary. Fortunately, these supplements tend to work very quickly, and the effects are quite noticeable when we hit on the right ones.

For symptoms leaning more towards depression (sadness, hopelessness, fatigue and lethargy, heaviness, loss of interest in activities, irregular appetite, sleep disturbances, trouble concentrating, etc.), SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine), L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan, a derivative of L-Tryptophan) are a good place to start. If your symptoms lean more toward anxiety (fearful thoughts, nervousness, shallow breathing, increased heart rate, sweating, etc.), GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, technically a non-protein amino acid) and L-Theanine are a great starting point. I recommend trying one amino acid at a time, the exception being Theanine Serene by Source Naturals. I love this formula! It includes L-Theanine, GABA and Taurine, along with a little magnesium and holy basil. This product comes with or without an herb called relora (especially helpful if you tend to stress eat). Though amino acids can certainly be combined, I find it helpful to try one at a time to observe the effect each one has on your body. I suggest choosing one supplement to introduce at a low dose. For most people, these tend to work best on an empty stomach (20 minutes before and 2 hours after a meal). If you have a sensitive stomach and prefer to take these supplements with food, avoid taking them with protein.

If the amino acid you chose is the right supplement for you, you should see an improvement within the first couple of weeks. If you have an adverse reaction of any kind, discontinue immediately. If you do not notice an improvement within two weeks, discontinue use and move on to the next one. If you do notice an improvement in your mood, sleep and energy levels (some people also notice a reduction in arthritic pain while taking SAMe), you can continue supplementing for 3-5 weeks and increase the dose, as long as you have no adverse reactions. These supplements should not be used long term, and they do not work preventatively. The goal is to get you over that initial hump. L-Theanine (or Theanine Serene) is an exception and can be taken long term, though I still recommend taking periodic breaks. When you find what works for you, keep it on-hand and use as needed.

Herbs

Next, I’ll go over some herbs that may be helpful for these conditions. In general, herbs take a little longer to work than amino acids and can be taken for longer periods of time. They can be used alongside amino acids. As many of these herbs are supportive of the nervous system, they can be used for either depression or anxiety. My favorite herb for depression is St. John’s Wort and my fav for anxiety is kava (this herb is also an excellent muscle relaxer and can greatly help to reduce pain and inflammation). Lemon balm (melissa), ashwagandha, tulsi (holy basil), chamomile, lavender and skullcap are all excellent for improving the mood. Lemon balm and skullcap can be very balancing for people who are prone to angry outbursts and irritability. Ashwagandha and tulsi are adaptogenic herbs (especially helpful for either lethargy or excessive nervous energy since they nourish the adrenal glands). Chamomile, lavender and skullcap are excellent nervines (nourishing and balancing for the central nervous system). These herbs work synergistically and unlike the amino acids I discussed earlier, I recommend taking them in a combination from the start. I prefer tinctures and teas as opposed to capsules or tablets. Our taste buds give information to the rest of the body so it’s best to taste the herbs! Alcohol tinctures are great for compromised digestive systems since alcohol is absorbed through the stomach and therefore bypasses the rest of the digestive system. These herbs tend to work best on an empty stomach. Though generally safe for long-term use, I recommend taking periodic breaks. Ashwagandha and tulsi are an exception to this rule as they tend to work best when taken in small doses over long periods of time (at least three months).

Social Resources

Depression and anxiety are physical, mental and spiritual conditions, and I highly recommend employing professional support. Cognitive behavioral therapy with a trained MFT (Marriage and Family Therapist), Psychologist or Social Worker can be truly life changing. To get through life’s many difficulties, support is essential. Support from our family, friends and community is wonderful and can make a huge impact on how we process difficult emotions and view the world in general. However, nothing quite compares to the non-biased guidance and advice of a professional therapist with whom we connect with personally. Like finding the right blend of supplements, it may take a few tries to find someone you resonate with. The right therapist can help you to identify and rewrite negative programs and provide a framework through which to work through past traumas in a safe and supportive environment. Bodywork can also be immensely helpful in dealing with depression and anxiety. This includes massage therapy, yoga therapy, acupuncture, and somatic therapy. Unprocessed emotions are often stored in the body’s tissues, and a skilled bodyworker can support you in processing emotions on a physical level.

Spiritual Practices

Daily spiritual practices such as meditation, visualization, prayer, journaling and affirmations can often address the root of spiritual imbalances. I encourage you to adapt these practices to fit your daily routine and beliefs. It is not necessary to travel to India, to meditate in a cave for 10 years, to find a guru, sage or otherwise enlightened teacher, or to quit your job, leave your family and give all your belongings away to improve your spiritual condition (but if that’s your jam, knock yourself out!) Don’t let life’s demands deter you from seeking deeper purpose and meaning. Life itself provides all the lessons we need for spiritual development. Embrace it and work towards mastery. For many of us, our thoughts run on negative and unproductive programs that ultimately harm our bodies and manifest unhappy situations in our lives. Spiritual practices help to bring attention to this script and with practice, rewrite it completely. And before you say you can’t meditate because your mind never stops, yes you can, and it doesn’t have to. Meditation is about refocusing attention. Ask yourself what is happening right now. In addition to whatever drama is playing out in our thoughts at any given moment, our bodies are also experiencing countless sensations. Meditation is about focusing our attention on these sensations. Notice the rhythm of your breathing and your heartbeat, the feelings and sensations presenting in your body, what you hear, smell and see. Notice your thoughts without becoming trapped within them. Patterns in thinking will emerge and once we notice these patterns, we can choose to keep the helpful ones and rewrite the rest.

Prayer and visualization can be empowering and life changing. We are not simply passive victims of circumstance. We are participants and creators, and though we cannot control everything we experience, we can play an active role. Some lessons are mandatory, whether you call it fate or karma or life just being a B, certain experiences cannot be avoided. We help to create everything else, whether we are aware of it or not. What we say, think and feel influences our reality. So why not use this to our advantage, rather than unconsciously creating more stress in our lives? Instead of fretting and worrying, visualize a bright and exciting future. Make your visualization so real that you experience the emotions you’d feel if it were happening right now. Be clear about who you want to be and what you wish to experience in life and then give it to the universe. Remember to celebrate your efforts and successes and to be grateful.

Though depression and anxiety are medical conditions that should be treated as such, grief and sadness are natural responses to life’s challenges and losses, and they cannot be avoided. It is unhealthy to suppress, repress or harmfully express these emotions. Meditation can help us to become more familiar with our internal state and our responses to the emotions we face. When emotions are experienced without judgement through the body (without attempting to explain them mentally), we can process them in a healthy way and let them go. Dr. David R. Hawkins explains this process in depth in his wonderful book Letting Go. I have also found Ekhart Tolle’s books to be very helpful in reminding me to be more present and more accepting. There are many, many spiritual resources available and it is fun to explore them and find what’s most helpful for you. I wish you the best of luck in your healing! May you be happy, healthy, peaceful and free.