Printer-Friendly Version
Resources on Depression
| Depression | Depression Treatment: Whole-Person Approach |
| Health Problems Related to Depression |
| Seasonal Affective Disorder |
Reports on Stress
| Articles/Reports Home Page | Download Articles/Reports |
Whole-Person Approach to Treating Depression
Here is what one of the world's greatest psychiatrists has to say about "Moving Beyond Depression" and Dr. Jantz's treatment philosophy:
"Moving Beyond Depression" Forward by Abram Hoffer, Ph.D., M.D., FRCP(C), co-founder of Orthomolecular Psychiatry, president of the International Schizophrenia Foundation
I became a psychotherapist in July 1950 because there was no other kind of treatment available. Psychoactive drugs were just on the horizon and electroconvulsive therapy was reserved more or less for psychotic depressions and schizophrenia. Psychoanalysis was becoming much more popular because it promised something-it promised that patients might be helped if they were analyzed long enough. In 1952 I became an orthomolecular therapist. I began to treat schizophrenic patients with large doses of vitamin B-3 and with Vitamin C. Since then I consider myself a good psychiatrist because I no longer am either a psychotherapist or an orthomolecular therapist; I treat each patient as a unique person who is sick and needs help. This help includes four basic elements-shelter, food, civility, and therapy-with treatment ranging from psychotherapy to pure drug therapy. Every part of a person's life is important. Neglecting one prevents the best response possible even when other issues are addressed.
Books about depression followed the same trend I saw in the psychiatric world. They focused on either one or the other-a form of psychotherapy or a form of drug therapy. The psychotherapist behaved as though the brain was a complex of psychological difficulties that were not related to the body's biochemistry, and the pure organicists behaved as if the patients simply had to be filled with medication with no attention paid to all the other factors. Too many modern psychiatrists belong to this latter group. Their patients are fast in and fast
out, with just enough time to ask how you are doing and to write a prescription. I demand of myself that every patient must be treated with dignity, with respect and understanding, and with proper attention to the diet and to orthomolecular therapy. That means using the right nutrients, vitamins and or minerals, and medication when needed (in as low doses as are effective and for as short a time as possible).
With this brief background you will understand why I like this book so much and why I endorse it for anyone who is depressed, for his or her family, and for doctors and other therapists. It contains an excellent description of the way Dr Jantz interacts with his patients. He is sensitive to their needs, provides structure in the treatment, and treats them with dignity, respect, and for as long as is necessary to achieve recovery. He knows that physical diseases can be at the root of depression and these must be identified and treated. He knows that food allergies and sensitivities can and very often will cause chronic depression. (I have seen a patient suffering from twenty years of depression recover in a few days when the food to which she was reacting was eliminated.) He knows that nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and essential fatty acids will be very important for many. And he understands that for many patients, correcting the most modifiable cause of depression is important and it may well be that biochemical pathology is that cause. If psychological problems are the most important cause then more attention will be given to them.
It is this combination of therapies that considers the entire person that makes this book so unique and valuable. Dr. Jantz calls his approach integrating the "whole person." If only this were accepted by all our medical schools and universities! I hope that every therapist, no matter their basic training, will employ the theory and methods described in this book. I heartily agree with Dr. Jantz's approach and believe this book will help many people recover from depression.
Health Problems Related to Depression
Candida or yeast infection
Hypoglycemia
Thyroid problems and other endocrine disorders. Recent studies suggest that thyroid disorders are the most common physical illnesses that contribute to depression. Other reported cases suggest that treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism may be all that's necessary to cure life-long depression.
Environmental allergies and food allergies
Amino acid deficiencies
Electrolyte imbalances
Vitamin or mineral deficiencies
Toxic exposure to heavy metal or chemicals
Cardiopulmonary obstructive disease
Brain tumors
Alzheimer's disease
Strokes and seizures
Hypertension
Viral infections
Diabetes
Insulin resistance or difficulty metabolizing carbohydrates
Any chronic illness
Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Medications
Indomethacin- Anxiety, agitation, hostility, depersonalization
Sulindac- Anger, combativeness, homicidal feelings, obsessive talking
Over-the-Counter Medications
Phenyl-propanolamine
Antihistamines and decongestants
Ephedrine
Pseudephedrine
Aminophylline
Indocin
Corticosteroids
Psychiatric Medications
Antipsychotics- Oversedation, total muteness, malignant syndrome
Lithium
Sed/Hypnotics- Oversedation, disinhibition
Disulfiram- Anxiety
Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.)
More than just the "winter blues"- a form of depression marked by its seasonality. More than 10 million Americans are afflicted by S.A.D.
Common symptoms of S.A.D include:
- Extreme fatigue/lack of energy
- Increased need for sleep; sleeping much more than usual
- Carbohydrate craving
- Increased appetite
- Weight-gain
- Sense of melancholy
Seasonal Affective Disorder (affective is a psychiatric term for mood), or S.A.D, describes those who experience clinical depression only during autumn and winter seasons. During the spring and summer, they will feel well and "normal".
Exciting new research finds that many patients with S.A.D improve with exposure to Full Spectrum lighting called light therapy.
PHOTOTHERAPY-FULL SPECTRUM LIGHTING
Incandescent Light Bulbs
Full Spectrum Incandescent Bulbs can help to improve readability, reduce eye stress, and provide a pleasing, bright light that can enhance a sense of well-being.
