- Netra raghunandhan
Holistic approaches to depression treatment
With limited medication for major depressive disorder (MDD) and an ever-increasing illness burden, there is an urgent need for therapeutic advances. In recent years, research into the systems regulation of mental health and disease has revealed a strikingly robust control of MDD by systemic signals. Meanwhile, the identification of several targets outside the brain provides the door to treating MDD by targeting these systemic signals.
In this blog, we discuss the potential of a periphery-targeting strategy and recommend incorporating it into a more holistic approach. MDD has emerged as a multiorgan disorder with psychological and somatic disturbances. Depression can develop in childhood, especially for individuals with family histories and issues. It might stem from negative thinking, fear of failure, anxiety, or a traumatic occurrence. Preventive interventions such as self-education, a healthy lifestyle (e.g., adequate sleep, a balanced diet, exercise, and work-life balance), emotion regulation, social support, and spiritual wellbeing may help lower the risk factors for depression.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is an effective treatment for depression for adults and adolescents, which equips people with skills to manage stress and emotion in difficult situations, which helps to prevent depressive symptoms. Emotional support from family and friends are important in preventing depression development, especially in times of crisis. However, often early signs are ignored, and patients are reluctant to seek therapeutic help.
Apart from therapy, there are lifestyle changes and practices that may help improve the overall quality of life. Spiritual wellness is reflected in a sense of meaning in life, a transcendence perspective, an intrinsic value, and a sense of belonging to a community of shared value and support, which helps to manage stress/anxiety, improve self-esteem, and increase social interaction, thus helps to prevent depression. Mindfulness and being present has shown significant proof as aiding in working through difficult feelings and thoughts. Breathwork and meditation is a form of regulating or observing your breath so as to calm the nervous system and improve mood. Being in nature is very important to human beings and it helps clear one’s head and calms people down. Listening to music or particular wavelengths of sound has been found to have a similar positive impact, so does walking, playing with pets and dancing.
Since depression is also a physiological disorder, prevention should also come from a healthy lifestyle, such as a nourishing diet, restful sleep, and exercise. It is known that a balanced diet will help production of neurotransmitters and maintain lipid balance in the brain needed for normal brain function. Exercise, relaxation, yoga, and massage are examples of supplemental therapy activities that can be modified and employed as preventive measures. Other methods of treating depression include herbs (St. John's Wort - to block the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine), psychosocial treatments (relaxation and CBT), physical activities (exercise and Yoga), dietary supplements (folate, omega-3 fatty acids, and SAMe), physical conditions (light therapy, air ionization), and oriental medicine techniques (massage, acupuncture, etc.). A lot of techniques go back to the grassroots of indigenous cultures, more and more methods they used are being brought back as ways to improve mental well-being, for eg. grounding through walking barefoot on soil and other ways of returning to the earth, to where we evolved from. There is also research that presents the idea that we store certain feelings in different parts of our body and consequently there are yoga poses or movements that help release stagnant or negative energy from the body. Hence, our mental well being is rooted in simple daily practices that are relatively easy to follow.
Journal with me; A beginner's guide
