Depression can have multiple sources which mostly have been ignored by mainstream medicine in favor of the serotonin or dopamine deficient theory leading to high amounts of prescription usage. The U.S. writes over 90 percent of the subscriptions for anti-depressants compared to Europe. This singular approach seldom understands a much bigger picture.
Few licensed health care professionals understand the true causes of depression. Much research and extensive training encompassing multiple factors are needed to understand the big picture. You are much more likely to receive symptomatic therapies and never fully address the primary causative factors. Acupuncture, herbal tinctures and fragrances can quickly shift the mood, but relief is usually only short term as the foundation needs to be addressed.
In my book I wrote a lengthy chapter on chronic depression. Post antibiotic depression in my early twenties made my life very difficult as I felt depressed, tired and had intestinal issues. Once I understood what was behind it then I was able to recover my health. The gut can influence the mental state in many ways lending to symptoms such as anxiety, fear, excessive worry, panic attacks, brain fog, memory issues, mental fatigue and a short fuse causing over reactions to small issues. Your mental ability to cope with stress is no longer there as the buffering is gone.
One of best ways to start to understand depression is to first look at the gut. There are numerous gut connections that can cause depression.
- Deficiencies in specific keystone (friendly) bacteria
- High amounts of candida albicans (fungal infection) from antibiotic and steroid usage
- Vegas nerve dysfunction all can impact our brain, moods and intestines and more
- Imbalanced gut microbiome from glyphosate infiltration and toxin exposure
- SIBO small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and parasites
To see the larger picture, we need to do some detective work. This is where we want to start as it answers many of the above questions. Get your gut properly tested and start to solve both your intestinal and brain issues.