How Come They're Happy and I'm Not? (2 page)

Does this sound too outrageous to be true? Unfortunately, it's completely true. So what is a person suffering with depression or low mood supposed to do?

In this book, I give you comprehensive yet easy-to-follow solutions that I have seen work for people like you. The best treatments for depression, it turns out, are integrative methods that combine both natural and properly used conventional methods in order to address the source of the depression while providing real and sustainable results.

How Come They're Happy and I'm Not?
is designed to build upon what Hippocrates already knew: that natural treatments are safe and effective to deal with depressive illness. But it's not antidrug. I will discuss when pharmaceuticals are appropriate and when it's safe and beneficial to combine natural remedies with conventional care. I will also address beneficial and possible risk interactions. Then I will talk about integrated methods to help those of you on medications safely wean yourselves off and avoid depression relapse.

I will show you why pharmaceuticals, or any single natural remedy for that matter, will likely not cure your mood. Mood disorders are not caused by one factor but instead by many factors that have synergized over the years to create the way you feel now.

In this spirit, I will explain the many possible underlying causes such as inflammation, digestive problems, low nutrient levels, stress, spiritual concerns, and disease, and I will recommend specific lab tests that can further direct your attention to the particular underlying causes of your depression. Then, depending on what we find, I will recommend specifics to bring to your doctor in
order to tailor an integrative treatment plan. And of course I will recommend appropriate dietary, exercise, and other therapeutic options for self-healing. You can also check my website if you want to learn more about the research behind the recommendations.

Despite being comprehensive, this book is designed to be read by people dealing with depression. Usually that means they have pretty low energy and motivation—so it better be easy. Part I offers easy steps for finding your way to help. I will ask some basic questions to guide you to advice that will be most useful, and I will suggest the top things to do right away to experience relief. Once you are feeling better, you can read the other chapters to receive more comprehensive support.

You will learn that, in the majority of cases, depression is the body's natural response to external stressors and/or internal imbalances and that there are many choices unique to your circumstance to heal the underlying illness. There are reasons for your feelings, and there are real, natural solutions. There's hope.

Most people treat the office manual the way they treat a software manual. . . nobody ever looks at it
.

—J
AMES
L
EVINE

If you're reading this, chances are you don't feel very happy right now. Because of that, I will keep this “owner's manual” chapter short so you get right to the information you need.

Besides not feeling very happy, there's probably another reason you are reading this book: because somewhere inside your body and mind, you genuinely believe there's more in this world for you to do and achieve, but your mood is stopping you from doing it. And you are hoping, after everything you have been through, all the books you have seen, and the advice you've read on the web, watched on TV, and heard from friends or family, that this book might actually be helpful.

There's a reason I wrote this book: because my experience with patients tells me you can use how you are feeling now to eventually move on to be the best you possible. This book is based on my experience with thousands of patients who were in the same position as you.

The last thing you need to do right now is to have to wade through a lot of confusing pages of medical facts and drug bashing, jump through hoops, and read stories of people who are now
well. Instead, you probably want simple solutions to feeling better that are easy to do and will work quickly. I know because I've helped thousands of people just like you.

Don't despair; help is on the way.

The truth is, there are many wonderful books out there about depression, all with excellent information. In fact, I list some of them in the resources section of this book because I believe when people are challenged, it's good to gather information from many perspectives as a way to learn from many different angles. These are all well-meaning books, but they are usually afflicted with one of two issues: either they are too long and include too much for readers who do not feel well to wade through, or they are missing important details.

My sincere hope and belief is that this book does not fall into either pitfall. This book is designed for people with depression and low mood to be able to first use easy steps. Then I will offer more extensive discussion, medical facts, and hoops to jump through later on, when you are ready.

One of the major issues I have seen in many of my patients with depressive illness is the inability to start and complete tasks. When you're depressed, the simplest tasks become difficult, due to either lack of motivation or physical symptoms that are just too great to traverse.

Although depression is a complex condition, this book is designed to make help as simple as possible. It offers quick and easy steps that a depressed person or a loved one can take to experience fast relief.

First read the short second chapter, which gives the basics for anyone looking to create a healthier mood. Start implementing as many of these suggestions as possible. If you do not read any other part of this book, just read
chapter 2
and try your best to accomplish as many of these steps as possible. These steps will not be all accomplished in a day, I assure you. But that is just fine—the important thing is to get started.

If at all possible, I recommend that you read
chapter 2
with a supportive person who can help you organize your schedule and
can check in on your progress. Pick someone with whom you feel secure. If you do not have someone like that in your life right now, that is okay too. You can do it on your own just as well.

Which parts of the book should you read after
chapter 2
? To figure that out, please read through the following and find the description that best fits you:

For males and females age 15 or older: Read
chapters 2
through
6
first. Read
chapter 7
if you are taking antidepressant medication. Read the “Gender Differences” section of
chapter 8
.

For seniors: Read
chapter 2
first. then the “Seniors” section of
chapter 8
. If you are on medication, read
chapter 7
. Finally, you can read all the basics in
chapters 3
through
6
.

For anyone taking medications: Read
chapters 2
and
7
first; then follow with the rest of the book starting with
chapter 3
.

Please note that there is a lot of information in this book. Don't worry about reading it cover to cover to start; I don't want you to feel overwhelmed. You can start slowly and skip to the sections that seem the most useful for you. You can do it in parts, a little at a time. Take it at your own pace. You can also refer to the site map located at the back of the book. It is a comprehensive list of all recommended therapies with concise information on when to use them. Feel free to refer to this framework as you traverse the book at whatever speed works for you.

Remember, you are doing a great job: the fact that you are reading this means your brain and body want to be united as one happy being living to your greatest potential. The fact that you are reading this means you want to be well, and that is the most important (and often the most difficult) step.

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope
.

—R
OMANS
5:3–4

While this book is filled with over 17 years of research and clinical experience, this chapter avoids the details of all that, by distilling it down to a quick guide to what really works.

You may not be able to do all the steps I suggest here, but try your best to do what you can. Any one of these can help, and the more you do, the better you'll feel. Later in the book, I'll discuss these steps in more detail as well as offer other actions you can take to support your well-being even further.

It's not safe to discontinue medication without speaking to your doctor first. If you're taking antidepressant medication, even if you don't feel it's helping, it's best to stay on it for now and let your doctor know that you'll be trying natural medicines. You can share this book with her to help with that discussion if you'd like.

If you believe your medication is helping you, then consider the medication a blessing. some people get so depressed that they are unable to take the natural steps to help themselves out of the depression. If this was you, and now medication is helping, then that is a good thing. Now you're in a better place to add in the other treatments you'll learn about here. We will work on safely weaning you off the medications later in the book.

If you're having side effects from the medication and you think it is making you feel worse, tell your doctor. He may want to change the dose or switch the medication you're taking. Typical side effects of depression medication include irritability, suicidal thoughts, difficulty falling asleep, excessive hunger, loss of sexual appetite, and weight gain. The younger a person is, the more likely she will experience the side effect of an urge to take her own life. If you're having suicidal feelings, go immediately to your doctor or hospital. They can help you.

If you are not on medication, please take this simple quiz to help you decide if medication is a good idea for you:

1. Does your mood stop you from taking care of yourself (for instance, you do not bathe or eat regularly)?
   
2. Does your mood stop you from going to work and doing the basic things you need to do to earn a living?
   
3. If you have children or people who depend on you for their life, does your mood stop you from taking proper care of them?
   
4. Have you had thoughts of suicide or the idea that you would be better off if you were not around?
   

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should talk with a psychiatrist or physician now. As a naturopathic physician, I do not recommend drugs when other alternatives are available—drugs should be a last resort. But there are occasions when medications may be appropriate to help you in the short term if you are not at a place to help yourself. My recommendation is to look for a licensed naturopathic physician (see the resources section at the
end of the book for help finding one) or holistic psychiatrist who can provide medication while starting to work with the natural solutions in this book.

It's true that a blood test by itself has never cured anyone. However, the information from particular blood tests can be invaluable to truly understand what is going on in your body and brain. Changes in blood sugar, levels of certain nutrients and hormones, and digestive function can all significantly impact your mood. Having the blood tests I list below can help you make the best choices to help your mood. Make a copy of the blood test list and take it to your doctor as soon as you can.

It's helpful to fast for eight hours before these tests—which means not consuming anything by mouth except water. If you are a female of menstruating age, please tell your doctor where you are in your cycle. If possible, women who are menstruating should have their blood drawn on the first day of flow for best interpretation of estrogen and progesterone values.

This list of recommended blood tests is a valuable tool, especially when you meet with your doctor.

The results of these tests can help us determine the best nutritional supports for your needs. More about how to interpret these blood tests and make decisions focused on your individual needs can be found in
chapter 4
. Please visit my website for a downloadable detailed blood test list you can bring to your doctor today
(
www.drpeterbongiorno.com/happybloodtests
)
.

Vitamins, minerals, and healthy oils are the molecules our bodies use to create reactions that help us make energy, create hormones, and balance immune function, not to mention aiding in a host of other necessary factors for best health. Getting a full range of these is a good start to moving your body and brain in the right direction.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help your body's cells communicate effectively with your brain's nerve cells. When these communicate well, your mood is at its best. Vitamins are molecules that help your body make the neurotransmitters it needs. In particular, B vitamins and magnesium are essential to the process of making neurotransmitters. The better quality vitamins are usually capsules containing powder (as opposed to hard tablets), and
high-quality vitamins are usually dosed at four to six capsules a day. Follow the dosage on the bottle and take with food.