Depression is a rapidly growing concern of the 21st century and – based off the trends – things seem to be getting worse.
Time and time again when I have asked about peoples’ understanding of depression, it seems that each person has either experienced depression personally or knows someone close to them struggling with the condition.
According to The World Health Organisation (WHO), depression is defined as a frequently occurring mental disorder characterised by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness, and poor concentration. It is said to be the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide.1
To put it into perspective, this is worse than diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease or cancer.
The clinical efficacy of current anti-depressant drug therapies is unsatisfactory; anti-depressants induce a variety of unwanted side effects, and, moreover, their therapeutic mechanisms are not clearly understood.2 Furthermore, sixty percent of cases of clinical depression are considered to be treatment-resistant depression.2
So if it is such a big problem, why don’t we have a suitable solution? Surely there is a framework that nurtures diet, exercise, lifestyle and biochemistry? Surely there are options that don’t have multiple side effects?
We will add to the articles and resources below over time, exploring diet and key nutrients, mindfulness solutions, and credible alternative therapies to support people living with depression.
Articles and resources relating to depression
Articles from Mindful Moo that explore the effectiveness of mind and body solutions to treat depression.
- Mood Foods: What To Eat For a Healthy and Happy Mind
- Treating Depression with Aceytl-L-Carnitine: How Strong Is the Evidence?
- Treating Depression with Magnesium: How Strong Is the Evidence?
- Treating Depression with Zinc: How Strong Is the Evidence?
- Does Mindfulness Work? The Latest Studies Agree on a Number of Things
References
- World Health Organisation. Mental health Depression: let’s talk 2018. http://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/en. Accessed October 14, 2018.
- Iii GAE, Eby KL. Magnesium for treatment-resistant depression : A review and hypothesis.Med Hypotheses. 2010;74(4):649-660. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2009.10.051.