Talking Points 2

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Some physical illnesses are linked with depression such as a low thyroid hormone level and low iron levels anaemia and diabetes. But I presume these have been excluded by your doctors.

 

Pain is also cause of depression. And antidepressants can help to keep chronic pain under control. If you look at PET Scans of the brain in people with depression and chronic pain, they are similar. Both have similar effects in terms of lack of energy, poor sleeping and so on.

 

Exhaustion also leads to depression, and there is no disgrace in taking life easy for a few months in order to recover. Some days staying in bed is OK! in the states they call them Duvet days, and sometimes we just need them!

 

Antidepressants are stimulants, but in the longer term they can make peoples' mood less stable, even to the point of getting bipolar disorder. They need to be treated with respect! 

 

You are right to be looking at alternatives. Omega 3 fish oils, 2 gms a day. Specific postural exercises with Alexander technique, egoscues, www.egoscue.com pilates, and yoga can help significantly with chronic pain. These are better than aerobic, energy based exercises or strength exercises, if you have pain. Avoid exhausting yourself at all costs! even if it means you feel like a slob - better to be a healthy slob than an exhausted workaholic.

 

Keeping to a healthy diet helps, plenty of veggies and nuts. Caffeine frequently makes pain worse, so avoid tea, coffee, cola drinks and anything with artificial sweeteners. Avoid processed food and sugar as much as possible, the same for alcohol.

 

In addition, make  sure you get plenty of sunshine - coming from "Down under" you are programmed for it! and the British summers are particularly bad. You might find light boxes or light visors helpful. I use a light visor in winter from www.lumie.co.uk  

 

My book Mood Mapping, coming in October does have a lot of strategies in it you may find helpful.

 

These days I work largely in Occupational health, you would need a referral from your employer. I don't see private patients, for a number of reasons. Next month (September) I will start a clinic to discuss mood problems (Fulham clinics). I don't know any doctors to recommend outside my own area, so that is not a lot of help.

 

From what you have said, I would look at postural exercise, plenty of omega 3s and oily fish, a natural healthy diet and plenty of rest. You sound as though you tend to push yourself, if you can do it, you make yourself do it. You always need to leave some gas in the tank! Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!!

 

Learning to rest and relax is an important part of mental health - you would not expect an athlete to train 24/7 so why we always expect ourselves to be able to function to the highest level all of the time beats me ;-)

 

Let me know how you get on.

 

Best wishes

Liz