Here you will find my personal, medical opinions on many matters that are based on my training and clinical experience, my journey as a parent, and my own successes and failures on my never-ending road towards optimal health and well-being!
For many years and counting – so many people are getting diagnosed with “Depression”.
I covered this before but thought it was worth bringing up again. Not only are so many practitioners labeling their patients but so many patients are “owning” their diagnosis without question.
I get it – they feel it gives them an “answer” to why they don’t feel “right”.
But is it the “answer” for most?
I am in no way saying there aren’t those that are “depressed” but what I AM saying is that not ALL people who get diagnosed with depression are depressed in the classic sense. But honestly “classic depression” has been found predominately to be a disorder based in gut and hormones imbalance.
About 2 years ago we learned though a meta-analysis research study that there was NO correlation with depression and low serotonin levels and that taking anti-depressants (SSRIs) actually made serotonin even lower – SEE HERE.
If you go to your conventional (or even holistic) practitioner and report feeling “blah” or have a lack of zest for life then it is likely that you will walk out with the diagnosis of depression and some pills.
But if the practitioner took a moment to really listen to (and HEAR) what this person is saying you would hear that there’s so much more at play than a simplistic “depression” diagnosis.
So, we must dig deeper always!
One of the first things I ask my clients who say they have been diagnosed or think they are depressed: How is your energy?
99.5% of them respond “horrible”.
Then I ask – “If your energy was good then would you still feel down or depressed?” And almost all said they wouldn’t.
So, what does that tell us? The issue isn’t depression – the issue is fatigue – physical and/or mental.
The new focus then becomes addressing fatigue.
There is also the possibility of grief at play. Some that are depressed are dealing with grief and too many practitioners put a timeframe on grief. There should never be a timeframe on grief. And this can be addressed through so many different types of modalities.
So overall I find most depression diagnoses to be yet another way to lump people together that might share a certain set of superficial symptoms which allows practitioners to quickly “prescribe something”.
Then where might this fatigue be coming from/WHY is it present?
Some places to look:
In other words – demand that your practitioner look for a deeper cause instead of simply medicating you for “Depression” (convention or holistic).
If your practitioner won’t search beyond the diagnosis of depression, then find a new one that will!
Never Give Up!
Dr. K
For many years and counting – so many people are getting diagnosed with “Depression”.
I covered this before but thought it was worth bringing up again. Not only are so many practitioners labeling their patients but so many patients are “owning” their diagnosis without question.
I get it – they feel it gives them an “answer” to why they don’t feel “right”.
But is it the “answer” for most?
I am in no way saying there aren’t those that are “depressed” but what I AM saying is that not ALL people who get diagnosed with depression are depressed in the classic sense. But honestly “classic depression” has been found predominately to be a disorder based in gut and hormones imbalance.
About 2 years ago we learned though a meta-analysis research study that there was NO correlation with depression and low serotonin levels and that taking anti-depressants (SSRIs) actually made serotonin even lower – SEE HERE.
If you go to your conventional (or even holistic) practitioner and report feeling “blah” or have a lack of zest for life then it is likely that you will walk out with the diagnosis of depression and some pills.
But if the practitioner took a moment to really listen to (and HEAR) what this person is saying you would hear that there’s so much more at play than a simplistic “depression” diagnosis.
So, we must dig deeper always!
One of the first things I ask my clients who say they have been diagnosed or think they are depressed: How is your energy?
99.5% of them respond “horrible”.
Then I ask – “If your energy was good then would you still feel down or depressed?” And almost all said they wouldn’t.
So, what does that tell us? The issue isn’t depression – the issue is fatigue – physical and/or mental.
The new focus then becomes addressing fatigue.
There is also the possibility of grief at play. Some that are depressed are dealing with grief and too many practitioners put a timeframe on grief. There should never be a timeframe on grief. And this can be addressed through so many different types of modalities.
So overall I find most depression diagnoses to be yet another way to lump people together that might share a certain set of superficial symptoms which allows practitioners to quickly “prescribe something”.
Then where might this fatigue be coming from/WHY is it present?
Some places to look:
In other words – demand that your practitioner look for a deeper cause instead of simply medicating you for “Depression” (convention or holistic).
If your practitioner won’t search beyond the diagnosis of depression, then find a new one that will!
Never Give Up!
Dr. K