Every one of us will face difficult times in our lives. Unfortunately this is a part of life for everyone. We will all suffer losses and go through changes. Events in our lives and in our bodies can have an effect on our emotional state. But what if we don’t even know what’s causing these feelings? Well it’s either something that is going on in our lives that we don’t even realize is affecting us or it could be something in our bodies. Our body is whole, not separate pieces. Therefor what we are feeling emotionally doesn’t necessarily come from our brain. Any imbalance in the body can affect our emotional state. Our digestive system, thyroid, hormones, or even a simple vitamin deficiency are just a few of the possible culprits. Complete blood work testing for these things and more is a great starting point. Be sure to ask specifically for these as well as vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, DHEA and any other vitamins they will test for since these aren’t included in routine “complete” blood work. Believe it or not, sometimes it could be as simple as taking a vitamin D supplement but so many times people end up on a prescription antidepressant instead because their vitamin D level was never even tested! Sometimes it feels as if there’s no hope and that we will never be able to feel better. Positive thinking by focusing on the areas in our lives for which we are grateful and realizing how lucky we are in those areas is beneficial. Every difficult thing we go through in life makes us stronger. Turn what feels like a negative into a positive. Find ways to be a better person because of it. Talking to a trusted friend, family member or therapist can be helpful, as can writing, drawing, painting, gardening, sports, yoga, meditation or any other hobby that you enjoy. Severe or prolonged stress can upset our bodies in many ways. Our adrenal system helps us to handle this stress but when it is overloaded it can burn out. When this happens it can take months or even years to fully heal. Rest and nutrition is crucial at this point. Exercise is so important when it comes to our emotional well being. When we are depressed we don’t have the motivation to exercise, so it’s a vicious cycle. Once we make ourselves do it, we feel better, therefor we are more motivated to do it. But when we have adrenal burn out or adrenal fatigue, we don’t have the energy to exercise. While exercise will increase our energy, we also have to be careful not to overdo it, because when our bodies are in this state, resting gives our adrenal system time to heal. Everyone is unique and different in their needs at any given time. Try to listen to your body. A little walk outside while getting some sunlight and fresh air can make a huge difference. Getting plenty of sleep and eating a healthy diet including lots of vegetables, lean meats, seafood and healthy fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, olives, nuts and seeds is imperative. Supplements such as vitamins D, C, B12, B complex, EPA/DHA from fish oil, magnesium, zinc, kelp and ashwagandha can be very helpful as can GABA and theanine to help calm, 5HTP or tryptophan to help raise serotonin levels which provides a calming antidepressant effect and tyrosine or phenylalanine to help raise dopamine levels which provides an energizing antidepressant effect. Rhodiola can help raise both serotonin and dopamine. Even though these are supplements and a more natural alternative to prescription medications, you should still talk to your health care provider before making any changes since some people should not take certain supplements depending on health issues and other medications you may be taking. While my personal opinion is that we should try to heal naturally if we can, there are sometimes when a prescription medication may be helpful. Every person and situation is different. We must consider the pros and cons and weigh the advantages versus the disadvantages. Whatever your decision, don’t beat yourself up over it. Nothing is permanent.
One thing that my mom told me years ago, I have always remembered during difficult times. I had just lost my dog to cancer and I was severely depressed. She said “Jackie, I know right now you feel like it will never get better, but I promise you that in time, it really will.” And she was right. It’s been about twenty four years and I have been through many more devastating times since. And every time, I think about that one sentence, and try to give myself that time.
