Depression A Cry For Help-Part 5

As I/we continue to discuss alternative treatments for depression, it will become necessary to integrate new approaches. Our modern lifestyle has adversity contributed to many of the problems that link to society's mental health. Steve Ilardi believes based on his studies that there are six lifestyle changes or corrections necessary to begin to make a positive impact on depression. The six changes are as follows; 1) exercise, 2) omega-3 consumption, 3) light exposure, 4) sleep, 5) social connectedness, 6) anti-ruminative behavior.

There was nothing in his study that was innovative, ground breaking, and new. It appears that the basics and the fundamental principles that the old folks lived by allowed them to be physically, mentally, and spiritually grounded. There is nothing new and different about exercise because a consistent program has life affirming benefits. Omega-3 is connected to a healthy diet, instead of the processed diet which is common in our modern society. Sleeping and being exposed to the sun is nothing new. Instead of taking drugs to sleep exercise and hard work forced people to go to bed, because they were tired and tomorrow would be a repeat of yesterday.

In no way do I want it misconstrued that I want a return to the good old days. However the social networking and principles that made families the focal point of society has somehow been lost. Respect for the different generations kept people focused and consumed with relevant social interconnectedness. Now it appears that people no longer have time for family members and friends. They are more concerned with their personal agenda which can become discombobulated, confused, and not grounded. The inability to communicate and respect substance and wisdom, they turn to drugs, sex and violence. A large percentage of people struggling with depression feel they are alone, and forget they are connected to a social fabric that cares.

Finally there is the anti-ruminative behavior which I had no idea what it meant until I explored a little further. Basically it means that many people walk around with a doom mentality and bad things are getting ready to happen. Obliviously if you spend an inordinate amount of time looking at the news, you are justified in this belief. Many times depression is a self inflicted illness, because much of our information has a negative twist or violent focus. We must come to gripes with the fundamental causes of depression in contemporary society. The cry for help is a cry for sanity in a society gone mad. What can we do to reverse the problems of depression? If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.
Roger