Why See a Naturopath for Depression

Why See a Naturopath for Depression?

Did you know that around 45% of people in Australia will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime? In fact, Beyond Blue, Australia’s most well-known mental health organisation, states that “at least one million people suffer from depression every year and over 2 million will suffer from anxiety.”

What is Depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest … it affects how you feel, think, and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.

Depression is an ongoing problem, not a passing one. It consists of episodes during which the symptoms can last for several weeks, months, or even years.

Depression Symptoms and Causes

There is a huge variety of symptoms and depression affects everyone differently, but some of the most common are:

Mood swings
Fatigue
Anxiety
Appetite changes
Difficulty in focussing or concentrating
Unexplained physical issues
Tiredness and general lack of energy
Loss of enjoyment

Scientists don’t fully understand the causes of depression but believe that things like genetics, social and environmental factors as well as major life trauma may all contribute.

Traditional treatment involves getting support from families and professionals, psycho-therapy and drug treatment regimes.

A Naturopathic Approach to Depression

As a naturopath, Tony at Capalaba Natural Health approaches depression treatment by trying to determine why you have depression. This means looking beyond potential chemical imbalances in the brain, and instead considering the whole body and its underlying deficiencies.

This holistic approach will include looking into possibilities such as adrenal fatigue, neurotransmitter imbalances, inflammation which is driving your depression, thyroid issues, hormonal and gut imbalances, and deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals which can contribute to the symptoms of depression.