Indian Cowboy makes an eloquent argument for the recommendation of lifestyle changes when treating mental health issues. I've said this numerous times, but it always bears repeating and Indian Cowboy does so eloquently:
"The medical profession spends a lot of time, energy, and even research addressing the importance of lifestyle changes when fighting diseases such as: diabetes, heart disease and cancer. In fact, lifestyle changes may be the most important treatment factor and the primary line of defense in avoiding these maladies. Yet lifestyle changes for psychological distress are never addressed."
I see this all the time. As I have said before in posts on this site, research has consistently shown the positive effects of none pharmaceutical interventions on mental health issues like depression. Exercise, change of diet, exposure to sunshine and even gardening have been shown to alleviate depression symptoms. Talk therapy has also been shown to be effective. But these are rarely, if ever discussed.
"I find it hard to believe that unlike diabetes, unlike heart disease, unlike cancer there is nothing we can do to prevent ourselves from suffering from mental health problems. Indeed, the fact that some people appear far more resistant to depression and anxiety than others in similar circumstances, combined with the relatively weak heredity of such psychiatric problems, would seem to indicate that mindset and worldview play a substantial role in resistance to mental health problems. And, even more convincingly, depression is on the rise in this country. Which would point to something we are doing rather than something inside of us being the culprit."
An eloquent argument indeed. If cancer and diabetes can be affected by lifestyle changes, why not depression and anxiety??? As for the increase Indian Cowboy mentions, Martin Seligman also pointed to this four fold increase in depression in our country since the first World War and its possible causes are discussed another article on this site, "Depression: New Thinking on its Causes". Indian Cowboy goes on to make a crucial point about antidepressants:
"Relapse rates for those treated with antidepressants alone are considerably higher than for those who received combination therapy or only psychotherapy; in fact, only about 1/3 of those who take anti-depressants alone see a full resolution of their symptoms while 1/3 don’t respond at all."
I work with so many clients who have taken every antidepressant on the market, without success. This often leaves them even more despondent because they were led to believe by advertising claims that taking a pill would fix everything. I see two reasons for this failure of treatment.
1) As Indian Cowboy points out, they take the antidepressant medication, but they do not change their lifestyle habits. They continue to engage in the behaviors of depression (isolating, social withdrawal, staying in a dark room, sleeping all day, eating a poor diet or not eating at all, avoiding activities and not taking care of obligations) and expect to feel better.
2) The wrong diagnosis. Too often I see people suffering from the death of a loved one, disillusionment, an empty life, the breakup of a relationship, the loss of a job or a career, medical problems or divorce who are diagnosed with "depression" and given a pill. A pill will not allow you to avoid the pain of losing a spouse of 20 years to cancer. It just won't. It won't allow you to avoid the grief and loss of a divorce or the fear and devastation of learning that you have a major medical problem. You simply have to experience these emotions and learn to walk through them. But we are no longer taught this. We are taught to "diagnose" the situation as being "abnormal" and then to "treat" it. Grief is normal. Fear and frustration and sadness is normal. That is life. If you lose someone, you cry. If you are diagnosed with Parkinson's you experience fear. If your life is not full, you feel unfulfilled and miserable. This is what motivates you to change it.
Ah, but enough of that soap box. See Indian Cowboy's Lifestyle Modification In Psychiatric Illness: Quick Comment for the original article.