With four out of every 100 teenagers diagnosed with depression annually, it’s not hard to understand why clinical depression is a condition associated with young adults.  But clinical depression is no discriminator of persons or ages.  And this fact takes on a certain resonance when gauging its prevalence among the elderly.

For instance, despite making up 12 percent of the U.S. population, the elderly take up a significant chunk of the suicides in the country (16 percent).  And while 11 out of every 100,000 people younger than 65 die from suicide annually, that number jumps to 14 out of every 100,000 among the elderly.

To address this sad state of affairs, people often turn to antidepressants.  No one can deny that antidepressants relieve depressive symptoms.  I happen to believe there are healthier alternatives to antidepressants, but nevertheless, people use them and use them with varying degrees of success.

Yet just as no one can deny antidepressants effectiveness, no one can deny their litany of side effects.  Certainly not know, as a new study released by researchers from USC show just how prevalent the side effects of antidepressants are among the elderly.

According to a study conducted by USC researchers of 39,000 older Americans, more than 50 percent of elderly Americans taking antidepressants were also taking another medication at the same time.  As a result, many had to deal with some unexpected side effects.

The chief side effects were sleep-related, as over 1,000 patients complained of having difficulty sleeping or nodding off when they didn’t intend to.  The next most commonly complained of side effect was vertigo.

Commenting on their findings in the American Journal of Geriatric Society, the researchers admonished primary care physicians, saying that they’re not doing a good enough job of vetting their patients’ prescription drug use.

“We found a concerning degree of potentially harmful drug combinations being prescribed to seniors,” said Dr. Tami Lee Mark of Thomson Reuters in a statement.

Mark also said that if doctors aren’t careful, prescribing antidepressants with other commonly prescribed medicines (like arthritis medications) could result in a worsening of depression symptoms.

Fortunately, side effects of prescription medications can be avoided through the use of all-natural alternatives to antidepressants.  If you’re 65 or older and have experienced at least two weeks of depressive symptoms, you’re probably considering taking an antidepressant.  But before you ask your doctor for a prescription, ask yourself the following questions.  Doing so could save you from the unwanted side effects antidepressants have become known for.

Do I Have a Chemical Deficiency?

One’s mental health is largely a function of how well one’s nutrient levels are.  For instance, clinical depression is believed to stem from an inadequate production of serotonin.  Antidepressants help increase serotonin production, but natural supplements can stimulate serotonin production as well.  The amino acid 5-Hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, is one such example.  5-HTP is similar to Prozac in that are both related to serotonin activity.  But unlike Prozac, which only increases the activity of serotonin, 5-HTP increases the production of serotonin.

Do I Have a Nutrient Deficiency?

You’d be surprised at how much what we eat – or don’t eat – affects our mental health.  For instance, studies show that people battling depression tend to be lacking in zinc and B Complex vitamins.  Both zinc and B Complex vitamins are essential for normal mental health function.  Zinc supplements are readily available, but when it comes to supplementing with B Complex, you may want to consider getting a B Complex shot.  These injections should be taken under a doctor’s supervision and are traditionally administered once per week (2 CCs).

Have I Been Under More Stress than Usual Lately?

Stress can be a major contributor to depression.  And wherever the stress is emanating from – school, relationships, work, etc. – chronic stress is enough to bring even the most mentally tough person down a size.

Relief often only comes only by getting rid of the stressor(s), but if that’s not possible, natural supplements can prove useful.  The amino acid L-Tyrosine helps relieve stress by boosting the production of adrenaline and dopamine.

Mineral stress-relievers include calcium and magnesium.  Calcium and magnesium form a symbiotic relationship once they’re metabolized, providing a sort of calming effect.  And “calming” is just what the doctor ordered for stress relief.

Am I Exercising Enough?

Exercise is a boon to your waistline but it’s also a boon for your mood – and in more ways than one.  For starters, exercise gets you involved and participating with other people.  Human interaction is a huge factor in mood regulation; a simple hi to a fellow jogger at the gym can quickly turn a frown upside down.

Another way exercise improves mood is by heightening your self-confidence.  As the saying goes, “When you look good, you feel good” – and the mixture of weight training and aerobic training accomplishes that nicely.

Finally, exercise improves mood at the chemical level through the release of endorphins.  Endorphins are sort of like the body’s own personal morphine drip, killing the chemicals in the brain that induce pain.  Any exercise-based activity will increase the release of endorphins, but aerobic, endurance-based exercises work best.

Am I Looking On the Bright Side of Life?

My colleague Steve G. Jones and I talk about it at length in our book You Can Attract It, but one’s attitude on life is perhaps the most significant factor in enhancing one’s mood.  That’s because happiness is not so much a product of circumstances but rather the reaction to circumstances.  And how we react to our circumstances is entirely up to us.  Or, to quote Abraham Lincoln, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Resolve today to do all you can to be as happy as you can be.  An honest assessment of the above questions will help accomplish that.

Sources
mayoclinic.com
nimh.nih.gov
newsmaxhealth.com
mayoclinic.com
ivillage.com
Balch, Phyllis A.  “Prescription for Nutritional Healing.”  Fourth Edition.  Avery:  New York.  2006.