Depression
and anxiety seem to be the new defining diseases of our age, especially in the West. These disorders, and even severe stress, can affect our health as much as smoking or obesity.
French psychiatrist David Servan-Schreiber notes that drugs and talk therapy are not especially
effective, though the side-effects can be serious. The operating theory behind
antidepressant drugs may simply be wrong.
Dr. Servan-Schreiber
suggests we look elsewhere for solutions to depression. The roots of depression
are in the emotional brain, rather than the thinking brain, the body and the interaction between them.
Our brain is layered, an
as you go deeper inward, you get to older structures similar to other life
forms: first those similar to other primates, then to mammals and finally to
reptiles. The wordy, analytical, thinking part of the brain is the newest outer
layer, the neocortex. Anxiety and depression are more strongly linked to the
inner parts of the brain, which is emotional, image-oriented and much more
closely linked to the operations of the body.
One aspect of the brain-body connection is the heart. The heart has a bundle of nerves
associated with it that are practically a simple brain itself, and this
heart-brain has a direct connection to the emotional brain in the head. Our
emotional and physical states are closely tied this way. Servan-Schreiber
discusses techniques related to heart coherence, the variation of heart rate in
a regular patter, that can be calming to the heart and brain and put is in a
relaxed, restorative mode. His book includes instructions on a type of meditation for increasing heart coherence.
He also talks about a
technique that uses eye movements similar to those that occur while we dream to help the emotional brain process
trauma, called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). This
therapy will require a trip to a psychiatrist or psychologist, but for the right patients it can
provide quick results.
There is the suggestion
that some cases of depression can be a symptom of disease or other issues in
the body, especially inflammation. One of the things one can do deal with this
type of depression is to get more Omega-3 fatty acids. These can help improve
the function of the brain by improving the coating on brain cells. Depression
seems to be more prevalent in countries where the typical diet is lower in
Omega-3. Exercise can also improve depression and
anxiety, especially when it is done regularly; three times a week for 20
minutes is enough to see a benefit.
In addition, relationships and community are important to mental health and a sense of wellbeing. The quality
of ones relationships can have a great impact on physical and mental health. Over the last few decades, people
have come to have fewer and shallower relationships and less connections to
community and purpose. Servan-Schreiber’s advice on this particularly focuses
on ways to communicate that resolve conflicts and build empathy.
Depression and anxiety
are complex. Servan-Schreiber provides a suite of options for treating it. One
of these may be helpful along, and some may need to use various ones in
combination. In any case, there are things you can do, especially with the aid
of a physician or psychologist, to make things better.
If you’re interested in
this book, you may also be interested in
Anxious for Nothing by Max
Lucado
The Beethoven Factor by Paul
Pearsall
Change Your Brain Change Your Body by Daniel
G. Amen
The Last
Self-Help Book You'll Ever Need by Paul Pearsall
The Mindful Way through
Depression by
Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindal Segal & Joh Kabat-Zinn
Overwhelmed by Brigid Schulte
The Relaxation Response by Herbert
Benson with Miriam Z. Klipper
Rewire Your Anxious Brain by
Catherine M. Pittman & Elizabeth M. Karle
The Solution by Lucinda Bassett
Switch on Your Brain by Caroline
Leaf
Timeless Healing by Herbert Benson with Marg
Stark
Servan-Schreiber, David.
The Instinct to Heal: Curing Depression,
Anxiety, and Stress Without Drugs and Without Talk Therapy. New York: Rodale, 2003.
