SAD

How to Help a Sad/Depressed Friend or Loved One

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Depression - Narrative photoIf you have been watching or listening to the news, you may be aware of the recent string of suicides that have happened in Oxford County. Many individuals in the community feel as though there are currently not enough adequate resources to help those suffering from mental health concerns. To take it a step further, there is also not a lot of resources available for those who are living with or care for individuals suffering from a mental illness. It is the hoped that this article would provide you with more information as to how to best support individuals struggling with mental illness as well as support yourself through these times. Though this article is focused on depression and sadness, much of this information can be transferred to support for those suffering from other mental health illnesses such as anxiety.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

To provide the best possible support, it is important to be able to recognize what depression may look like. That being said, depression can look very different depending on each individual. Provided below are some possibly signs and symptom that you may witness.

  • Sadness
  • Feelings of guilt
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Nervousness
  • Restlessness
  • Increased or lack of sleep
  • Increased or lack of appetite
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Lack of concentration
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Decreased happiness or pleasure from things that used to be pleasurable
  • Isolation from others
  • Self – harm

How you can Help a Friend or Loved One

The following list was adapted from the author as well as http://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/helping-a-depressed-person.htm. For more information, please contact CMHA or the website provided above.

  1. Listen: One of the best things you can do for someone who may be suffering from a mental illness or mental health concern is to offer a space for them to be heard. Feeling heard can provide a great relief and often the support one needs. You do not have to fix the problem and often times you can’t. However, providing space for someone to vent can be powerful.
  1. Support: Offer your support by letting them know you are there for them and letting them know that you are there to help if they need it. It is important to set boundaries in this area so that your morals are not compromised and so your health is not put into jeopardy. Support can also look like supporting a loved one through treatment and various treatment options. Checking in with them and seeing how their treatment is going can allow them to know you are still there and support their progress. Support can also look like praying with an individual or even going to appointments with them if they wish. Remind the loved one or friend that you love them and show them that you care in the ways that they will be receptive to.
  1. Encourage: Encourage your friend or loved one to seek help. If they are struggling with their mental health, it is important that they get proper care and attention. Encourage them that they are not alone and that resources are available for them to get help. If they do mention consideration over ending their life, do not let this go unnoticed and get help immediately.

How to Help Yourself

While helping others, it is important to understand your own limitations and set necessary boundaries to protect yourself. At the end of the day, you need to be reminded that it is not your responsibility to solve the problem. You are not a trained health care professional, and ultimately leave it to them. The best you can do is provide support within your own limits. It is also important to make sure that you are caring for your own health care needs and managing stress as well as you can. If you need help, do not be afraid to ask for it and seek help.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Vitamin D

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Autumn Girl enjoying nature on the field. Beauty Girl Outdoors rMuch media and research is spent exploring and shedding light on vitamin D. Recently I have engaged in several discussions about vitamin D, and have had requests to bring more information to light about it and its role in our health.

Sources and absorption of vitamin D

To begin with, it is important to explore how vitamin D is received, used, and processed by the body. There are not many food sources of vitamin D aside from fortified foods (meaning certain foods have vitamin d added to them in their processing and manufacturing). Additional food sources include oily fish, such as salmon or sardines, and cod liver oil. These foods are not adequate sources of vitamin D, but absorption of vitamin D from them can be enhanced through the presence of bile or fat in the intestinal tract. The ultimate source of vitamin D is from sunlight. The type of ray that is required to make vitamin D is UVB rays. This type of ray causes us to be more prone to burns, and so, it is important to have not just UVB light but UVA rays as well. Some individuals choose to obtain vitamin D from tanning beds. Though tanning beds do provide an equivalent vitamin D source, it is important to consider the risks and inquire as to whether or not the tanning bed has UVA combined with UVB rays. The World Health Organization does advice against the use of tanning beds, so please keep this in mind. For more information on the health benefits of sun exposure, refer to this previous blog: https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/health-benefits-of-sun-exposure/.

Once the vitamin d is absorbed, it goes to the liver, and then the kidney, where it is converted into an active form. If an individual’s liver or kidney are not functioning up to par, this can alter our ability to make use of vitamin D. This active form is more commonly known as D3.

Conditions aided from vitamin D

Vitamin d is used in the body to influence cell growth, cell differentiation, insulin secretion, and calcium absorption (vitamin K helps with directing this calcium to your bones though). What this translates to is that vitamin d can be beneficial for decreasing tumor growth and tumor metastasis. In addition, vitamin D may be useful for the following conditions:

  • Autoimmune disease
  • Back pain
  • Burns
  • Cancer
  • Colds and flus
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Diabetes
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Hearing loss
  • Infections
  • Muscle pain
  • Osteomalacia
  • Osteoporosis
  • Paget’s disease
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Rickets
  • Seasonal affective disorder

Though these conditions may benefit from vitamin D, it is best to consult with your health care provider before self – prescribing due to the potential for interaction with any supplements or medication that you may be taking.

Dose of vitamin D

The dose of vitamin D recommended really depends on each individual circumstance. For example, if someone is on certain medication or has a particular medical condition, they may require more vitamin D than another person. In order to attain the most vitamin D from the sun as possible, research has shown that exposure of 5% of your skin (i.e. hands, face and possibly your lower arm) for 15minutes, 3 times a week for 12 weeks to the sun, is equivalent to oral administration of 400iu/day of vitamin D. The greater the skins exposure to the sun the greater the amount of vitamin D that is absorbed. Ultimately, the best dose of vitamin D for you is best discussed with your health care provider.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!