Why Are So Many Depressed?

Published statistics are so remarkably variable that one wonders how we can trust any! Some published stats range from 10 to at least 37 percent.

Unequivocally, those with any significant problem have very high rates of depression, with stroke, cancer, Parkinsonism, HIV and chronic pain among the highest. My own impression is that only 20 percent of individuals are truly happy — with about 40 percent depressed and the other 40 percent are just below clinical depression.

"Causes" of depression:

• Poor self-esteem
• Low levels of oxytocin, magnesium, taurine, B vitamins, lithium or tryptophan
• Significant illnesses of any kind

Clinical associations with depression:

• Low serum norepinephrine
• Elevated High Sensitivity CRP
• Low levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, melatonin, cholinesterase or beta endorphin
• Family history of any emotional disorder 
• Childhood abuse
• Smoking parents
• Alcoholic parents

Other abnormalities in depression:

• Abnormal EEG — focus of hyperactivity, usually in right frontal lobe but may be any area
• Failure to follow photostimulation

Predispositions to depression:

• Unwanted pregnancy
• Pregnancy out of wedlock
• Anesthesia at delivery
• Divorce or other major trauma in first seven years of life
• Inadequate physical activity
• Poverty

Personally I consider anti-depressant drugs not only inadequate but more dangerous than not taking them. My recommendations in order of essentials:

• Eat only real food — avoid fast food restaurants and processed foods with MSG. Stay away from aspartame, bread, alcohol, sugar, tobacco, more than one or two cups of coffee and all pop.
• Use Air Bliss once or twice daily — it is by far the easiest and simplest approach.
• Add my essentials — one or two daily vitamin D 3, 50,000 units once a week of magnesium lotion and either L-taurine, 3000 mg daily or meat broth — cook one pound of any flesh food in a quart of water, seasoned with onion, salt, etc and drink one cup daily.
• Add Lithium orotate, 15 to 20 mg daily.
• Push yourself to increase exercise! Start with simple bouncing in place two minutes and adding one minute each day.
• Get outside an hour a day if possible.
• Listen to great music an hour a day (not rock).
• Get good total body massage at least once a week.
• If not better in a week, add Shealy RelaxMate one hour at bedtime.
• If this does not make a huge difference within 2 or 3 weeks, try a Fisher-Wallace Cranial Electrical stimulator, one hour before noon every day.
• If this does not work within three weeks, see a good past life therapist.

C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D., is a neurosurgeon and humanistic psychologist with more than fifty years of professional experience in pain management and holistic medicine. A sought-after seminar speaker worldwide, frequent guest on radio and television programs across the United States, and host of his own weekly radio show, Dr. Shealy will release his thirtieth book, Living Bliss: Major Discoveries along the Holistic Path.