The pending loss of my dad caused me to drop all the balls I was juggling. I fought to get out of bed. Thankfully Jabo the dog was there every morning staying with me until I arose. My life was on autopilot. There was no strength or energy for anything else.
My husband and I had no idea what depression was. Not understanding the disease he believed my behavior was contrived and attention seeking. I tried to explain something was wrong. For example even though I had been craving oatmeal raisin cookies I could’t get up the energy to bake them.
Thankfully he sought the advise of a psychiatrist. Low & behold my husband learned the sign/symptoms of depression. He came home that night, shared his findings, made an appointment with a psychiatrist, and baked oatmeal raisin cookies. Let me say they were the best cookies ever.
The psychiatrist prescribed Lexapro, and it worked like a charm! I called it my superhero in a white cape (it’s a white tab). It was like someone flipped the switch from debilitating sadness to happiness. This phase only lasted a few months. My depression was controlled. The psychiatrist left me on Lexapro for 7 years, until I asked for it to be d/c’d.
Fast forward to 2015. My father passed 10 years ago and left me enough money to live comfortably. Some of the money was used for fun and the remainder was invested – knowing it would be there when I needed it. If life were only that easy. Circumstances beyond my control resulted in a significant loss of money. It was then I realized my vision of retirement was over as well as other other aspects of my life.
Another gut retching loss. And to top it off our Bailey (pictured above) was diagnosed with brain cancer and died 6 weeks later.
This time it felt like I was falling down the rabbit hole. My symptoms were debilitating anxiety attacks. My life went yet again on autopilot. Another visit to the psychiatrist, another prescription for Lexaro. This time it’s efficacy seemed diminished. Solution, increased dosage or alternative treatments.
In 2016 I learned about microbioms, food as medicine including foods that work at the molecular level in treating depression. Could there be a food/depression connection? Apparently there is research out there supporting this. How exciting! Let’s go discover if food & lifestyle can help manage depression . . .
Bitterroot Nutrition 