Webinar Forum: Unstuck - An Integrative Approach to Depression

Guest speakers' viewpoints are not necessarily that of Natural Standard. Natural Standard offers this educational webinar forum as a purely informational public service. Natural Standard remains impartial and unbiased.

Harvard-trained psychiatrist and Founder and Director of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM) in Washington, DC, Dr. Gordon believes that depression is not an end point, a disease over which we have no control. Instead, he believes it is a sign that our lives are out of balance, that we're stuck. In his new book, Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey out of Depression, and in Natural Standard's webinar, Dr. Gordon discusses how antidepressants should not be a first choice, but a last resort. He shares helpful tips and techniques that he uses in private practice for relieving depression's symptoms. These include food and nutritional supplements, Chinese medicine, movement, (such as exercise and dance), psychotherapy, meditation and guided imagery and spiritual practice and prayer.

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Comments

[Jennifer]

This was superb. Thanks very much!

[Trish]

What an interesting lecture! I'm so glad I was able to participate.

[Sarah]

I wish I had the chance to catch this lecture. Good thing it is recorded at Natural Standard! I have always been a supporter of seeking out other treatment options for depression before turning to antidepressants, but I do understand that for some people, medication is the best alternative. It is good to know that a well-trained psychiatrist, such as Dr. Gordon, can provide other effective ways to deal with depression!

[RZD]

I absolutely agree with Dr.Gordon. I believe it definitely has to do with unbalance. This idea that you're stuck or trapped is where it begins, and from there you begin to spiral downwards.

[Rach]

Unfortunately, I was super busy, so I didn't get to hear the lecture. I'm very interested in hearing more about the seven-stage journey out of depression. I'm particularly interested in learning what food and nutritional supplements Dr. Gordon recommends.

[Nora]

I liked the view that Dr.Gordon had on depression. He had various techniques on how to cope and get out of depression without taking prescription medications. Many times physicians first resort to medication and don't teach the patient what they can do to help themselves.

[Luce]

Dr. Gordon did a good job with the webinar. The alternative practices for depression is not different from what is known to normally instill an upbeat in the lives of individuals when in distress. Drugs might do well to the body, but most antidepressants further provoke more hormonal or neurotransmitter imbalances that even scientists cannot explain. Therefore, integrative medicine should not be underestimated; it can be as effective as conventional approach, just give a try and see the results for yourself.

[Maxine Barish-Wreden, MD Co-Medical Director, Sutter Integrative Medicine Sacramento, CA]

I thought yesterday's webinar with Dr. Gordon was FABULOUS! I think he is dead-on about his approach to depression, and it is very similar to the approach that I take with my patients (and with myself!).

The only other thing I might have included is laughter therapy; learning to laugh heartily and laugh well, especially at ourselves, is such a powerful tonic; it has certainly been immensely helpful to me in my own journey out of depression/dysthymia -- it may have taken me a while, but since I turned 50 two years ago, I am laughing a lot more at myself than ever before (ok, ok, so I'm a slow learner! Only took me 50 years!)

[C. Benepe MS, RD]

I appreciated the opportunity to listen/look at the webinar addressing depression. I thought Dr. Gordon made many valid points. I intend to look at his book and share his suggestions with clients and friends as well as continue to practice such behaviors in my own life. Thanks again.

[D. Acosta]

I'd like to thank you guys for putting on such an informative webinar. I was curious as to how ADD figures into the depression equation. I was diagnosed with depression and ADD as an adult, even though pharmacologically I've only been treated for depression (Wellbutrin). My therapist and psychiatrist both told me it may be hard to determine which came first (it's sort of like the chicken or the egg conundrum), as they are both interrelated. Nothing was mentioned in the webinar regarding ADD, and after going through therapy, I realized that ADD played a huge role in creating despair in my life -- although I didn't become aware until being diagnosed. Please advise.

[Neeta Suryavanshi]

Thanks to Dr Gordon and all those involved in delivering this wonderful webinar!

I look forward to more webinars from CMBM.

Many thanks!

[Jake]

Thanks to Dr Gordon and Natural Standard for this wonderful webinar! It was a pleasure that I was able to listen to it after the original time slot. I look forward to more webinars.

Thank you!

[Jackie]

I’m sorry I didn’t make the live webinar, but I am definitely going to watch the archived version. Depression affects so many people; this is an important topic to address. And I think doctors are a little quick in medicating people with depression, so the Seven-Stage Journey out of Depression sounds like a much more holistic approach. Thanks Dr Gordon and Natural Standard!

[Isabella]

Dr. Gordon's perspective on depression was great. He spoke about many different techniques to help deal with and get out of depression without taking prescription medications. Many patients are looking for alternative sources to cope with mental issues rather than immediately resorting to pills.

[Lucy]

I really liked sitting in and listening to the webinar. I think it is a great way to become informed without having to just read the information. Dr. Gordon did a great job going through everything and provided good, valuable information. I hope to read his book in the future.

[Michaela]

Using an integrative perspective and drawing on traditional wisdom, psychiatrist James Gordon guides you through a whole-person journey out of depression that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the problem, not just a possible chemical imbalance in the brain. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who feels stuck.

[Shawn]

I think this is great! Way too often do we resort right to drugs for treatment, and that may not always be the right option. A more holistic approach should definitely be tried first because we are fixing the problem as opposed to covering it up. Would all of this apply to GAD as well? Perhaps other mental health issues too?

[Becky Chollet]

I enjoyed the webinar, "Unstuck: an itegrative approach to depression," right up until a patient arrived unexpectedly and I had to leave the session.

Thanks.

[AJ]

I think that the trend nowadays at PCP offices is to prescribe antidepressants for any patient who complains of "feeling depressed" without really working up the patient to see if they are really depressed. Even though I work in a pharmacy, I really think that half of the patients I fill antidepressants for do not really need them because they are just at a down point in life and are not really depressed. Having alternative methods to treat depression and saving drugs as a last resort is excellent! It would be interesting to know what is the different in costs for a patient to go to their PCP and then fill a Rx for an antidepressant vs. seek out alternative methods.

[Lexis]

I'm sorry that I missed Dr. Gordon's webinar. I wonder if he makes a distinction between people going through acute depressive episodes vs. people who have long-duration depression. While a seven-step integrative approach sounds good on the surface, it may be risky to use it first for acute cases who may be suicidal.

[WM]

Well, I don't think this approach is made for acute patients. For someone who is suicidal, I think that more assertive methods are needed. This is more for long-term depression in patients who are stable to a certain degree.

[William Dublois]

When it comes to the realm of psychological disease, the over-prescribing of pharmaceuticals can be a slippery slope. I agree with the doctor’s viewpoint that antidepressants should certainly be a last resort. Once a patient’s brain chemistry is altered by these medications, it is very difficult to reestablish the baseline norm that once existed. This being the case it may lead to more and more unnecessary medications to maintain the patient’s state.

Before ever even considering pharmaceutical intervention, many activities involving a person’s physical and mental well being can be solved through diet and exercise. Tai-chi, yoga, the martial arts and meditation are just a few things that can help center a person and naturally reestablish a positive attitude.