Depression, Mood & Stress

Depression & Fish Oil my own experience

A personal view by Lynn Ferguson

I take a very personal interest in the theory that fish oils may offer hope to those suffering from depression. I've suffered with depression and anxiety, since by early 20s.

My symptoms seemed to be getting worse with age and by my early forties, I never seemed to go a day without feeling I was under a black blanket of despair at life in general. It's difficult to describe clinical depression, everyone gets down now and again, but with depression it's with you all the time and now and again (in my case) it comes in with a bang that's so devastating that you can't ever see yourself recovering from it.

I got to 40 years old, but I felt more like 70! I didn't look after myself, I didn't have the time! I was working as an IT consultant, advising various UK companies on marketing strategies. I was a workaholic. Once I started on something, I had to see it though to the end which made me work like a steam train, finishing late, with only the occasional break. I was constantly exhausted. Although I used to be outgoing as a younger person, the years had turned me into a bit of a loner and even more miserable. I didn't like stopping my "labours" to talk to people, I was simply too busy.

All this effort was destroying my health. Stressed to blazes through working a 60 hour week, my joints ached, I was too hyped up to sleep or relax, my hair was thinning, I was overweight (still am!). I'd started with asthma in my mid thirties and it was getting worse.

Then circumstances took a hand when my father was diagnosed with cancer. It was one step too far and although I could have coped, with all my other stress it was the straw that broke the camel's back. I had a "breakdown", unable to cope. I was at my lowest ebb, I had suicidal thoughts and was wretched in my misery.

My mother was horrified and could only tell me to "pull yourself together". This made me cry even more, I'd been trying to "pull myself together" for nearly 20 years! I think that my breakdown was just my bodies way of saying - I can't fight this anymore. I'd become immobilised.

My doctor prescribed Prozac again and told me to stop working - it was killing me. He told me that "this time" I must stay on it permanently due to the fact that I had a chemical imbalance in my brain that wasn't go to go away. I felt so desperate and suicidal, some nights I could only get to sleep by taking sleeping pills or other prescription drugs. Although I'd sleep, the next day I'd pay for it by feeling totally fuzzy brained.

Then something wonderful happened

After taking 3 months off work, I decided to resign. I started research on nutrition for my father's illness. I read about the fish oils on a more general health level and decided to take them myself. I wasn't aware at that time about their links to depression. Within a matter of about three weeks my symptoms had lessened. Within 3 months I was a changed woman! My anxiety had gone, I was sleeping properly, my joint pains had gone, I was seemed better able to cope with the stress of life. I told my GP, who backed my decision as he'd also heard good reports and I came off the Prozac. The big test came when my father died, although I was terribly upset, I coped and mourned him without becoming ill again.

Over 3 years have now passed. I take at least 1000mg of EPA Omega-3 a day by using a specialist "built for the purpose" quality fish oil. I've had no episodes, although I can still get down, but that's normal and part of day to day life.

I've even managed to take off 2 stone since May of this year, although I'm still about 3 stone over my goal weight. I still work very long hours. 8am through 7pm most days, which makes looking after myself a hard job. I've still got personal goals to meet, but they seem a little more achievable now. I feel like I'm back in control of me for the first time in many years.

Admitting the fact that I've suffered mental illness isn't something that I want to advertise to the world and I can't believe that I'm writing this down for everyone to read. I'd thoroughly recommend you to understand the basis to the theory by reading "How to beat depression" by Professor Basant Puri.

There's no magic bullet for treating depression and fish oil may not be the whole answer, but it's well worth trying - it is a safe, drug free about has, for me and others really been of benefit.

©Copyright Lynn Ferguson - 01.11.04

Note:

Many of my users ask me what I take each day, and sometimes they ask me "what do you take for your asthma?", as like many of us I don't just have one health concern I take a number of supplements (and try to combine them with a healthy diet). Anyway, this is what I take each day:

• Fish Oil - Omega 3 Fatty Acids - I take at least 1000mg of EPA Omega 3 each day. This is the one supplement that I would never do without. I'm currently taking 1500mg of Omega 3 by taking a just 2 capsules of Omax3 , I really like it because it's the purest form of Omega 3 we sell at 91% Omega 3.
• General Diet - Like many other people, I work long hours and I don't always find it easy to eat 5 portions of fruit or vegetables a day. Having said that I avoid processed food and try to cook from scratch using quality ingredients. I make an Innocent Smoothie the basis of breakfast each morning and I also take a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement a day.
• Carnosine - a specialised antioxidant - I take 500 mg of L-Carnosine per day. This hasn't been indicated specifically for depression, but researchers also seem to agree that it is an excellent choice for those looking for the "anti-ageing supplement".
• I also work hard to eat a balanced diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables - but it's hard to achieve.

Warning

Please note that supplements are not a replacement for a healthy balanced diet containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, ALSO, self-help isn't an excuse for ignoring doctor's advice - please don't stop using any medication without advice from your medical professional. The purpose of this article is not to convince the reader to get rid of conventional medicine - but to work in harmony with it in order to achieve personal goals.