Would you like to know the real causes of depression?

Some people can be such self-righteous *kitten*. Hope you friend gets better.

I could not agree more!

I haven't been on this site very long and I've not participated in any discussions as yet but this thread has caught my heart. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to your friend and to those of you that love her.

I'm 58 and I've dealt with major depression, anxiety/panic disorder since I was 8 years old. Food can be for many and is a major addiction in our society. I'm a food addict. To make it very simple...when we are depressed (and I believe strongly that depression is a chemical imbalance in our brain) and have learned to use food to help us feel better, the physiological process is no different than in those people who shoot heroin or take other street drugs, Simply put, in those of us that are food addicted, eating causes an endorphin/ dopamine release in our brain therefore causing a short but strong feeling of relief. Short lived and then there's the guilt and remorse that follows. A feeling of failure. A viscous circle.

Dr. Gabor Mate in the book Realm of the Hungry Ghost explains the process and while the book is mostly about people addicted to drugs and why he makes it clear that this process is the *same* whether it's drugs, food or any other addiction. The only difference is the amount of dopamine released. Not everyone one overweight is a food addict. But for many it is.....otherwise why is it that it is SO difficult to lose weight and keep it off no matter what type of diet you follow, how committed you are, how desperately one wants to be a normal weight or how your being overweight affects your physical health? Thank goodness for places like this site. It does help. Support and sharing is of major importance.

It is only in this way that I believe that the food we eat has major effects on depression,

http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2010-12-28/dr-gabor-maté-stress-disease-connection-addiction-attention-deficit-disorder-and-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-APGWvYupU

I'm glad you're still here to comment on this thread! (((HUGS)))) I've not been suicidal, but I deal with depression and anxiety and it sucks. blah. A lot of people just don't understand any of it.

Thanks! Happy to still be here.

I tell ya, depression sucks!!
I would not wish it on anyone. I have counsel people with depression in the past, no I am not a professional counselor, I go on my own real life experiences which sometimes is more useful than a guy in a shirt and tie who has never been depressed a day in his life but read a text book about it and so now he knows everything.

I don't think if I eat "greens" is going to fix my back injury and make the economy better so I can support my family, I also don't think eating greens will help my friend who suffers from depression cause she was molested as a child will magically help her either,

you see some depression can be because of a physical defeshaincy but others can be from a psychological trauma, this is exactly what the poster was talking about

Dude, I was trying to help. I said it CAN lead to feelings of depression, not that folic acid deficiency was gona make you suicidal. Also 'whichever poster' said they had plenty of greens, you want a medal? I was merely making a suggestion based on something my doctor told me and surely when you're depressed you would want to try anything to get out of it? I appreciate depression can be situational but for those among us who don't have some deep emotional root for it, I was trying to be helpful. Just cos you or someone you know has suffered from it doesn't mean you can be nasty to people who want to help you.