HEALTH MATTERS flfl flflflW Iflfl#flW/WWWMWWWWW Mood and S bstance Abuse Disorders BY RENEE LANG, ND ' epression and mental D health rank among the top health concerns for lesbians and gay men. Ac- cording to a survey done in 2000, lesbians ranked depres- RENEE LANG, ND sion and mental health as their number one health concern, while gay men ranked it second to HIV/AIDS. Substance abuse, including alcohol and other recreational drugs, ranked second and third, respectively, for lesbians and gay men. Depression affects about ten percent of the adult U.S. population, but is even higher in the ‘gay and lesbian com- munity due to discrimination and lack of support. Women experience depression twice as often as men. Wage discrepan- cies in a two-woman household decrease the resources avail- able to lesbians for healthcare. In our work- and goal-ori- ented society, depression car- ries a stigma. This, added to _ the persistent stigma of being gay in our society, increases the difficulty for an individual suffering from depression to access and obtain health- care. Partially as a result, self- medication with drugs and alcohol frequently occurs. Symptoms of depression and substance abuse behav- ior result from a biochemical imbalance. Brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, regulate mood, appetite, feel— . ‘ ings of well-being, and energy levels in the body. Imbalances in these chemicals may result in symptoms of depression," including a persistent sad or “empty mood”, hopelessness, helplessness, fatigue, diffi- culty concentrating, decreased motivation, appetite loss or overeating, chronic pain and insomnia, and substance abuse. Causes of neurotransmitter imbalances include a history of emotional trauma (death, di- voavce, and abuse), poor dietary choices, a digestive disorder, an excessive stress history, poor sleep patterns, and a chronic illness. The cycle of neurotrans- abuse is characterized by the overuse of mood or behavior-al- tering substances that interfcrti with lifc’s responsibilities or cause harm to oneself or otlwrs. Additionally, the use of sub- stances to avoid dealing with underlying mental and emotion- The insidious nature of depression makes it difficult for some people to realize their condition. Symptoms creep in and over time an individual forgets what it's like to feel "normal" or good. mitter imbalances and depres- sion goes round and round, interfering with one’s ability to implement the changes needed to correct the problem. ' Neurotransmitter imbal- ances also lead to drug, alcohol, and nicotine addiction. These substances bind at receptor sites in the brain, replace the natural neurotransmitters, and provide an artificial stimulate of the receptors resulting in increased feelings of well- being. However, continued use causes an even greater imbalance in neurotransmit- ter levels, resulting in an in- creased need for the drug and a continual cycle of addiction. Both depression and sub- stance abuse often interfere with the quality of one’s sleep. Sleep provides a necessary time of restoration and replen- ishment for the body. A healthy night’s sleep requires seven to eight hours of sound sleep with cycles of both deep/REM and light sleep. Alcohol, recre- ational drugs, and sleep medi- cations often interfere with the REM state, thereby diminishing the healing qualities of sleep. The insidious nature of de- pression makes it difficult for some people to realize their condition. Symptoms creep in and over time an individual forgets what it's like to feel “normal” or good. They gradu- ally acclimate and accept their state of depression and don’t realize that they need help. Ad- ditionally, the wide use and acceptance of recreational drugs and alcohol in the gay community often masks or downplays addictive behavior. Assessing one’s own addic- tive behavior requires honesty, self-reflection, and often, ex- ternal input. Briefly, substance al issues falls into this category. Neurotransmitter imbal- ance is treatable. Safe and effective natural therapies exist. Under the guidance of a naturopath or other trained physician, a healthier, hap- pier, and more energetic state of being can be achieved. The conventional treatment of depression focuses primar- ily on using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIS) to treat the presumed decreased serotonin levels. Though sometimes necessary in acute crisis, this approach does not adequately address the com- plexity of the neurotransmitter imbalances. Multiple neu- rotransmitter imbalances often exist including serotonin, dopa- mine, epinephrine (adrenaline), and GABA. Over time, the use of SSRIs causes a decreased production of serotonin and the number of serotonin receptors. This results in an overall reduction of serotonin, greater than existed prior to _ the use of anti-depressants. Similarly, the tradi- tional approach to treating substance abuse relies on withdrawal, counseling, and often the concomitant use of medications (SSRIS and methadone). This approach may be effective in the short term. However, it ignores the underlying neurotransmitter imbalances and the accom- panying digestive disorders and nutritional deficiencies. The naturopathic approach focuses on rebalancing the neu- rotransmitters levels naturally and treating the individual ho- listically. The implemented nat- ural therapies stimulate the pro- duction of neurotransmitters CONTINUED ON P.19 -) AUGUST 2006 I out in the mountains I: THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE -.1 VVILLIAM COIL NATIONALLY CERTIFIED MASSAGE THERAPIST Chronic Pain Management 0 Stress Management Practice limited to male clientele. __ GiftCcrtific;1tes Available: $40/1 hour 0 $60/ 1 1/2 ll()ul‘S 802.658.2390 - 800.830.5025 §>\\\)«.\x\x\<-txxootx-0->\\‘-(xx -’~ ~ >-.\\\\‘>o\\\.x\oo«xx>-xx-:~\‘-o- \¥(~.\)(‘»~.‘(*\\\\\\-’\ \-xnxxxh \x~ xxx» xxx >«.\ % Deep Muscle Therapy 0 Sports Massage 3 M 0 s J Bone 91 nmu.8_6§de;.kshair.snm CRUISEONE. #1 In Cruising, Nationwide To||Free: 66.332.5242 (866-deckchoir) CLIK 802.476 .0808 Support your paper! u , SIIBSIIIIBE ll) nut in the mountains 2006 . Season Theatre Guild 5‘l‘ed”'° June 2l-2'4 June 28-July l July 5-8 July l 9-22 July 26-29 August 2-5 August l 6-l 9 August 23-26 August 30-Sept. 2 September 27-30 October 4-7 October l l-l4 «(K7 A -\ . 34'! 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