Root Causes of Adolescent Depression

A recent report from the CDC showed that three out of five teen girls shared they experienced persistent feelings of hopelessness in 2021.

While this statistic is staggering, I listen without batting an eye. Why?

I was one of the three.

I believe there are many things contributing to adolescent hopelessness, and while there are differences between the world of today and the world when I was diagnosed, the treatment options haven’t changed. The treatment options available in the 90s are the same being offered today, 30 years later: medication and therapy.

Unfortunately, those limited options are not treating the root of the issue, and in some cases, may make things worse.

I’ve created a list of contributing root causes to my depression, in hopes that it will help someone take a closer look at potential factors that are not being offered through traditional treatment. The information I share is widely studied and should be well-known, yet it is not.

And our teen girls continue to fall through the rabbit hole of darkness.

Common contributors to teen depression:

1. The oral birth control pill. I was prescribed this in 8th grade due to a heavy menstrual flow and anemia. Within a year I experienced debilitating depression, which is not uncommon, according to the research. The pill depletes B6, crucial for creating serotonin, supporting mitochondrial function, the methylation cycle, and maintaining the gaba/glutamate balance (which we need for calm feelings). The pill affects the gut microbiome, increases enhanced intestinal permeability, and because over 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, this is another risk factor for depression. The pill depletes magnesium, which is needed for the gaba/glutamate balance, among so many other mood-benefiting needs. There are indeed a myriad of nutrient depletions occurring from oral contraceptives. Because the pill depletes the very things needed to counter hormonal issues and premenstrual stress, it is no surprise that a further imbalance occurred in my body, leading to depression symptoms. While for some people this may be a useful tool, ensuring there are enough nutrients available to make up for the lack is crucial.

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Understanding ADHD

I’m not one to self-diagnose, but this interview left me reeling for weeks after. I felt so SEEN while discussing the topic of ADHD with expert, Dr. Tamara Rosier. After reading her book, I have such a better perspective on how my brain functions. This episode was so inspiriting, I have scheduled a part two with her already!

Tamara Rosier, Ph.D., is the founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan, where she and her staff work with individuals with ADHD (and their families) to learn strategies and develop new skills to live effectively with ADHD. Dr. Rosier is also the president of the ADHD Coaches Organization. She is the author of Your Brain’s Not Broken. She is a popular conference and keynote speaker is a frequent guest on podcasts and has published numerous articles about living with ADHD. This episode is dedicated the busting the myths of ADHD and how ADHD impacts the everyday functioning of those who have it.

Download and listen here or find wherever you get podcasts.

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Five Things Triggering Anxiety over the Holidays

They say this is the most wonderful time of the year, but for those of us who struggle with seasonal mood fluctuations, it often isn’t. I always try to make an effort to enter this season on the offense, instead of playing defense.

Here are five things that could be triggering anxiety and mood instability over the holiday season. The beauty of these things is that each one of them impact the other, because so many of these important processes are connected.

Poor sleep – Sleep deprivation leads to heightened activity in the amygdala (your fear brain) and decreases the function of the prefrontal cortex. With lack of restful sleep we become reactionary and it makes it difficult to make good decisions. Listen to your circadian rhythm this season, and choose to go to bed an hour earlier. That can make all the difference in the world for your brain. Cut the electronics an hour before bed or at least wear blue light blocking glasses, because blue light blocks melatonin, which we need for restful sleep.

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Five Common Myths About Mental Health

As we continue to suffer from a growing epidemic of mental illness in this country, and creating awareness is trending, we must take time to re-evaluate the way we handle this mental health conversation. As renowned psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen often says, mental health outcomes haven’t changed since the 1950s. Treatment options appear to be limited, because while we have plenty of medications, cases are skyrocketing.

However, there are new discussions happening, and a growing number of practitioners are seeking to support mental health with tools that were previously brushed aside. In order to move forward in our thinking about mental health, we need to dispel the myths that are often perpetuated by antiquated mentality on the topic.

Warning: some of these will be tough pills to swallow (pun intended), but they are all backed by the latest research. Please drop me a line if anything is questionable to you or you need further clarification. I’d love to have a longer discussion on the topic.

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Moving and My Mental Health

A few years ago, I said to my husband Richard, “Wouldn’t it be cool to have a type of counseling center that has regular counseling, all the helpful therapy support, along with nutrition, yoga, and other tools for healing?” He agreed it would be a great idea, and we said… “one day.”

Well that one day is here! We are so thrilled to follow the path that we believe has been so clearly laid out for us. We are going to be working together at a holistic counseling and wellness center in East Texas, called Living Well Tyler.

Tyler is a place that contains sad memories for me, but it is also filled with memories of so much hope and redemption. I first moved there at nine years old, fresh from the Bay Area of California, and six months later I witnessed the death of my grandfather on my front lawn. I spent my mentally tumultuous teen years in Tyler, but I also met my best friends there. I graduated college there. My first child was born there. I went on my first date with my husband there. Almost two decades after leaving, It feels special and fitting to be able to move our family there at this time.

This verse was read during a contemplative prayer session with the soul care director at Living Well a couple months ago, and it has been such a source of comfort as I process this transition:

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” – ‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:16-19‬

Any kind of change – even good change – is a trigger for my mental health. The unknown, the “what ifs,” can heighten worry and anxiety.

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Changing the Conversation on Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a tricky subject. While on one hand, there seems to be a greater awareness of what it is and how to find support, it still carries a bit of a stigma and there are many misconceptions. For that reason, I don’t approach the topic lightly. Like all mental health issues, there is no one size fits all cause OR solution.

Walker Ladd, Ph.D. has been a thought leader in the field of maternal mental health for nearly two decades. Her writing and research challenge paradigms of motherhood and mental illness, using women’s stories to reveal the hidden truths and extraordinary dimensions of the lived experience of motherhood.

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A Taste of Grace – Interview with Melissa d’Arabian

I was thrilled to get the opportunity to sit down and talk to Melissa d’Arabian, Food Network host and author of the bestselling Ten Dollar Dinners, about her newest book Tasting Grace.

In her book, Melissa describes 16 invitations that transform the way we view food and our relationship with food.

I don’t know about you, but I have felt burdened by all the food rules lately. Everyone has an opinion on what is “good” or “bad” food. This book was a breath of fresh air in shaping my perspective on food as a gift and a joy.

In my interview with Melissa, she talks about why she chose to write this book, the intentional process she went through in forming it, and she shares some of her views that helped shaped the invitations in this book.

If you are feeling caught up and confused in the “eat this, not that” culture we live in, this book and episode of the podcast offers a fresh and balanced perspective. Food can unite us, and we can utilize what we’ve been given to be filled with more gratitude – and grace.

If you love this interview, I can’t recommend the book enough. It is a love letter to food and the Giver of good things. For more information on Melissa, check out her website here.

Be sure to subscribe to the Sparking Wholeness podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! To access my show page, click the tree to the right!

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