If the mood strikes
Name an illness, and there's probably a drug out there for it, or one just lurking in the woodworks, waiting for Big Pharma to set it loose on the public. And if they're not ready to invent a new drug, they'll just take an existing one and sell it to treat a different problem.
The latest example is Wellbutrin, an antidepressant that the FDA recently approved for treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression that hits patients during autumn and winter. Wellbutrin is already used for treating major depression. This is just another instance in which, instead of looking for natural solutions, the medical industry decides to opt for unnecessary drugs.
But the fact is, there are plenty of natural solutions for treating SAD, and one in particular that I like a lot.
There's a form of treatment called "bright light therapy," which can be extremely helpful. During this treatment, patients are exposed to various levels of bright light, usually in the form of a fluorescent light box. (How long a patient is exposed to bright light depends on how serious their problem is.)
To learn more about SAD, I recommend reading Winter Blues, by Dr. Norman Rosenthal. (If your library doesn't have a copy, you can purchase one on Dr. Rosenthal's Web site, www.normanrosenthal.com, or from www.Amazon.com.) This book has lots of useful information about SAD, including product references for special light box and lamp products that can help brighten up your mood.
And for more information on treating depression without drugs, check out my article in this month's issue of America's Country Doctor. If you're a subscriber you can download it for free from my Web site.
Sick with rage
Looks like the drug companies have finally found a way to capitalize on one of our oldest emotions: rage. In fact, they've managed to create a whole new illness around it. All they had to do was sponsor a study, hire their own researchers and "experts." This new disease -- if that's what you want to call it -- is called intermittent explosive disorder (IED), and the drug companies' hired hands are saying it may affect up to 16 million people.
This disease is apparently characterized by angry, sometimes even violent outbursts (similar to those you see in road rage and domestic abuse). Based on what the "experts" are saying, it seems like the attacker might be just as much of a victim as the victim himself. Somehow that just doesn't sit well with me.
Especially considering this new diagnosis came into the spotlight right the completion of a study funded by several major pharmaceutical companies, which suggested that a number of different drugs be used to treat it. The drug companies and their paid "experts" are increasingly concocting new psychiatric and behavioral illnesses they can target with high-priced drugs. Frankly, I deplore this tendency.
I mean, come on, whatever happened to good old anger management techniques?
The American Psychological Association suggests numerous natural methods for fighting off rage and anger before it gets out of hand. And personally, I think natural ways almost always beat chemical ones.
Some ideas for managing your anger include:
Deep breathing. Try breathing deeply from your diaphragm - your stomach, not your chest, should inflate and deflate with each breath. (Deep breaths taken from your chest won't relax you, and could actually work you up even more).
Slowly repeating a calming word or phrase, like "relax," "stay calm," or "take it easy."
Relaxing imagery, like a mental picture of the ocean or mountains.
Using humor, like a quick (but not mean-spirited) joke.
Just walking away. Sometimes a simple change in your environment can help remove your irritation and anger.
And if all else fails, there's always good old counseling and anger management training.
