Depression is part of modern life. There may be a genetic predisposition for depression but all that is known for sure is that the "environment" a person grows up in and subsequently lives their life in, is almost always the root cause of depression.

The medical model of depression as resulting from faulty neurotransmitters has proven false by researchers quite sometime ago. The fact that we are all just learning about it is because there are few incentives by those who cling to this false narrative to change it. Power and money are strong motivators for maintaining the states quo.

Ever since the introduction of Prozac in the eighties people suffering with mental illness have been part of one big drug trial. It failed. Mental illness is and has always been a psychosocial issue. That is not say that there are not individuals who suffer from brain abnormalities that require a medical model of care. But medicine has know that for a hundred years.

Depression in all its forms exist along a continuum from mild to severe. The most current unbiased research by those who do not benefit from the current medical model, make it clear, depression, write large, is a result of environmental factors.

Children of depressed parents are far more likely than other children to become depressed, with no identifiable genetic abnormalities. Poor children and adults are much more likely to suffer from depression. Those who have experienced trauma will almost certainly become depressed. Patients with health issues often become depressed. Poor nutrition and lack of physical exercise leads to obesity, obesity leads to depression.

The changes brought about by "environmental" factors are real. They change how the body and brain function. The human body is delicate instrument. Too much or too little of anything can create imbalances. Those imbalances inevitably create suffering.

Fifteen years ago as a very successful business owner who was living the American Dream and I was feeling depressed. I was also obese. I didn't sleep. I worked too much. And I didn't exercise at all. The medication model was in full swing. I wanted and received magic pills that would cure my depression. No physical exam was done. No lifestyle changes were suggested. In fact the doctor seemed far more concerned with giving the wealthy and famous local citizen what he wanted then figuring out what was wrong. I was used to getting what I wanted and was happy that he complied.

I know now that I wasn't depressed at all. I was sick. I would get a lot sicker.

When the "heroic" levels of medication I was on didn't work the doctors just kept prescribing more and more. Eventually I was on seven different psyche meds and an equal amount of side effect meds. I received ECT, TMS, Ketamine and countless hours of therapy. Over five years I would destroy everything my wife and I had built. Losing my family to my illness, my billion dollar company imploded and I went to prison, yeah prison.

Prior to being put on mediation I had never been diagnosed with anything. I was a respected and leading member of the community and loving husband and father. By forty five we had all the money we would ever need. In five years it was all gone as was my freedom.

In June of this past year I had finally planned my suicide. Having all the details laid out for the following Wednesday I decided to mow the lawn. Covid combined with all the meds I was on had left me in pretty bad shape so it took my sometime to mow the lawn. I listened to a book "Brain Energy" by doctor Christopher Palmer of McClean hospital at Mass General. The upshot is that mental illness is more often than not trauma induced life style choices. In simpler terms, I had destroyed my health because my unresolved emotional wounding drove me to excesses of self abuse to gain the validation I thought I need. Okay so there is the mental health part.

My physical illness of obesity, lack of sleep, poor diet and lack of exercise caused biological changes in my body. Until I addressed those I would never be free of depression regardless of the treatment or medication. My own experience proved that out, as has hundreds of other research papers published over the last ten years.

Long story shorter, I did some home work and came up with a plan to change pretty much every aspect of my life. I started exercising. I overhauled my diet. I took steps to reduce the stress in my life and I made a plan to get off the medication.

Five months latter I have gone from fourteen different medications to two, one for blood pressure and 75 mg of bupropion, down from 450 mg and both will go away the end of this month. I have lost thirty pounds and reduced my body fat by ten percent. I still have a long way to regain my health but the future is looking much brighter.

Don't get me wrong, this process has not been easy. Right now I often feel overwhelmed by the grief I feel over all the pain and suffering my actions have caused. I miss my family so much I can hardly breath. But I am me again. I can fight for my family again. Today I actually have some hope that I can make something of what's left of my life.

Given all of the evidence it is hard to support the use of antidepressants in all but the most serve cases. Even then the results seldom exceed the benefits of a placebo. Environmental/Life Style changes when implemented and adhered to, always result in some level of improvement that lasts. Without debilitating side effects.

Had you told me this fifteen years ago would I have listened? Probably not. My wife told me over and over again to stop working so hard, eat better, sleep and exercise and I ignored her. My arrogance and selfishness caused tremendous suffering. I was helped along by a medical model created by Big Pharma to appeal to people who wanted and easy fix, just like me. The gatekeepers rolled over and failed their patients.

The truth is coming out and mental health care is changing, slowly, too slowly for the millions of people suffering world wide, but it is changing.

For me I am grateful that I at least have chance to try to pick up the pieces of my broken my life and to be there for my family, if they'll have me.

Least you think there is something special about me I am regular old white guy, The child of broken parents who themselves were the children of broken parents. My story is perhaps a bit more extreme than some but the outcome is all to common.

The information is out there if you want it. Just Google your questions you'll be shocked at how readily available the information is, I was.

I wish everyone relief from their suffering. May you find the peace you deserve.