Flax seed oil, Depression and S.A.D.

From: ABlainey@aol.com
Date: Tue Mar 13 2001 - 15:03:05 MST


    Over the last 7 Months I have found what appears for me at least a cure
for depression and seasonal affective disorder.
    
    I have suffered from Depression since around puberty and come from a long
line of naturally very depressed peolple. Virtually every memeber of my
family has suffered at some time or another.
    It took many years to realise that I was also suffering from Season
Affective Disorder, Which manifeted itself with a pattern of deepening
depression starting around September and ending around February/ March. This
usually coinsided with me having severe work troubles or in extreme cases,
loosing my job or during the darker months. As with many people with
depression I have usually been unaware that I am becoming depressed until im
truely in a hole.
    I have seen several different Doctors over the years for help and
recieved Traquilisers, Anti depresants etc etc and also had some quality
advise along the lines of "If it hurts, don't do it" and "Stop wasting my
time, NEXT".
I spent a year on Prozac, but that wasn't alot of fun and generally I feel
that although it did help the depression, I spent a whole year as someone
else.

    Around 7 months ago during an everyday conversation with a workmate, she
mentioned that she had been taking Flax seed oil tablet to help alieviate
mild rumatism. I have also long been suffering with neck trouble and thought
i'd give it a go. I read up about it on the web and bought some capsules from
the chemist.
The label recomended 2 capsules per day but most of the information I had
read stated twice that, so I started taking 4 per day.
    Within a week I had started to notice a change, but not in my neck. I was
feeling generally a lot "better". It was hard to put my finger on exactly
what it was but I was just feeling good. This continued for around 3 weeks
when I stopped taking the capsules. This wasn't for any reason, I actually
just forgot to take them. Again within around a week I was feeling different,
this time I was aware that I was stating to become depressed. It was the end
of september and the days were getting shorter. I stayed off the Flax seed
for another week as my depression grew. Then I started them again and sure
enough after a week I was feeling better. The penny hadn't quite dropped but
I had noticed that was being more assertive at work and generally things were
going ok. I spoke to the workmate that had recomended flax and she agreed
that they not only helped her rumatism but also perked her up and she was
also more assertive.
    I continued to take the capsules throughout the winter and havent
suffered 1 single day of deppression despite having various family woes that
would normally bring me down a peg or two. I have thrived at work and life in
general. I didnt really put the connection to the flax seed oil and
depression together until a month or so ago when I ran out and didn't bother
to buy any more. Yet again after a week without it i started to get a bit
depressed. Not much as the days were much brighter by then and the weather
had picked up. I looked back and noticed the pattern and in order to check I
bought some more and took them.Guess what ?. Yup feeling better again.
    Im sure that taking them now is also having a placebo effect due to my
expectation but there is a very strong physialogical effect without doubt,
from taking the capsules. I have never felt better and have not made any
other change to my lifestyle other than the flax seed oil.

    Well there you go, thats my story. I have been depression free for over 7
months now and honestly feel it will never be a problem again. I hope that If
you suffer as well, that flax seed oil will help you as dramatically as it
has helped me.
    I will leave the scientific discussion for the chemists and pyscologists
among you, hopefully this will be food for thought.

    regards,
            Alex
p.s has anyone got any tips about curing neck ache ??? flax seed oil doesn't
work !
    
     



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