Dr. Dalili Naturopathic Physician

Welcome to the private practice of Dr. Dawn Dalili. Here at the Montana Center for Vibrant Living, we offers comprehensive functional health solutions to women seeking hormone balance, improved mood, increased energy and weight loss.

Stop feeling foggy, fatigued, or emotionally fragile. YOUR Vibrant Life is waiting. Request a consult.

 

Depression, anxiety, mood swings… oh my!

If you are human, it is likely that your mood varies, sometimes week by week and other times minute by minute. To a certain degree, this is normal and of no concern. You are human, after all, and we are designed to experience the full spectrum of emotions.

The problem arises when the amplitude of our emotional swings becomes so pronounced that life is interrupted.

And while I fully acknowledge that this can be uncomfortable and problematic, you’ll never hear me say, “it’s all in your head,” or suggest an antidepressant without first exploring some key aspects of mood regulation.

The Psychiatric Pretenders

I first learned the term “psychiatric preteners” when I took an intensive continuing education course on natural therapies for depression. The term of provided by Kelly Brogan, MD, a psychiatrist who has transformed her own practice from being a prescription mill for antidepressants to one devoted to getting women off these medications.

She spoke of several factors in mental health that are notably physical.

Nutrients: Deficiency in B vitamins, vitamin D, iron, or magnesium can exacerbate depression, anxiety, fatigue, and brain fog.

Thyroid imbalance: Hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, and hashimoto’s thyroiditis – when untreated – can exacerbate depression, anxiety, fatigue, and brain fog.

Blood sugar imbalance: Eradic blood sugar is strongly correlated with anxiety, panic disorder, and brain fog.

Adrenal dysfunction: Both excessive and insufficient adrenal hormones can trigger mood swings and fatigue.

Reproductive hormones: An imbalance between estrogen and progesterone can trigger depression, anxiety or irritability.

I suspect you’re getting the point. There are many aspects of our physical health that first display themselves in our mental health. And while I’m not opposed to pharmaceutical intervention to stabilize mood, I do believe it is an injustice to the patient to prescribe a medication without first exploring these influencial factors. Correcting these imbalances is often straightforward, and I have had a number of patients who came to our practice seeking help for depression or anxiety describe them as “nothing shy of life alterning.”

If you, or someone you love, struggles with mood swings that interfere with the quality of life, work with a practitioner who will listen, investigate, and support you.