S10 E9: An Old-Fashioned Remedy for Depression with Dr. Kelly Lambert

Today's guest is an expert on how brains change in response to experiences. Dr. Kelly Lambert, an author, and behavioral neuroscientist offers us some truly old-fashioned remedies to an ever-present modern problem of increasing rates of depression.
While antidepressants have become a multi-billion-dollar industry in recent decades, the rates of depression haven't gone down. Dr. Kelly Lambert offers exciting insights and brilliant, simple suggestions that homesteaders will relate to.
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[@MFaith777]

Learned helplessness. Wow. Mind blown.....just like learned resilience. We have millions of Americans everyday being told they are victims, or are only so smart in the public school system, only so able, etc...

[@Sheepdog1314]

...that is purposely done...there is a goal

[@crystald3655]

The public school system isn't really an education at all. I wasn't taught anything I really needed to learn not even grammar I was expected to magically learn that by reading books without even being taught the parts of a sentence or anything.

[@InspirationLed]

I dealt with depression a lot in my teens and twenties, but I was always aware of how/where it started… my parents had a habit of saying we were going to do something (like camping) and then that thing would not happen. They told us no a lot and I didn’t get to do a lot of things or have a wide variety of things like other kids. As an adult I see now they had financial issues etc, but I would get so excited and then let down, I eventually stopped allowing myself to anticipate and became a depressed individual starting in adolescence. So I very much understand what you are saying about the importance of anticipation and knowing how to feel good. I’ve had to heal myself by planning things, following through, enjoying them in the moment and patting myself on the back for completing the cycle. My neuroplasticity for happiness and feelings of worthiness needed a lot of work. I still work on it actually, but thank you for this talk because it encourages me to keep on going! No wonder I love learning about homesteading and it’s practices!! 🙌🏼😁

[@katieblackmarketmarvel]

I've listened to this twice now on Spotify. Girl this was an amazing podcast! 👏

[@eclecticbasil]

Have not heard the entire show yet but I am looking forward to this! I listened to a podcast the other day with DR. WILL BULSIEWICZ where he states that Depression is inflammation. My mind was blown!

[@sarahherboth9447]

Really very interesting! I'll have to come back for another listen, it was hard to absorb it all!

[@stillwatersfarm8499]

There is a dark side to anticipation. I would like to hear more about this. The dark side as I see it is when what you were anticipating comes, and you get a brain slump afterwards. I remember being sad as a child the day after Christmas and New Year’s Eve was a little bit of something to look forward to to help me cope. As an adult this reaction is magnified if an event does not live up to expectations or is simply more difficult than anticipated. I think this accounts for a lot of the “baby blues” women experience. I think if we replace anticipation of one reward with another, it leads to an addictive cycle. Our western society is constantly looking ahead in anticipation, but I suspect the key to happiness is actually learning to be present and mindful in the here and now. The rats jumping with excitement are not necessarily happy. They are simply stimulated, and I’m not sure stimulated can be extrapolated to mean happy. I have a child with cerebral palsy who has an extreme level of physical restriction and fewer neurons than most of us, and yet he seems very happy smiling and giggling and reacting to funny situations. I think he has a rather low level of anticipation. In fact I’ve found if I stimulate him to anticipate something - like telling him grandma is coming to stay - it will disturb his sleep cycle, and he will stay up all night. Homesteading and mental health is a very complex topic. Yes, I feel a mood boost working in my garden or looking over my herd of goats. But I can also feel paralyzed by the anticipation of an overwhelming work load or sadness at the tragedy of loosing an animal - or even a favorite echinacea plant. I have cried over plants! 😭 I think we have to be careful not to oversimplify and realize that our lifestyle still needs to be managed like other lifestyles, and we can still fall prey to the pitfalls others experience. Where homesteading encourages mindfulness and intentionality we reap rewards, but we have to be on guard against hoarding behaviors and manage expectations. I gave away peppers today. I realized generosity is the cure for the impulse to hoard. Sorry this is a ramble, but I’d love to audit this professor’s courses. The topic is truly fascinating.

[@Sheepdog1314]

I read about stroke victims, who were incapable of leading a normal life because of damage to the speech- and body functions part of the brain - with external rehabilitation and stimuli, their brains were re-routed, and parts of the brain took over the functions that had died off in the damaged brain areas....fascinating

[@sylviaanderson5455]

My whole family has depression. My son has it bad.

[@doolittlegeorge]

*"a good night sleep"* simple as that. If you have to sneak out to do some gold old fashioned Cow Tipping well have at it then!

[@georgemarkham8971]

Another excellent podcast. Such interesting tidbits on rat behavior that just might lead to a better understanding of what makes us happy and/or less stressed. It could lead to a step forward from the pharmacological solutions that are so broadly prescribed today. (Solutions?!)

[@debarnold5019]

Check out Dr Caroline Leaf who also researches the mind/brain connection and how to "rewire" your brain. She has also talked about neuroplasticity.

[@amberroberts8591]

If you have been diagnosed as having chronic depression and anxiety, is it possible to get off the prescription medication completely? I hate taking medication but I haven’t been able to find a natural solution that the drs are agreeable

[@crystald3655]

It is possible I've done it. It's not fun or easy, and the drs will never be agreeable about a natural solution. The pharmaceuticals make them far more money, and honestly they don't know how to treat medical issues without the pills, so they'll do anything and everything to keep you on the meds or drop you. Finding herbs or other natural solutions is not easy as you'll have to do a lot of your own research and some careful experimentation to figure out what works for you if anything. For me nothing worked, but when I turned 35 my doctor switched me to the minipill and after a month my anxiety and depression vanished. Anyway some places to start may be St. John's wort, Lemon balm, cat nip and there are a few others that some have found helpful as well. If you search herbs for depression, you'll likely find a list. Try them one at a time at first to see how you react to them, then you can start combining if you want or need to do so for best effects. Also look at your diet as many have reported less anxiety and depression symptoms by cutting down or out animal products. I know going mostly plant based has helped me a lot as well as well as eliminating as much soy as possible.

[@cindytrodden8642]

Is that a dog snoring in the background? 😂

[@59kuphoff]

Live simply, mind your own business, and work with your hands. 1Thes 4:11.

[@jerrygazeoak3433]

Amen, and preach

[@HomesteadMercantile]

I think I can hear a dog snoring while the gals talk. Anyone else notice this?

[@myfavoritethings8093]

So she says a lot of good or intersting things, but evolution???????? Really????

[@lorimarkeson8929]

I caught that too....

[@lorimarkeson8929]

I do appreciate some of the info she shared tho. I often think we're in the sorting business.....what shall I allow in and what passes on.

[@bethanyedwards1655]

Lost me at evolution 😩