Can Gold Cure Depression?

Introduction

Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or major depression, can make a person feel extremely sad, leading to problems doing daily things that used to be fun, like hanging out with friends or enjoying hobbies. It's a type of mental health condition with symptoms such as constant sadness, lack of interest in things once loved, and feeling tired all the time. There are various types of depression, including severe depression, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar disorder, each affecting people in different ways. Health conditions like depression require attention from a mental health professional who can help create a treatment plan. Sometimes, things like weight gain or feeling really down can be side effects of the depression itself.

When someone has depression, there are many treatment options available to help them feel better. Regular exercise and physical activity can be a good start, as they often help lift a person's mood. In more serious cases, mental health professionals might suggest treatments like electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, or transcranial magnetic stimulation. 

Understanding Depression

Depression is like a heavy backpack that makes people feel alone, scared, and very sad. It's like being stuck in a dark room where everything looks bad or seems too hard to deal with. Many people around the world experience these feelings. Imagine gathering 100 people from different places; about 4 of them would be dealing with this heavy burden. This condition can affect anyone, including adults and older individuals. Symptoms of depression can include feeling down most of the time, losing interest in things you used to enjoy, and having trouble with sleep. Sometimes, people might turn to substance use trying to feel better, but this can actually make things worse.

Understanding depression is the first step in getting help. It's important to know that it's a real mental illness, not just a mood you can snap out of. Negative thinking, chronic pain, and even some health conditions like heart disease can all be connected with depression. Sometimes, a person's medical history can provide health information that helps a mental health professional decide on the best treatment. There are different types of antidepressants and mood stabilizers that can help, as well as therapies like progressive muscle relaxation and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. For some, being part of clinical trials can offer access to new treatments. Recognizing the risk factors and symptoms of mood disorders, including premenstrual dysphoric disorder, is crucial. Getting the right diagnosis often involves looking at the statistical manual of mental disorders and discussing the best approach with a doctor.

Depression can show up in different ways. It affects how we feel inside and also how our bodies work. Here are some ways it might make someone feel:

Emotional Symptoms:

• They might feel really sad or like they don’t want to do anything.
• Things that used to make them happy don’t feel fun anymore.
• They might think they are not good enough or blame themselves for everything.
• They can get upset easily over small things.
• They might always feel nervous or worried.

Cognitive Symptoms:

• Focusing on homework or remembering things.
• Making choices.
• Seeing everything in a gloomy way or thinking the worst will happen.
• Thinking about very sad things, like not wanting to be here anymore.

Physical Symptoms:

• Really tired all the time.
• Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
• Eating too much or too little, which might make them gain or lose weight.
• Having aches, like headaches or tummy pain for no clear reason.
• Moving a lot or too little, like not being able to sit still or talking very slowly.

Behavioral Symptoms:

• They might not want to hang out with friends or family.
• School or chores at home might feel too hard to keep up with.
• They might not stick to their usual routines, like when they eat or go to bed.

In very serious cases, someone with depression might see or believe things that aren’t real.

It's important to know about depression because understanding it can help us be kind to others or get help if we ever feel this way.

Conventional Treatments for Depression

When someone feels really down for a long time, like they’ve got a cloud over their head that won’t go away, doctors and therapists have ways to help. Think of it like a toolbox that can fix the sad feelings. Here are the main tools they use:

Medication

Just like when you have a cough and take medicine, there are special medicines for when someone feels super sad too. These are called antidepressants and they help the brain feel better. Here are a few types:

• SSRIs: These are like helpers that make the brain’s happy chemicals last longer. It's like giving a boost to your mood. Some examples are Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro.
• SNRIs: They give two types of happy chemicals in the brain a boost, not just one. Effexor and Cymbalta are examples.
• Tricyclic Antidepressants: These are older types of medicine but can still help some people a lot.
• MAOIs: These are also an older group and they need you to eat certain foods while taking them.
• Atypical Antidepressants: These are a bit different and work in their own special way. Wellbutrin and Remeron are some names you might hear.

Psychotherapy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This is like detective work for your thoughts. You learn to catch the sad or negative thoughts and change them into something better.
• Interpersonal Therapy (IPT): This helps you get better at talking and spending time with friends and family, which can make you feel less sad.
• Psychodynamic Therapy: This is like going on a treasure hunt into your past. You might discover why you feel a certain way now, because of things that happened before.
• Behavioral Activation: This is when you make a plan to do fun or important things, even if you’re feeling down. It could be anything from painting to playing outside.

So, just remember, if you or someone you know feels like they’re under that heavy cloud of sadness, there’s a whole toolbox of ways to help lift that cloud and let the sunshine through again.

Historical Treatment of Depression with Gold

Gold has a long history of being used in various forms to treat different ailments, including mental health conditions like depression. However, the use of gold in medicine is rooted more in ancient and alchemical traditions than in modern scientific practices. Here’s an overview of how gold was historically used to treat depression and related conditions:

1. Alchemical and Early Medical Practices:

• Alchemy: In medieval and Renaissance Europe, alchemists believed that gold had healing properties and was associated with purity, immortality, and spiritual enlightenment. They thought that consuming gold, often in the form of a drinkable "elixir," could cure various diseases, including mental health disorders.
• Aurum Potabile: This was a term used to describe a potable (drinkable) form of gold, often created by dissolving gold in a mixture of alcohol or other solvents. It was believed to have powerful medicinal properties, including the ability to treat melancholy and other mood disorders.

2. Gold Salts in Medicine:

• 19th and Early 20th Century: By the late 19th century, gold salts were used more scientifically in medicine, particularly in treating rheumatoid arthritis, due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Some early medical practitioners also used gold salts to treat conditions associated with mood disturbances or depression, as it was believed that gold had a tonic effect on the body and mind.
• Chrysotherapy: This is the term used for the treatment of diseases with gold salts. Though primarily associated with the treatment of arthritis, there were claims that it had beneficial effects on mood and general well-being.

3. Gold and Nervous Disorders:

• Nervous Exhaustion: During the 19th century, conditions like "nervous exhaustion" or "neurasthenia" (which might align with what we now understand as depression or chronic fatigue syndrome) were sometimes treated with gold-based medications. Gold was believed to strengthen the nervous system and restore energy.
• Depression and Anxiety: In some cases, gold compounds were administered to patients with depression or anxiety, although the scientific basis for this treatment was weak and largely anecdotal.

In fact, there was even a review going over how gold can help with glandular and neurological conditions, as you can read here. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, while it's super interesting that people once used shiny gold to try to chase away sadness.