There’s something amiss in drug-centered treatments for depression, and
holistic psychiatrist Gabriel Cousens claims he has the solution in his Depression-Free
for Life. In short, his plan calls for patients to replace antidepressants
with amino acid and other supplements, increase fatty acids, eat better,
exercise and live a fuller, more creative life with family and friends.

The key theme in the book is “natural.” Cousens sculpted his system
according to a belief that the body can heal itself of mild- to moderate
depression without taking antidepressant drugs. Eating and lifestyle changes
with supplements, he says, can “adjust and correct your personal biochemistry”
(xii). A portion of the first section of Cousens’ book replays the now familiar
arguments against antidepressants, especially the possible side effects: loss
of sex drive, weight gain or loss, fatigue and fuzzy thinking and so on. The
patients at Cousens’ Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona, by contrast,
apparently experienced a different set of side effects when they followed his
plan: increased libido, better sleep, boosts of energy and clearer
thinking.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of Cousens’ book is rejection of the
quick-fix mentality of doctors and patients who are only interested in “finding
the right drug, or combination of drugs, to fine-tune the brain.” (p.21)
Treatments that focus only on the neurotransmitter serotonin, an active player
in the brain’s pleasure centers and the target of drugs like Prozac, neglect to
look at the diverse possible origins of a patient’s depression. Cousens’ book,
like many other recent “post-Prozac” books, argues that the origins of
depression are more complex than drug treatments lead us to believe.

If depression isn’t just a matter of one brain chemical gone awry, than
treatment for depression, in Cousens’ view, shouldn’t be either. Cousens
doesn’t mention therapy as an aid to treatment along side of his system.
Instead, he goes straight to body chemistry, beginning with step one of his
plan: Increase amino acids such as tryptophan (banned as an over-the-counter
supplement in a contamination episode in 1989), which eventually break down
into the mood-altering neurotransmitters. In step two, Cousens walks through
the main vitamins, minerals and herbs readers may use to combat mild
depression.

In step three, Cousens tells readers to trade low-fat foods for foods or
supplements that contain essential fatty acids such as omega-3, which may
affect mood. Step four has advice on depression-fighting diets. Cousens is a
well-known advocate for vegetarianism, and the recipes in his book are meatless
dishes such as almond hummus and yam burgers. The last step in Cousens’
five-step plan is the common sense element — spend more time with friends and
family, keep a sense of humor, exercise and express your creativity to help
fight depression.

The book is clear, well-written and informative, but does this
All-Natural, 5-Step Plan work?

Cousens makes the extraordinary claim that his 5-step system has a 90
percent success rate. The assumption is that Cousens’ plan has been tested in
clinical trials and repeated at several treatment centers until enough
independent data has been gathered to draw such a conclusion. In reality,
Cousens shores up his claims that his system works by using only anecdotal
evidence based on the experiences of his patients at the Tree of Life
Rejuvenation Center. Until Cousens’ plan – in its entirety — is tested as
rigorously as other medical treatments, the 90 percent success claim is merely
a marketing red herring.

Cousens also paints with a broad brush the target audience for his
program. The 50 million Americans with mild or moderate depression and anxiety
are joined by alcoholics, bulimics, chronic pain sufferers, insomniacs,
hypoglycemics and drug addicts. Again, no real data exist to prove that
Cousens’ plan would help such a range of patients.

The All-Natural, 5-Step Plan in Cousens’ book is not necessarily cheaper
for the average person than an antidepressant, and it’s certainly not easier
than taking a pill. It is no replacement for therapy and possible medication
for people with severe depression and other illnesses. People with mild
depression may have the energy and determination to pursue an ambitious plan
like Cousens’. But life changes such as eating better and exercising may beat a
mild or seasonal depression without the use of amino and fatty acids or vitamin
and mineral supplements. In the end, until Cousens’ plan is thoroughly tested,
the only proof that it works (or not) lies with each person who tries it.

© 2002 Anika Scott

Anika Scott
is a U.S. journalist and author living in Germany. A former Chicago Tribune
staff writer, she now freelances travel and lifestyle articles for publications
and web sites in the U.S. and Europe. She is also working on a nonfiction book
about a famous music manuscript that disappeared during World War II.

Categories: Depression, SelfHelp, MentalHealth