How inflammation in the body may explain depression in the brain [washingtonpost.com]

I appreciate the article for addressing some of the science that explains depression, and for the recommendation of a holistic approach, but it wasn't quite trauma-informed. It doesn't talk near enough about the role of chronic stress as a cause, including early life adversity (like ACEs). Absolutely not enough sleep, consuming a processed diet, and being isolated are significant contributing factors, but in my experience, early life adversity and our present day traumatic society are the biggies. Our sleep is poor because we're dysregulated and we aren't skilled at healthy self-regulation, and our poor food choices are in large part because we're using the processed foods as regulation.

I completely agree with Richard's comments and approach.

I think cause and effect can be bidirectional when we are talking about our body and mind. I tell my clients that depression comes from the freeze response to stress based on polyvagal theory. What gets frozen is our parasympathetic nervous system which does rest, digest and repair. Repair includes the immune system and uses inflammation. A dysregulated immune system leads to dysregulated inflammation. When I explain bidirectional, I talk about the fight or flight response (sympathetic activation) causing us to breath faster. The Freeze response causes us to breath shallower. Breathing techniques that teach us to breath slower and deeper counteract the stress responses. I suspect a daily breathing practice would also reduce inflammation.