Depression Cured at Last,

by Sherry Rogers, M.D., Sheds New Light on an Age Old Subject

By Richard Lewis

“Anyone who has any symptoms of depression or knows someone who is depressed should read this book,” Hugh Riordan, M.D., remarked after reading Dr. Rogers’ book.

Depression is one reason Dr. Riordan started The Center in 1975. The Center’s director since its inception, he had discovered biochemistry was a far better approach for dealing with depression than standard psychiatry.

“Depression, like many illnesses, has a whole spectrum of symptoms; no two persons are alike.”

Reflecting on this recently, Dr. Riordan said, “We need to get people to understand that many of those who are depressed are not depressed for psychological reasons. They are depressed because of biochemical reasons which are not necessarily the lack of a particular medication.”

“Short term depression in response to negative life experiences is normal. If you lose your job or a close friend or relative dies, you ought to be depressed. We are talking about longer term depression.”

The Center has been successfully treating depression for 22 years without using medication. Dr. Rogers agrees for more personal reasons. She had been in the depths of depression for many years. She had a successful medical practice and was married to a successful physician who loved her deeply and dearly. Dr. Rogers could find no reason for it, but she was depressed.

She tried every medication available to climb out of her depression. Nothing worked.

She read, studied, took classes in psychiatry to try to find the cause of her illness. But she was still in the depths of depression.

“I had no idea that there was anything that could ever make me happy again. And that is when you know it is biochemical. That is when the warning bells should go off and announce there is a diagnosable and treatable cause for this abnormal state of the brain,” Rogers writes in her introduction she calls” An Epidemic In Disguise.”

At the beginning, Rogers tells us that, “Depression, like many illnesses, has a whole spectrum of symptoms; no two persons are alike …. Depression can also be a life-threatening or debilitating physical illness, and a devastating cause of disability …. Depression can begin gradually and sneak up on an unsuspecting victim … .It appears to the be-holder that it is incurable, without hope, and there is no way out.”

“But the longer I was unsuccessful at curing my depression the more other seemingly unrelated ailments I developed,” she wrote. Rogers did solve her depression problem and changed the way she practices medicine in the process. She now specializes in environmental and nutritional medicine.

She adds that this book is not intended as a treatment, but as a guideline for you to work with your physician in helping you heal depression.

It is a book laid out for easy reading by the average layperson who wants to find out about what is available to them to get depression behind them and get on with their lives.

The book is divided into four sections: Environmental Factors, Nutritional Factors, Metabolic Factors, and Treatments. Each section is subdivided into chapters with the chapters further divided into easily read subsections of one to four pages. Each subsection presents several references that will guide you and your physician in understanding the nutritional and environmental approach to solving depression.

The book has not had the benefit of careful editing. In places, the writing could be more clear and there are a few typographical errors that the editors missed.

Dr. Rogers also tends to refer to her other books too often although she does offer many other references, sometimes as many as two or three pages.

She admits to having no journalistic training, but just a heartfelt need to present this important material in the best manner she could.

“The book should be read for its content, not its literary style,” Dr. Riordan believes. “I believe the information is important enough that we have everyone of The Center’s staff reading it. We gave each one an individual copy and have made reading it a health incentive.”

Editor’s note: I thought it was important enough that I bought one for a friend.