Hi DonGato
Studies have shown that Omega 3 can improve mood -- best source is oily fish like salmon and mackerel.
We have lots of information campaigns on depression, but they're typically put out by the pharmaceutical companies which, in turn, creates cynicism and actually strengthens the stigma, I think. The pharmaceutical companies really are going overboard, breaking disorders down into tiny parts -- one pill for Social Phobia, another for MDD, another for GAD. etc. Some of these are a result of concrete research and are completely valid, but a lot of the research into mental illness is sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies themselves so, valid or not, it raises questions. And it's not the truth that matters, it's the perception.
I was at a comedy show a couple of months ago where part of the comedian's routine was about GAD being a creation of the pharmaceutical companies, and there are some books newly out on similar topics -- also illustrating how over-medicated we are as a society. Books like these tend to be American and based on American data, but refer to North America rather than just the USA. Our culture is different, but somewhat similar in this regard.
Canada used to not allow drug advertising, and the companies got around that by talking about symptoms and saying "see your doctor if you have any or all of these". Now they are blatant and network tv is inundated with ads for this drug or that. It really is awful, and I think that we sufferers of depression and anxiety in its various forms are in for a rough time with regard to stigma and silent discrimination.
