Receiving a diagnosis seems to be the end of choice. Once you’re in the medical system, it can seem that many choices are made for you as you march between tests, specialists and medications. It is easy to become resigned to this fate. Give in. Get it over with.
If you’ve read Chronic Resilience, you know that I’m an advocate of never giving in. As patients we must be participants in our care. There are choices for you to make – even if it doesn’t seem like it at first. Though the initial diagnosis isn’t in your control, everything else from that point forward is.
I met a woman last year with an incredible story to tell, and thankfully she has now written it down. Janna Marlies Maron was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2012, and as many chronic illnesses do, hers came with a secondary diagnosis of depression.
Janna Marlies Maron
It is rare to find a brave individual willing to talk about their experience with illness and depression, especially with an honest transparency that can transform lives.
At this point in Janna’s treatment of both MS and depression, she has chosen to forgo pharmaceuticals and take a natural approach to treatment. This is a personal choice that she discussed with her doctors and extensively researched on her own.
Please note: this path is not for everyone. With any health challenge, please find doctor’s you trust to discuss the best treatment options for your unique physiology. I have tried both natural remedies (diet, exercise, stress management) and heavy doses of pharmaceuticals which are currently keeping my transplant healthy and me alive (I am so thankful for those). There is no one right answer to health. Only the answer that fits with your beliefs, lifestyle and body.
Janna has complied her story and treatment decisions into her newly released e-book, How to Manage Depression Without Drugs. It is a succinct guide to what is working for Janna and what may impact your own mental health and body. In the book, she discusses her personal story (complete with some private insightful journal entries) and the intimate choices she has made after getting diagnosed with MS. She takes you along the path as she discovered natural alternatives to medical intervention and created routines, rituals and dietary changes that have made a profound impact in her life. The interventions discussed include: changing the stories we tell ourselves, using music to improve mood, making dietary adjustments to support health, using rituals for grounding and peace and the resources she found most helpful on her journey.
It is always helpful to talk with others to see how they approach things and how you may be able to apply some of their ideas to your life. This book will definitely get your wheels turning about small (and big) choices you can make to support your physical and mental health. Janna’s book is a beautiful compliment to a comprehensive treatment plan and can support the choices we all must make about our health.
Order Your Copy
You learn more about the e-book, How to Manage Depression Without Drugs by Janna Marlies Maron at http://www.jannamarlies.com/how-to-manage-depression/ which includes links for ordering too!
Giveaway
The giveaway has now been closed. Congratulations to our winner Joan! Janna will contact you directly to deliver your book.
Last note: Depression comes in many forms. Our emotions are a rich tapestry of highs and lows. Depression is not simply “the blues.” It is a diagnosable illness, just as any physical disease is. It does not mean that you did anything wrong. Depression is not something you can simply think your way out of. It takes commitment and work: rather you take drugs or forgo them. Depression is serious and should be monitored under the care of a licensed mental health professional. If you feel that you are suffering from depression, please seek professional help. Sometimes managing depression without drugs is not possible. Janna’s book is not a replacement for treatment, it is a compliment to treatment.