This current climate is a far cry from the amount of public interest and media coverage of depression just four years ago in 1994 when we produced a conference called "Healing Depression" in Santa Monica, California that inspired this book. At that time, depression was still a taboo subject socially, a frightening and mysterious condition that was treated medically with powerful psychotropic antidepressants which had disturbing side effects. The controversial antidepressant drug, Prozac, had been on the market for several years and was just penetrating the public consciousness and beginning to make headlines. There was little or no interest in, nor knowledge of natural alternatives to treating depression.

Today, thanks to the barrage of media stories and a number of well known public figures who have disclosed their battles with depression, including television journalist Mike Wallace, actor Rod Steiger and novelist William Styron, much of the social stigma surrounding depression has been removed. Discussion of depression in our culture has become more commonplace, and it can now be mentioned in the same breath as being "anxious" or "stressed out." Concurrently, there is an increasing public interest in natural approaches to dealing with this health condition. Even conventional medical doctors who have historically been known to only prescribe antidepressants, are now responding to the public demand and are beginning to recommend natural remedies like St. John's wort for mild to moderate depression.

A National Health Problem
One in four Americans will experience some degree of clinical depression or mood disorder during their lifetime, and each year over twenty- five million people will be diagnosed with a depressive illness. Two-thirds of those suffering from depression are women. However, the recent focus upon a "silent epidemic" of depression among men indicates that these figures are in need of adjustment.1

All told, it is estimated that depression will cost our economy more than forty-four billion dollars, and an annual loss of two hundred million work hours. These numbers may be deceiving, however, given people's reticence in the past to talk to their physician about depression. Today over 17 million people, including teens and children, are currently on Prozac, the second most commonly prescribed drug in America. Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, the maker of Prozac, is now engaged in a major media campaign to raise public awareness about depression and Prozac. With the rising tide of awareness of depression, many who would have never considered themselves depressed will be taking Prozac, or some other antidote, pushing the statistics even higher.