LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas professor who has developed a depression treatment based on lifestyle changes will discuss his research in a lecture called “Banish the Blues” Thursday afternoon at 4 at Douglas County Senior Services in downtown Lawrence. KU psychology professor Steve Ilardi is author of the book “The Depression Cure.” His talk is open to the public. Ilardi says humans were never designed for the modern pace of life, swings been the couch or computer chair and frenzied as well as sleep-deprived and fast food-laden. As a result, depression rates have increased by more than 20 times in the last century, he said. Although TV commercials tout anti-depression drugs, he suggested there are other options that may be more effective. Among those options, he said people should get out more, get more active and meet more people. In what he calls the therapeutic lifestyle change project, he urges patients to adopt six healing elements from the ancient past. He notes that depression is rare among the American Amish.
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 8 a.m.
