You are not eating paleo, you are eating low-carb paleo. Try moderate carb paleo. I know lots of people think low-carb is the end all and be all of perfect eating, which I don't, but eitherway, moderate carb paleo is certainly better than eating whatever!

Another factor: we you eating with other people before and did you start eating alone more when you went paleo? I found that eating alone made me really depressed.

Are you getting proper exercise, that helps boost mood. Also you may want to supplement with a bunch of fish oil everyday as that is often actually prescribed to help fight depression!

Are you low calorie? When I didn't eat enough calories I had similar results.

I found that Paleo really helped my depression.

Hmm ... I'm thinking what Melissa is thinking - perhaps your social life has changed subtley since you went Paleo? Did you have your eye on a Vegan chick? Did you stop going out week-ends and knocking back a few with the boys? Are you avoiding family members' get-togethers because you don't want to have to explain your "new fad diet" yet again?

I'm sorry you are going through this. :(

Yes, this is an odd response, I too found that the paleo diet helped with my depression. Carbs actually make it worse, but protein makes it better.

I think you should go see a doctor or naturopath, to make sure something else isn't going on.

Another thing you could try, which really helped me with depression before I realized I was deficient in protein, was to take the supplement 5-HTP. You should be able to find it in your drugstore, and maybe even grocery store. It is an amino acid that becomes converted to seratonin.

You might also try reading The Mood Cure, by Julia Ross. She talks about different types of depression, and the supplements to take. She also does a great job explaining how grain type carbs cause depression, and why protein is the answer.

Yeah, you might be going too low carb for your metabolic type. Perhaps try adding fruit & veggies. I would definitely try adding more healthy carbs before adding the bad carbs that cause all sorts of other problems.

Another thought, maybe your allergic to something? ? You might try cutting everything out and do a detox diet for a week, and then gradually adding in different foods and supplements. Perhaps one of the supplements you take is causing an odd reaction?

Good luck!!! Hang in there!

I think you need to tinker a bit with your diet. Try adding in a few things you don't already eat. My suggestions would be a few potatoes or some fruit. A really random question for you - do you suffer in any way from Seasonal Affective Disorder? Or the Winter Blues as they were previously called? Caused by lack of sunlight. I've read of people in your situation before, and often wondered if depression on a low carb diet is a dietary equivalent - you're eating a very 'Winter' diet right now.

HOw do you feel now? I would concur with all the above comments. Add more carbs. Do 50-100 g daily and see how you do... wt gain? then cut back. Feel cr*ppy like the SAD, then cut back. Any digestive issues? Is digesting the protein and fat problematic?

I find that cycling low carb with moderate carb days works the best for me. I had adrenal fatigue recently and couldn't do any ketogenic or intermittent fasting AT ALL. Apparently health adrenals are mandatory for HIIT, Crossfit, ketosis and fasting...

Hope you feel better soon!