Angelenos have the chance to literally eat their feelings next week when a group of local bakers will gather to raise awareness about mental health issues with a very unusual bake sale.


Instead of a rainbow of colorful icings and sprinkles (ugh, how predictable!), the Depressed Cake Shop pop-up in Venice is serving pastries in blue, gray and black hues with a mental health twist. Think sugar cookies shaped like prozac pills, gray donuts with sad words written in the icing and blue velvet cupcakes.


PR specialist Emma Thomas in the U.K. came up with the idea for Depressed Cake Shops in August as a way to lift the stigma around mental health issues in a light and easy way. Anyone can organize their own pop-up events[1] , said Thomas to CNN, and her company will even pitch in with PR help -- provided the baked goods are gray and the proceeds are donated to a local mental health charity. The Los Angeles event, for instance, is donating sale proceeds to the Westside LA branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness[2] .


depressed cake shopPhoto of some test run donuts for the Los Angeles event by Rebecca Swanner.


But while the cake shop theme is tongue-in-cheek (chocolate brains, anyone?), depression is no laughing matter, says Los Angeles event organizer Rebecca Swanner.


"Depression isn't something to joke about," wrote Swanner in an email to The Huffington Post. But sometimes "depressed" desserts can convey a surprising amount about the hurdles depressed people face -- while still being a tasty treat.


"For instance, at the London shop, there were Misfortune Cookies created by Miss Insomnia Tulip that had sayings such as "snap out of it," wrote Swanner. "Those cookies reflect the concept that depressed people [are] often told just 'snap out of it.' But depression doesn't work that way. You can't just 'snap out of it.'"


Swanner, who owns her own baking company called Secret Marmalade[3] , has dealt with depression throughout her life. Baking gave her confidence and a creative outlet that helps lift her up when she's down, she explained.


alexis loweryPhoto of some test run rocky road brownies by Alexis Lowery.


Other local bakeries Ninja Baking[4] and Miss Ali's Cake Pops[5] are getting involved. Ninja Baking will donate Plum Wine Cupcakes, while Miss Ali's is making Cloud and Monster cake pops and dipped oreos. For anyone who wants to get involved, Swanner is still looking for more dessert donations from LA's professional baking community.


WHAT: Depressed Cake Shop Pop-Up (site[6] )

WHEN: Friday, Aug. 23 (7-11 p.m.) and Saturday, Aug. 24 (9 a.m. - 6 p.m.)

WHERE: Buckwild Gallery, 12804 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

COST: Free admission, all items individually priced. Proceeds will benefit the Westside LA branch[7] of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

HOW: RSVP to the event on Facebook[8] . To get involved, contact host Rebecca Swanner at secretmarmalade@gmail.com[9] .


2013-08-14-DepressedCakeShopPoster.jpg


Also on HuffPost:




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  • Summer Weather


    Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is most commonly associated with winter blues, and it afflicts about 5 percent of Americans.

    But for less than 1 percent of those people, this form of depression strikes in the summer. Warm weather depression arises when the body experiences a "delay adjusting to new seasons," says Alfred Lewy, MD, professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University, in Portland.

    Instead of waking and enjoying dawn, the body has a hard time adjusting, he says, which could be due to imbalances in brain chemistry and the hormone melatonin.

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    <a href="http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20483493,00.html" target="_hplink">The Most Depressing States in the U.S.</a>

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  • Smoking


    Smoking has long been linked with depression, though it's a chicken-or-egg scenario: People who are depression-prone may be more likely to take up the habit. However, nicotine is known to affect neurotransmitter activity in the brain, resulting in higher levels of dopamine and serotonin (which is also the mechanism of action for antidepressant drugs). This may explain the addictive nature of the drug, and the mood swings that come with withdrawal, as well as why depression is associated with smoking cessation. Avoiding cigarettes -- and staying smoke free -- could help balance your brain chemicals.




  • Thyroid Disease


    When the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone, it's known as hypothyroidism, and depression is one of its symptoms.

    This hormone is multifunctional, but one of its main tasks is to act as a neurotransmitter and regulate serotonin levels.

    If you experience new depression symptoms -- particularly along with cold sensitivity, constipation and fatigue -- a thyroid test couldn't hurt. Hypothyroidism is treatable with medication.




  • Poor Sleep Habits


    It's no surprise that sleep deprivation can lead to irritability, but it could also increase the risk of depression.

    A 2007 study found that when healthy participants were deprived of sleep, they had greater brain activity after viewing upsetting images than their well-rested counterparts, which is similar to the reaction that depressed patients have, noted one of the study authors.

    "If you don't sleep, you don't have time to replenish [brain cells], the brain stops functioning well, and one of the many factors that could lead to is depression," says Matthew Edlund, M.D., director of the Center for Circadian Medicine, in Sarasota, Fla., and author of "The Power of Rest."




  • Facebook Overload


    Spending too much time in chat rooms and on social-networking sites? A number of studies now suggest that this can be associated with depression, particularly in teens and preteens.

    <a href="http://news.health.com/2010/02/03/internet-addicts-more-prone-depression/" target="_hplink">Internet addicts</a> may struggle with real-life human interaction and a lack of companionship, and they may have an unrealistic view of the world. Some experts even call it "Facebook depression."

    In a 2010 study, researchers found that about 1.2 percent of people ages 16 to 51 spent an inordinate amount of time online, and that they had a higher rate of moderate to severe depression.

    However, the researchers noted that it is not clear if Internet overuse leads to depression or if depressed people are more likely to use the Internet.




  • End Of A TV Show Or Movie


    When something important comes to an end, like a TV show, movie, or a big home renovation, it can trigger depression in some people. In 2009, some "Avatar" fans reported feeling depressed and even suicidal because the movie's fictional world wasn't real. There was a similar reaction to the final installments of the Harry Potter movies. "People experience distress when they're watching primarily for companionship," said Emily Moyer-Gusé, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication at Ohio State University, in Columbus. With "Avatar," Moyer-Gusé suspects people were "swept up in a narrative forgetting about real life and [their] own problems."




  • Where You Live


    You can endlessly debate whether city or country life is better. But research has found that people living in urban settings do have a 39 percent higher risk of mood disorders than those in rural regions.

    A 2011 study in the journal Nature offers an explanation for this trend: City dwellers have more activity in the part of the brain that regulates stress. And higher levels of stress could lead to psychotic disorders.

    Depression rates also vary by country and state. Some <a href="http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20483493,00.html" target="_hplink">states have higher rates</a> of depression and affluent <a href="http://news.health.com/2011/07/25/depression-affluent-nations/" target="_hplink">nations having higher rates</a> than low-income nations.

    Even altitude may play a role, with <a href="http://news.health.com/2010/09/21/is-high-altitude-linked-to-suicide-risk/" target="_hplink">suicide risk</a> going up with altitude.




  • Too Many Choices


    The sheer number of options available -- whether it's face cream, breakfast cereal or appliances -- can be overwhelming. That's not a problem for shoppers who pick the first thing that meets their needs, according to some psychologists. However, some people respond to choice overload by maximizing, or exhaustively reviewing their options in the search for the very best item. Research suggests that this coping style is linked to perfectionism and depression.




  • Lack Of Fish In The Diet


    Low intake of omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon and vegetable oils, may be associated with a greater risk of depression.

    A 2004 Finnish study found an association between eating less fish and depression in women, but not in men.

    These fatty acids regulate neurotransmitters like serotonin, which could explain the link. Fish oil supplements may work too; at least one study found they helped depression in people with bipolar disorder.




  • Poor Sibling Relationships


    Although unhappy relationships with anyone can cause depression, a 2007 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that men who didn't get along with their siblings before age 20 were more likely to be depressed later in life than those who did. Although it's not clear what's so significant about sibling relationships (the same wasn't true for relationships with parents), researchers suggest that they could help children develop the ability to relate with peers and socialize. Regardless of the reason, too much squabbling is associated with a greater risk of developing depression before age 50.




  • Birth Control Pills


    Like any medication, the pill can have side effects. Oral contraceptives contain a synthetic version of progesterone, which studies suggest can lead to depression in some women.

    "The reason is still unknown," says Hilda Hutcherson, M.D., clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University, in New York.

    "It doesn't happen to everyone, but if women have a history of depression or are prone to depression, they have an increased chance of experiencing depression symptoms while taking birth control pills," Dr. Hutcherson says.

    "Some women just can't take the pill; that's when we start looking into alternative contraception, like a diaphragm, which doesn't contain hormones."




  • Rx Medications


    Depression is a side effect of many medications. For example, Accutane and its generic version (isotretinoin) are prescribed to clear up severe acne, but depression and suicidal thoughts are a potential risk for some people.

    Depression is a possible side effect for anxiety and insomnia drugs, including Valium and Xanax; Lopressor, prescribed to treat high blood pressure; cholesterol-lowering drugs including Lipitor; and Premarin for menopausal symptoms.

    Read the potential side effects when you take a new medication, and always check with your doctor to see if you might be at risk.

    <strong>More from <a href="http://www.Health.com" target="_hplink">Health.com</a>:</strong>

    <a href="http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20419609,00.html" target="_hplink">10 Tips for Dating With Depression</a>

    <a href="http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20483493,00.html" target="_hplink">The Most Depressing States in the U.S.</a>

    <a href="http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20428990,00.html" target="_hplink">Depressing Jobs: Career Fields With Hight Rates of Depression</a>