Depression

1. Depression Holistic Health Approaches In Medicine

2. What is it? • Mental illness that takes such a firm hold that the sufferer is unable to struggle out of its grip unaided and treatment becomes necessary. • Major depression is the most common depressive illness. It can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe.

3. Overwhelming Feeling of Emptiness Low Self-esteem Mood Swings Insomnia Fatigue Despair Irritability Obsessional Behavior A Concentration Upon Death and Suicide Loss of Interest or Pleasure in Activities Anxiety Attacks Difficulty Sleeping or Oversleeping Symptoms

4. Feelings of Inappropriate Guilt Difficulty Thinking or Concentrating Loss of Libido Hallucination /Delusions in Severe Cases Physical Symptoms Backache Headache Palpitations Gastrointestinal Problems Change in Weight Symptoms (Cont’d):

5. Causes • Depression may be caused by an overwhelming emotional trauma such as bereavement or a stressful event like moving. • Almost a quarter of women experience depression after childbirth. • There may be other physical origins, however, there is no easily identifiable cause.

6. Statistics • It is estimated that 9.5% of adult Americans are affected by depressive disorders in a given year. • In most industrialized countries, women are at least twice as likely as men to experience sever depression. • In children, the rates of depression in boys and girls are approximately equal.

7. Children At-Risk • Research confirms that offspring of depressed parents are at high risk for depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, and other mental health disorders. • Impairment may begin in adolescence or even earlier.

8. Child Behavior • Schools are reporting more and more children unable to meet the basic demands of sitting, paying attention, and controlling themselves. • Though the parents often feel that the child’s behavior is the source of their distress, in fact more often the child is reacting to the parent’s depression.

9. Depression in Mothers • Studies have found that depressed mothers have difficulty bonding with their infants. • They are less sensitive to the baby’s needs and less consistent in their responses to the baby’s behavior. • The babies appear more unhappy and isolated than other children.

10. Depression in Mothers (Cont’d): • Babies may be more difficult to comfort, appear listless, and be difficult to feed and put to sleep. • At toddler stage children are often very hard to handle, defiant, negative, and refusing to accept parental authority.

11. Orthodox Treatment • Mild depression can be treated by talking things through with a doctor or a counselor. • A depressive illness needs treatment with medication or psychotherapy, or both. • In severe cases, electroconvulsive therapy may be used.

12. Alternative Treatments • Homeopathy • Alexander Technique • Arts Therapies • Yoga • Nutritional Healing • Herbs • Other Therapies

13. Neurotransmitters in the brain control our moods, and the foods we eat control the release of neurotransmitters. Complex Carbohydrates to Calm Proteins to Increase Alertness Dietary Supplements Nutritional Healing

14. Herbs - Gingko - - Ginseng - - Lemon Balm - - Siberian Ginseng - - St. John’s Wort -

15. Herbs - Gingko

16. Herbs - Ginseng

17. Herbs – Lemon Balm

18. Herbs – Siberian Ginseng

19. Herbs – St. John’s Work

20. Homeopathy • A holistic medicine which uses animal, vegetable and mineral preparations to cure a person’s illness. Its philosophy is to treat “like” with “like” to heal a person.

21. HomeopathySpecific Remedies for Depression: • Arsenicum if the person is restless, chilly, exhausted , obsessively neat and tidy. • Aurum if the person feels totally worthless, suicidal and disgusted with himself/herself. • Ignatia if the depression follows deep grief or a failed love affair. • Pulsatilla if the person bursts into tears at the slightest provocation, wanting a lot of reassurance and attention.

22. Alexander Technique • A special method that is taught in lessons to reeducate us to regain our natural posture and use our bodies more efficiently.

23. Alexander TechniqueObjectives • Chronically contracted muscles are associated with mental and emotional imbalances. • The Alexander Technique enables a redistribution of muscle tension throughout the body, which seems to go hand in hand with an improvement in mental functioning. • It may also teach a person how to react to life’s challenges and stresses in a positive way, avoiding overreactions and distress

24. Art Therapies • Made up of four different therapies: • Art Therapy • Music Therapy • Drama Therapy • Dance Movement Therapy • They can provide support as well as a chance for sufferers to discover aspects of themselves of which they were previously unaware.

25. Yoga Yoga is an ancient exercise system that uses stretching movements and meditation techniques to relax both body, mind, and spirit. The following poses are good to help depression. • Cobbler’s Pose • Corpse Pose • Bridge Pose • Wheel Pose • Upward-Facing Dog

26. Naturopathic Hellerwork and Rolfing Acupressure and Shiatsu Auricular Therapy Massage Aromatherapy Kinesiology Reflexology Spiritual Healing Hypnosis Autogenic Training Bach Flowers Acupuncture Ayurveda Other Therapies