Acupressure a cure for Manic Depression?

Acupressure is an ancient Chinese form of both massage and healing predating Acupuncture by many years. This modality is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine’s (TCM) perspective of the way the body works, and this perspective has changed very little over its many centuries of use. TCM does not necessarily recognize brain as the organizer of the body, but rather perceives specific meridians within the body as having direct and potent effects on the body, mind, and soul. Acupressure incorporates the notions of Yin and Yang, and I believe that Acupressure works more successfully than does Acupuncture because Acupressure also incorporates the notion of “the healing touch”, the use of the practioners’ hands to transfer energy (chi) from the ether through their bodies and into the bodies of their clients. This process stimulates clients’ own healing powers, and clients slowly come into Yin/Yang balance. The basic notion explaining Acupressure is that there are 12 essential meridians that circumnavigate the interior environment of the body. For the most part each meridian is connected to a particular organ in the body; for example, the liver, gall bladder, heart, small intestine, stomach, spleen, lungs, large intestine, bladder, and kidney. Then there are 2 more meridians, the pericardium and the triple warmer, which are partners to the heart, but do not necessarily describe a body organ. Like Acupuncture, Acupressure works by stimulating specific points along certain meridians in order to balance the energy (chi) within the body. When someone suffers from depression, anxiety, melancholy, or a bipolar disorder, their chi is often said to be weak in certain areas and too strong in others, so people who suffer from the symptoms of these mental states can use specific Acupressure points to ease their symptoms.

Here is a list of some of the points you can use and where to find them on your body. You don’t have to use each point every time you feel your symptoms coming on, but experiment with them to determine which ones work best for you.

  • K4 (kidney point #4) This point can be found on the inside of your both legs, two finger widths above the top of your ankle bone. Press this point on both legs for 2 minutes, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. This area helps with anxiety and panic attacks.
  • K27. This point can be found on your collar bone. Feel along your collar bone to the very center of your throat. Here you will feel two bony protrusions, one on either side. Put your fingers on each protrusion and move away from center 1/2 finger’s width. There you will find a small valley just big enough for the tip of your index finger. Press there for 2 minutes, close your eyes and breathe deeply. This area is called the “storehouse of chi” and pressing here will ease symptoms of depression, and increase energy.
  • St 13 (stomach 13). Move your fingers along your collar bone toward your shoulders about a 1/4 of the way. There you will find 2 more bony protrusions (one on each side). Use these bony landmarks and then drag your finger down your chest until they find the space between your 1st and 2nd ribs. Hold these points for 2 minutes, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. This point is called the “Chi Door” and it helps relieve tension
  • St 16. Move your hands down to the space between your ribs just above your nipples, or just above where your nipples should be; hold here for 2 minutes, eyes closed, breathing deeply. This is called the “Breast Window” and it helps ease emotional distress.
  • CV22 (Conception Vessel 22). Move your fingers back up to your collar bone finding the valley between the two bony protrusions. Press down with your index and forefinger and you will feel the top of your breast bone. This point is called the “Yin Regulator”. Press here for 2 minutes, eyes closed, breathing deeply.
  • CV19. Move down your breast bone until you find a small valley in the bone. Hold here with your forefinger and index finger. Same routine: 2 minutes, eyes closed, breathing deeply. This point helps to relieve anxiety, panic attacks, and symptoms of depression.
  • Heart Meridian. This meridian is helpful in controlling hysteria, anxity, fear, and melancholy. You can “run” this meridian by beginning under your arm and kneading the underside of your arm all the way down to your pinky finger, ending at your pinky finger nail bed. Do this on both arms.
  • SI 7 (Small intestine 7). Move along the pinky side of each forearm until you have gone 1/2 way up the forearm towards the elbow. As you move your fingers, press lightly on the skin just under the ulna bone. As you move along, you will come upon a tender spot; this will be SI 7. Rub this point with eyes closed for as long as it remains tender. This point helps with all mental disorders. Don’t forget to breathe deeply.
  • The Liver Meridian. This meridian helps with depression. Begin at Lv1 which you can find on the inside corner of the base of your big toe. Then slowly and consciously move up between the big and second toe, along that path on the top of your foot, then to the inside of your ankle bone, and then massage up along the inside of your leg until you arrive at your hips. Here you will use your pubic bone as a landmark and then move both hands out and slightly up so that your fingers are equally placed between your pubic bone and your hip bones. You should feel a long, thick tendon. Press your fingers under the tendon and gently pull and push this area. Remain here for about a minute and then continue along the meridian following the curve of your hip bones out to the sides of your abdomen. Eventually you will come to the tips of your 12th ribs. Remain here for about a minute massaging gently. Then move at an angle toward the center of the body and up to Lv14. This point is found between the ribs just below the nipple, and it is called the “Gate of Hope”; you will know you’ve found the correct spot if you feel a bit of tenderness here. Massage for a minute or two.
  • Breathe deeply. Breathing deeply. This you can and should practice as often as possible. This type of breathing begins in your lower belly filling it fully with your breath. Then fill your middle abdomen, and then fill your lungs. As you exhale, release the breath from your lungs first, then your middle abdomen, and then your lower belly. Continue breathing this way with complete consciousness.

These are just a sampling of Acupressure points that can help stabilize your emotional reactions to your world both inside and out; however, if you do suffer from chronic anxiety attacks, depression, panic attacks, or bipolar disorder, receiving regular acupressure sessions from a licensed Acupressurist may help. When choosing an Acupressurist, make certain that they have been certified in Acupressure from a reputable school. You contact the Acupressure Institute at www.acupressure.com for recommendations and for more information about Acupressure as a therapeutic massage modality.

October 26th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Manic Depression | Leave a comment

Natural Treatments for Manic Depression

Are Antidepressants for me?

NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR DEPRESSION

Depression has been called the common cold of psychiatric illnesses. About 13-20% of the population has a touch of it at any given time. However, only 2-3.5% of us suffer major depression. Women get depressed more than men, but bipolar disorder affects the sexes equally. How do you know that you’re depressed? Syd Baumel in his book “Dealing With Depression Naturally” comments, “Passive negativity – being stuck – is the hallmark of depression, the heart is a barren chamber, devoid of positive feelings and impulses. It may even feel like you’ve lost your soul. In psychotic major depression, the negativity becomes delusional. The rich believe they’re bankrupt; the healthy that they’re dying (or dead), the virtuous that they’re guilty of unspeakable sins, even that they’re the Devil himself. Physically, the negativity of depression manifests itself in tiredness and fatigue, in an increased sensitivity to body aches and pains, and in a neuropsychological dulling of the mind’s edges (enough to make some elderly persons seem senile). The severely or psychotically depressed may think, say and do everything in extreme slow motion, and may even be catatonically “paralyzed.” People who have major depression may sleep too much or suffer from insomnia. They may overeat or starve themselves. They feel hopeless, sad, and in despair. I suffer from depression and I cannot get life insurance because of it. Major insurance companies consider depressed persons to be too much of a risk of suicide.

Should I Take Antidepressants?

There are many antidepressants on the market that are prescribed for depression – Effexor, Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Wellbutrin, Elavil, Sinequin, etc.. However, the side effects may include weight gain, loss of libido, dry mouth, memory impairment, and many other unpleasant effects. If you suffer from major depression your mental health professional will probably insist on you taking antidepressants. Most people who suffer from bipolar disorder take medication for depression or they would not be able to function. The frustration they have with medication though is that for the first few weeks the antidepressants seem to lift them up and then, as their body becomes accustomed to the drugs, they find that the therapeutic effects are diminished. What I’m going to talk about in this article are natural supplements that can brighten a dark mood and can be taken while you are taking antidepressant medications. If you suffer from mild to moderate depression you may be able to use herbs and supplements exclusively and forgo the drug treatments all together. You have to decide if your depression is severe enough to put up with the side effects of the antidepressant drugs or not. Certainly, if you are suicidal you should seek counseling, a help line, or professional help.

Alternative Treatments for Depression

Phenylalanine for Depression

In “Dealing With Depression Naturally” Syd Baumel reports, ‘L-phenylalanine’s antidepressant effect first became apparent in 1966 when intravenous infusions induced euphoria in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Nearly 20 years later, low doses of LPA were added to the regimen of 155 depressed patients unresponsive to an antidepressant drug. Sixty-nine recovered; 15% improved. That same year, at a major Chicago medical center, large doses of LPA were administered to 40 mostly ‘refractory’ (treatment resistant) depressives. Eleven recovered; 20 improved. Shortly thereafter, a psychiatrist reported that half of the depressed bipolar patients he treated with a low dose of LPA recovered rapidly.’ You may be a candidate for phenylalanine supplementation if you are suffering from severe mental or physical stress, are hypothyroid, have Parkinson’s disease, have chronic pain, or are addicted to stimulants.

L-Trpytophan

Depression is thought to result from a shortage of serotonin and taking L-Tryptophan can enhance antidepressant medication. Syd Baumel comments, ‘Depressed persons tend to have low blood levels of tryptophan, the amino acid from which serotonin is made, and low levels of tryptophan relative to other amino acids that compete with it for passage across the blood-brain barrier. More importantly, abundant laboratory research suggests there is a deficiency of serotonin or serotonin activity in the brains of most depressed (and bipolar) persons, especially those who are (or were) violently suicidal … In about six out of seven clinical trials, tryptophan has performed equally well with antidepressant drugs against major depression. I take 3 grams of L-Tryptophan at night to help me sleep and to augment my antidepressant medication. My doctor gives it to me on prescription.

Fish Oil

On the Internet site: http://www.omega-3.us/omega-3/bipolar-omega-3-fish-oil-research.html it points out that, ‘All valid studies show that people who get less fish oil have significantly more depression and bipolar and those who get more fish oil have less mental disorders. Here are a few examples: Depression is 60 times higher in New Zealand, where the average fish consumption is 40 pounds a year compared to Japan, where it’s 150 pounds a year … An Israeli study of 20 patients with major depression found fish oil resulted in ‘highly significant benefits’ by week three compared to a placebo.’ I have found that taking fish oil has helped me not to crash as much. Some people recommend taking pharmaceutical grade fish oil. You would have to get that from a pharmacy or an Internet company.

Conclusion

For mild to moderate depression it is worth trying things like St. John’s Wort or SAMe. However, for severe depression a combination of medication and supplements are needed. If anxiety is a problem with the depression the B vitamin Inositol will help in the dosage of 500 mgs. up to 4,000 mgs. . I find that 500 mgs. is plenty for me and it is just as good as an Ativan under the tongue. Some people who are stressed out and depressed find that taking a high potency B 50 complex helps them deal with stress. Depression can be endogenous or related to stressful circumstances. If it is coming from a physical illness like bipolar depression then supplements and psychotropic drugs are needed. However, if the depression is stemming from events around you like grief from a loss you may need specialized grief counselling. Whatever the cause of depression other self-help things that are important are regular exercise, a healthy diet, light therapy, recreation, and adequate rest. If your depression is threatening your life, then please reach out for professional help.

October 22nd, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Manic Depression, Treatment of Manic Depression (bipolar disorder) | Leave a comment

Help with Manic Depression

Many in or society today suffer from manic depression without even being aware of this condition.  Manic depression is defined as mood swings that go from a person feeling “high”  or “manic” going to a feeling of “low” or “depression.  Bipolar manic depression is a form of manic depression and refers to the mood of a person alternating between “high poles” of mania to “low poles” of depression. Both of these ilnesses affect both men and women no matter their age, race, ethnic group or social class.  Some research has shown that manic depression disorder may be genetically linked and run in families.  This disease not only affects the life of the person suffering from manic depression disorder but it can devastate the lives of those in their immediate circle including friends, family and co-workers.
Manic depression symptoms are classified as either manic or depressive episodes.  Manic depression causes unusual changes in a persons mood, energy levels and their ability to function on a day to day basis. There is no manic depression test, manic depression is diagnosed by monitoring the mood swings fo the patient and if elevated mood occures with 3 or more of the other signs of manic depression during most of the day every day for a minimum of one week then the patient is diagnosed as manic depressive and treatment is started.  the treatment options for manic depression must be continuous in order to obtain the benefits of the treatment administered by your doctor.  Scheduled sleep times to allow for adequate amounts of sleep is important in the primary treatment of bipolar manic depression.  The proper treatment of this disease include the patient learning their triggers such as changes in life events that may help bring on an episode.  Another form of treatment is mood stabilizers that are generally prescribed by a psychiatrist.  These mood stabilizers include lithium or valproate.  Antidepressants are sometimes used to hellp balance the highs and lows of manic depression.
It is important for the patient to understand their illness and learn to spot when they are going through a relapse in order to make sure they are getting the best possible treatment for their illness.  When dealing with manic depression it is not unusual for a person suffering from this disorder and their family to have a feeling of hopelessness but there is hope for a person suffering from manic depression as long as they seek a treatment plan and see it through.

Many in or society today suffer from manic depression without even being aware of this condition. Manic depression is defined as mood swings that go from a person feeling “high” or “manic” going to a feeling of “low” or “depression. Bipolar manic depression is a form of manic depression and refers to the mood of a person alternating between “high poles” of mania to “low poles” of depression. Both of these ilnesses affect both men and women no matter their age, race, ethnic group or social class. Some research has shown that manic depression disorder may be genetically linked and run in families. This disease not only affects the life of the person suffering from manic depression disorder but it can devastate the lives of those in their immediate circle including friends, family and co-workers.

Manic depression symptoms are classified as either manic or depressive episodes. Manic depression causes unusual changes in a persons mood, energy levels and their ability to function on a day to day basis. There is no manic depression test, manic depression is diagnosed by monitoring the mood swings fo the patient and if elevated mood occures with 3 or more of the other signs of manic depression during most of the day every day for a minimum of one week then the patient is diagnosed as manic depressive and treatment is started. the treatment options for manic depression must be continuous in order to obtain the benefits of the treatment administered by your doctor. Scheduled sleep times to allow for adequate amounts of sleep is important in the primary treatment of bipolar manic depression. The proper treatment of this disease include the patient learning their triggers such as changes in life events that may help bring on an episode. Another form of treatment is mood stabilizers that are generally prescribed by a psychiatrist. These mood stabilizers include lithium or valproate. Antidepressants are sometimes used to hellp balance the highs and lows of manic depression.

It is important for the patient to understand their illness and learn to spot when they are going through a relapse in order to make sure they are getting the best possible treatment for their illness. When dealing with manic depression it is not unusual for a person suffering from this disorder and their family to have a feeling of hopelessness but there is hope for a person suffering from manic depression as long as they seek a treatment plan and see it through.

September 18th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , | Category: Manic Depression | 16 comments
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