Are Symptoms Of Depression Holding You Back
From Living A Fulfilled Life?
Antidepressants are one of the most readily prescribed pharmaceuticals on the market. If you ask around, I’m sure that one if not more of your friends are taking some form of antidepressant daily to treat mild to clinical depression. Antidepressants work by altering our mood. According to the medical model, it is believed that imbalanced neurotransmitters in the brain cause symptoms of depression.
There are a number of reasons symptoms of depression may develop in an individual which can include genetics, stress and trauma. For individuals who have a genetic predisposition for clinical depression, their bodies do not produce enough neurotransmitters which leaves them in a perpetual funk. The skies are always gray and despite their best efforts they are unable to see beyond the doom and gloom.
Depression for some individuals can be set off by a medical condition, drug or alcohol abuse, or hormonal changes. In other cases symptoms of depression are brought on by the short termed stresses and strains in our lives such as a serious loss, a difficult relationship, financial problems or any overwhelmingly stressful situation.
Everyone Experiences Depression At Some
Everyone has periods in their lives when they may experience symptoms of depression. Depression is always associated with loss. Not just the loss of our jobs or a loved one, but the loss of our freedom and our ability to choose. When we lose our jobs or a relationship ends our lives are thrown into a period of transition. As we work to put our lives back together we may feel lost and not know what to do or where we should go next.
During these periods of time we have turned our energy inward in order to process what is happening to us. What was once stable, reliable and consistent has dramatically changed. We are forced to navigate a new course in our lives, except at this time we believe we no longer have a map to follow. At timesWe feel hopeless. We see ourselves as floating on an endless sea with no land in sight. For these individuals hopefully it is just a matter of time before they spot land and have their lives moving forward again.
Depression, however, cannot always be linked to a direct cause, a cause that we can always put our finger on. There are individuals who suffer from long termed chronic depression who believe they have a genetic predisposition to this disorder. These individuals, contrary to their beliefs, do not have a chemical imbalance but suffer from a subconscious pattern of stress.
Depression & The Chakras
Symptoms of depression, from an energetic perspective, is an issue of the 3rd chakra, our power center. The 3rd chakra is the energy center that sits in the area of the stomach. In health, this energy center should spin and subtle energy, chi, should be flowing in and out of it. In someone who is depressed, the spinning of this energy center is greatly reduced. Instead of having energy moving in and out if it, subtle energy flows primarily in an inward direction.
What does this mean for someone who is showing signs of depression? It means that they are unable to use their power for themselves. They are unable to apply their inner energy, their will and willpower, to the things they want and need. For someone who has experienced a loss, such as we described earlier, the loss causes their priorities to change. Where they once used their energy, that course is no longer available to them. Once they reprioritize their lives, create new goals and decide on new ways in which to use their energy, the depression will lift.
Depression From An Intuitive Perspective
Over the years of working with countless individuals who suffer from chronic long termed depression my observation is that they all have one thing in common…they all have given up the right to choose how they want to invest their energy. Many have been taught early on in life that the choice of how they navigate life is not theirs.
It has been said that depression is anger turned in on itself. From an intuitive perspective this statement is true, especially when talking about someone with a long history of clinical depression.
Depression Case Study
Let’s take a look at an example. A young boy is forced to participate in sports. What he really want to do is to paint or play an instrument. He is never given the opportunity to discover his passions in life and instead does what is expected of him, regardless of his interest level.
As opposed to using his energy to do something he wants, that would bring him happiness, he forces himself to satisfy the needs and desires of others. He is taught that his needs are unimportant. As an adult the concept of satisfying his own desires is foreign. He is unable to conceive of what would make him happy.
On subconscious levels, his psyche keeps telling him to play an instrument or paint a picture. Throughout his life, however, he has been told that it is bad, he is not creative or it is a waste of time. His desires are overlooked or dismissed and in response to this negative programming he doesn’t even try. With the psyche saying one thing and the mind overriding it, anger and resentment begin to form. Many time individuals with long termed symptoms of depression they do not even realize they are angry. They might try to make excuses as to why certain critical decision were made in their lives, but if they were given the choice, 100% of the choice, they would always choose differently.
Natural Help For Depression
In Chinese medicine it is believed that anger is stored in the liver. In addition to pulling out chemical toxins from the body it is where we process emotional toxins as well. Supporting and cleansing the liver is a great place to start to begin the process of dealing with depression . Eating a high quality diet filled with fruits and vegetables is something everyone can incorporate into their lives. Supplementation with milk thistle or dandelion can help to break up toxins, both chemical and emotional from the liver.
Working with flower essences is another way of supporting the body and psyche. They can be especially helpful if you are in transition.
For Those With Log Termed Depression
For those of you who might suffer from long termed depression, it is important to do some digging into yourself. What do you want and where do you want to go? What can you do to bring joy and passion into your life? Once you decide, take steps to having it, accomplishing it or achieving it.
As you ask yourself these questions, memories, beliefs or “rules” might come up for you. Working with something like EFT (emotional freedom technique), theta healing or journaling might help you to change the beliefs from limiting to helping you to create the life you want and deserve to have.
Regardless of what caused your depression take time to meditate daily and find gratitude in all you do. Open yourself to having and experiencing joy! We can not be depressed if we are filled with joy. And isn’t that why we are here on earth?
Additional Help For Depression
© Copyright Rita Louise, Inc. – soulhealer.com. All rights reserved.
Taking action is the key to making positive changes in your life. This includes your health. So don’t wait! Take your next step right now and contact Dr. Rita to schedule a private consultation.
Medical Intuitive Reading – Intuitive Counseling – Energy Healing