Everyday I have the Blues: A Medical Intuitive look at Depression

It may come in waves, it may control our lives. Depression is something that many of us struggle with.

For some people, depression has been a part of their experience for so long that they've begun to believe it's what they are. They become experts at "doing" depression--hiding it, working around it, even achieving great things (but at the price of great struggle and little satisfaction).

Recent research suggests some genetic cause, or other biological pre-disposition towards depression. However in my work with depressed clients, I have not found a single paradigm that explains all of its elements.

Here is an outline of a more holistic approach that has worked for many of my clients.

1) Feel your feelings (depression is the suppression of feelings -- acknowledging those feelings often causes depression to improve). I find that what limits a person's capacity for love or recognition is what they are afraid to feel. Wherever I go, whomever I talk with, their ability to stay in a marriage, to work consciously, to be without fear and to experience joy depends upon what they have the capacity to feel.

Remembered pain is hostility and anger, anticipated pain is fear and anxiety, pain directed at yourself is guilt. The depletion of energy with all of the above is depression.

(2) Realize that nothing comes out of the blue (your depressed state has a root cause that you should look for in events or situations).

(3) Challenge your depressed thinking by questioning your assumptions, especially ones that center on meaningless perfectionism.

(4) Establish priorities so that your energy focuses on what's most important to you.

(5) Communicate as directly as possible to everyone around you. Depressed people are often poor communicators who don't get their emotional needs served. With better communication, they can experience a more supportive emotional environment.

(6) Take and expect the right responsibility for yourself -- for your own actions. Depressed people often feel guilty about things that they have no responsibility for (like the death of a parent or the divorce of their parents). Eat good whole foods. A new study published in the February 15, 2005 issue of Biological Psychiatry shows that certain foods are better at treating depression than antidepressant drugs. The study found that omega-3 fatty acids and foods high in a compound called uridine were able to reduce the symptoms of depression as well as or better than three different antidepressant drugs that were tested. In addition to the omega-3 fatty acids, these health enhancing substances are found in walnuts, molasses and fish, according to researchers. This research was conducted at the McLean Hospital, affiliated with Harvard.

(7) Look for heroes. These role models can empower you to see the way to improve, especially if they were also depressed like Abraham Lincoln.

(8) Be generous. Helping others puts your own situation into perspective.

(9) Cultivate intimacy. This means letting down your defenses so people can see you as you are, and accept you for that. Depressed people often feel disgusted with their true selves, and hide that self from everyone.

(10) Get help when you need it. This may be the most important piece of advice since so many people do not. Medicine often has value and can help a person achieve a level of stability so that they can tackle the other causalities of their depression. A severely depressed person should seek professional help and find a medication of some kind before starting this work. It could be very overwhelming for someone who is in complete despair.

There are many other actions that you can take to lessen, lift, and heal your depression.

Opening to your feelings, communicating your needs, and cultivating intimacy are powerful life tools for healing and for living.

© Christopher Stewart

Christopher Stewart is a Clairvoyant Counselor and Medical Intuitive assisting others in their healing process.

His work is compassionate, uplifting and empowering. You can visit Christopher's website at http://www.clairvoyantguide.com for further information and to schedule a private consultation.

You can also look for frequent updates to his blog at: http://intuitiveliving.blogspot.com/

Publisher 's Guidelines: You may freely publish this article online, in email newsletters, or in print so long as the resource box and byline are in tact. Author would appreciate a notification, however that is optional.

---

Mood Disorders And Depression

We all suffer with bad moods from time to time.... Read More

Tuning the Music Therapist

Music so strongly evokes emotional responses that it is being... Read More

First Thing You Should Do to Get Out of Depression

Depression, in psychiatry, is a symptom of mood disorder characterized... Read More

Omega 3 EPA: Natures Very Own Anti-depressant

Since Dr Malcolm Peet, a consultant psychiatrist at Sheffield swallow... Read More

Mental Health Stigma ? What Can We Do About It?

What is Stigma? Stigma is the use of stereotypes and... Read More

A Look at the Different Depression and Anxiety Medications

While it may be easy to recite the various brand... Read More

Depression-My Story

What is depression?Depression is a serious medical illness; it's not... Read More

Use Alternative Medicine to Ease Depression

Depression is a problem that faces many of us, young... Read More

Do You Think You Have Depression?

Do you have days where nothing can make you happy?... Read More

What?s The Latest on Suicide Risk and Antidepressants For Children?

FDA confirms some antidepressants increase suicide risk in some children.... Read More

New FDA Approved Therapy for Depression: Timeline from Prescription to Procedure

On July 18, 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA)... Read More

American Indian Youth and Depression - Using Traditions To Heal The Wounds

When most people hear the words American Indian, visions of... Read More

Manic Depressive Episodes And Scientology

Scientologists believe that chemical imbalances do not exist. In their... Read More

Are you suffering from Depression?

Millions of people sufferaround the world from a depressive illness.... Read More

Chronic Depression: Disease or Charcter Flaw?

A major survey on depression symptoms from the National Mental... Read More

Depression is a Choice

There is one very simple reason for all emotional depression.In... Read More

Efficacy and Safety of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Depression Published in Journal

On September 1st, the efficacy and safety of vagus nerve... Read More

To Long Term Care Professionals: How to Dramatically Improve your Residents Psychiatric Care

Long term care facilities and residents' doctors should consider combining... Read More

What About Drugs for Anxiety and Depression?

As a counselor, I am often asked, "Can drugs be... Read More

The Patients Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

INTRODUCTION Everybody has a story. My... Read More

FDA Deems Vagus Nerve Therapy Approvable as a Treatment for Depression

On February 3, 2005 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration... Read More

Senate Finance Committee Delays FDA Approval of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy for Depression

On June 15th, 2004, FDA's Medical Devices Panel recommended that... Read More

5 Way Tips To Manage Depression

Being lonely is a normal share of our everyday lives.... Read More

Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Depression - A Natural Treatment

A new research study has again shown that a diet... Read More

Reclaiming Your Life From Anxiety Symptoms

Only somebody who has lived with anxiety ? as either... Read More

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Should be Used Early in Treatment when Traditional Antidepressants Fail

Lifetime Prevalence of Depression and the Age-of-Onset Report Distributions of... Read More

Psychiatrist Begin Training About Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Depression

The manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator has begun face-to... Read More

Suffocate

I felt cold, my body was stiff and my back... Read More

Are You Someones Puppet? Four Ways People Manipulate Others

With the current interest in mental health topics, a mental... Read More

Vagus Nerve Stimulation: What are the Benefits and How Does It Relieve Depression?

Vagus nerve stimulation is more effective than antidepressants and is... Read More

Control Your Own Level of Motivation

When I first mention this to most people, they really... Read More

Cure Against Depression and Low Self Confidence

Depression strikes most of us and it can make us... Read More

Stress and Depression are Killing Us!

A short generation ago, families could set their watch by... Read More