Deep Depression - Lift your mood with gentle natural remedies not prescription drugs.

Deep depression – I worry when I hear this phrase as its treatment depends on its origin and the persons it affects. Are we looking at clinical depression, anxiety or stress or a combination of all plus some hidden factors.

GPs have a habit of handing out Prozac or Valium, with little regard to the long-term consequences. Without knowing the person I can only advise some suggested treatments for the contributing factors and must let you decide which seems to suit their circumstances. Often in the case of essential oil treatment it helps to present all or most of the oils to the person and see which they are drawn to, as often a deeper instinct will draw the person to the oil/s that can help the most. (You have probably seen this in animals – who tend not to read a lot!)

In each case massage is the best treatment for depressive ailments, but, sometimes this is not an option if touch is a problem. Aromatic baths (particularly on a regular basis – set aside time for a deeply relaxing bath with no distractions) is a good second and use of an oil burner or fan as background enhancement also helps.

Consider the following:

Anxiety: Chose from any of the sedative oils – Benzoin, bergamot, camomile, cedarwood, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, geranium, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, patchouli, rose, sandalwood, verbena and ylang ylang.

Depression: If it takes the form of restlessness, irritability or insomnia, then consider one of the above oils shown in bold type. If you need to lift the mood without sedating then consider those shown in Italics. When anxiety is mixed with depression, neroli and jasmine are the most valuable.

Stress: People can function under extreme stress for some time, but it puts a degree of strain on the body, particularly the adrenal glands. Ideally to cope we need to achieve a state of deep relaxation and any of the sedative oils mentioned above can help, including the addition of vetivert oil. Oils to strengthen the adrenal glands can be used as short-term treatment and these include: geranium, rosemary, black pepper, peppermint and thyme.

The carrier oil to use in the massage blend is also important. You can, of course use Sunflower or Grapeseed Oil but I would suggest adding 50% Flax Seed Oil (cold pressed virgin) as it has therapeutic properties of its own.

During periods of stress people are less able to absorb nutrients and additional supplements in the form of B5 (on its own or part of a B complex) and C vitamins together with ginseng as an adaptogen can help the body cope with the effects of stress. Take care that the ginseng does not raise blood pressure.

Choline (500mg per day) has been found useful in mood lifting.

There is an Indian herb known as Gotu Kola (120mg per day) It is an Ayurvedic herb not used widely in the West but it has a very useful effect in depression. If you are diabetic bear in mind this herb can raise the blood glucose level.

5-HTP (Tryptophan) (100 mg 3 times each day) is an amino acid used to make serotonin which controls the mood. It can help depression, anxiety, insomnia and panic attacks.

Relora and Rhodiola is made from an extract of the magnolia plant and helps to overcome depression by preventing the breakdown of serotonin.

It is also suggested that some herbal iron preparations can help and don’t forget St Johns Wort, but be careful as some people do not tolerate this herb well.

The best advice I can offer is to seek out a qualified aromatherapist and invest in a few sessions of professional massage for both husband and wife.

There is a simple and free process known as visualisation – if you haven’t tried it, just think of depression, stress and anxiety as the hated enemy in human or animal form – visualise seeking it out and hunting it down, finally destroying it forever. I use visualisation whenever I find difficulty coping with a situation or problem – believe me, it works.