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Continuing with my series on depression and suicide in Paganism, this week I\u2019m going to focus on some complimentary therapies<\/a> to aid you if you are dealing with depression.\u00a0 Please note that once again, these in no way replace Western medicine.\u00a0 Antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications save lives.\u00a0 But if you need something to hold you over until you can get to the doctor, or if you want to use these options\u00a0in compliment, they can be helpful.<\/p>\nOnce again, I am not a medical doctor.\u00a0 I am, however, a certified herbalist and a Reiki master\/teacher.<\/p>\n
Herbalism<\/h3>\n
Unless otherwise stated, the proper dose of an herbal tea is one teaspoon per cup or three heaping tablespoons per teapot.\u00a0 If you are going to make use of herbal therapies, you would be well-advised to check with both a doctor and a pharmacist to be informed about potential risks.<\/p>\n
St. John\u2019s Wort<\/a> is probably our best herbal antidepressant, and it is the most prescribed antidepressant in Germany<\/a>.\u00a0 You have to take a good dose of it daily and it makes you photosensitive.\u00a0 Like other antidepressants, you have to let it build up in your system before it will work properly.\u00a0 Take one cup each morning for a week, then one cup each morning and night. \u00a0Give it a couple of weeks.\u00a0 But please do not take St. John\u2019s Wort in conjunction with any other antidepressant because it can mess with the balance and either enhance or diminish it, and the mixture of the two can be dangerous.\u00a0 The medical term for this is a contraindication<\/em>.\u00a0 St. John\u2019s Wort is contraindicated when using other antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication; or when using sleep aids, since it can make you exceptionally drowsy.\u00a0 And, as previously mentioned, it is contraindicated when using anything else that increases photosensitivity.\u00a0 Whatever you do, don\u2019t use suntan lotion or skin peelers while using it!\u00a0 And you should also not use it if you have high blood pressure.\u00a0 This is a serious medication with powerful effects, and you really should consult a doctor before using it.<\/p>\n Treating the concurrent symptoms can help also.\u00a0 If you suffer from anxiety, valerian root<\/a> will help stop anxiety attacks and help you to sleep properly.\u00a0 But only take it when you have to because Valium was derived from it, and like Valium, you can build up a dependency.\u00a0 Again, valerian root is contraindicated when taking any anti-anxiety medication or anything that causes drowsiness, possibly up to and including antihistamines.\u00a0 If you\u2019re going to take it, you should try it when you don\u2019t have to work or drive and see how it affects you.<\/p>\n Chamomile<\/a>, lavender <\/a>and peppermint <\/a>tea are milder anti-anxiety herbs that can help in the short-term.\u00a0 And generally they\u2019re pretty much harmless to everybody.\u00a0 Chamomile knocks me out so I wouldn\u2019t use it with sleep aids myself; actually, I often use it as<\/em> a sleep aid.\u00a0 Of course, YMMV.<\/p>\n If you live in Colorado or Washington State and you smoke cannabis<\/a>, scientific data<\/a> will support that it is effective in treating anxiety; though do note that in some cases, people who use cannabis, especially if they do so regularly, experience an increase in anxiety and paranoia<\/a>, so be cautious.\u00a0 Of course, it is illegal elsewhere in the US.\u00a0 Also, it makes you drowsy (some varieties more than others, but it does.)\u00a0 It is proven to increase your appetite and hinder your motivation, so if your depression is such that it saps you of energy, I wouldn\u2019t advise it.\u00a0 Nor would I if your job requires you to operate heavy machinery or drive.\u00a0 Last but not least, cannabis can be addictive for some people.\u00a0 There are a variety of contraindications<\/a>, most of them linked to increasing the effects of the drugs that treat the conditions that physicians allow for when prescribing medical marijuana, and there is some evidence that it can increase feelings of paranoia, so if that\u2019s part of your condition, you should avoid it.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s lethargy you suffer from, chai tea and earl grey tea can help perk up mood, but don\u2019t use coffee or smoke; caffeine and nicotine are good short term pick-me-ups but the subsequent crashes can be just as damaging as a sugar-high.\u00a0 Chocolate, on the other hand, produces endorphins and is proven to actually help. \u00a0No, seriously.<\/a>\u00a0 But you have to balance the sugar crash issue, which produces highs and lows of emotion just like any other drug.<\/p>\n Essential oils can have very beneficial effects on mood.\u00a0 Try diffusing vanilla or lavender oil to aid in relaxation (you only need a few drops in some water in a diffuser; it will burn better that way.)\u00a0 Citrus oils and rosemary improve positive mood and thoughts, and you can keep clary sage on hand to dab on your temples to ease anxiety and PMS.<\/p>\n The reason why chai tea and earl grey tea are effective in improving mood is that they contain essential oils that help.\u00a0 Chai\u2019s cinnamon, cardamom and clove heighten energy levels and relieve anxiety, and earl grey contains bergamot, which heightens mood and raises energy like citrus oil.<\/p>\n There are several studies that tell us that exercising regularly can be of incredible benefit<\/a> in balancing mood and improving well-being.\u00a0 It can be hard to motivate oneself to exercise when one is depressed, but it really doesn\u2019t take much to have a beneficial effect.\u00a0 Fifteen minutes of aerobic \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0exercise a day; that\u2019s it.\u00a0 A light walk after dinner improves your digestion as well (which improves mood also).\u00a0 I do a short yoga routine called the Five Tibetan Rites myself, when I\u2019m not doing some mixed martial arts practice.\u00a0 Even if your mobility is restricted you have options<\/a>.<\/p>\n Numerous studies<\/a> have also shown that a lack of sunlight can cause all kinds of detrimental effects on mood, with long-term health consequences.\u00a0 This can be caused by seasonal changes, shift work, graveyard schedules, living in northern climates<\/a> and mountainous regions, even by working in an office all day.\u00a0 You require fifteen minutes of full-spectrum sunlight directly on your retinas each day to maintain good mental health.\u00a0 Getting a full-spectrum sun light for use in the darker months was the best therapy I could have found.\u00a0 That alone improved my quality of life more than I could have imagined; well worth my $200 investment, which I had to save up for.<\/p>\n Studies <\/a>indicate that transcendental meditation has a beneficial effect on mood; enough that it is often prescribed as part of a course of therapy<\/a>.\u00a0 I\u2019ve done a lot of work on understanding altered states of consciousness and how they affect you, and all of them are beneficial.<\/p>\n There are five major states of consciousness.\u00a0 Briefly, beta consciousness is left-brain thinking and communication, and people who produce lots of beta waves have more positive thoughts.\u00a0 Alpha consciousness is daydreaming and zoning out on the TV, and people who produce lots of alpha waves are less anxious and more relaxed.\u00a0 Gamma consciousness (high beta consciousness) is where divine inspiration and being \u201cin the zone\u201d takes place, and having those moments makes us feel spiritually fulfilled and inspired.\u00a0 There are two other major states of consciousness but they have unique benefits we\u2019ll be dealing with in later sections.<\/p>\n Alpha consciousness is where creative visualization takes place, which allows us to see ourselves in better circumstances or succeeding at goals.\u00a0 It also produces greater feelings of relaxation and contentment.\u00a0 Our society doesn\u2019t teach us to relax into alpha consciousness; in fact, for most of us this was actively discouraged in our childhood.\u00a0 Perhaps this might be one of the reasons why anxiety disorders are on the rise.<\/p>\n Meditation typically takes us into alpha consciousness and most magick is done on this level.\u00a0 So doing ritual is good for your mental health!<\/p>\n The level of consciousness where deep dreaming and the stuff we typically think of as \u201ctrance\u201d takes place is theta consciousness.\u00a0 A particular theta frequency, 4.5 Hertz, is commonly called \u201cshamanic consciousness.\u201d\u00a0 Shamanic journeyworking and trancework takes place here, as does most hypnotherapy.\u00a0 The brain in this state is highly suggestible and creative, and therefore, you can make it work for you to program whatever messages you want.\u00a0 This includes affirmations, guided meditations, and soul retrieval work.\u00a0 Using journeyworking to heal old traumas can be amazingly therapeutic.\u00a0 Indeed, psychologists and therapists often include this sort of work<\/a> in their therapy these days, though of course they use different words to describe it.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t know anyone who knows how to do soul retrieval or guided meditation work, try recording your own self-directed guided meditations.\u00a0 You can work with difficult issues from your past, or create a more positive scenario for your future.\u00a0 The possibilities really are mind-boggling.<\/p>\n On the cutting edge of experimental psychology, numerous studies<\/a>, including the Harvard Psilocybin Project<\/a> in the 60s had enormous success treating psychological issues<\/a> such as PTSD, anxiety disorders and addictions.\u00a0 People have reported great success with ayahuasca in dealing with such issues, and current research<\/a> is utilizing magic mushrooms to treat PTSD in war vets.\u00a0 There are significant risks in using hallucinogens.\u00a0 Some of them are deadly poisons<\/a> in large doses, and others can cause permanent changes to the brain, resulting in mood disorders<\/a> or psychosis<\/a>.\u00a0 I urge you to research this extensively if you intend to experiment and I would like to emphasize that the long-term effects of these substances are in no way sufficiently documented.\u00a0 Do keep in mind that in the United States, possession of hallucinogens is a felony on the level of cocaine possession.<\/p>\n Many people have reported benefits from Reiki, acupuncture, shiatsu, bodywork, and other complimentary therapies that utilize the body\u2019s own natural healing capabilities.\u00a0 Most of these methods are still under study, but Reiki and acupuncture now have some degree of support in the medical community; Reiki is often encouraged in hospitals and palliative care facilities, and acupuncture is covered by many insurance plans.<\/p>\n It\u2019s amazing how many ailments are linked to not getting proper sleep, and depression is one of those ailments<\/a>.\u00a0 Also, chronic pain, which often contributes to depression, is relieved by getting sufficient delta wave sleep; which can be difficult.\u00a0 There are sleep tapes and music out there designed to induce delta waves<\/a>, and not only do they aid sleep, they can relieve chronic pain.\u00a0 Check out YouTube and type in \u201cdelta wave music.\u201d\u00a0 And you can find similar music for all the other kinds of brain waves too.<\/p>\n Next column: <\/strong><\/em>The Downward Spiral \u2013 Depression and Suicide in Paganism (Part Four)<\/em><\/p>\n Seekers and Guides<\/em>\u00a0is published on alternate Mondays. Follow it via\u00a0RSS<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0e-mail<\/a>!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sable Aradia continues with her series on depression and suicide. This article explores complimentary or alternative therapy options, both mainstream and experimental.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1343,"featured_media":7066,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[330,379,622,374],"tags":[1275,21,999,22,1276,1277,1274,25,26],"class_list":["post-7027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-columns","category-health-wellness","category-science2","category-seekers-and-guides","tag-alternative-therapies","tag-anxiety","tag-aromatherapy","tag-depression","tag-herbalism","tag-levels-of-consciousness","tag-mood-disorders","tag-pagan","tag-paganism"],"yoast_head":"\nAromatherapy<\/h3>\n
Exercise<\/h3>\n
Light Therapy<\/h3>\n
Meditation and Trancework<\/h3>\n
Soul Retrieval and Pathworking<\/h3>\n
Psychedelic Therapy<\/h3>\n
Alternative Healing<\/h3>\n
Proper Sleep<\/h3>\n
\n