Depression

	Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
	Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
	Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
	Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
	Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
	Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
	Trouble sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
	Appetite and/or weight changes
	Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
	Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain, which do not respond to routine treatment

	Have a regular checkup with your health professional. Many other diseases, such as coronary artery disease and diabetes, can increase your risk of feeling depressed.
	Talk to your health professional about acupuncture and acupressure therapies if you think that you feel worse during the winter months. Studies have shown these therapies improve mood in over 85% of people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
	Get involved in social groups or volunteer to help others. Being alone makes things seem worse than they are.
	Do not use alcohol or illegal drugs, such as cocaine, amphetamines, or heroin, to "self-treat" your symptoms
	Stop smoking. Smoking increases your risk for developing coronary artery disease. Your risk of developing depression if you have coronary artery disease is 3 times higher than the general population

Many cases of depression are successfully treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Most cases show great improvement after a couple of treatment. Depending on the condition and history, some patients need longer treatment in order to get rid of the root cause.

Acupuncture: Moving the stagnant Liver "Qi," (pronounced "chee") would be a basic need in treatment, along with restoring "spirit" and eliminating Phlegm. Acupuncture treatment would help to stimulate the Qi and therefore help one to break out from his/her depression. Treatment should continue on a weekly basis while he/she sorted out his/her problems.

Acupressure causes the body to release many therapeutic mood and health enhancing chemicals, it increases dopamine and serotonin and reduces the stress hormones adrenaline. It increases the relaxation alpha brain waves and also increases pain relieving levels of endorphins. It lowers noradrenaline and lowers the stress hormone ACTH (Adrenocorticotrophic hormone). It also boosts the immune system, stabilizes blood sugar levels, improves lung function and peak air flow.

	Acupuncture helps depression ...In a large-scale study by Harvard Medical School published in the New England Journal of Medicine, depression was among the most frequently-reported conditions, and one of the top five conditions for which people were more likely to seek alternative treatments...
	Treating Depression with Acupuncture ...A new pilot study by researchers at the University of Arizona confirmed that acupuncture is a promising treatment for major depression in women...
	Acupressure for Fatigue and Depression in End-Stage Renal Disease ...The study’s authors concluded that acupressure with massage could effectively improve fatigue and depression in people with end-stage renal disease, and that it should be considered when caring for this population...
	Can Chinese Herbs Help Clients with Depression? ...In Chinese medicine, depression is treated according to the presenting syndrome pattern. In the cases that we present below, we discuss these treatments individually...

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