Depression is the most common of mood disorders.  It is estimated that nearly 30 million Americans suffer from the often-debilitating disease and it is, in fact, one of the 15 leading causes of disability in developed countries.  It is widely believed that depression may the body’s response to chronic and significant stress that seems insurmountable to most people.

While Western physicians are often quick to prescribe drugs, Eastern medicine, used alone or in combination with medication, can offer quick and lasting relief from depression.

The following signs describe someone who suffers from depression, with at least five of the symptoms lasting for at least 14 days:

• * Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
• * Markedly diminished interest in pleasure in almost all activities most of the day, every day
• * Significant weight loss or gain without dieting, or major changes in appetite or eating habits
• * Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
• * Anxiety or lack of desire to do anything
• * Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
• * Ongoing feelings of worthlessness, guilt, desperation and psychic pain
• * Inability to think or concentrate; indecisiveness daily
• * Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

While drugs have largely been effective in providing temporary relief from acute depression and can assist in the therapeutic process, the side effects are proving to be a severe downside to treatment.  In fact, one of the potential side effects is increased suicide risk in certain patients.  Most recent studies have shown that number to be increasingly higher in teenage patients taking antidepressants.  Another drawback is that the drugs often take up to six weeks to begin working.  [Read more…]