Massage Therapy for Depression

According to a 1997 study from The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, the effects of music relaxation and massage therapy on job stress were significantly reduced.

What causes it?

There are a number of stressful issues that can trigger this illness:

• Serious medical problems
• Moving
• Death of someone close to you
• Certain medications
• Stress at home or work
• Abuse-verbal,physical, sexual or mental
• Family history
• Major life change - divorce, marriage, new job, lost a job, new baby, retiring, graduating children go off to college

How can massage help?

Sure massage makes you feel good, but can it affect your mood? Massage has been proven to decrease anxiety and stress hormones.

Massage is just one of many treatments that fall into the alternative remedies category. Although, there are no studies that prove that massage can actually treat this disease or decrease symptoms, many people report an overall feeling of well-being and peacefulness after massage.

Some people do report a decrease in the symptoms of mood swings and sadness. Perhaps, it is the feeling of doing something good for yourself. We have become so focused on taking care of everybody else that we don't take care of us, as if we are not worthy of the right to put ourselves first.

Committing to your health and well-being is extremely important.If you can't do something nice for yourself, sadness just might consume you.

Trusting Your Therapist

We know that massage reduces stress and provides relaxation, but studies show it can also help us to create a trusting relationship with a professional massage practitioner, thereby causing the body to release oxytocin, the "trust" hormone.

Trust is a rare thing to experience when you first meet someone. But, if you think about it, in a massage you can fall into a very deep sleep with someone you have never met before in your life. How can you trust someone that you just met to such an extent that you can sleep, and sleep deeply, in their presence?

Touch is a powerful thing. It is a gift that few people possess.

Who knows, massage might just be the key that researchers may one day attribute to a natural, alternative way to lessen the symptoms of this disease.

Aromatherapy has been used for centuries to help with moods. Certain scents tend to lift our spirits and make use less anxious. Among these are the essential oil fragrances of lemon, orange, rosemary, and eucalyptus - all tend to evoke a brighter outlook and a calmer spirit.

Always consult with your doctor if you feel that you have depression.

A depression forum can also be a great source of information and discovery.