Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Eastern Medicine
I was not have a particularly great day on Monday, I was feeling alittle disappointed in myself and a little grouchy. But I had a massage scheduled that afternoon, yeah! I have to say that afterwards, I had a better out look on my day, that maybe it wasn't that bad. I was pondering to myself, thinking why isn't Eastern medicine incorporated into the treatment of chronic depression? Yoga, acupuncture, massage therapy they are all about healing your soul. Having a holistic approach and modern medicine would be the best of both worlds. I'm going to more research on this approach, if anyone has any information on this, please pass it on.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The Harvard Health Publications had a great article on yoga and its benefits on mental health (www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2009/April/Yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression). We've been learning all throughout the OTA program how biological, psychological and social factors all come together to affect the individual. Each plays a part and cannot be separated out on its own which is why we as OT practitioners have to take all of them into consideration when treating clients. Any change in one area affects the others so it makes sense that if you make the body feel good, a positive emotional response will follow and those you socialize with will benefit. That's why I keep exercising so I don't go crazy and beat my children.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you bring this up. Listened to a very interesting show on the People's Pharmacy (NPR) on the subject of depression. Stephen Ilardi has written this new book "The depression Cure: The 6 step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs". Apparently, from his research, the use of anti-depressants has skyrocket along side an increase in depression. Per research, anti-meds work in fewer than 50% of clinical diagnosed cases. Needless to say I was shocked as I have come round to believe in the power of drugs. According to the data, nearly 1/4 of the population (over 70million) wil have a major depressive episode in their lifetime. That is 10x higher than 2 years ago!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's interesting is his search for why? He is basically attributing this phenomena to lifestyle ie a disease of "modernity". Similar to the rise in obesity. He goes on to find out what about our current lifestyle compared to 100 years ago, is "toxic" or contributes biochemically to depression. One of his "6 steps" is exercise and engagement. Duhh you might think. But what seems interesting is how he looks at the change in lifestyle where that was normally a part of life and not now. Same with the kinds of food. I went on to Amazon, to peruse his book and it does not seem to be a new "fad" self-help book of tips. His steps seem well grounded in the physiological and biochemical rationale for success (which a drug could technically do) but even more, it's the wholistic nature of these activities he prescribes. ANd it fits so nicely into what OT is, looking at balance and the importance of all the occupational areas one engages. I can't say more because I haven't read it yet and only heard about 40 minutes of the show this am. But again, seems like very important information in dealing with depression and addresses some of the concepts Julie and honu45 are talking about.