| Depression is a crippling disorder and a frightening | | | | remedy. |
| one for the individual and his/her family. I recently | | | | In Eastern medicine, specifically Chinese medicine, |
| read a book, The Closet Depressionist by Robert | | | | Dr. Henry Zhen-Hong Lee explains that depression |
| Sisti, which clearly conveys the demons that | | | | comes from low energy in the kidneys and heart. |
| depression can conjure up. While I wouldn't | | | | There is also low energy and an imbalance in the |
| recommend this book for casual reading or for | | | | neuro-transmitters. Chinese medicine attacks the |
| the young, if you want a glimpse into depression, | | | | root cause of the illness with acupuncture focused |
| this will give it. Here is a tidbit from his poem, The | | | | on the problematic organs and with individually |
| Gift of Insomnia: "A beaten man, time feels still. | | | | designed herbs. This treatment increases and |
| Days are longer, crawl to my fill. Can't eat, can't | | | | normalizes the low energy to the kidneys and |
| sleep, wrinkles grow under my eyes. Daily | | | | heart and evens out the balance in the |
| emotional breakdowns are my demise. Fallen | | | | neuro-transmitters. The treatment should produce |
| deeper onto this path, a life is gone." This depicts | | | | effective results within two to three months. |
| the overwhelming sense of despair that | | | | Once the body is regulated, the acupuncture and |
| depression can cause. | | | | herbs are no longer needed. |
| When I struggled with anxiety I heard, "Pull | | | | He goes on to clarify that as with any type of |
| yourself out of it; go for a walk, you'll feel better." | | | | medicine, different practitioners have different |
| I'm sure the same is true for the depressed | | | | views on causes and methods of treatments. |
| person. Unfortunately, depressed people, just like | | | | Through years of study and practice Dr. Lee has |
| those suffering from anxiety, cannot will | | | | devised his own unique understanding of this |
| themselves well. According to the University | | | | illness. When asked what his depressed patients |
| Health Services, Tang Center, "Cinical depression is | | | | can do at home to help themselves he advises |
| a serious illness that lasts for weeks, months and | | | | the single most important thing to do is to avoid |
| sometimes years." | | | | junk food and processed foods. Along with this, |
| The three most common forms of depression | | | | he recommends: eat healthy (natural and organic |
| are: major depression, dysthymia (a lesser form | | | | foods), do breathing exercises, and mediate. Dr. |
| of depression), and bipolar disorder (also known as | | | | Lee is a NYS Licensed Acupuncturist and an |
| manic-depressive). According to research it is has | | | | NCCA DPL. Herbalist. He also has degrees in |
| not been determined if depression has a biological | | | | Eastern medicine from Traditional Chinese Medical |
| component to it or the depression causes | | | | College, and in Western medicine from the Beijing |
| biological changes. But, either way it is treated | | | | Medical College. |
| with anti-depressants to rebalance the chemical | | | | If you or someone you know is suffering from |
| imbalance. Anti-depressants along with some form | | | | depression you should consult a doctor. |
| of therapy is the standard Western medical | | | | |