While it is normal to feel less energetic and active during the winter months, depression is another story entirely. If you are experiencing a lot of emotional distress, or fatigue that makes it difficult to function, you need some extra support!
Some people notice increased fatigue and depression every year during the darker months. This may indicate seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, which often responds very well to light therapy. For more information, go to www.cet.org, the website of the Center for Environmental Therapeutics.
Whether depression is seasonal or not, Chinese Medicine can be very helpful in easing both the symptoms and their underlying causes. If this is a harder time of year for you, you might consider having more regular acupuncture for a while, or adding a Chinese herbal formula to your self-care plan. The combination of acupuncture and herbs is usually most effective, bringing faster and more sustained relief than either alone.
Herbal formulas for depression are individually tailored to the type of symptoms you are experiencing, as well as your overall constitution. They can be safely used along with pharmaceutical antidepressants, since they target the underlying pattern rather than the symptom of depression itself. And, since Chinese medicine helps balance the system as a whole, people often find that physical symptoms, such as digestive problems or headaches, also improve.
I can also provide you with diet, lifestyle, and self-massage suggestions to support your acupuncture and herbal treatment. See the post on nurturing yourself through the winter for some suggestions to start with!