Depression

Tonight is a full moon. What an eventful week so far; first the equinox, the first day of autumn, and now a full moon. I always feel so comforted by a full moon. None of the traditional folklore about things going awry on a full moon bothers me. I feel it's the opposite- things are in full bloom, in harmony, at their peak during the full moon. I do believe that the moon's phases have an effect on us, as the moon affects the tides, so it affects our emotions. 

I want to talk today about depression. I suffer from schizoaffective disorder, which is characterized by a combination of psychosis and a mood disorder, either bipolar or major depression. In my case, it is major depression. I find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, and I have lost interest in things I once loved, like singing. And my writing has lost its creative edge.

I do not have health insurance, so I am self-treating my depression with herbs and exercise. I take 150 mg of St. John's Wort everyday, as well as 30 drops of Ashwagandha tincture. And I walk three miles every day. So far, while it has by no means cured my depression, this triple treatment has made it manageable. I honestly don't feel that the doctor's treatment worked any better. 

I have skimmed through the book, The Depression Cure by Stephen S. Ilardi. He advocates six steps to cure depression: Omega-3 fatty acids, engaging activity, physical exercise, sunlight exposure, social connection and enhanced sleep. I would recommend these steps to anyone suffering depression. I did not try all six of these steps, but I am trying the ones I can manage and I am pleased with the results. I get omega-3's every day from food. I don't have an engaging activity, but I get sunlight and exercise. There's no way for me to get much of a social connection where I live but I do text my friends and that's enough for me.

I also believe that drinking tea helps with depression and the anxiety that comes with it. Tea contains the amino acid l-theanine, which is said to reduce anxiety and create a feeling of relaxed alertness. I drink at least 24 oz. of tea a day, which isn't really enough to get a therapeutic amount of l-theanine, but I believe some is better than none. 

The ritual of tea, I believe, also helps. Today is my third day in a row drinking a nice, bold Assam. As Cowper said, tea is "the cup that cheers but not inebriates." I find it to be a welcome addition to my bag of tricks in fighting depression, and I recommend it to everyone.