Acupressure for depression?

[Ant]

A close friend of mine has quite debilitating depression and anxiety, and I can't see him having the discipline to stand up and do Qigong , or even go and visit an acupuncturist. He used various drugs for a long time, particularly codeine, which I'm sure has done no favors to his liver and liver energy. Can anyone recommend a powerful acupressure point (or a few) that he could massage to start moving his energy? I figure it's something he can do while watching TV etc and is thus a more realistic option for him right now. Much appreciated! Also if you have dietary advice or other ideas, I'm all ears. 

[Aetherous]

It's a little challenging to say. He needs a diagnosis first, and that has to be done with a practitioner in person. There are different types of depression, and different causes, in East Asian Medicine...so it follows that there are different acu-points for the different types of depression. There isn't so much of a point that always treats it for everyone.

In my experience, doing acupressure points are so much more work than simply receiving acupuncture. He would have a much better time just going to see a professional. Inexpensive treatments can be found if you look up "community style acupuncture" in your city. It's so much more effective to get an actual treatment...really.

As for what someone could do on their own...I think they could simply put their hand on the top of their head, or on the point between their eyebrows, on the point between the nipples (for men) or basically the center of the chest, and the area between the navel and where pubic hair ends. One at a time, which ever hand you want...just watch tv or whatever while having the hand there. These are all areas that I think can impact depression in different ways (for example...top of head for liver qi stagnation, heart area for heart yang deficiency, below navel for kidney yang deficiency...these patterns are potential causes for depression...brow area helps with focus and clarity). If you do one and it feels like it's helping, that one is what's needed more and it'd be good to do it for longer. I prefer this laying on of hands rather than massage, because it opens up the area just fine and sometimes vigorous self massage can close the areas rather than opening them.

I wouldn't expect someone to suddenly get better just from doing that, but who knows what results they might get. Depression is a mental emotional issue, so the best strategy would be also seeing a professional who deals with those things in addition to the acupuncturist...such as a counselor, psychologist, etc.

What I've said isn't medical advice. Seek out licensed practitioners.

[Fa Xin]

Your heart is in the right place, but many times people will not get better unless they want to. To say “he’s not disciplined enough to stand up and do Qigong”,  tells me that even if you gave him a magical point to press, he would still be in his own way. 

 

You may affect him more with your presence alone - going to sit and talk with him for a few hours a week, holding the space for him and listening. I’m sure you do this already. But a positive influence is huge. 

 

And like Aetherous said, a counselor or doctor would be the best bet... depression can be a big thing 

Edited September 11, 2018 by Fa Xin

[Ant]

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Edited September 16, 2018 by Ant
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[s1va]

Restorative yoga may be another thing to look at.  Many of the poses in restorative yoga are done with props in sitting or even positions lying down just to channel the flow of energy.  For debilitating depression like the one you describe, these type of things like acupressure or restorative yoga may not do much. 

 

I have read that some psychedelic drugs like magic mushrooms have major breakthrough effects in such types of debilitating depression with just one time use sometimes.  There are also some research that state these help with addiction to substances also.  Ketamine is another substance that is in news in the recent times to treat severe and treatment resistant depression.

 

(Note: I have not tried magic mushrooms and cannot personally vouch for its efficacy or safety.  Just passing on some information that I came across that might help.  There is always the possibility some might get addicted or become dependant to these psychedelic substances)

 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320636.php

[Ant]

Thanks S1va, yeah my friend has had  a history with drugs so I don't really see that as the way for him. 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Ant

[Zen Pig]

Great questions.  from my personal experience,  acupuncture for depression or even manic depression, (bi polar) can be treated, and can be controlled by a competent acupuncturist.  I have a family member who was diagnosed with bi-polar condition, and our acupuncturist was great. for one thing, mental conditions do not have the stigma in eastern medicine that they do in western medicine.  in eastern medicine, it is only seen as chi being blocked,  and with good treatment and some herbal medicine,  this condition was completely controlled.   not saying that in every instance it can be controlled, but my family member was diagnosed as being bi-polar and the doctors attempted to give her Lamotrigine which makes one a zombie.  now days she is working full time,   engaged in life.  she goes back to our acupuncturist about twice a month,  but the cost of that is less than the co-pay to a western doctor, and the co-pay on the drug  .  (note, i am not anti-western medicine. it has a place, and is needed. I only wish that our country would merge both eastern medicine that has been around for thousands of years, with western medicine, but big pharma is likely not going to let that happen anytime soon)  

[Everything]

There is nothing that you can do for him except offer the option of the state of being wherein the healing is already done. So just be yourself as Fa Xin said, and offer your presence. And just allow them to go through it, and your presence is benefit enough. I have a feeling he can love you and already does. I have a feeling your friend did not give up on life without a good reason. So sort of honor his choice and at the same time, also allow yourself to wish a better experience for him, but realize, at the same time, that that has nothing to do with who it is they really are. Who it is they really are is perfect in every moment. And they are also perfect in this moment. Even in their despair. It is all part of a perfect plan. Of some sorts. It is all part of a greater whole. He is part of the greater of all that exists. And allow him to understand how valuable he has been and always will be.

 

For me, that was enough, to accept my life, without the need to end it. To just allow my life to unfold, and just let it end in its perfect timing. Even tho it may not have been everything I wanted it to be. But I also understand that the death experience may not necessarily have to be that which I think it is. I could very easily acknowledge that I could die right now, while still remaining in my physical body. Even enjoy it for a while. If I wish. I decided to slowly leave this physical body. With full joy, and love, and appreciation, for everyone in my life, and giving the absolute best of my self to everyone, as good as I know how, before I allow all of it to come to an ultimate conclusion and departure.

 

And also for me I really value the space I've been given, most of all. To just be with myself. In rest. I think your friend would also find great comfort in that. And there's really no need to rush any of it. Really enjoy all the perfect timing of everything. And know everything has it's perfect timing. Really, be relaxed about all of this. Don't try so hard. You know it just keep backfiring. So just go as easy about it as possible.

 

See, I think you friend, is done. He's had enough life experience to help him know, he's done with all the drama. So just be completely present with him, meditate if you wish, and focus on him softly as you meditate. You may even find you will laugh together. But if there's anything that feels bad, I think your friend will shut down. I was that way too. I only responded to things that felt good. And if anything, even the slightest thing went wrong, I shut down again and it would take a long time to turn on again. It's like that trust thing. If everything goes bad in your life, at some point you shut down. And only if things keep going well, you open up again.

 

So I sort of wanted to go deep inside, exclude myself, move away from humans. Sort of wanted to be a baby. Supported by nature. To be free to just be. To just sit. Anywhere. And allow the best of life to come to me, or not. And if it didn't. Then I would go away from that place. And hopefully not get so depressed that I'd just want to end my own life, cause that's not fun either. 

 

But one thing I hated is people wanting things from me. Or needing me to do something. Or be different some how  some way. As if the entire universe not allowing me to be who it is I really wanna be is not enough.... Now I have to also let the universe to take from me... I'd say to that "Boy, give me salt and pepper. I want you to have a good meal now! Hold on... Just one moment." *poor salt and pepper on myself* and *jumps out of the window*

FREEEEDDDOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!! xD

Edited September 25, 2018 by Everything

[Ant]

Thanks for the replies : ) Appreciated.. 

[dosa]

It is highly likely that This whole kind of thing is spiritual matters. 

[Everything]

Yeah totally, take it easy.

You're already doing great.

I'm pretty sure he's doing the best he can.

And sometimes you may find that if you relax and try less, you suddenly find yourself forgetting that you're suddenly achieving so much more. In terms of health, take it easy, just thinking about well-being can be the spark that will allow for that well-being.

So no need to poke on all the specifics of life and all the details of physical 10 thousand things, as marblehead always calls it. Let the 10 thousand things be, and find the well-being that you seek within, inside of you. You can feel the well-being, and you can allow the circumstances of life to show it to you if you wish, even your memory or imagination.

Cause if you feel that well-being, of the wonderful nature around you, of trees and birds and insects all flying around and emmiting all that fresh oxigen and the fresh smell of nature and the comfort of the stable trees as birds sit on them, why not look at those things and feel the well-being. But don't try to "Do" do the not doing, wei wu wei. You know, you can achieve everything if you allow yourself to do nothing. It really is that way. So you allow the already well-being that you can see easily. Because the ease is also part of that well-being. The birds don't try to create trees, and be like "Ok everyone, take allthe wood and build some new trees, so that we can sit on them." That's the mode of trying, that can get you depressed.

So take it easy, and look at the well-being, where you can see it. In your own heart. You can feel it. And then you don't need to see it, because you can feel it. And then, you just allow yourself to see it, because once you can feel it, then you can also begin to see it. And once you see it, the rest comes easily and naturally. You know that love you already offer your friend is all part of that well-being. And so everything you are and he is is perfect. And even appreciate the comfort of the bed, and the comfort of his breath. How the breath relaxes him and heals him. And how his body knows exactly how to heal himself. And how that distraction from TV may even help him to let go of thought patterns of great resistance, and then the compressing emotions of depression can be eleveated in that. 

Everything can be a part of the healing. And it's not even part of the healing, it's part of the already well-being. The natural instinct to want to feel better. Opening the tv, and feeling relief, of distraction from all the negative stories he has on his life. So he feels distracted then relief, and then feels better, and then feeling better, more is capable. 

I remember when I was really depressed, I used to watch Ultimate Fighting Champion, cause it's a very sort of angry vibration, and at the same time, a very fun and inspiring thing to see how people have so much passion for what they do, and the whole show of being challenged and taking on those challenges and in the end always seeing how the fighters earn respect for eachother.

And sort of going in that natural mode of transforming the depression, that these fighters know how to do so well. That fighting for your life, but also understanding that it doesn't have to be real, it can also just be about the experience. You know you're not really gonna die, so you allow yourself the experience and you find so much value in it. And ofcourse, when that phase of your life is over you can then again move to again more and even better things. And then you will enjoy life so much, you look back, and think, hmm, I have no need to watch that show at all! But I remember I enjoyed it so much back then... I guess it must've really served me. So you begin to understand life how everything has a purpose and how everything can be of service. So you allow all of life to be perfect as it is. And enjoy your natural journey of eternally to unfold naturally, easily and effortlessly. As it has always already been doing so.

And how people find the relief from heavy and painful and agonizing emotions, doesn't matter. For there is always value in every feeling of relief, that outweighs the relevance of whatever the excuse they used to allow themselves to find and feel the relief from any painful emotion.

Edited September 27, 2018 by Everything