Depression, and depressive phases, can hit us anytime during our life, as early as 10 years of age or sometimes even earlier. They can come upon someone in times of extreme stress, financial crisis, oppression, and for others it may be triggered by hormonal fluctuations due to puberty, pregnancy, change of life, moving house/township/country, age, etc... Some people unfortunately suffer recurring and severe forms of depression throughout their life, which is unpleasant and restrictive, and also a debilitating and confounding illness which still today is not fully understood, or empathised with compassionately by the wider community. It is encouraging to see that there are more studies and further research being conducted into depression, the reasons why, and individual's disposition to, becoming entrenched in a cycle of depression.

Sad Face to Happy Face

The issue with synthetic medication as the only form of treatment for Depression is the ‘flipside' effect of the drugs. People who are clinically depressed can become grinning clown faces within a few hours of being given a pharmaceutical. And the emotions are ‘false'. They aren't derived from any real activity or natural brain chemical, but a pseudo chemical reaction meant to trick the Mind into believing that ‘everything is ok'. While that may be a literal blessing, and in some cases a necessary reprieve for a person who has been depressed for a long period of time, it may not be most people's way to live a life. This kind of medication brings with it problems like being responsible for one's actions, for making choices and decisions with a clear head, and for processing emotional situations in a mature and conscious way. Those things we adults all expect each other to do naturally.

Medication for treating depression can become addictive, with the psychotropic drugs being administered leaving side effects that most people would consider to be invasive to a healing process. One of the most widely reported side effects in adults is the loss of libido. Patients report that they feel ‘neutered', and depressed further by the lack of affectionate intimacy.

In both adults and children there is the reported loss of connection to other people, and the inability to truly trust the emotions the patient or client feel they are having. They are not sure if the emotion is synthetically derived, or a true, honest feeling of a particular emotion. Some of the heavier ‘relaxants' actually sedate the child, or adolescent, into submission, and they drift through the important learning phases of puberty in a kind of dream-world where real feelings are not being assessed and interactions are not being learned from.

This inhibits integral trust. Not only for the person and their own psyche, but also for those in relationships as well. When this happens within the Mind of a developing child, it inhibits natural learning processes and brings about a stunted emotional development, often culminating in heightened issues at, or just beyond, puberty. These children potentially do not possess the vast ‘library' of cognitive connections that their un-medicated peers may have.

Going natural, can it work for you?

Bach Flower Essences can offer a non-addictive, affordable and ongoing treatment, in conjunction with a program of therapy, for anyone suffering from mild or chronic depression. A person can start off gently, working with a few essence blends and some instruction first if they wish, and then move onto more intensive therapy when they feel they have established a connection and an understanding of the natural alternative available.

A simple starting point would be to ascertain the kind of depression manifesting. Is it long term? Or sudden? Is it chronic to the point where a person is unable to carry out normal, every-day life? Or does it visit in ‘bouts of depression' and a general malaise? All these questions can be answered to enable the best choice of essence for you to begin with.

For example, a person manifesting a kind of depression that ‘comes and goes', with intense periods of elated and enthusiastic episodes would be assisted by taking the essence of Mustard flower, which helps to re-balance the energy body, and in so doing, establish a more harmonious flow of emotional stability.

Depression caused by illness or injury may be helped with the use of Gorse, and Wild Rose, to encourage a sense of Hope and Enthusiasm in a future where the current health issues are resolved. There are in total 38 individual Bach Flower essences, and the five essence blend of Rescue Remedy, so there is a fair bit of help to choose from for any circumstance and to suit any personality.