Depression can be a crippling state, so it is important to seek help if you are suffering from it. But how do you tell if you are suffering from depression? And what can you do about it?

• What depression is
• Common signs of depression
• Natural treatment options for depression

Vitalchi's natural therapists can help you deal with depression with Kinesiology, Naturopathy, NLP, and/or Counselling. If you feel in need of help, please contact us.

Depression is more than having an 'off day' or feeling 'a little down'. Depression is characterised by long periods of feeling as though life consists of nothing but misery and sadness, and a heaviness that you just cannot get rid of.

People experiencing depression often find it impossible to feel good - even when there are sound, rational reasons for feeling good. Often they will recognise this, yet feel powerless to change how they feel. This can exacerbate feelings of depression because they know they 'should' feel fine, but simply cannot.

• Feel like a black cloud of despair and heaviness has come over your life
• Constantly feel tired
• Find it hard to concentrate
• Lack motivation to carry out day to day activities normally considered enjoyable
• Have a feeling of emptiness inside, like something is missing but you can't place what it is
• Find it hard to laugh or smile at things and situations that other people do
• Feel a mixture of anger, fear, anxiety, despair, guilt, helplessness
• Have lost interest in pleasurable activities

When depression takes hold it can cripple a person's ability to enjoy life, and create a downward spiral that affects all facets of someone's life.

• Lack of energy to participate in regular activities
• 'Shrinking' the scope of their life
• Minimising contact with others and the 'outside world'
• Getting 'stuck' in an alternating cycle of depression and anger/frustration

Generally, a healthy happy person will avoid sustained periods of depression. However, with all the stresses, strains and responsibilities of our modern lives and relationships, it is not surprising that many people struggle with depression.

If you or someone you care about is worried about depression, it is really important to get some effective help. There is no weakness in asking for help for depression, and it's a very positive move towards feeling good about life once again.

If you have any of the signs of depression, Vitalchi's caring natural therapists can offer a range of treatment options. Depression can be addressed with kinesiology, naturopathy and/or counselling. You can make an appointment with a therapist on our website.

Kinesiology works from the guiding principle that when the body is well balanced physically, mentally and emotionally, then health and emotional happiness will flourish. Chronic imbalances or unresolved stresses can create long term feelings of depression, despair and sadness.

To help treat depression, kinesiology seeks to identigy where the 'imbalances' are, and uses a variety of techniques to bring things back into balance, or harmony. Your body can then create stability and balance, free of depression.

Treatment time varies among individuals, but virtually everyone sees improvement right from the first session.

Read more about Kinesiology, or make a kinesiology appointment to help with depression.

Depression can be linked to specific nutritional and biochemical imbalances, which naturopathy is excellent for treating. Vitalchi naturopaths use advanced pathology testing that helps to accurately find the cause of your depression, which they can then develop personalised treatments for.

Naturopathy is a wonderful natural therapy for depression and offers the benefit of avoiding pharmaceutical medications - so you can work towards becoming depression free without drugs. Your naturopath will tailor a specific treatment to help your body to produce its own natural pharmacy of feel good hormones and neurotransmitters.

Find out more about naturopathy here, make an appointment to see a naturopath about your depression.

If you are suffering from depression, counselling or NLP practitioner can be like a 'lifesaver'. A trained professional counsellor / NLP practitioner offers more than simply 'someone to talk to'. They are trained to help you to understand your depression, why it's happening, and help you to find a way through it. You will receive quality, honest advice. It may not always be what you want to hear, but it will be what you need to hear. Talking about your depression is often the first and greatest step towards managing and overcoming it.

Please make an appointment here.

If depression is making your life difficult, come and see us. Vitalchi's natural therapists offer kinesiology, naturopathy and counselling to help you overcome depression. Our clinic in Blackburn, Melbourne, is open six days a week. You can make an appointment online , email us, or phone us on (03) 9894-0014.

Let us help you feel better.