With the change of seasons comes the joy of watching the colors change on the trees, the bliss of the cooler, more comfortable weather, and the beginning of football season. However, this time of year is not always a happy time because we also have shorter days of sunlight and the stress of the upcoming holidays.

These conditions can, and often do, lead some people into a state of Seasonal Depressive Disorder (SAD).

If you have never experienced this type of depression, you may have a difficult time empathizing with a sufferer of SAD. If you do suffer with this type of depression, or any of the other forms of depression, I do have good news for you.

It has been well documented through the years that alternative medicine can be very helpful in treating your SADness.

For example, a case study published on February 13, 2012 in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documents the case of a man helped with chiropractic who was previously suffering from Major Depressive Disorder and other issues.

His history showed that his first major depressive episode occurred when he was 17 years old. He showed a loss of interest in pleasure in almost all activities, and suffered severe weight loss. Four years after his initial episode, he was diagnosed with MDD. Over the next several years, multiple medications were used which did not help the situation, and created additional health issues.

Care was initiated using specific chiropractic adjustments over a regular period of time. The patient showed progressive improvement. A little over a year after starting care the patient reported a marked resolution of all depressive symptoms on the subjective depression scale.

The authors reported that the man regained his ability to, “…interact and communicate, which he was unable to do effectively when he first began care.” It was also noted that he was able to discontinue all medications and he even quit smoking after having smoked two packs per day for ten years.

In their conclusion the authors commented on the positive improvement that the patient had made under chiropractic care by stating, “This case of a 28-year-old male with MDD was a good example of a case that did not respond well to traditional medical care.”

The authors continued noting the improvement with chiropractic care by adding, “The patient also experienced an improved quality of life as demonstrated by resolution of all depression symptoms, cessation of smoking, improvement in his diet and exercise regimen, and an overall sense of well-being.”

At Stanly Wellness Center, we incorporate various forms of alternative and natural treatments to help people suffering from the many forms of depression including Chiropractic care, Nutritional counseling, Cellular Detoxification, and exercise therapy just to name a few.

If you feel that you or someone close to you may be suffering from a form of depression, below are some of the symptoms to be aware of:

• Depressed mood
• Reduced interest or pleasure in activities previously enjoyed, loss of sexual desire
• Unintentional weight loss (without dieting) or low appetite
• Insomnia (difficulty sleeping) or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
• Psychomotor agitation (for example, restlessness, pacing up and down), or psychomotor retardation (slowed movements and speech)
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Worsened ability to think, concentrate, or make decisions
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or attempt at suicide
Other features may be noted by doctors, friends, or relatives:
• Appearing miserable, tearful eyes, furrowed brows, down-turned corners of the mouth
• Slumped posture, lack of eye contact and facial expression
• Little body movement, and speech changes (for example, soft voice, use of monosyllabic words)
• Gloomy, pessimistic, humorless, passive, lethargic, introverted, hypercritical of self and others, complaining

The take home message is that depression is a treatable mental illness. Call us at 980-355-7600 to see how we can help you with an all natural approach to healing without any of the negative side effects often associated and experienced with pharmaceuticals.