Anxiety, Depression, Stress
Have you felt it? Every month many feel their emotions rising to the surface, and they cannot quite pinpoint what the reason might be. During this time of the month, hospital emergency rooms are at their busiest and the police force sees a rise in incidents, both routine and the strange and unusual. The time of the month I’m referring to is during the full moon. It shouldn’t seem strange really, that a force that is powerful enough to move the oceans and affect the tides should have an effect on the human psyche and behaviour. After all, our bodies are made up of 60% water.
For some, this time comes and goes every month with but minor effect. Others are more severely affected. In our society, especially our cities, there is a spirit of competitiveness, of overachieving. This causes most of us to try to take on much more than we are capable of. The weekend comes and the exhaustion of the week sets in. That many suffer from anxiety, depression, and stress is unsurprising—often it is underestimated how much this affects the body. Those who are more vulnerable will often find this time of the month hard to deal with.
Anxiety, depression, and stress impact many aspects of a person’s life. It can disturb personal relationships, lead to physical pain, cause migraines, disturb sleep patterns, and upset the digestive system. Some of these health issues can become chronic conditions that will have severe consequences on the sufferer’s life.
The ideal solution would be to avoid all stressful situations and events, but that is unfortunately not possible for most. This means that the best approach is to learn how to manage and control how we let stress affect us. There are many options for how to do this, and each of us will find what works best. Getting guidance from a counsellor or friend can help, as well as doing physical exercise such as yoga or Qigong. Breathing exercises and meditation can be extremely beneficial, as can making changes to the diet.
When seeking help, many will turn to Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture can calm the mind, focus the spirit, and balance negative energy. It is extremely effective in treating emotional disturbances, and helps reverse the negative effects. Acupuncture can help regulate the sleep cycle and get you back on track so you feel like you can stand up again to anything life throws at you.
The full moon should be appreciated for its beauty, as it appears in all its splendour. Let’s leave the fluctuations to the oceans!