Depression & Anxiety: The Benefits of Massage Therapy

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health concerns facing society. Both share similarities with one of the main differences being that a depressed person generally experiences low energy while anxiety produces high energy. Depression brings on  feelings of sadness, hopelessness and despair. A person loses enthusiasm for activities that normally would bring him or her pleasure, and often feels overwhelmed by simple day-to-day tasks and even in maintaining relationships. Symptoms may range from sleep disorders to thoughts of death or suicide. Statistics report that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men will suffer from depression at some point in their life. Almost 1.5 million Canadians fall victim to serious bouts of depression at any given time.

People may become depressed for a variety of reasons. While it frequently is related to a chemical imbalance in the brain, depression can also be seasonal (the winter blues) or situational: a life trauma one might experience, such as losing a job, domestic disturbances, or dealing with the death of a friend or loved one.

A person troubled with anxiety, on the other hand, experiences fear, panic or anxiousness in situations which normally would not warrant such a response, such as a simple trip to the corner store. The sufferer may experience sudden panic or anxiety attacks without any specific trigger and often lives in a state of constant fear or anxiousness. Extreme nervousness, rapid heartbeat and sweating are the most common symptoms.

Many people experience periods of anxiety as a reaction to stress and as such should not cause undue alarm. However, when episodes of anxiety become frequent, intense, and debilitating, leading to disruptions in one's lifestyle, where it becomes difficult even to leave one's home, it usually is classified as an anxiety disorder.

Psychological counselling and medications are most often prescribed for severe episodes, but alternative procedures have also been shown to provide excellent results.

Massage therapy has become recognized as an effective treatment for people suffering from mood disorders. Besides alleviating physical discomforts associated with depression and acute anxiety, massage also aids in combating symptoms of fatigue and assists in promoting sleep.

The professionals at Academy Massage are qualified to provide a program to a person coping with depression or anxiety to keep their body healthy as well as to help encourage and maintain an emotional balance. Academy's massage therapists are skilled and practiced in techniques that can help a person overcome those feelings of despair or panic. One of the benefits of massage therapy is its ability to enhance feelings of well-being. This is because massage releases both serotonin and endorphins that, working in conjunction, produce a calming and stabilizing effect, releasing tension and promoting relaxation.

However, Academy Massage strongly recommends if you are severely depressed or are having thoughts of suicide that you seek professional help prior to beginning massage treatments. For those who have situational depression or are dealing with stress and anxiety, massage therapy can be the proper treatment to keep your body and your mind at ease.