Listen to this blog in less than 5 minutes below.
Listen to “Essential Oils for Mood Support” in about 8 minutes below.
We are going to take a brief pause from my article series vindicating the good name of essential oils for hormonal harmony. This week, I will discuss another important topic prompted by my most recent article series published in Natural Path, depression.
In Part I, I reviewed the dreary statistics of this most common mental disorder that is afflicting Americans. Due to a large majority of our nation fighting to alleviate the symptoms of low mood, many peoples’ quality of life is suffering. Loved ones, witnessing the struggle of a family member or friend, are also negatively impacted.
As the number of depressed adults increases, so does the number of prescriptions for mind-altering pharmaceuticals. The trickle-down effect of a drugged and sad nation is also impacting our youth at a rapid rate. It is now evident that the amount of young children suffering continues to rise and more are being medicated at earlier ages.
In the article, I state:
The fact that so many young people are suffering, and the resulting allegations on the disintegration of our family unit7 in this culture, as well as the controversy of this topic of a medicated youth on the political sphere in connection to mass shootings, are beyond the topic of this blog.8-12
What is focus of the articles is that a solution of aiming to numb away depression through a chemical cocktail of neurotransmitter tick-tack-toe does not seem to be making our nation happier:
With more people struggling with depression, and more young people being treated, one wonders why the medical community is blind to the importance of taking a broader perspective and digging deeper into the causes. It may be time to embrace the personalized and naturopathic medicine approach to consider each unique individual with specific variations in their biochemical makeup and influencing factors.
Although if properly prescribed, these drugs may help, it is evident that the “panacea in pill form” still has not been found.
This is probably because it does not exist.
In this series, I also examine two studies to demonstrate the pitfalls of manipulating biochemical pathways in the brain. The first article is reviewed in Part I. It reported on findings of a receptor for stress being elevated in those with major depression.
In Part II, I examined reviewed another recent study on depression that, similarly to the first, provided evidence that a pill for depression is probably not the answer to curing Americans’ poor mental health. In fact, it could cause more harm than good, especially for the heart.
Next, I provided a long list of factors that can impact brain health and on some of my favorite natural wellness tools for helping our brain achieve balance.
Can you guess my favorite?
Essential oils are one of my favorite tools for emotional support, due to their ability to impact physical, psychological, and biochemical effects simultaneously. Below are some articles that I have written that reviews some of the research on these topics (more can be found on my database):
- Eating, Exercise, and Essential Oils for Brain Health and Preventing Cognitive Decline
- A Quick Video Review of the Neurophysiology of Smell and the Brain
- How Essential Oils Impact Mood and Emotions (This link features an intriguing review on essential oils with Alzheimer’s patients.)
- The Many Uses of Essential Oils for Health
- Can Essential Oils Help Change Unwanted Behavior and Balance the Brain?
- Sesquiterpenes- a Long Word, a Cool Constituent in Essential Oils
Below are additional posts not listed in the articles. They also focus on addressing the impact of stress, hormones, and physiological factors implicated in brain health and how essential oils can support our mood:
- Essential Oils for Stress
- Essential Oils for Balancing Stress and Hormones
- Lavender on the Brain and Body Balance
Summary
A pill to treat a mental health problem is missing the mark because it is only treating the symptom and is based on a one-size-fits all approach. We need to look at the individual’s unique biochemistry, lifestyle, genetics, and the various factors that influence one’s mental functioning and resultant mood. Following this, we should address them, not just numb out the result.
Click here to read Part I.
Click here to read Part II.
I hope you take the time to review them and provide feedback and comments below.
In my Healing, Health, & Wellness blog, I continue this topic with more research on using essential oils for mood. Click here to read more.
Click here to read April 2018 Top Holistic and Integrative Health Reads.
Many blessings from my heart to yours!
This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. (Affiliation link.)
Disclaimer: This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.
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