The number of people dealing with at least some level of depression in this country has been rising for a number of years. It seems that the more technological and fast paced we become the harder dealing with the ins and outs of everyday life can before a large percentage of the population. The most common treatment for depression today is for a doctor to hand out prescription antidepressants almost like candy. Unlike taking part in Tai Chi for depression therapy, this cornucopia of pills does nothing but mask the symptoms.
Thus begins what in many cases is destined to become a vicious and often endless cycle as the patient first comes to rely on these pills to control their depression and then requires stronger and yet stronger doses to continue to be able to cope with it. Not only can a person become literally addicted to their antidepressants, but many of them have a large number of side effects, some of which can be very unpleasant.
The only side effects of using Tai Chi are decreased levels of depression along with increased feelings of inner peace, more self-confidence and in most cases far better overall physical health. As far as anyone has ever been able to determine, there are no known bad side effects of using Tai Chi for depression relief unless you count becoming addicted to attending regular classes and continuing to practice everywhere you go from the living room to standing in front of your desk at work.
Stress is considered to be a leading cause of depression in our society and when you stop to consider the frenetic pace of life that most of us have to live with, it is no wonder that the number of depressed people is continuing to rise. However, one of the main tenets of Tai Chi for depression is learning how to focus your mind and allow it to become calm and peaceful. It takes a high level of concentration to be able to accurately perform the various forms in Tai Chi, ultimately this is a form of “walking meditation” and you must be able to clear your mind of all outside influences before you can master the forms.
Achieving mastery of Tai Chi for depression is a long term process that involves a number of milestones. As you reach each milestone, you should feel a sense of accomplishment. This sense of reaching your goal will build both self-confidence and self-esteem that may have been missing in your life. As these very important benchmark feelings in your life are reached, they can help you to recover from the depression you have been living with so that you can go on to lead a very successful life.
Keep in mind that if you have been diagnosed as suffering from clinical depression and are on medications, while Tai Chi can help, you should never stop taking your medication without consulting your physician.
