Stress seems to be inevitable in our culture. Trying to balance work and family put a higher demand on all of us physically and emotionally. This high demand can leave us feeling depleted of our inner resources that ultimately can lead to depression. Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in our society. Approximately 12 million women in the United States experience depression with an estimated 19 million Americans annually. As many as 1 in every 33 children and 1 in 8 adolescents have depression. The signs and symptoms of depression vary, as well as the severity of the symptoms, from individual to individual. Common characteristics of depression include the following:

• Persistent sad or empty mood

• Feelings of hopelessness

• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness

• Loss of interest in hobbies or activities that were once enjoyed

• Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

• Decreased appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and weight gain

• Fatigue, decreased energy

• Thoughts of death or suicide

• Restlessness, irritability

• Difficulty concentrating

Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treat-ment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

For a clinical diagnosis these symptoms must be present for at least 2 weeks, the individual must have either a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities along with 5 of the remaining 9 symptoms.

Western medicine offers pharmacology and/or psychotherapy as its two main therapies in the treatment of depression. However, many patients terminate treatment prior to completion; the depression tends to reoccur, and many patients give up on the medications because of side effects. Oriental medicine offers an alternative for the treatment of depression. It has no side effects, it is preventive, and addresses both the mind and body of the individual thereby creating a treatment tailored to the individual.