There Has To Be Another Way

As a pharmacist I saw literally thousands of patients doing the best they could. They knew life could be better. They knew they weren't feeling right, they didn't feel in flow with the world. They would go to the doctor be prescribed medication and doggedly pick up their prescription from me every month.

One Saturday morning I dispensed about only 45 scripts. It was a really quiet morning! But during this quiet time I was able to notice the emotional state of my patients. Of the 45 scripts dispensed, 42 were for antidepressants. 42!! These people were in varying states of enjoying their day, but there was not one person who was glowing with joy and life. Was this the answer they were searching for? There was not much I could do for them apart from a compassionate hello and have a great day as I handed over their scripts. This feeling of hopelessness followed me that weekend and haunted me for months.

After I sold my business, I worked as a locum pharmacist and the customers on the medicines designed to create an upswing in mood and vitality were generally seemed to be feeling the same. Generally 'meh'. One man in particular though, was quite chatty. As I handed him his antidepressants, I asked him how he was doing on them. He looked really puzzled and as he looked at the package of medication he realised that he had been on them for 8 years. I asked if he was feeling any different to when he started them and the reply was 'not really, no'. He shook his head and left the pharmacy.

I had to do more for these people. There must be another way that could be more effective.

This started me on the quest to find different ways to approach health. I have studied extensively how the body works and psychoneuroimmunology (how our thoughts and feelings affect our physical health). It has brought me to new learning of scientific evidence that challenges the ones that I had. I am excited at how we are now finding so much out about the body, and how these new findings link other sources of research together as well as explaining ancient wisdoms and esoteric teachings.

And the biggest statement that blew open my world:

The mind is embodied

Wow! That means our brain is connected to our body. Now this seems like a 'no brainer' - of course it is connected to our body! So what is the big deal about that statement?

This statement means that the body is influenced by the mind and the mind is influenced by the body. Further investigation into this showed me that 80% of the nerve messages whizzing around our body's go UP to the head. So only 20% of them are coming from the head! This explains how a racing heart can signal to us that there is something to be excited about. Or worried about. This explains how your body can alert you to thoughts. And because we get really good at thinking and we are in a logical head based world, we are often unaware of the feelings that occur first within the body and what they are telling us. This explains how the body is deeply associated in our overall health and mental health and sends us messages about our wellnessing. (Notice on the diagram how the arrows go both ways!)

I then found and experienced how the seemingly simple act of breathing in a balanced way can calm down our head based thoughts and bodily based feelings and sensations and emotions. By consciously controlling our breathing (being mindful about it) we can directly influence the diaphragm and heart rate, and a slower heart rate contributes to a calmer body and calmer mind to achieve wellness, the whole body must be taken into account. Happy hormones or dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin are produced in the gut. So an unhealthy gut will strongly contribute to a reduction of those hormones and ....depression. Add to that the other physiological events and habits that can be unconsciously developed and the realisation is - eureka!

The brain is not broken!

Could this mean that something you are doing is affecting your feelings and emotions? YES! What a relief it is to people to realise that their brains are not broken. It is therefore well within the capability of the individual to heal - with a little assistance and coaching.

I urge you to think about the measures you are taking towards wellness. Are there other ways to heal? Could you think differently to new ideas? Other sound theories that make sense to you? Are you game to change what you are doing? Do you need to search out new people to assist you?

I use techniques to assist those who feel depressed that involve the logical and creative mind and the physiology of the body to find the gutsy courage and compassion to create the better and more complete way to being in flow with the world and happier.

Create health, be active towards it. Don't settle for maintenance of non-health. You have been doing the best you knew how so far, yet there is another way to be happier.