What type of depressed are you?

Depression: a mental condition characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection, typically also with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, often accompanied by lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep.

In mainstream medicine there are 6 types of depression: clinical, chronic, atypical, manic, seasonal, and psychotic. Antidepressants are often the first treatment option prescribed yet they only effective in around one third of cases, and partially effective in another third. The other third of cases get no benefit at all.  

From a complementary therapist’s point of view, having seen many cases of depression come through my clinic door, there can never be a “one size fits all” treatment that cures depression. Every person is unique and what works for one person might not work for another. Inspired by a conversation with an acupuncture colleague of mine a few days ago, I thought it’d be useful to have another kind of diagnosis window for depression: one offered by the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water).  

There is so much good information on the web (I love google), but below I’ve summarised what I have found in my research as ways to help yourself at home if you are struggling with depression. Please note that this information is not meant to take the place of valued guidance from your healthcare practitioner.  It is merely additional resources to supplement you in your journey of depression.
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So what type of depressed are you and what can you do to help yourself, in addition to any current support you are getting?

Type of 
​Depression

​Symptoms

​Things that
​may help

WOOD ELEMENT DEPRESSION
- associated with Springtime
​& Gall badder & liver meridians 

Wood element depression usually has a great well of repressed anger, disappointment, and frustration brewing underneath the surface. You may suffer from temporal headaches or have a great deal of difficulty relaxing and being at ease.  You may find that you want to control everything and fall into depression when defeated.

​-Taking up yoga or meditation or tai chi
-Eating slowly
-Cutting out fat, greasy and spicy foods
-Cutting back on coffee and alcohol
-Basically, anything that really cools you out....

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FIRE ELEMENT DEPRESSION
- associated with 
Summertime
&​ the heart and small intestine meridians 

​Fire element depression most often has to do with relationships and "heartbreak." The depression is usually of a cyclical nature as you get over one heartbreak and then move on to the next, constantly disillusioned by matters of the heart.  You may suffer with anxiety, chest pains, vivid nightmares, and a lack of ability to feel joyous. It is likely that you have also lost the importance of the sense of self.

-Eating a low salt, natural food diet
-Quitting smoking
-Reducing alcohol consumption
-Getting regular and gentle exercise
-Introducing stress management techniques to help you relax
-Making fun as important to your well-being as work or anything else you do

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EARTH ELEMENT DEPRESSION
- associated with Late Summertime
& stomach and spleen meridians

​Earth Element depression is characterised by a sticky, cloying dampness, felt in the muscles. You will feel tired and heavy, and will either over indulge in food in order to fill the dark emptiness inside or you will have no appetite whatsover. Whichever form this take, there is usually a significant change in eating habits. In addition, you will feel little gratitude for the blessings in your life and you will likely sink into depression and become heavy and unmotivated.

​-Eating foods that have a mildly sweet flavour
-Balancing your devotion to relationships with solitude time
-Finding a way to help others in more hardship than yourself (for example volunteering in a soup kitchen)
-Getting out of the well-worn trails of your own mind by being in service of something bigger

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METAL ELEMENT DEPRESSION
- associated with Autumn
& lung and large intestine

​Metal Element depression is generally deep disabling long-term grief and sadness, with an inability to let go. Often these emotions can be repressed and manifest in unusual respiratory difficulties, asthmas, allergies and frequent upper respiratory infections.  You may sigh, cry and sob, and have no sense of boundary between yourself and others.  You are likely to feel the sufferance of the world, which is termed "weltschmerz'' (the German word meaning ‘a feeling of melancholy and world-weariness’). Your grieving may thus seem overwhelming and all-encompassing.

​-Avoiding mucous forming foods (dairy products, bananas, oranges and peanuts)
-Practising deep breathing exercises
-Eating more sour foods
-Practising gratitude on a daily basis
-Being spontaneous

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WATER ELEMENT DEPRESSION
- associated with Winter
& the bladder and kidney meridians

​Water Element depression is the most clinically significant and potentially dangerous type of elemental depression. This type of depression often runs in families and you may not have any insight whatsoever into why you are feeling depressed. You may become despondent and unable to do even the simplest of chores for yourself. This type of depression seems to reach down into the very core of your being and bring up many deep seated fears, such as fears of life and death. You may also fear leaving your home or have lost your sense of purpose in life.

-Practising self-acceptance (we all have fears)
-Learning the gentle art of witnessing self as opposed to judging self
-Taking time to listen to your body and recharge/replenish yourself
-Keeping a journal of your fears, thoughts, feelings and dreams
-Joining a community of like-minded individuals – risking softness and contact

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Many thanks to Sarah Attwell-Griffiths for inspiring me to research this! You can find out more about her at Corinium Acupuncture.