7 Ways Reiki Therapy Helps Us Reduce Depression
About 400 million people across the world are diagnosed with depression at least once in their lifetime. But, not all get the right treatment to heal, and as a result, they suffer from low quality of life and other critical consequences. Reiki therapy is one of a few treatment methods that can be taken in conjunction with other medical treatment to fight against depression.
What Does Reiki Mean?
Reiki is a Japanese technique of elevating stress through a life force energy. The word Reiki stands for spiritually guided life force energy. The treatment involves purging of emotions, feelings, and thoughts for a relaxed and peaceful body capable of embracing happiness. The technique helps treat depression by targeting its symptoms and improving overall well-being.
Reducing Depression with Reiki Therapy
Here are seven ways by which Reiki helps in reducing depression:
1. Helps Reduce Anxiety
People participating in the Reiki session can experience different outcomes. The most common response, however, include a deep feeling of relaxation and peace. During a Reiki session, the body takes a journey from a sympathetic mode into a parasympathetic mode (relaxation response). The sensitive mode is the current state of a person, while the parasympathetic mode is the state of the body when it is incomplete rest. When feeling anxious, it is very typical to think around a subject without any concrete plan of thought of it. The Reiki session relaxes the tensed mind allowing you to let go of the anxiety and look at the situation from a much broader point of view.
2. Helps Reduce Stress
Reiki is a holistic system and a healing tool. It involves exercises to harmonize all the chakras of the body for a balanced mind, spirit, and emotions. Reiki has five main principles that help in eliminating stress from one’s life. These principles include:
- Do not worry about the present.
- Do not get angry over the present.
- Honestly earn your living.
- Respect your teachers, parents, and elders.
- Be grateful to others.
- Teaching the five principals of Reiki one can live a life free of stress.
3. Improves Quality of Life
People who have gone through some severe changes in their life find it difficult to live a quality life. The reason could be many including lack of motivation, low self-esteem, and lack of confidence. Various studies have found Reiki to be of great help in improving the quality of life of cancer patients in particular. Scientific research also states that Reiki instills confidence in cancer patients. Patients who participated in a Reiki session before undertaking chemotherapy had a positive attitude towards their disease and treatment. Their survival rate was also found to be higher than those who didn’t take part in Reiki therapy.
Advancement in medical science has helped doctors and researchers diagnose cancer in its initial stage. This diagnoses, although, has helped curb the menace of cancer, the disease still haunts many. In the US alone around 174,250 people were suspected of carrying leukemia cells in 2018. The fear of having cancer or the disease itself has also contributed to the higher rate of depression as people feel less confident and happy about their life as compared to cancer-free people.
4. Reduces Pain
Reiki is successful in treating pain just like physical therapy. A study conducted over a group of people who were planning to have surgery found that people who underwent Reiki therapy before the operation needed fewer painkillers as compared to those who didn’t avail Reiki therapy. Reiki therapy alone is not entirely helpful. It is important to note that for the best results both Reiki and medication are part of the plan.
The study, however, found that women due to undergo cesarean surgery experienced less pain as compared to others who didn’t receive the Reiki therapy. The patients who underwent Reiki also experienced fewer level of anxiety and controlled breathing rate.
5. Help Improve Memory & Behavior
A study conducted over patients with mild cognitive or elderly with Alzheimer’s disease found that Reiki has the potential to improve behavior and memory-related problem. Therapy can help people stay focused on life. People with poor memory or behavior problem are more likely to face specific social issues that may lead to depression in their respective life. Reiki therapy can be undertaken by such patients in conjunction with medical treatment to minimize problems related to memory loss.
6. Stimulate Healing and Growth
A broken heart needs more care than any other physical issue. A person going through depression goes through specific emotional changes and spectacular moments that may leave one broken. The therapy can come as a savior for those people trying to overcome certain aspects of their life often require emotional support. In the absence of support, they may experience specific spat of emotions that may leave them depressed.
The ability to instill people with confidence help promote growth. People undertaking Reiki are more likely to experience steady growth in their life while gracefully handling the struggles of life.
7. Helps Find Joy
Reiki helps us reconnect with our healthy energy. Connecting with the power reminds us of who we are and where we belong. It is one of the best ways to experience joy. The process rekindles energy that helps fight off blockages and obstacles in our route to happiness. Going through the Reiki treatment is one of the most amazing ways to reconnect with oneself and find the ultimate joy of life. People who take part in Reiki therapy almost every day learns to find comfort in the small things of life. It is a beautiful feeling to be happy with one.
Reiki Therapy Can Treat Depression
The Reiki therapy can help people to recover from depression by fighting off with its underlining symptoms. Depression is a state of mind when a person fails to accept the challenges of life and seek comfort in solace. Isolating one from others is not the right way to fight depression. Medical treatment together with therapies like Reiki should be considered to overcome it.