Dosing the Doldrums

It was the New Year and the fifth cloudy day in a row when I finally decided to give up looking for outdoor activities that demanded sunny weather. Instead, I called a good friend to suggest we hit the latest blockbuster movie.

When Tom answered the phone, I heard a very sullen “Hel-lo,” not his usual chipper response. I asked him what was wrong. “Just feeling a little under the weather,” he replied.

“Snap out of it,” I demanded, “It’s all in your head.” Most moods are, in fact, experienced in our heads, and often impact us physically. What actually influences mood? Well, it could be the weather!

Unfortunately, life cannot sustain a perpetually elevated mood. Neither the body nor the brain is wired for it. Once Christmas is over, and New Year’s celebrations have come and gone, it’s “back to reality.”

“So, doc? Tom asked, “Why is a happy mood, or even just contentment, so elusive?”

I told him that it’s the experience of evolving through changing moods, the calm in between, and the subconscious lessons extrapolated from the continuum that work to expand our capacities for happiness. At the occasional emotional hiccough in our lives where it seems we’re stuck in a rut, there’s nothing better than the indicated homeopathic medicine to help us out.

Grey Skies Can Cause the Blues

“I’m sure I’ve got SAD (seasonal affective disorder),” said Tom. “I love the sun. I get more miserable and gloomy the longer the sun stays away. In the deepest, darkest time of the winter I can slow right down, not wanting to do anything. Chocolate ice cream is my great source of comfort at those times–as are my friends. I feel temporarily better when the sun breaks through and when I can party with friends.”

“Well? I said. “You need some phosphorus at 30 C potency to blow away this cloud over your head.”

Other Mood Modifiers

Homeopathic medicines used for mood balancing can be very effective, but it is always advisable to seek a professional’s advice when selecting the right remedy for your condition.

Aurum metallicum can be used if you are experiencing a depression and loathing of life after having worked through the holidays and are aggravated mostly at night.

Arsenicum should be taken when you have deep-seated insecurities with restlessness and anxiety, extreme weakness, fear of being alone, and you are really chilly with frequent thirst for small quantities and a strong craving for bread.

Pulsatilla may be your best bet if you are emotional, overly sympathetic, and cry easily because of some underlying forsaken feeling. (Most symptoms you experience are related to hormonal fluctuations.)

Nat-mur is administered for extreme emotional vulnerability leading to introversion. It is a great remedy for symptoms of ailments from grief and an intense craving for salt.

So I told Tom that to maintain a healthy mood, it is also important to maintain a healthy diet with lots of dark green vegetables, nuts and seeds, and mangoes. In addition, supplement with a good vitamin B complex (high in B₆, B₁₂, and folic acid), magnesium, and omega-3 essential fatty acids.