Category: Depression

Anxiety, Depression, Healthcare, Massage, nervous system, relaxation

The Healing Power of Massage for Mental Health

David Mercer

Sometimes the Body Carries What the Heart Can’t

Depression doesn’t just live in our thoughts—it often settles in the body. Heavy limbs, tight shoulders, sore backs, aching thighs… these aches can appear even without a clear injury. For many, this physical tension is a hidden symptom of depression.

The Mind-Body Connection

We all know the mind and body are deeply connected. When the mind feels lighter, the body often follows. And when the body feels cared for, the mind can lift in response. Paying attention to both is essential.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

How Massage Helps

Massage offers more than temporary relief. Gentle, intentional touch can:

  • Calm the nervous system
  • Release muscle tension
  • Support circulation and better sleep
  • Provide a moment of true rest

A Path to Healing

I’ve seen people discover that as their body unwinds, their mind often feels a little lighter too. Massage isn’t a cure for depression—but it can be a vital part of healing, helping the body let go of what the heart is carrying.

Let me know if you’d like to book some time for yourself.

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Anxiety, Depression, Massage, Mental Health, Mercer Massage

Depression and Anxiety: Massage Therapy Can Help

David Mercer

Pardon my crudeness, but are you tired of feeling like crap?

Over 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and more than 300 million live with anxiety disorders. To put that into perspective, one in ten people are living with depression, and nearly one in five are dealing with anxiety.

Depression isn’t just feeling a little down. It’s a condition that can make life seem joyless and hopeless. And severe anxiety isn’t just worry—it’s a gripping fear about everything that could go wrong.

Drive down your street and you’ll pass a home where someone silently struggles. They may sit on the edge of their bed, hugging themselves just to stay together, and rock back and forth, unable to move any further. And when someone calls to check on them, they may say they’re fine. But they’re not.

When I was a minister, I came to realize that encouragement—or worse, scolding—didn’t help much. But sitting quietly next to someone, offering a hand, a gentle touch on the shoulder–those things often made a difference.

Since changing professions, I’ve learned that massage therapy can be a powerful means of helping the body heal itself.

Research shows that massage increases serotonin and dopamine—those “feel-good” chemicals that help us cope. At the same time, it lowers cortisol and adrenaline, the stress hormones that flood our bodies when we’re in crisis. For people living with anxiety, that flood never seems to stop.

You’re not broken—and you’re not alone. If you’re tired of feeling this way, please call your doctor, talk to a counselor, and consider scheduling an appointment with me. You deserve to feel better.

Sources:

  1. NIMH – Major Depression
    https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
  2. ADAA – Facts & Statistics
    https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics
  3. NIMH – Mental Illness
    https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
  4. WHO – Depression
    https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
  5. Mayo Clinic Health System: Can Massage Relieve Symptoms of Anxiety and Stress? https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/massage-for-depression-anxiety-and-stress
  6. Massage Therapy for Psychiatric Disorders https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6519566/