Reiki practitioners and many medical professionals believe that reiki for depression is very effective. Some studies have shown that reiki may help to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, which may help to relieve the symptoms of depression. Reiki for depression probably works by helping to relieve stress, improve immunity, and reduce fatigue. Some believe that reiki offers depression sufferers a chance to heal from emotional wounds that may have caused the depression, or to experience a renewed sense of spirituality. Many practitioners of Reiki for depression believe that the therapy is most effective when combined with dietary changes, physical activity, and psychiatric treatment.
Studies on the efficacy of Reiki have shown that it can elevate external body temperature. Doctors believe that stress, fatigue, and anxiety cause increased blood flow to the internal organs, lowering external temperatures. Elevated external temperatures, therefore, are taken as a sign of relaxation and anxiety relief. In addition, people receiving Reiki have been found to salivate more, which could point to enhancements in immunity. Reiki may also help to lower blood pressure, another sign of physical relaxation.
People suffering from depression generally experience a number of physical and emotional symptoms, including anxiety, sleep problems,, and muscle tension. Emotional symptoms can include severe mood swings, feelings of despair or intense anger, weepiness and loss of interest in activities that were once found pleasurable. Many believe that Reiki for depression can be effective because it can help to relieve the physical symptoms of depression, such as muscle tension and anxiety. Reiki treatments in general may promote deep relaxation, which can help to improve sleep and feelings of fatigue. Improvement in the physical symptoms of depression may in turn help to bring about improvement in the emotional and psychological symptoms of the disease.
The practice of Reiki is believed to date back about 3,000 years to Tibet. In modern times, the discipline was renewed by a Japanese doctor born in 1885. His name was Dr. Mikao Usui, and his followers believe that he rediscovered the ancient practice while deep in meditation. Reiki is considered a form of energy healing, in which practitioners claim to draw on the life force of the universe to remove energy blockages in the body and promote healing. Practitioners typically do this by moving their hands over the patient's body, generally without touching.
