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German scientists have identified an area of the brain that undergoes a change during episodes of anxiety and depression.

The chemical known as “corticotropin releasing factor” is a neurotransmitter involved in the stress response, particularly in regard to loss, grief, and depression.

It appears to be possible to counteract the effect of the corticotropin with drug therapy, which might, perhaps, be recommended for one who has recently lost a loved one.

I wonder, however, the value of denying the effects of this apparently organic function.  Excepting the most extreme cases of bereavement, it seems better to allow the brain its control over its chemical balances.

As it has been demonstrated that chemical variances can affect mood and cognition, two elements of our human psychology, it can be seen to follow that the experience of the mood is integral to the psychological heath and growth of the individual.  To use drug therapy as a way to avoid grief is short-sighted at best.

Is empathy, earned through experience, something we really need less of?

Perhaps better known as a grief process, the trauma cycle is a person’s way of coping with a life-changing event.  Although we often associate the word “trauma” with a negative, these events can also be positive: for example, a new job, moving to a new home, a wedding, or the birth of a child.

What all of these events have in common is dramatic change in a person’s life.  They also often share the same reactions following the event: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

It is not necessary for an individual to experience all five stages of a trauma cycle, nor will one necessarily experience them in the most common order.

What is necessary is that a person who experiences a life-changing event is given opportunity to also experience the cycle of coping, and allowed to grieve for a loss (even when the loss was desired, such as leaving an old job for a better one).

Endorphins are a class of hormone that produce good feelings and lessen pain.  Although there are many comestibles that can do the same things, nothing is better for your body than what it produces itself.

Two reliable ways of releasing endorphins are rocking and buzzing.

Rocking is a natural response to pain and distress, and the movement of the head encourages the release of these “happy hormones” into the brain and bloodstream.  A mother rocking her child, or a child that rocks hirself, are examples of this.

Creating a vibration in the skull will also release endorphins.  The meditative sound “om,” when properly made, buzzes the head in the right way to trigger this release.

Also, loud music with a heavy, rhythmic bassline – like that enjoyed by concertgoers and “rave” attendees – will also cause vibrations that release endorphins, which produces feelings of happiness, enjoyment, and well-being for those who experience it.