Massage for Teenagers!

"Adolescence is one of the most difficult stages of our lives. During this dynamic period, we not only encounter awkward physical changes -- such as skin problems and weight issues -- but we also see a rise in the expectations we face from family and society, which brings emotional conflict. In fact, one-third of American teens claim they suffer daily from stress-related issues, including sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression. The other two-thirds say they feel stress-related symptoms at least once a week.

Teenagers in general have a tendency to shut down their emotions as a method of coping with the influx of change in their lives. They may also become irritable, angry, provocative, or resort to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. This stage is also extremely difficult on the parents, who must also come to terms with their teens, who are no longer children."

(Quote from Francoise Rapp, 2002. Internationally renowned aromatherapist and alchemist, Francoise Rapp, shares her expertise in using essential oils to heal and revitalize body and mind at http://www.aromalchemy.com.)

 

Depression Research
Massage & Music Therapy

Massage and music therapy helps depressed teenagers

Massage and music therapy can alter brain patterns and offer therapeutic help for patients suffering from anxiety and depression. There are a number of clinical research studies showing the benefits of both of these therapies, and this prompted researchers at Florida Atlantic University, USA to investigate exactly how and why these therapies work so well.

The researchers monitored brain activity in depressed teenagers. It is known that EEG asymmetry, specifically greater relative right frontal activation, is associated with negative emotions and depression, and examination of depressed adults invariably shows this phenomenon. The researchers therefore decided to assess the effects of massage therapy and music therapy on frontal EEG asymmetry in thirty depressed teenagers, all showing greater relative right frontal EEG activation and symptoms of depression.

Fourteen of the teenagers were given massage therapy or and sixteen were given music therapy. EEG levels were recorded for three-minute periods before, during, and after each therapy session.

The results revealed that the frontal EEG asymmetry was significantly improved both during and after the massage and music sessions. The study demonstrates that both massage therapy and music therapy have positive effects on brain activity in depressed teenagers and indicate that these therapies should be more closely reviewed for inclusion in conventional treatment programs.

Source: Adolescence 1999 Fall;34(135):529-34 . Massage and music therapies attenuate frontal EEG asymmetry in depressed adolescents. Jones NA, Field T

 

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