Mood Check

See where you fit on the continuum from happy and content to blue, all the way down to clinically depressed. (No one but you will be looking at the answers, so be honest!) Give yourself one point for each "yes" answer.

• Do you feel downhearted, blue, and sad?
• Do you feel worse in the morning?
• Do you have crying spells or often feel like crying?
• Do you have trouble falling asleep or sleeping through the night?
• Is your appetite poor, or are you losing weight without trying?
• Are you overeating and/or gaining weight?
• Do you feel unattractive and unlovable?
• Do you prefer to be alone?
• Do you feel fearful?
• Are you often tired and irritable?
• Is it an effort to do the things you used to do with ease?
• Do you feel hopeless about the future?
• Do you find it difficult to make decisions?
• Do you feel less enjoyment from activities that once gave you pleasure?

1-5: You are normal, usually able to roll with the punches.

6-10: You have a mild to moderate case of the blues. Read on to see how this can happen, and then, to the solutions.

11-14: You are moderately to markedly depressed. Consider seeking professional help.

If you were in the depressed range, you should start by consulting your physician or health practitioner to make sure there is no physical cause for your problems. Then, unless you are fortunate to have someone who does both, consult a psychotherapist and a natural medicine practitioner. A psychotherapist will deal with psychological issues, while a natural medicine practitioner will help to find any underlying chemical imbalance that might be causing the problem.

Learn about Natural Mood Lifters: Nature's Blues Busters