Gemstones for Depression

Depression is serious business, whether it’s a short-term response to a current issue or a long-term medical issue. The mental, emotional and physical symptoms of depression can be debilitating. We all know the basics of how to cope: get plenty of healthy food and exercise, get enough sleep, find someone to talk to. Try journaling, meditation or other forms of personal spiritual practice. Consider seeing a doctor. Be kind to yourself. There’s no single right answer, and many of us utilize a combination of practices and tools to cope with, and move beyond, depression. One of the easiest to try is using metaphysically active gemstones. (They won’t interfere with medications, can’t hurt you and look amazing!) It turns out that there are lots of crystals and gems that can assist us in relieving and releasing depression. Let’s look at a few favorites:

Pink Sapphire: This precious heart chakra stone helps the wearer to heal emotional wounds and release emotional burdens. A stone of tranquility, pink sapphire relieves anxiety and overwhelm. Wearing it can help lift the sense of heaviness that depression brings into your life. In addition, it attracts to you all you need for your spiritual growth and development.

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Smoky Quartz: The ultimate grounding stone, smoky quartz moves excess energy and negativity out of your body in a gentle way, relieving anxiety and balancing the emotions. A stone of serenity, it calms, removes fear and assists one in finding acceptance for what is. This is a beautiful stone for those in the grieving process.

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Chalcedony: My personal favorite stone when I’m feeling challenged, chalcedony soothes the challenging symptoms of depression by dispelling irritability and reducing negativity in the wearer. Calming and nurturing in nature, chalcedony helps to naturally balance emotions and find the joy in life again.

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Carnelian: Especially good for mild cases of depression, carnelian helps the wearer return to the world of the living. Filling the body with vitality and energy, carnelian restores optimism and brings an awareness of the good things in life. It helps reduce feelings of inadequacy and strengthens feelings of confidence and self-worth.

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Tiger Eye: This protective stone shields the wearer from confrontations, difficult situations and the negativity of others. Tigers eye helps to get rid of unwanted emotions and obsessive thoughts, converting fear and anxiety into useful, practical behavior. It helps to break the painful cycle of internal negative thinking.

Check out the stone or stones that most call to you, and see if they make a difference — lifting your spirits, releasing old patterns and relieving the symptoms that have held you down.