@aliali Thanks Ginger for inviting me to respond alili a massage is very relaxing to the body and does make you feel better but probably a scalp massage would be beneficial also then you can follow up yourself with positive thoughts by going for a walk and meditating in quiet in the woods or by the sea wherever you like

@gingerw @aliali I go for occasional massages, my husband goes about monthly. I never thought of them helping with depression but it makes sense. I think we all allow ourselves certain indulgences though, and massage is not one I generally do indulge in. I love it when my hairdresser shampoos me though, he gives a fabulous scalp massage. If I could have him wash my hair every morning I would probably just float through the day.
For a long time I would only go to women masseuses but then I ended up with no choice a couple of times and had a man. I was very surprised to discover that they were great and I liked both of them a lot.
JK

Hi @aliali - I see you have already gotten lots of good input on massage. Here are a couple of links that may interest you. One discusses the benefits of massage and another discusses some of the ways Mayo Clinic is studying the efficacy of massage therapy:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/massage/art-20045743
https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/integrative-medicine-health-research/research-studies/massage-manual-therapy-studies?_ga=2.150719731.454375953.1558915743-1531702906.1512411564
I think there are definitely benefits. I would just encourage you to make sure you check out the practitioner to make sure you have a reputable professional. Or - do you already have a masseuse you trust?