7 Natural Ways to Alleviate Depression
Without Turning to Drugs.
Do you have a depressive disorder? Have you heard about all of the drugs’ adverse effects and
are hesitant to take them? Do you think you’re depressed but don’t think it’s severe enough to
warrant taking medication?
We’ll go through the 7 natural ways to manage depression without using medication in today’s
article. We’ll go through some basic, safe, and natural things you can do to help with depression treatment.
When you’re dealing with mild to moderate depression, these tips will come in handy. They’re
not meant to replace your present treatment, and you shouldn’t stop taking any medications
until your doctor says so.
So hopefully you were able to see your doctor and receive a positive diagnosis. If you are
experiencing serious symptoms such as suicide or homicidal thoughts, you should seek help
immediately. Talk to your friends and family, your doctor, or go to the emergency room. You can also call the national suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
Remember, there is assistance available. So you’ve talked to your doctor and determined that
medicine isn’t good for you, or you’re currently taking medication and want to learn more about how to reduce your reliance on it.
What are your options?
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
So, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is the first non-pharmaceutical alternative that I
advocate for treating depression. This has been extensively researched and has been shown to
be just as effective as medicine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression.
CBT is often delivered by a therapist, such as a psychologist or a registered clinical social
worker. A CBT therapist can assist you in identifying negative thoughts and determining how
they are affecting your mental health. Negative thoughts can have a genuine impact on the
chemicals in your brain that control your sense of well-being, such as serotonin, nor
epinephrine, and dopamine.
A qualified therapist has demonstrated to be quite useful in treating depression by helping us
understand our negative thoughts and developing techniques to change them. However, I’ve
discovered that many of patients are hesitant to participate in therapy. They believe that going
carries a negative connotation.
But what I tell them is that I think of it as “brain physical therapy.” When your knee is injured,
you wouldn’t think twice about seeing a physical therapist and learning exercises to help your
knee heal. We wouldn’t think of such person as feeble; instead, we perceive them as intelligent
and in charge of their health.
Going to a mental health therapist is the same thing. Sometimes all it takes is learning a few
solid mental exercises to get your brain back in shape. So don’t underestimate the value of a
good therapist. They have the potential to be extremely beneficial in the treatment of
depression.
2. Exercise The second thing I recommend is a word that is frequently used as a derogatory term in several of our dictionaries.
That’s the “E” word, which stands for “Exercise.”
Yes, you heard me correctly. Exercise has been shown to be particularly useful in the treatment
of depression. Both high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise have been shown to be
useful in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in studies.
When runners talked about getting a “runners high,” I used to think they were insane. I still
believe they’re insane, but there is a chemical release in the brain that can improve mood.
Moderate exercise has been proven to release chemicals that help nerves grow and form new
connections in the brain, which are crucial for mood. It takes a few weeks for this to begin
working, just like antidepressants.
I recommend that you exercise for at least 5 days, for a total of 30 minutes every day. Choose
something you appreciate, or if you don’t, something you don’t despise as much. Unfortunately,
exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you’re depressed, but stick with it and you’ll
see a change.
3. Diet.
The third item on your to-do list is to work on your diet. Our nutrition in the United States is
appalling. The majority of what we call food is actually waste. I walked through my local WalMart and videotaped what was being sold as part of it.
When you take a step back and consider what we put into our bodies, the majority of which we
can’t pronounce, it’s clear that all of these chemicals, preservatives, and additives are playing
havoc on our bodies. This isn’t food; its ingestible medications designed to keep us addicted.
“I bet you can’t eat just one.”
Another analogy is that putting faulty gas in your car will result in poor performance. Our bodies are no exception. Avoid processed meals and limit or eliminate refined carbohydrates and sugars from your diet. Reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. Did you know that
consuming too much caffeine might cause your serotonin levels to plummet?
But it’s not simply about avoiding certain foods. We must concentrate on eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Eating foods strong in Omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, as well as healthy fats like coconut oils, has been found to boost serotonin levels, which can improve your mood.
4. Manage your Stress
The fourth step is to take control of your tension. Chronic stress raises the level of a hormone
called Cortisol in your body and brain, raising your risk of depression.
Examine your life objectively. What are the sources of your stress? Are you working in a job that you despise? Do you have issues with your partner? Do you have guilt thoughts or have you overscheduled your schedule?
Sit down and take a hard look at yourself and where you are right now. Make a list of the things
you can alter and those you can’t. Make an effort to change what you can. Figure out how you
can better deal with those things you think you can’t alter; usually, there are methods to change them; we simply need to think about them differently. A skilled counselor can assist you in working through this issue.
Learn some superior stress management practices, such as meditation, prayer, Yoga, or
massage, in addition to this activity. All of these things have been proven to be beneficial, so
begin incorporating one or all of them into your life and see what a difference it can make.
5. Get Good Sleep
The fifth thing you should focus on is getting enough rest. This is a difficult question. I know
since I have four children, the majority of which are teenagers who refuse to go to bed.
Sleep is a struggle for all of us, but it is critical. As adults, we require 7-8 hours of sleep, and our
teenagers need even more for good health. The body repairs itself when sleeping. It’s when the
brain’s nerves bind together and form new memories. When we don’t get enough sleep,
everything goes wrong.
If you’re having difficulties sleeping, talk to your doctor about how you might better your
situation. Make sure you’re not suffering from sleep apnea, a disorder in which you stop
breathing during the night. A clear link exists between sleep apnea and depression. Go online
and look for “sleep hygiene” for ideas and suggestions on how to improve your sleep.
6. You must be encircled by Positive Individuals.
The sixth piece of advice I can give you is to surround yourself with positive people and
influences. We are a social species, humans. Human interaction is required. Unfortunately,
while you’re struggling with depression, one of the most difficult things you’ll have to deal with is the desire to isolate yourself.
You begin to believe that the world is against you or that it does not want or desire your
presence, so the best thing you can do is isolate yourself. This is the very worst thing you can
do. Stay away from those who are continuously attempting to bring you down and surround
yourself with friends and family.
Negativity has a tendency to produce more negativity. Get away if you’re surrounded by people who are bringing you down, using you, or who aren’t looking out for your best interests. If you’re in a toxic relationship, look for ways to change it or leave it.
7. Get Involve in Charity Work.
So the seventh and final one I’m going to discuss today can be one of the most difficult when
you’re depressed, but I believe it can also be one of the most helpful. I’d like you to go out and
help someone else. Participate in charitable activities.
Volunteer at a homeless shelter or find a friend who is in need. It’s astonishing how forgetting
about ourselves in the service of others has such a beneficial impact on our mental health. We
are constantly living in a self-centered, me-first world, which has a severe influence on both our physical and mental health.
Get out there and make it a priority to serve and look out for others, and you’ll notice a
difference in your own life.
So go help someone else and see how much of a difference it makes in your life. Depression is
a serious illness that can have a significant influence on your life. There are many different ways to treat it, and it frequently takes a combination of approaches to discover something that will work for you.
It’s crucial to note, though, that if these or other approaches aren’t working, there are other
solutions available. Sometimes, no matter what you do, the symptoms will persist.
If you find yourself in this situation, get medical advice. When you have diabetes or high blood
pressure, you may need to take medication to help manage it. Depression is no exception, and
taking medicine does not imply that you have failed or are weak in any way.
The best part about these ideas is that you can utilize them regardless of where you are in your
depression treatment. Even if you’re on medicine, incorporating these tips into your treatment
might be extremely beneficial.
Treating depression is a long-term process, and approaching it from a variety of perspectives
can offer you the best chance of living a life free of despair. This list may not include all of the
non-pharmaceutical approaches for treating depression.
But keep in mind that my goal in sharing this material is to provide you with knowledge that you may consider and discuss with your own doctor. This is not intended to be taken as medical
advice. Take what you’ve learned today and talk to your doctor about how it applies to your
circumstance.