How To Get Help For Depression With Natural Method
Do you know you can get help for depression even if it is mild and doesn’t interfere with daily, normal functioning? It’s true. If this describes your current experience with this disorder you may want to try some natural methods which are readily available, safe and easy to use. In many cases, the effectiveness of many of these approaches can be equal to or better than antidepressant drugs.
Start by making some of these simple changes to your lifestyle.
Get physically active
Regular physical activity is known to work as a natural antidepressant. Compared to a month’s supply of Lexipro which costs a little over $100, exercise is free and a lot more fun.
You can walk, run, dance, bike or swim your way to mental health. The endorphins released in your brain during physical activity increases your levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for lifting mood. Serotonin can also distract you away from negative thinking, shield you from stress, and build your self-esteem.
For best results, most medical experts recommend at least forty-five minutes of brisk exercise, five days per week.
Practice daily relaxation
At least once a day, try to set some time aside to relax. You can begin with simple deep breathing exercises. If you find you get good results with this technique you can use it to ease into daily meditation. Then if you really want to step things up, regular yoga practice is a great way to balance mind and body.
Add more cold-water fish to your diet
Studies by the National Institutes for Health show that the omega3 fatty acids present in oil-rich, cold-water fish, such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring are also a natural stimulant of serotonin production. As such, researchers believe eating more omega3-rich fish provides natural help for depression, as well as, other psychological disturbances.
Of course, many people worry about mercury and other toxins showing up in many of these fish sources. If you’re not comfortable with eating fish for this reason, you can always get a healthy dose of omega3s with a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseed added to a salad, soup or bowl of cereal every day.
Maintain social relationships and activities
It is well-known that depression can increase feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is why it is so important to spend time with family and friends. Increasing feelings of being connected to the world can come from simple things such as interacting with a pet, volunteering in your community and spending time in nature.
Stay away from substances that produce depressant effects
You may think having a cocktail or two makes you feel better, but in truth, can have a depressant effect. Drugs such as antihistamines and sedatives also have a negative effect on depression.
Caffeine is also a known culprit for interfering with mood and making symptoms of depression worse. And if one of your symptoms is insomnia, caffeine can make it much worse.
Because of its mood-altering effects, nicotine also falls into this depressant substances category. The risk of depression in smokers is significantly higher than that of people who don’t smoke.
These natural methods are inexpensive and easy to take advantage of. That being said, however, if your symptoms are at a level that makes it difficult for you to get through your normal day, you should speak with your doctor as soon as possible to determine if there is an underlying medical issue which needs to be immediately addressed.
Even if you’re diagnosed with a severe degree of clinical depression and require pharmaceutical help for depression you can still add these lifestyle adjustments to your daily routine to boost relief from your symptoms.
An Alternative and Complementary Approach To Anxiety and Depression Treatment
What are Depression and Anxiety? And what causes them? Volumes could and have been written about this and a detailed elucidation is beyond the scope of this brief introductory article. It is clear that depression is a state of powerlessness, hopelessness and desperation, a state in which one often feels dread at facing another day and generally feels unable to cope with life with any degree of composure or harmony. Depression and anxiety are a state of isolation, separation and disconnection from oneself, others and life in general. A person who is depressed will wish to withdraw from interaction and participation with life as much as possible, repressing an expression of their feelings and turning their anger inwards upon themselves, then finding ways to numb themselves and their feelings further – for depression is a state in which we are tortured by our own thoughts and the desperate feelings they fuel.
A fundamental characteristic of depression or anxiety is the internal struggle with the truth of the way things are, the what is. We do not want things to be the way they are, for we have an idea, a belief that they should be different, the way we want them to be. There is a lack of acceptance, and self-acceptance. This causes a mental, emotional and energetic paralysis and so we continue going round and round within the small, self-absorbed and self-enclosed loop of fearing change, yet also creating that which we fear most. Without the opening to acceptance, we cannot change, only continue with our exhausting struggles.
Most of us have and will experience depression and anxiety during our lifetime, and often at many times and for extended periods. It is a matter of degree, whether it is severe paralysing clinical depression on one end of the scale or a mild slump at the other end, but they all spring from the same root.
There are many causes of depression, and many ways to begin to reduce its grip upon our lives. That which we take into ourselves clearly creates what we are and how we feel, and this is certainly true of what we eat. The modern diet is extremely poor, nutritionally and energetically, and will consequently make us feel equally poor when this is what we assimilate. Many studies have shown that simple changes to a person’s diet, like removing all wheat products can have a radical impact in reducing or even totally clearing depression.
Without regular exercise we become energetically stagnant – like a body of water, which is what we are – especially given our predominantly sedentary lifestyle. So exercise is essential in keeping our energy flowing harmoniously, but also to nurture feelings of power and contentment in ourselves.
We are never taught how to speak to ourselves and others, how to effectively use the tool of our minds in communication and in choosing what we place our focus and attention on. We use words, whether thoughts or spoken gestures, as a means of reinforcing our limiting beliefs and ideas about ourselves and the world – for example, once a child has been told he is useless enough times by his parents he will believe it – and then continues to repeat it, as a mantra, to himself well into adulthood. This can then begin to feed looming states of depression and anxiety. To change he must begin to change the way he talks to himself. It is also a question of changing the way he uses the laser like quality of his mind to focus on one thing or another. You can focus on what is good and glorious about yourself and life, and how to achieve what your heart desires, or you can focus on your monolithic beliefs about how you are useless, good for nothing and that you will never get anywhere in life because your life, society or whatever has messed you up – you are a victim. To choose to place your attention on that which is uplifting and expansive is a step into adulthood, responsibility and self autonomy – in other words growing up. Depression is always a state ruled over by childishness, victimisation, powerlessness and a lack of responsibility.
We may fall into depression following trauma, abuse, loss and bereavement, but ultimately, depression and anxiety are caused by the pain of becoming separated, isolated and disconnected from the whole of life. No one truly wishes to be alone, isolated and separate, but we are drawn further into our own deceptions whereby we believe we must protect ourselves, withdraw from others or whatever the story is, and the worse we start feeling usually the more we withdraw into ourselves. This creates an unnatural state in which we close off to receiving all the abundance life has to offer – instead all we receive is a recycled version of our own tired self-absorption. Then to avoid the pain of existing in this state we must find ways to numb the pain which only further cocoons ourselves into the depression. Depression denies a life of purpose, joy and empowerment. And what underlies depression and the isolation is always fear. Fear causes this contraction and closing to the life that could be for us, where our hearts and souls dream to soar like a bird through the skies.
Most of us are not taught as children how to live life to its fullest, how to express ourselves without limits and how to see the possibility, joy and interconnectedness in everything. So we often slip into states such as depression or anxiety. But we all reach a point at which we cannot go on living like that, and it is then that we must begin to find a way to learn how to live differently.
To overcome depression and anxiety we must reach out to others, and do the thing we have been resisting and fearing – then we open ourselves to receiving compassion from others. None of us can do everything ourselves – this belief in self-sufficiency is one of the biggest isolating myths. We need others and when we show ourselves to others, and open to truth, we allow a connection with life and joy so that then depression and anxiety can begin to fade away. Obviously this is an on-going process and change is made step by step.
Whilst in a state of depression or anxiety, we need someone who can guide, uplift and empower us to find and fight for our own way out of it – not to prop up and support which can disempower and keep us in depression and the fears that underpin it. My approach to treating depression and anxiety uses massage, bodywork, Reiki Healing and another very powerful means using essences to dissolve the very fears that keep us in limited and painful states of being – this is The Emerald Heart, a powerful light for truth and transformation. The Emerald Heart helps to reveal the truth of our situation – until we face the truth we have no hope of change – then using high vibrational essences the clouds of fears that keep us held begin to dissolve, clearing the way to our freedom.
The Emerald Heart is a simple and powerful tool to bring external empowerment to your intent to change. I have seen many people make significant shifts out of various states of chronic, long term depression, anxiety and general struggle in a matter of weeks or months – by removing the fears that are the foundation of depression and anxiety. It is also a means to removing limitations to our self expression, to self and spiritual development, towards the evolution of who we are. A state of depression or anxiety or limitation can then, and so often does, become a gateway into transformation.
Alongside the Emerald Heart in helping people find a way out of depression, I encourage people to receive massage and bodywork such as Shiatsu, Thai Massage and Reflexology. When we are depressed or suffer with long term anxiety, we can become very disembodied. This means we spend most of our time thinking, in our heads, rather than inhabiting our bodies. In fact, most people live like this to some degree, whether depressed or not. This causes many problems, but one common to depression is the stagnation that creeps in, reinforcing the feelings of depression and which can then cause other problems. So all massage and bodywork helps to harmonise the flow of energies within us – quite simply helping us to feel better and relieving the depression or anxiety.
Massage, bodywork, Reiki and the Emerald Heart are all complementary forms of treatment that require no adjustment to your life in any way and are fine to receive alongside any other treatment or medicine you may already be receiving.
The Emerald Heart and all forms of healing, bodywork and massage, despite the associated new age terms which can cause dismissive feelings in some are really and simply just a way to a better, happier and more fulfilled life. Now who wouldn’t want that?
Depression – The Beginning
I am not a trained expert when it comes to depression. However, I do consider myself an “expert” at being depressed, because I experienced the effects of depression for a large part of my life. I totally collapsed in the summer of 1999.
Looking back at my younger days, I’m sure I suffered from dysthymia, a mild form of depression. My life was totally out of balance.
It’s Cerebral Palsy
For the longest time, I thought I had cerebral palsy. When I was at my lowest point, I asked my mother about that. She told me there had been accident which damaged my brain when I was being delivered. She and my father didn’t realize there was anything different about me until I was about six months old.
I believe my negative thought process started when I realized I was different from the other kids in school. At an early age, I wore a brace on my left leg. My left foot turns in when I walk, so I guess the thought was to see if it could be strengthened by wearing the brace. Well, the brace didn’t work, for whatever reason. I still have the issue today.
I favored my left arm, so I didn’t let it swing naturally like my right arm. I kind of held it up some.
Last Man Standing
As I got older, these thing started to affect me socially. During Phys Ed, I was one of the last kids chosen for whatever sport we were playing at the time. I love sports, and I really wanted to be a part of a team, even in Phys Ed. My lack of co-ordination really held me back. I must say, though, I did have a pretty good shot in basketball.
Bullying
There was teasing. I still remember the kid in junior high or high school who would mock me. Whenever he would see me in the hall, he would cock his left arm and start limping. It got to the point where I would avoid him if I saw him before he saw me.
It’s interesting, I didn’t tell anyone about the teasing. I don’t know why; maybe I thought it would make me look weak if I admitted I needed help.
I also noticed that people would give me the old “You’re Different” look when they passed me. The eyes would check me out, then go back to looking ahead. Now, I realize I carried my body in such a fashion that it attracted those looks. That behavior went on way into my adult years.
Well-planned Lies
I think I still carry some of those “You’re Different” feelings today, because at 55 years old, I have never been married, and have had only one serious girlfriend. I’m not feeling sorry for myself, I just want you to understand how I let circumstances and experiences control my life.
Alcohol Withdrawal and Depression
Ok, here is catch 22.
If you suffer from depression you are very likely to start drinking. The more you drink the more you get depressed. One of the steps you would need to take to fight your depression successfully is to stop drinking.
But what is the first thing that happens when you stop? Right, alcohol withdrawal. And what alcohol withdrawal brings? Depression.
This is not always a guarantee as each person responds to alcohol withdrawal individually, but it is a very strong possibility especially if depression drove you to drink in the first place.
I’m not going list all of the signs of alcohol withdrawal, but some of them are very close to signs of depression itself:
– Anxiety,
– Nervousness,
– Irritability,
– Depression,
– Insomnia,
– Nightmares,
– Confusion,
– Lack of appetite.
Needless to say, alcohol withdrawal should always be done under the supervision of the professionals simply because if you don’t get the right medications and fluids you might die. At least 1 in 20 people can hit a dangerous stage in withdrawal and experience psychosis, severe hallucinations, delirium, fever and seizures.
Some of the medications you’ll be prescribed in alcohol withdrawal can act as mild antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs providing some sort of relief.
Most probably you will be given Diazepam or if you had a problem with drug dependency before, – Chlordiazepoxide.
They are both tranquilizers and will make you feel drowsy which will help you to get through depression and anxiety of alcohol withdrawal.
However, this is not a long-term solution. First of all you body adapts to these drugs quickly, and to get the desirable effect you will have to increase the dose more and more. Secondly, you’ll become addicted.
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So, if your depression is not lifted after the withdrawal period, you should consider going to a specialist and talk to them about it. Depending on the diagnosis you can receive all sorts of treatments – therapy, antidepressants, exercise routine, self-help groups, natural remedies, etc.
The most important thing is to determine the cause of your illness and treat it correctly. While you were drinking you were trying to get away from your feelings, but now you will have to face them and discover how to deal with them. Just don’t forget you don’t have to do it alone.
Please, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts about the article and your experience here and take care, guys!
10 Foods That Help Treat Depression
Because of the modern lifestyle, depression has become more common nowadays. Depression is a psychological sickness that affects every aspect of a person including his intellect, emotions and even his body. The particular targets of this behavioral problem are teenagers and adults undergoing mid-life crisis.
Most people who suffer from depression find comfort in foods. The tendency is that they will eat a lot of foods in order to cover up for the low mood that they are feeling. But did you know that there are actually foods that can somehow make your mood brighter? If you are suffering from a depressive state, you can try eating these 10 foods that help treat depression.
Sweet honey
Honey has the essential nutrients that a depressed person might be lacking. It contains anti-oxidants which take away free radicals in the body. Honey can also regulate the blood sugar by releasing glucose gradually. This will help avoid mood swings.
Brown rice
Brown rice is a good source of good carbohydrate and it is easily digested because of its high-fiber contents. Like honey, brown rice also helps maintain proper amount of sugar that flows in your bloodstream to avoid fluctuating moods.
Cereals and oats
Cereals and oats contain nutrients such as fiber, folic acid and other vitamins. They also lower the body’s cholesterol level, making your heart soothed and relaxed.
Fish, shrimp and more seafood
Fish and other seafood can greatly help in treating depression. This is because seafood contains a lot of Omega-3 fatty acid which help fight free radicals and dirt that has entered the body. When you intake more seafood, you will get more Omega-3 which can help cleanse your mind and body, giving you a lighter and more comfortable disposition.
Milk
Fresh milk is rich with calcium and Omega-3 fatty acid as well. Milk also has a calming effect. To lighten up your mood, grab a glass of fresh milk.
Vegetables
Vegetables are rich in Niacin which is an essential nutrient that helps alleviate a bad mood. To lessen depression, eat more green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, broccoli and other fresh, nutritious veggies.
Fruits
Fruits are good source of Vitamin C and other minerals. Fruits like lemon, orange, berries, kiwi and the like, are delicious and packed with nutrients. You can eat fresh fruits as is or turn them into refreshing drinks or scrumptious fruit salads.
Poultry meat
Chicken, turkey and other white meat are rich in vitamins such as Vitamin B6 which helps produce more serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is also called as the “happiness hormone.”
Nuts
Studies show that people suffering from depression lacks Vitamin E. Peanuts, almonds and other type of nuts are rich in Vitamin E. This nutrient can help a person feel more youthful and vibrant.
Chocolate
Although too much chocolate is not really healthy for the body, it does help release endorphin, which is a chemical responsible for making a person feel more cheerful. Eating a tiny amount of chocolate treat every now and then can make a depressed person feel better.