Natural depression treatments

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How to deal with depression without medication

Use natural depression treatments to avoid all the horrible side effects from prescribed antidepressants and stay in control of your own recovery.

You may be wondering what depression exactly means and what the symptoms are.  If so, visit my page with a depression questionnaire. (link further down).

For other depression related pages, such as: natural remedies for depression and fish oil and depression, see links further down.

Please seek help from a doctor or mental health professional right now if you are feeling suicidal at this moment!

How to overcome depression without medication

Taking prescribed antidepressants may contribute to your feeling even more out of control - the drugs are doing 'whatever'.  There may well be already enough in your life that makes you feel powerless.

Your own body is very capable of producing the very best and safest natural antidepressants.  It only needs a bit of encouragement.  If you want to know how to overcome depression with natural depression treatments - you have absolutely come to the right place.

I have several pages on my site that will help you deal with your depression now and prevent relapses in the future.  Unfortunately prescribed antidepressants are more likely to increase your chances of developing further episodes of depression.

For a really good summary of the available medication, its side effects and the most effective natural treatments you can buy instead to beat depression: click here.

Pick one activity to improve your mood today!

None of the following activities require you to take any medication whatsoever and yet all contribute to your feeling better - much better - very quickly.

1. First of all - familiarise yourself with 'earthing' (link below).  This is the one most simplest of strategies that you can do, that is not necessarily going to cost you anything.  Dr Billy has also written how inflammation is reduced by earthing and the link between inflammation and depression (link below).
2. Go for a massage or reflexology.  Do a course in massage yourself!
3. Go for a brisk walk or a cycle ride (at least 30 min. 3 x a week). Aerobic exercise increases feel-good hormones (endorphins) in your body.
4. Join a gym or aerobic exercise class.  Watch this 9 minute video (# 2 of 7) about the benefits of exercise for depression.  Dr Mercola here is interviewing medical journalist Robert Whitaker, who has written several books about the dangers of antidepressants.  If you have time, I certainly urge you to watch at the very least the first part of the seven in this series.

1. Go swimming regularly. Take swimming lessons - learning any new skill helps.
2. Join a tai chi, yoga or meditation class - fantastic for lowering stress and feeling great.  See Marika's site: Meditation Made Easy (link below)
   
3. Improve your mood instantly, safely and effortlessly with hypnosis.
4. Do something creative - dig out your long-forgotten projects, find a course.
5. Stop giving yourself a hard time!  Relentlessly bullying yourself generates depression!
6. Make that decision - stop procrastinating.  Not sure what to do?

Grade your mood

Consider how you are feeling between 0 and 10 before and after any activity - 0 = suicidal, 10 = ‘deliriously’ happy.

Remember that if you are feeling low, you may not necessarily be suffering from depression - you may just be having a lousy day - no natural depression treatments needed!  Just make sure that your essential emotional needs are met.  See my page: the human givens for further information (link below).

Every morning decide on, and commit to, actions that are most likely to make you feel good.  Plan your day.

"To be yourself in a world that is trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." Ralph Waldo Emerson

The most enjoyable natural antidepressant

Here is a really enjoyable way to deal with depression holistically - The Journey to Wild Divine, which is a stunningly designed interactive video programme.  Find it at: The Journey to Wild Divine video demonstration.

I have used it myself.  It is a video 'game' with a magical feel to it.  That is a start, but it does not really describe what it is all about.

The Journey to the Wild Divine is an interactive movie, whereby your body/mind's response is transmitted via sensors at your figure tips.  The imagery is most enchanting.  A brilliant story in which wise characters pass on ancient wisdom, principles and techniques, incl. stress relieving breathing techniques, in a very authentic and most pleasurable way - fabulous!

Wild Divine also is THE place to learn meditation with Dr Deepak Chopra among other great contributors.

5 Tips to challenge negative thinking

1. Keep a journal/diary and note down during the day when you FEEL OK.  It will deal with your negative bias and you might be pleasantly surprised.
2. Notice and challenge ‘black and white’/’all or nothing’ thinking and listen out for it in other people, without judging it in either yourself or others.  Focusing on others will stop you becoming too self-absorbed.
3. Allow yourself time to worry (if you really need to!) - half an hour a day.
4. Write your worries down to ‘separate’ yourself from them at that time.  This is one of the best natural depression treatments.  You are not your worries - there is so much more to you!
5. Make a list of six things to distract yourself when you find yourself worrying, so that you can focus your attention outwards, rather than inwards.

7 Tips to raise your self-esteem

1. Stretch yourself -- physically, intellectually, emotionally; self-esteem comes from being competent in several areas of your life.  Ensure you set achievable goals - you want to be pleased with yourself TODAY.
2. Do something new and exciting, and really stretch yourself by building an online business, just like these people did
   
3. Frequently remind yourself of your achievements: passing an exam, promotion, bringing up children, organising a party, managing a move, sorting finances, finishing a project, or simply going out. Write them down.
4. Find and get involved in a new interest, perhaps something you have always wanted to do; contact your Adult Education Center/local college.
5. Do some voluntary work to help you meet your emotional needs.
6. Remind yourself that there is no failure, only feedback.
7. Look after yourself: create a super healthy menu for the week, then shop.
8. Forget about following a diet to lose weight, other than prescribed by a professional for health reasons - 9 out of 10 diets fail.

TIMES ONLINE Psychiatric diagnoses are less reliable than star signs” Richard Bentall, Professor of clinical Psychology

How are you sleeping at the moment?

Sleep and dreaming are absolutely vital for mental health.  Advice on natural depression treatments should always include advice on how to improve sleep.

• First and foremost follow the advice on changing negative introspection.
• Follow the advice on exercise.
• Visit my page on natural sleep remedies and insomnia and treatments
• Solve problems you do have a measure of control over.  Visit my page on problem solving strategies and techniques.
• Set realistic, achievable goals, so that you can measure your success
• Reward yourself after any activity that is not rewarding in itself.

Natural depression treatments

You can get better - all by yourself, by using natural depression treatments!  Look at all the ideas offered here.  There must be some that really appeal to you.

Don't rely on one of two - decide on several.  Keep an eye on your budget of course - I would not want you to add to any money problems you might have.

Bit by bit you can piece your life back together.  The colour will return and you can feel better than ever!  'Trying' isn't going to do it.  You just have to believe it and go for it.  You deserve to feel happy, which is much easier to achieve with hypnosis - it will calm your emotions, settle you down and lift your mood - one of the best natural depression treatments.  I consider the Complete Depression Recovery Programme to be the best in class - safe and effective.

You may also be interested in:	Food really affects your mood!
Depression questionnaire Fish oil and depression Natural antidepressants Human givens Natural sleep remedies and Insomnia and treatments Problem solving strategies and techniques How to get lucky Dealing with criticism Relationship problems Adrenal fatigue treatment

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Other helpful links:

Meditation made easy
Earthing
Dr Billy - earthing and depression
Medical News Today - Treating women's depression might help them lose weight
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise - Team sports are good for you
BBC All In The Mind - Psychiatrist John Sharp about depression and the calender

Images courtesy of: 1 Nicholas Raymond; 2 Ilker; 3 Spekulator

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