How to Fight Depression Naturally
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.“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” ~ Helen Keller
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“Take the first step, no more, no less, and the next will be revealed.” ~ Ken Roberts.
Having been a long-time sufferer (or survivor, to be more accurate) of depression, helping those who suffer from this disease is very close to my heart.
For those of you who have never suffered from clinical depression, you may think that having been a long term sufferer indicates a lack of expertise on the treatment of depression because I have suffered from it for so long yet have been unable to escape from it completely - to ‘cure it’ if you will. Well, first let me state that I have always been under the impression that depression is not something you cure, but something you treat. It is like being an alcoholic.
Depression Curable?
Current medical opinion is that you are never really cured of depression, but you can take control of the disease like a recovering alcoholic who never takes a drink again. Interestingly, both alcoholism (as well as other drug addiction), and depression are defined as mental illness in the American Psychological Association’s DSM-IV, the American handbook of mental disease.
However, I am currently investigating whether a change in thinking style from pessimistic to optimistic might just function as an actual cure for depression. My initial research and personal experiment certainly seems to indicate positive results. However, no experimental result is valid without having been tested for stability over an extensive time period, so I will keep you updated on my findings as time goes on.
Defining Depression
It is necessary that I give a definition of what I am referring to when I use the term depression. In the context of this article, depression refers to a long term feeling of being depressed, not in reaction to any particular event in life; but a general overall mood and feeling of being dejected which persists for extended periods, regardless of positive or negative events in your life. It is a feeling that can assail you immediately as you open your eyes first thing in the morning. The depression is not an isolated episode of feeling dejected and disheartened by the way your life is going but more a way of life.
Having said that, the methods I put forward here to deal with long-term depression can also help those who suffer isolated feelings of being depressed. So read on, because if one thing is certain it is that every one feels beaten down by life at some point.
Antidepressants drugs
Perhaps one of the most frustrating things about depression is being told to ‘snap out of it’ and not being able to. Depression is related to malfunctioning brain chemistry and therefore is not to be thought of as wholely a matter of the mind but also a matter of physiology.
Doctors will often prescribe antidepressants which work by altering the brain chemistry – increasing or decreasing the presence of particular neurotransmitters. These antidepressants generally take several weeks to start having an effect on the depression. The effects are often sporadic, and patients sometimes have to try several kinds of antidepressants before they find one that works for them.
Further, although antidepressants manufacturers claim that these drugs are not addictive, a little research on the internet will yield many users who report a worsened depression when they try to cease taking the drugs. Doctors will tell you up front that antidepressants might initially increase suicidal feelings (which seems a bit counterproductive to me).
Avoid antidepressant drugs
There are natural methods to alter your brain chemistry, such as exercising. Thus, there are natural methods to treat depression. I advise that you try all other options before resorting to antidepressants drugs. If you feel you must go that route, then start with the lowest dose possible and aim to take it only for a short period while you implement another more natural plan for dealing with the depression. If you are currently on an antidepressant drug plan, then I suggest you consult with your doctor to develop a plan to wean yourself off it. Please be sure to consult with a doctor before making any changes to your depression treatment plan and if you have suicidal thoughts please seek professional help immediately. The articles on this website are not intended to substitute for medical treatment or diagnosis.
Depression fighting strategies
There are two fronts on which you can battle depression: the long-term and the short-term. The long-term depression-fighting strategies involve changing your way of life in order to reduce the incidence of depressive episodes in your life. The more of these strategies you implement in your life the less you will suffer from depression as time goes on. This is very significant because it is opposite to the usual course of the depression disease which is degenerative and tends to worsen with time.
The short-term depression-fighting strategies are methods which you can use to control your individual depressive episodes. It is important to note that you can and should employ as many of these methods as you find necessary to treat each episode. If one method is not working for you then try the others, as many as needed. The idea is to develop an easily accessed well-rehearsed arsenal of strategies for coping and recovering when depressive episodes hit.
Depression fighting methods
I will list all the methods here and discuss each in the remaining parts of this series. I will explain how to use these methods and how they work for a long-term and short-term solution.
The methods are:
- Mental Depression-Fighting Strategies
o Control your thoughts.
o Reassess your situation in a more objective manner.
o Refuse to dwell and obsess.
o Change your focus.
o Cultivate a calm demeanor
o Identify your life goals. - Physical Depression-Fighting Strategies
o Use more positive realistic vocabulary.
o Exercise. Get active.
o Change your diet.
o Engage in activities you enjoy. - Environmental Depression-Fighting Strategies
o Cultivate a positive and varied support group
o Increase your life spheres.
o Develop hobbies.
o Create a calm ordered home and office.
You are the key to success
As you can see, none of these methods necessarily require financial outlay or extensive physical or environmental change. The most important factor in winning the battle against depression is you. You have to make the decision and make the commitment to change your life in order to see results. You have to be determined to be persistent.
You have to be willing to be patient, because while some of these strategies are geared to helping immediately during depressive episodes, it will take time and persistence before the depression itself begins to become less of a factor in your life. The up side is that the time will pass anyway so you may as well spend it doing something to improve your prognosis in the future.
Take control of your depression
The most difficult part of this depression treatment plan is having the discipline to overcome your habitual thinking patterns and control your thoughts. But the best thing about this is that it is fully within your control, so there is nothing to stop you from having a much better control on your depression. Take your time and stick with it, never mind setbacks and slipups.
Just keep trying. With practice you will get better and the situation will improve. Think long term. Think about a year from now, how many fewer depressive episodes you will be suffering and how much more you will be enjoying life. Always keep in mind that your goal is to be able to appreciate and enjoy life more fully. Make the decision today to become determined to succeed and take control of your depression.
In the next three parts to this series I will explain the strategies for taking control of depression under three general headings: the mental strategies, the physical strategies and the environmental strategies.
“If depression is creeping up and must be faced, learn something about the nature of the beast: You may escape without a mauling.” ~ Dr. R. W. Shepherd.
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Related Articles:
- Physical Strategies for Fighting Depression Part I: Exercise
- Physical Strategies for Fighting Depression Part II: Diet, Vocabulary and Positive Activity
- How to become an Optimist - Part I
- How to be Happy - Training yourself to enjoy life
- The Power of Realistic Positive Thinking
- Your Capacity for Change
- Optimism vs. Pessimism
- The Different Explanatory Styles of Optimism and Pessimism
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December 13th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Being a depression survivor myself, I can respond with definite proof that optimistic thinking is extremely effective in beating depression. It is directly linked to how we feel about ourselves. My therapist said I didn’t like myself much.
While evaluating who I was and what I was good at, I soon realized that my optimism was stirring. There is, of course, that nagging voice that keeps wanting to say you’re not good at anything, but that’s where taking control of your thoughts comes in.
I overcame my major 20+ year bout with depression 25 years ago. It started with shifting my thoughts from who I believed I was to who I truly was. I was a writer, and to prove it I took a writing course and got top marks. Talk about optimism - proving that I was good at something and that others also thought so provided the turning point in my depression and lack of self esteem (which I believe are a matched set).
Today I have short phases of depression but I can quickly pop out of them by focusing on what I’m good at. It’s taken a lot of practice to get to this point, but it was well worth that uphill climb.
I highly recommend one book that gave me tremendous help. I don’t know if you can find it anymore, but it’s called “Cultivate Confidence and Promote Personality” by E. Gilbert Oakley. That book marked the beginning of my recovery, and it still sits on my bookshelf with highlighted text, loose pages and all. The book focuses on self-talk and other tips to build your confidence which, I’ve learned, squashes depression.
Sylvia
February 7th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Nothing has worked for me. I just learn to keep busy, and go to sleep. I take vitamins, eat well, exercise and nothing has worked.
June 18th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Thank you! It is a wonderful informative article. I am fighting with depression now and this very soothingly helped to further unclutter my thoughts. It is a great strength as well as hope in the course of my endeavor.
And I would very much like to know how you are doing lately.
Looking forward eagerly to the next part of the series,
Amy Khab with best wishes.
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I have struggled with depression for many years, (for as many years as I have been married( to someone with whom I cannot find an equal ground. I cannot however find the confidence to leave him, knowing that without me, and my income, he won’t be able to make ends meet. All we have in common is four children and 11 grandchildren. We don’t share the same goals, interests, etc, and I dont care to try to cultivate any shared interests. We are both in our early 50’s. Positive thinking doesnt work, against one such as he, who is so convinced that what we have is all we need, and that we have no need to improve our lifestyle, financial condition, or social standing.
July 29th, 2007 at 8:11 am
How I Fight Depression Naturally by doing all things I have mentioned.
I have a ton of daily bad stress in my life for the last 20 years.
So in 2004-2005 I hit rock bottom so before I sated taking Prozac or wellbutrin or or or some drug I thought I would try to get well without the pharmaceutical companies getting involved.
So I started taking as of August of 2006 Sam-E at 400 mil daily (works really well)
as well working out 4 days a week and creating a healthy diet of chicken, some fish no tuna (mercury causes depression) vegetables and fruit
full run of vitamins. I can now I stay in a pretty great frame for mind for 7-10 months at a time then I have a little set back. I have a good cry and pick up and continue.
I believe this positive frame of mind I am about to embark on will last 12-15 months this time and longer as I progress, I am doing this all naturally.
Also my acupuncturist gave me an herb called “Clear Phlegm” which really helps too. Acupuncture works well too. And watching the DVD The secret really helps too.
April 2nd, 2008 at 3:53 am
This is the stupidest article i have ever, EVER read, do you even know what depression is, OBVIOUSLY not. Now let me tell you a little about myself I work out everyday for an hour doing both cardio endurance and strength training, I also make sure not to emotionally eat, like cramming a bunch of junk food when you feel shitty, I work hard I get everything and more done I do everything around the house I participate in almost every sport, but dont get me wrong I totally believe all this stuff helps but to say that its all about changing attitude is bull I force myself to go above and beyond everyday, and everyday (some worse than others) I tell myself why, and start to slip and fall downwards, my point is if your depressed you cant just conjure up a positive attitude, you can work towards it but you cant simply say im happy and feel that way…. That is RETARDED, but anyway thanks for all the B.S. advice, I would recomend going BACK TO SCHOOL!
May 14th, 2008 at 7:11 am
I agree with this overall, but be careful when dealing with suicidal ideation. It requires immediate attention if not drug therapy.
I went off my anti-depressants years ago very slowly by myself and did have some problems but got through it. But by that time I had been on them for 5 years and had a better understanding of my depression. It’s 100% necessary to learn your illness and learn to cope with it with or without drugs if one is going to ever function well in life the majority of the time, (not to mention actually be happy and get enjoyment out of life.) I also took SAMe after going off prescription meds and felt it helped.
Cindy, it sounds as if you must remove yourself from your situation to start to heal. I understand what you’re saying about the financial situation though and have been stuck there myself before. I feel very sorry for you in your predicament. I hope you can find a solution.
“my point is if your depressed you cant just conjure up a positive attitude,”
Of course you can’t. I don’t think you’re really understanding this article, though.
” you can work towards it but you cant simply say im happy and feel that way….”
Obviously sometimes treatment is necessary in some outside form…but this positive thinking/talking therapy and diet, meditation is what most psychologists will tell you, too,with or without medication therapy and is definitely something that takes work and time as is clearly stated at the end of the article here: “The most difficult part of this depression treatment plan is having the discipline to overcome your habitual thinking patterns and control your thoughts.”
Ron’s situation sounds similar to mine, except I used prescription meds because of the acuteness of the onset of depression and panic attacks with the life stressor of seperation and divorce. I would also use meds again if I could, (no medical), when I go through depressive episodes like the one I recently had. In short, some people can do without prescription meds and some cannot. And some people have a hard time even with meds, (finding the right one or combination to help), diet and exercise, etc. Everyone is different and has different chemistry. What works for one may not do anything for another. Also rememeber age and gender differences can make a huge difference as well.
And with this statement…
“Well, first let me state that I have always been under the impression that depression is not something you cure, but something you treat. It is like being an alcoholic.”…
I am in total agreement.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:42 am
I guess an optimistic take on depression can be hard to understand if you are really far down and have a feeling you’ve tried your best. As for what “Ron” writes above. But a depression isn’t something you get like a flu or a cold. It’s a result of underlaying factors, for instance a traumatizing experience in the early phase of life. For me depression is something I developed because my mother was herself depressed when I was a baby, and because she left home for long periods of time when I was still very young. Discovering such underlaying factors is crucial to moving on and beating the heaviest depression. I have lately been able to acknowledge my own struggle, my lack of self esteem and intense loneliness. It has helped me to feel sad and to cry, instead of just living in a dense and inescapable depression. I think as you acknowledge your own sorrow, you can feel proud about your own strength and find light at the end of the tunnel.
August 3rd, 2008 at 5:05 am
wow i have just admitted i have short term depression
i wouldnt admitt to mu self but now i have to because i am spinning out of control
i have a problem with drugs now more than ever i am in love with a man who lacks motivation and i dont know if i am the cause-in regards to (him). i know i am not. i have to make a change for the better i just need to know where to START.
November 11th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
i am a depression survivor, struggling (but SURVIVING!!) for over 20 years. this article reminded me (as i’ve just entered a wintry depression, longing to sleep all day, emotionally eating, fighting with darkness and anxiety) that it IS an uphill fight, but there are victories. Sometimes, when we’ve been out of depression for so long, we forget what it feels like so as we enter into it again, it scares us to death. I am so thankful for the words in this article: my sister who is a counselor says it is important to know that it is OK to feel sad. Experience the pain of the moment, don’t just shove it away, especially if there are reasons behind it. The fighting comes in the everyday choices like all of these beautiful survivors have written about: eating healthy, exercising, being involved in LIFE. And I believe it is also accepting that we, as probably artistic and emotional people, have the gift and the curse of depression: we HAVE to be good stewards of our brains and bodies, and learn what works BEST for us. THAT IS NOT A DEFEATEST ATTITUDE. we have all felt down and out, every one of us, but that doesn’t mean we get to stop living. You have a purpose. You have a purpose in this big scary life. Depression wants to take that from you. Be aware. Be educated. Be willing to work. HARD. do not compare your life to others. Live, be who you are, be where you are. It will help someone else.