If you are depressed you can become sleepy, anxious, have an eating disorder, or even attempt suicide. Depression is so serious and it affects millions of people. There are many forms of treatment if you suffer from depression. Read on for some ideas on how to help yourself get past your depression.
Do not depend on herbal alternatives to medication like St. John's wort. trials of herbal remedies show that they are far less effective than pharmaceuticals, especially for moderate to severe depression. If you are wary of using medication to treat your depression, try talk therapy as a first-line treatment.
Make sure you're getting about eight hours of sleep a night. People with depression tend to either sleep too little or far too much. In either case, both your mood and your health will suffer. Schedule your sleep patterns so that you're getting just the right amount of sleep each night.
Increase the amounts of foods you eat that help your body produce serotonin, such as fish. Serotonin is a neurochemical that your body uses to improve your body. Many medications act to increase the amount of serotonin in your brain, but you can create this effect naturally by changing your diet.
A great piece of advice for someone struggling with depression is to actually watch what you eat. Many times those who are depressed eat goods that actually make them feel worse. Avoid fried and fatty goods which will make you feel slow and lethargic. Focus on high energy foods like nuts.
Drink a lot of water if you are feeling depressed. The body can survive for weeks without food, but without water our body and brain will begin to shut down. It is almost impossible to be happy when your body is dehydrated because your brain is not working properly. Try to drink filtered water when possible because many cities water have chemicals in them, and we do not know how this affects our brain.
Do not be ashamed if your depression has forced you to have to take medication. Sometimes, depression symptoms are so bad that the best things to help them are medications. Talk to a psychiatrist to find out if medication is the right choice for your needs and which medication is best.
Try aromatherapy as a treatment for depression. Certain scents are known to affect your mood. You can either buy ready-to-use aromatherapy oils or make your own. Simply dilute the herbs with a little vegetable oil and rub into your skin. You can also add a few drops to your bath water or scent the entire room with a diffuser. Helpful herbs for depression include lavender, lemon, rose, and geranium.
If you are mildly depressed or think that you "have the blues" the worst thing you can do is sit at home and think about it. Get out there and have some fun. Find a group to join or a new activity that seems interesting to you.
Examine your diet closely. If you are overeating, starving yourself or binge drinking, you will most likely be contributing to your depression. These are all ways people deal with suppressed feelings. It is better to deal with the feelings, whether they are good or bad, when they come up and just get them out of your system for good.
Go green to treat depression. There are many toxic chemicals in the normal food supply. Some of these chemicals can affect your body, as well as your brain chemistry. An easy way to eliminate these potential chemical toxins is to buy organic fresh foods. Organic offerings are now widely available in the marketplace.
Surround yourself with beautiful things. When you can look around and see things that are beautiful and joyful, you, yourself, can feel more joy within and more positive as well. You will see just how easy it is to be happier when you can see pretty things all around you.
Try increasing your Vitamin B's intake to combat depression. Recent studies have shown a link between low levels of this vitamin and depression. Some of the best food sources of Vitamin B include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, fortified breakfast cereal and milk. You can also try taking a B-Complex Vitamin to be sure your are getting the recommended daily amount.
It can be hard to overcome depression. You can raise your spirits by counting all of the good things in your life. Focusing on the positive things in life can really help you cope with your depression. It may not be an instant-cure, but in the real world, it's what it takes to make it through the darkest of times.
Keep a log of all your negative thoughts. Every time you notice a negative thought creeping up, write it down, and also write down what triggered you to have that thought. You can then look at it later and come up with better ways of dealing with the situation and find out if your negativity was really needed.
Talk to someone that is aware of your depression about your feelings. Find one person that you can confide in, such as a therapist or a family member that can help you sort out your thoughts. Sometimes having an outsider's view can give you a new perspective on what you are going through.
A great tip that can help you out of your depression is to turn to the people that love and care about you. Enlisting the help of these people will make you realize that you aren't alone and that you always have people that are willing to stand by you.
Depression can often be lifted by engaging in new activities and hobbies, or incorporating previous ones back into your life. If you need a new hobby that will get you out and about, look into donating your time to help others in need. Doing nice things for others is a great way to increase your sense of self worth.
Don't allow the more serious conditions to take hold if you suffer from depression. Before you fall victim to things like eating disorders and suicidal thoughts, use the tips you've read here to rise above the depression and to once again experience the joy of living. Take depression seriously, and work to defeat it.
