Some treatments for depression can actually scare those who need help right out of getting it. Medications and chemical aids can help in one sense, but hurt in many others, and they can frighten those who don’t want to radically alter their brain’s chemistry. For anyone suffering from the effects of depression, there are many ways to help treat symptoms that won’t harm your body or your brain. You may have heard of these treatments for other problems, but know that they are shown to help with all degrees of depression.
- Acupuncture
Don’t let the needles scare you off. Studies have shown this traditional Chinese medicine can have the same effect as many antidepressants. By stimulating the right points in the body and correcting the imbalances of your Qi (for depression, usually between the thumbs and between the big and second toes), acupuncture could be the treatment for anxiety and depression that works for you.
- Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is the use of visualizations, words, and music to connect your body and your mind and promote positive changes, dealing with negative thoughts and emotions in a safe and relaxed atmosphere. . An instructor can take you through the process and help you enter a peaceful state, and can help relieve depressed thoughts, anxiety, and stress. Always work with someone trained to do so, because they will know what imagery will best help.
- Primal Therapy
Dr. Arthur Janov’s solution to therapy is an emotional roller coaster, but it may be the way for you to exorcise your depressed thoughts. To get out all that repressed anger and sadness, you’re going to scream, attack a punching bag, roll around on the floor – anything to get out the latent aggression. Patients revert to a childhood state, a time when, as Dr. Janov says, the unfulfilled feelings of love and need created many of the neuroses people with today.
- Natural Supplements
There are plenty of natural ways to diminish your depression. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oils, are some of the most popular, but others include vitamins B and D, 5-HTP, Monatomic Gold, and theanin. They can all help raise serotonin levels and activate calming neurotransmitters in a natural, chemically free way. Some can come easily and naturally, like vitamin D from the sun.
- Anti-Inflammatory Diets
A diet with fewer processed foods, sugars, and fats can go a long way towards helping with depression. These sorts of foods can be full of toxins and irritants, which can cause an inflammation of the immune system, and prolonged inflammation can cause many different mood disorders. More organic fruits, vegetables, and high fiber foods in your diet won’t aggravate your immune system. Try a system like the Mediterranean diet and see how your body reacts.
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
This is a treatment to stimulate areas of the brain and alleviate symptoms of depression. An electromagnetic coil applied to your scalp delivers a pulse that stimulates nerve cells and improves your mood. If medication and invasive treatments make you nervous, this might be the method for you.
- Cognitive Therapy
This type of therapy takes negative thoughts and emotions head on. The best way to describe its premise, according to its inventor Dr. Judith S. Beck, is “thoughts influence moods.” Cognitive therapy helps correct the negative thoughts and opinions the depressed patient has of his or herself, and equips the patient with the tools to make sure any new thoughts do not distort or alter their worldview.
- Going for a walk
Exercise is key to alleviating depression, and often times it’s as simple as getting outdoors. Going for a walk can help you get needed fresh air and sun, helps quiet the mind, and can stimulate serotonin and other chemicals that are needed for positive emotions.