what can i do to get out of depression without using medication?

Answer 1

learn how to detach your self from emotion:

Detaching yourself? You know what the Buddhist say? Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent.
Detachment doesn't mean you don't let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That's how you are able to leave it.

Take any emotion--love for woman, or grief for a loved one, or what you are going through,fear, guilt and pain or deadly illness. If you hold back on the emotions---- if you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid. you're afraid of pain, you're afraid of the grief. You're afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails.

But by throwing your self into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely. You know what pain is. You know what love is. You know what grief is. And only then can you say, 'All right. I have experienced that emotion. I recognize that emotion. Now i need to detach from that emotion for a moment'

Wash yourself with the emotion. It won't hurt you. It will only help. If you let the fear inside, if you pull it on like a familiar shirt, then you can say to yourself, "All right, it's just fear, I don't have to let it control me. I see it for what it is . (Learn to detach).

Answer 2

So glad you are asking this question instead of jumping on the drug train. As has already been mentioned exercise is paramount. Depression is made worse by just sitting on a couch, and by getting energy circulating in your body (exercise is not just for weight loss) you get a feeling of wellbeing.

Start doing some things that you like to do - don't go into delusions of grandeur or the I can't speaker in your head will go beserk! Start learning new things that are within your range of achievement. Trying to do things that are too hard will only make you feel bad if you fail. We all fail from time to time it's part of trying new things. But achieving things makes you feel like getting out of bed.

Go to support groups that help you source the real problem behind your depression. Often it is caused by too many no's in your life. All the wants you had were squashed and you gave up. Did you have hopes and dreams that you now feel are out of your reach. The 'what's the use' attitude is your enemy and only makes you more depressed - like a voice inside you that doesn't stop and feeds your depression. Tell it to take a hike and move forward at a pace you can handle.

Watch out for people who are putting demands on you that weigh you down and add to your emotional load.

It's not an easy road getting through depression, but you can get through it, it's not a life sentence and if you can learn to manage your own energy, ie physical wellbeing, your mind and the inner core of yourself then life gets better.

Answer 3

1. Make sure you get enough daylight every day. Try to spend at least two hours outside.
2. Try to live as regularly as you can...rise at the same time each day, go to bed at the same time, eat meals at the same time..establish routine. This is important because when you have that routine your mind no longer needs to occupy itself with the day to day life, leaving it free to sort out your problems.
3. As said by other answerers, excercise! The saying "a healthy mind in a healthy body" certainly holds true so start with the body. The other advantage of exercise is that it will eventually start to release endorphines , also called 'the happy hormone' this hormone, which your body makes all by itself, produces the same sort of effects as certain drugs only endorphines are natural and thus not harmful.
4. Stay in touch with people around you. Do not isolate yourself, it will make you more depressed. Even a short chat with neighbours helps!
5. Try to find something positive about any upcoming day, find things ( however small) to look forward to, then thoroughly enjoy them when the time comes.
6. Watch comedy. Have a good laugh, it really works when you feel low.
7. Do not try to get over depression by turning to alcohol, drugs or meds, they will only worsen your depression.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Exercise or group therapy or both. Exercise can decrease depression through the production of endorphins in the brain, which ultimately gives you a natural high and alleviates the depression. Group therapy can also be useful. Keeping a journal, writing one positive thing about yourself everyday, setting goals for yourself that are reachable with the aid of a professional health care provider can also help.

Answer 5

Some of us can not go without meds. Depression can be all in our head, quite literally. There are synopsis( in the brain) not triggering and need help. You can be in the party and yet ready to call it quits. Some of us are passive suicides. Meaning that we want things to end but never do anything. I suggest that you seek professional help. You may also check into christian counseling.
It does help on occasion to really talk to someone who is trained to help. Friends are nice but the burden of our friendship can overwelm them. You can journal your thoughts, this will help to see a pattern. Knowing what triggers your depression is a big help. Also, spending time in the sun does wonders for me. I don't mean to sunbath. Just go out and feel the light on your face. It's been proven that sunlight helps with the melotonin our body needs.
You may want to try voluntiering somewhere. Nothing like hearing someone else's problems to put your own in perspective!
There are alternative choices. You might want to check out a depression study. Some clinics offer these study's then you will get a chance to be diagnosed, also, get treatment for free. You might even be paid.
You might also want to go to someone who specializes in nutrition, herbal suppliments and homeopathic alternatives. I hear that accupuncture can help.
But I wonder about how many needles that I would need in my head! I have enough holes there! I wouldn't want to lose any more of my marbles as it is!
I don't know where you are in your head. But, if it is anything like mine, I can feel for you. We are all uniqe. So any treatment you may want to consider may not work. You may want to be open to the meds in some capacity.
May God bless and keep you.

Answer 6

the answers above are good.
Having spent 4 years in deep depression using the best drugs available legally to no consistant results . I found exercise will change brain chemistry - as simple as a daily walk to start.
Found change of food style - minimizing sugars saturated fats wheat - increased results.
Addition of Omega 3 and 6 fats found in flaxseed oil - i know ugh - stabilised results.
this site Thinkrightnow.com helped change the garbage repetative thinking that comes in depression to positive repetative thinking.
no gaurentees for you just some options.Go with knowledge that it isn't forever unless you chose so.

Answer 7

• Exercise regularly
• Avoid caffiene and other stimulants
• Eat a healthy diet
• Get a pet, something furry like a dog or cat
• Don't watch too much TV news
• Focus on your spiritual life
• Get a hobby that you are passionate about

Answer 8

go to your local health unit or Dr. office and see if there is a program available to talk to someone such as a therapist. they can help you deal with problems that may cause your depression.

Answer 9

its hard but try to keep ur self busy with something and all of a sudden things will come together.try to talk to someone about it and if u cant u can talk to me if u want to.going for walks could help

Answer 10

find your peace of mind. think of your situation and apply it to other people lives and what they would do. other people who arent complete idiots. or calm down and perhaps meditate think of the matter at hand and how to approach it. althoguth im not a buddhist ive tried their mthods and they work well