anybody know 'natural@ therapies for depression?

Question

i dont want go back to pill and all this 'get out and get a hobby' are harder than it seems!
help!!

Answer 1

maybe having a look at this site will help,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression

there are many different types of depression, so best determine which one sounds like the one you are suffering from....
However i think there is a herbal called St Johns Wart, its a capsule that you can buy from any chemist!!!

Good luck and i hope you find something that suits you!!

Answer 2

Try a well-rounded approach. Fight your depression both physically and mentally.

First, eat healthy and regularly. If you don't feel like eating, still eat a little bit so your blood sugar isn't contantly going up and down. Don't underestimate how your physical health can affect your mood.

I have listed some information about natural supplements that can help with depression below. (I have done a lot of research on the topic over the last year or two).

Second, do try to exercise. Even if it's just walking a bit every day.

Third, try to understand the root of your depression. When you become depressed, write down your thoughts and feelings. Determine what your negative thoughts are and work on keeping them from pulling you down into depression.
Often depression starts with little negative thoughts and leads to irrational thinking.
Do some research on this and you will see what I mean.

Find motivational things that can make you feel better and use them whenever you need them.

And last, seek help from others. Establish a support system. Find people you know you can count on when you start to feel down - and call them or find some way to talk to them!

Also, don't underestimate how much a good counselor can help you. (Notice that I said "good", because there are some not so great ones out there too. Just ask around or find references for counselors. If you can't get any recommendations, you should be able to tell after the first session or two if you "click" with your counselor.)

Here are the natural supplements I mentioned above:

(before taking any supplements always talk to your doctor first so you know that you won't have any medication interactions)

As already mentioned, St. John's Wort is one herbal remedy for depression, the problem is that it can cause side effects for some people and may interact with some medications. I usually will not recommend St. John's Wort.

I have done some research on the link between depression and nutrition, and the following things have been found to help: B vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids (can be found in fish oil, walnuts, flaxseed oil) are supported the most by research. Also unrefined or Celtic sea salt has trace minerals that support neurotransmitter functioning (it also has trace amounts of lithium salts - and we all know what that's good for!), and lecithin. Lecithin is not indicated specifically for depression, but it is very good for keeping a healthy nervous system in general, and is therefore thought to help with depression.

You can buy lithium salts at some health food stores, but I would be cautious with this, especially if you are taking any other medications.

You can also buy 5-HTP at some health food stores (or online, of course) - this is a substance that your body turns into serotonin. Effectiveness has not yet been proven, but some people say it works and it seems to be safe - but there again, it has not been proven. I would do a little research on that yourself first, just to be safe. But I have never heard of any problems with the 5-HTP.

One last thing - make sure you get enough Vitamin C and Zinc. Vitamin C helps your body turn the tryptophan you eat into serotonin (which btw, in case you don't know, serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is often lacking in depression) and several studies have shown that zinc produces antidepressant effects.
These two are pretty safe, so I would give them a try first.

Plus make sure you eat healthy - not too much sugar, alcohol, or caffeine.
Exercise really does help too.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 3

Exercise It is widely believed that physical activity and exercise help depressed patients and promote quicker and better relief from depression. They are also thought to help antidepressants and psychotherapy work better and faster. It can be difficult to find the motivation to exercise if the depression is severe, but sufferers should be encouraged to take part in some form of regularly scheduled physical activity. A workout need not be strenuous; many find walking, for example, to be of great help. Exercise produces higher levels of chemicals in the brain, notably dopamine, serotonin, and nor epinephrine. In general this leads to improvements in mood, which is effective in countering depression.



Meditation is increasingly seen as a useful treatment for some cases of depression. The current professional opinion on meditation is that it represents at least a complementary method of treating depression, a view that has been endorsed by the Mayo Clinic. Since the late 1990s, much research has been carried out to determine how meditation affects the brain the Although the effects on the mind are complex, they are often quite positive, encouraging a calm, reflective, and rational state of mind that can be of great help against depression Although many religions include meditative practice, it is not necessary to be a member of any faith to meditate.

Answer 4

Try a new doctor. Depression is nothing to mess with, it can be fatal if not treated, and in any case it is painful and unnecessary!

There are many ways to treat depression that work for many people. Some involve medication, some involve cognitive therapy (learning to deal with negative or scary thoughts by changing the "thinking habits" you have) and some are helped by a combination.

If one thing does not work, try another! Be persistent and patient, you deserve to feel good, and you can.

I am not a fan of herbs and so on, but some people say SAM-e, a "natural" supplement you can find at your drug store, works for them. I'd discuss it with a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist first though.

Answer 5

Exercise, definitely. You don't have to go crazy but anything that gets you working out (even if its dancing, skating, running around the house, skipping, whatever as long as you're exercising) is definitely good for depression. Exercise releases the neurotransmitter seretonin in the brain, the 'feel good' chemical that antidepressants suppliment you with. Sunlight can also release similar chemicals so getting out and about in the sun is also good. Apart from that just keeping busy, though like you said, harder than it seems.

That should help you deal in the short-term though. In the long term though you need to sort through any problems you have. Try to get to the reasons for the depression (is it a job, lack of close friends, wrong kind of friends, problems from the past that you can't get over etc. etc.) and start to cope with them. Couselling, if you can afford it, is the best way to do this for most people. Or if not is there anyone you can just talk to to work through some problems. Sometimes just talking about problems, even if you don't get any imput, can help (hell, i used to find just talking away to my dog helped a bit, because they don't judge and you just talking out loud about problems can really help!).

Answer 6

Take Omega 3 fish oil enough to get at least 1 gram a day EPA
(may take 3 weeks till you notice the difference)
Exercise for 20 minutes three times a week
Make a list of things that have given you pleasure in the past and hang it on the wall to remind you and do something on the list every day
Try Cognitive behavioural therapy

Answer 7

I don't think the getting a hobby idea works for major depression - it was of no use to me.

St John's wort yes. Moderate exercise. Sunlight. Alcoholic drink IN MODERATION (worked for me as a temporary relief for an hour or so). ECT (putting electricity through your brain - see http://www.electroboy.com). Lithium, a treatment for bipolar, was recommended to me although I never took any.
Why don't you want to go back to pills? These days there are lots of choices, and they have different therapies. Are they not the dock leaf for the depression nettle?

Answer 8

well as hard as it is, it works. You just need to add some spontaneity to your life to jumpstart your mind and body (because depression has physical side effects as well). Go for a run every morning or night (people that exercise say that they have more energy vs. those who don't---- and more enegy means that your mood might be better as well), eat healthy, and when your feeling down talk to someone, write, or get out of the house. These are just a few of the things I do, and of course it doesn't always work, but it does help. Good luck!

Answer 9

Well just go out! Sunlight really helps as does fresh air. Even if you can't leave your home for some reason (say you are paralysed or something) then sit next to an open window. If you can manage it just go for a 20 minute walk twice a day. Little things like this make a big difference.

Answer 10

One natural therapy is Sunlight.. yep that is right. there is something called Vitamin D in sunlight that is very much needed by the body. You will find if you are in an area that doesnt get much sunlight people get very depressed it even has a name SAD Seasonal Affective disorder. basically you need to get some sun. if none is available go to a tanning salon. Dr's haev been prescribing sunlight for years to combat this issue. try it out if it doesnt work at least you will lok good while your depressed. To be honest it is very relaxing i think you will enjoy it!
Good luck

Answer 11

This is extremely hard to do but write down all the people,places and things you fear or have feared in your life. The same with resentments. Break it down into what you think caused your fear or resentment. Were you or the other person in the wrong. Do you need to make amends? Keep it safe for no-one to see. Then go and share it with a priest/vicar. Or you could go to see a counsellor. Just sharing painful secrets like bullying helps.
Natural anti-depressants are exercise and herbal- St John's wort