depression?

Question

what things can help cure depresion (not mdeicens)

Answer 1

In my experience, you cannot 'cure' depression - you can make it easier to live with though. These are the things that help me live with my depression.

1) Talk - bottling things up doesn't help. Externalise your emotions. Work through your thoughts, and try and understand why you are having them, and if they are helpful or not.

2) Keep a diary - work out what 'triggers' you have, make lists of things that make you feel good and things that make you feel bad. Look at your lists often.

3) Eat healthily - don't drink, avoid caffine and sugar. Lots of fresh food, fruit and vegetables.

4) Stick to a sleep pattern. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time - even if you don't sleep at all in the night. Stick to 8 hours and don't sleep in.

5) Get outside for an hour a day - walk in the fresh air and clear your head.

6) Socialise - keep in touch with friends and family. Get out and meet people.

7) Set goals. Set realisitic, achievable and positive goals. This are personal - I set goals such a doing a course, joining an exercise class, sticking to my diet etc.

8) Give yourself a break - you aren't going to get better overnight, you are allowed slip ups. Remember that no one judges you as harshly as you judge yourself.

9) Talk to your doctor - ask what help is available and take it! Talking therapies help a lot of people, and CBT or conselling or something similar may help you. Medication is an option, but remember that it is your body - you can decide what goes in.

10) Talk to people who understand - it can be isolating feeling like you are the only person in the world with this awful illness. Talk to people who understand that some days it is too hard to get dress and who understand the reason why you stand in the supermarket crying over which tuna. It is liberating to know that other people are in the same boat - share tips on how to keep positive.

Also, take any support going. There is an online CBT course at: http://www.livinglifetothefull.com/elearning/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 and details of lots of support groups at http://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/depression.php#

Answer 2

When you say depression, do you mean clinical depression or just that you are generally fed up. There is a vast difference in the two. If it is just that you are fed up then you need to get yourself out, socialise with friends, take exercise, participate in sport etc. If you are clinically depressed then that is a completely different thing. You can help the way you feel and no matter who helps you and how much you want to do anything you just find it all too much. This is true depression and you will need help from your GP and medication. Sometimes depression is actually caused by the depletion of some chemicals in your brain for whatever reason and these need replacing with pills. Please do not be frightened and seek help from the GP immediately. Hope this has been useful although probably not what you wanted to hear.

Answer 3

I do not believe it can be cured. There are things that can be done to you, like ETC shocks and the medications to help "alter your mood". I'm told it's a chemical imbalance in the brain. But for depression "spells" here's a list of things I do.

Let it out! Cry, draw, paint, punch a pillow, scream.

Take a bath and "cleanse" yourself of impure thoughts.

Call a close friend or family member. Just so you can talk to someone and know your not alone.

Listen to inpirational music. Stay away from the angry depressing stuff.

I hope this helps. If all else fails dial your local help line.

Answer 4

Believe in yourself look around and see what others are like material things are not important life is important, the next time you see some one in a wheelchair think how lucky you are that you can walk or if you see a blind person how lucky you are that you can see or when you hear the birds sing or a baby laugh how lucky that your not deaf or when some one has cancer and there is no hope for them then think to yourself I'm healthy I can walk talk breathe I can feed myself and think and I'm alive why should I be feeling low god bless you my friend the world is there for you make the best of what you have there are so many with a lot less

Answer 5

Focusing your thought's and I've even kept a journal. A good diet with fruits and vegtibles help also. Sometimes it could be a seritonin production in the brain. This cause a chemical imbalance in the chemical the brain uses to process thought.

Answer 6

Put some light back into your life. Maybe you have SAD. Get a light box and sit in front of it for 30 mins each morning. Better still move to a sunnier climate. Everyone is so much happier and friendly.

Answer 7

Generally, In my experience, 'curing' depression or anxiety is a lifelong interest and I generally accept my mood for what it is, and will work to improve the things that I can at the given moment.

1. Sleep. Establish a good sleeping pattern around 8 hours a day.Relax in the evening, readying the mind and body for sleep. When the brain is resting during sleep, it is in "Delta" brainwave state. It is repairing itself, working through emotions and experiences of the day and hence allowing us to awake refreshed the next day. In depressive illnes,the brain spends a lot of time in REM or near-alpha sleep which does not allow the rejuvenation of Delta.We can train the brain to enter Delta more often wih relaxation. www.hemisync.com and www.brainsync.com expand on this. AVOID sleeping in, this sleep is often associated with excessive REM activity which is why people awaken feeling even more exhausted. REM can be as intensive and exhaustive as complex mathematics!!! On waking throw back the curtains and put uplifting music on.

2.Take a step back now;- Talk to someone who may be able to add objectivity to your situation and experiences. When we are experiencing depression or anxiety or any other mental health problem- we often colour experiences with distorted themes. Work through your thoughts, and try and understand why you are having them, and aim to discard the unhelpful ones untill you find helpful ones which will allow you to have more choices.

3. Self Acceptance/CBT methods. A few pyschologists and therapists have talked about the profound change in an individual when he/she learns to ditch "self-esteem" and accept himself, instead of clumping identity and behaviour together in one whole swoop. The practical and mind-opening book "A Guide To Rational Living" by Albert Ellis Phd and Robert Harper is an insight into this area.

4. Keep a diary - This will allow you objectivity to see correlations and patterns to mood changes etc and you will then be able to instigate appropriate coping strategies to these events.

5. Eat healthily - Fresh Fruit and Veg, concentrate around Unrefined brown rice and complex carbohydrates, balanced with protein. Also plenty of water to hydrate mind and body and allow the nerve signals to pass easily- water is a conductor! Carbs release serotonin and statbilize blood sugar levels and hence moodswings. Bannas, avocados,oily fish all contain neccesary oils and compunds that alleviate depressive symptoms.

6. Socialise/Network - Keep in contact with friends and family, or if you do not have any family or friends, try and start new ways of meeting people. Support groups may help.

7. goals. Set realisitic, achievable goals. try not to set yourslef up to fail and take small steps.This "towards success" thinking is much better than the "away from stress" thinking that is common in depression. Our brain is similar to a muscle and if used regulalry can start to grow again and become more flexible.

8. Talk to your doctor - Talking therapies help a lot of people, and CBT, REBT or NLP conselling may help you.

9. Relaxation. The more time we devote to relaxation, the more time we can retrain our bodies into remember relaxed states of body and mind. We have clearer thoughts,more energy and feel refreshed! This is particularly helpful in PTSD states and high anxiety states. Again, www.brainsync.com and a uk distributor ww.relax-uk.org can help with this with special cds to induce relaxation.

10. Excercise. Just a brisk stroll in fresh air can help, but half an hour in the pool works wonders with the cardiovascular system, releasing endorphins (the bodies natural opiates), dumping adrenaline, and clearing toxins.

11. .An engaing hobby -something that you will really enjoy- that helps you to learn and will give you lots of pleasure- is obvioulsy healthy and natural and also a good distraction technique.

Answer 8

Success!!!
I do not mean to sound flippant but, set yourself goals and work to reach them. It is hard to be depressed when you are feeling good about yourself.
Start with small goals on a daily basis; go for a long walk, NO sweets, wash the car etc.
and build up.
Good Luck

Answer 9

A day with your family, a walk on the beach, playing with your pet. Basically, anything that makes you happy. Clear your mind at night and take deep breaths. Think of happy thoughts.

Answer 10

take time for ureself only. just relax, close ure eyes, take a deep breath. that;s for the start. then maybe u can do something u like, start another hobby or just take some short holiday. it's not easy i know, but im sure u can handle it.
hope that helps