Is there any way to defeat depression without having to pay for doctor's and prescription medicine?

Question

Everywhere I look for I help, somebody is trying to sell me some service or pill.

Answer 1

Depression

If you are looking for a quick fix for depression, I don't know if there is one without drugs… but I truly understand the need. With ADD, remembering my medication was a real dilemma. Tired of the struggle, I read that people taking an active role in their recovery had a greater chance of healing, so I began a search. The solutions were not quick fixes. They take time and continued effort, but my depression has diminished greatly. I still have difficult times. But they don't linger anymore.

First, I examined my thinking. This turned out to be a multipart issue. First, I had to consider what I thought and listened to, i.e., what I fed my mind; music, movies, friends, books. Was the input positive or negative/productive or destructive? I used to listen to /watch the news, sad songs, dramas, and people with negative opinions. I quit watching the news, changed my music, watched more comedies, and started reading stories that inspire me! That helped greatly.

Next, I realized my thoughts were molded from birth, and forgave those who taught me (they were also taught). Blame is pointless; forgiveness, EVERYTHING. I discovered sometimes, we must remove ourselves from the negative stimulus, especially when people try drawing us back to old patterns. Change frightens them. It is scary because we become a different person. Sometimes friends and even family no longer play a part in our new life. I found myself grieving my change for awhile because I didn't seem to fit in anywhere. But it passed and I discovered new friends that inspired, rather than drained. Family can learn acceptance and may even change too, because you've set an example.

This next part is most important; the way I saw myself. I was in an abusive relationship, told many lies about who I was; pessimistic… violent… a bad mother… After 20 years of this, I lost myself. I no longer knew who I was! My confidence was gone; shattered. I couldn't believe friends and family when they said I was a good person. All the good I'd done in my life was lost in a dismal haze. A book (I think it was How We choose To Be Happy) said if you want to know who you are, just look at your friends. Happy people don't hang out at the gloomy club. I realized I wasn't bad. I also discovered that if I didn't like something about myself, I could change it! Just because I didn't like something about myself didn't make me a bad person. It just made me human.

Then there were all my self-help books and meditation. Meditation took time and patience, but I found it really helped. Now I can get lost in it for hours. I also found spirituality. Another book said anything you ask God (or The Universe) is answered. All you have to do is learn to listen. Answers come from everywhere (books, songs, children, movies, sudden thoughts…). I found this to be very true.

And I discovered that everything is made up of energy. I learned to release the negative energy and draw in the positive, literally. It has helped greatly. The combination of these things has helped me change my life, which seems to have inspired others to change their lives too because we are all connected and tough lives, even when we are unaware. I invite you to try any or all of these things. If you truly seek an answer, you WILL find your solution, Love. May you find what you are looking for. Good luck and may God bless.

Answer 2

If there is a specific thing or somebody that has you so depressed I would recommend a support group.
I am a member of 2 and they are very helpful. You talk to others in your same situation and they understand how you feel and you share your feelings. There are many to be found on Yahoo. Yahoo home page has GROUPS on the left side, click there. Good luck and remember the Lord will guide you if you talk to him and try to trun your tragedy or sorrows over to HIM>

Answer 3

Actually, psychotherapy can be just as effective as medication. I don't know if you are open to seeing a therapist, but I do believe that talk therapy can be quite effective in treating depression. You can call your insurance company and ask for names/#'s of in-network therapists, or you can search for one here:
http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php

Other things that can be helpful for depression include: meditation, talking with a supportive person other than a therapist (i.e. a priest, a coach, teacher, etc), staying away from alcohol (which is actually a depressant and can worsen depression), increasing exercize (which releases endorphins), etc.

Not everyone who is depressed requires medication, however, for some, medication in combination with therapy is the only thing that works. Everyone is different.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I had severe depression for 14 years, tried many doctors and diets in case of food sensitivities and I really had no relief until Prozac entered the picture. It has to do with a chemical in your brain and not having enough of it for your depression to be stopped on its own. Serotonin is the chemical that is out of balance. It worked after being on it for 10 days. I suggest seeing your doctor and discussing this with him or her. Don't worry that everyone is after your money, some of it is well spent to feel human again. Good luck to you.

Answer 5

Regular exercise, Prayanam (breathing exercise) and yoga have the greatest anti depression properties. learn meditation. Go to church, Mosque, temple or pray at home. Cry and confess all your problem and sin to the god. Hand him over all your problems. Get the company of nice, understanding friends. I think will be enough. Never take shelter with liquer, sleeping pills and tranquilizers

Answer 6

I'm not! See http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris on page 2. You can employ the other methods, without the herbal remedies, but I'd take the supplements, as Americans in general could benefit from fish oil, and depressed people from vitamin B complex.

Answer 7

Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been proven the best method to treat and cure depression. You're right. Many people just offer a pill, which may or may not be effective. and may take several tries to get right. Some scientists believe a combination of medication and therapy to change one's thinking patterns/perceptions/perspective has been proven to be a permanent solution. You can find a good cognitive behavioral therapist, or you can go to the library or book store and start the journey yourself. You'll be surprised at how quickly things turn around and how much more often you feel good.

What can you do now?
The first thing you need to do is recognize the symptoms of depression and deal with it as early on as possible. Get up, get out, and take control. A down mood lasting more than a couple of weeks that is interfering with your daily life is a good sign that depression is setting in.

You can do a number of things to start working on overcoming depression. There are a number of excellent books that teach a person to be happy. There are also a number of excellent free resources on the net. Look around. You might be surprised.

A lot of depression and anxiety is rooted in how we think. For example, if you expect people to like you and they do not, then you may get down. If you expect the world to behave the way you want it to you will most likely get frustrated. Simple examples, but true. Learing new expectations, challenging destructive thinking patterns, and learning new coping techniques can totally turn things around and keep them turned around without medication.

Exercise, especially non-competitive exercise, is a good way to get rid of adrenaline caused by stress and anxiety and to relieve depression. Find what you like to do that is active and do it often. When you are depressed, the last thing you feel like doing is getting out and exercising or playing a sport, but it is very effective for lifting your mood and maintaining a good mood.
Diet. Make sure you eat healthy and often so your blood sugar is not jumping and diving and you are supporting your body while you work on feeling better. Take a multi-vitamin with minerals and plenty of B vitamins. Be well-hydrated. Drink plently of water.
Sleep: Get 8 hours of sleep on a regular schedule. If you have a schedule, your body will function at its best.
Happy Factor: What really makes you happy? Start with some baby steps to increase your happy factor. Take time to treat yourself as your number one priority. Say no when people are making demands of you.
Look outside yourself: Do something for someone else without expecting anything in return.
Challenge your thinking patterns. Be realistic.
Check out some self-help sites on the net such as depression.org for PDF versions of how to overcome depression.
Number one: Be sober. Drinking and many drugs alter your brain chemicals and are actual depressants. If you are self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, join a support group and stop. You cannot learn to think properly and cope effectively when you are either stoned, recovering from being stoned or worrying about how/when you will next get stoned.

So sleep, eat, exercise, and be kind to yourself. Learn new coping and stress management strategies. Learn new thinking patterns. Act instead of reacting. You cannot just "snap out of" depression. You can overcome it and reduce the liklihood of it returning. You can change your life. Really. Not hard to do and very rewarding when done.

Work toward fullfilling the goals you set for yourself. Are they realistic? What can you do today to head that direction?

Drugs are not the only cure for depression and are short-term treatments at best. I am with you on that one.

There is a ton of research out there supporting what I am saying. There are tons of self-help books, seminars, websites that you can use to your advantage. I hope today is the first day of the best days of your life. Best of luck.

Answer 8

If you are religious, there are religious groups and activities that are free. Otherwise you might start by checking out Centraide (United Way),: they might be able to give you a "lead" to the nearest free facility (or suppot group) in your area

Answer 9

You can buy herbal remedies to treat depresssion.A good one is John Worts.It help to relieve depressive symptoms.