If you are suffering from mild depression, you might be wondering what treatments you could try right now.
Everyone gets unhappy, angry, and down in the dumps at times. When does a negative emotion turn from normal to worrisome? When it causes you to avoid social situations, lose sleep, oversleep, gain too much weight or lose too much in a short time. A mild depression could be thought to be present when your emotions start reeking havoc on your life.
If you feel you’ve been suffering from anything of this nature, it’s important to make an appointment with a psychotherapist or psychiatrist to be evaluated. Even your family doctor can help guide you the right way.
Once you’ve made an appointment with a pro, try these treatments to start feeling like you again piece by piece.
MINDFULNESS
It’s all about coping with negative emotion to overcome it rather than running from it. Try some mediation exercises found readily online, or hop into a local group meditation. Buy a book full of mindfulness techniques. Incorporate these little by little – even the Buddha didn’t become enlightened overnight.
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, all of those troubling thoughts have to be challenged. It’s all about changing limiting beliefs, facing your fears head on, and learning that you will survive the storm. You will survive it – but first you must find someone practicing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in your area. The web is a great place to start, or you can contact your insurance company to find out practitioners in your area that accept your health insurance.
EXERCISE
Exercise is a natural way to get all of those brain chemicals flowing. Get out and do something you enjoy. Running, biking, walking your dog, skipping down the road, dancing. Pick your medicine. Just get moving for 30 minutes per day at least 5 times per week.
SUPPLEMENTS
Of course before starting a supplement, it is a very wise idea to check with a professional. Many have found as much success (or more) with herbal supplements as they have with prescription drugs. Try visiting a holistic apothecary and asking to visit with an herbalist who can point you in the right direction. St. John’s Wort has been a specifically helpful aid in the fight against depression for many.
WHOLE FOODS
That is – real foods. Like your mother always used to say, “If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, do you really want to eat it?” Start by making meals at home from WHOLE fruits and veggies, that is in not processed. Chop up everything by hand and make everything at home. If the first ingredient of something doesn’t start with a real food, don’t even think about it.
GET OUT IN THE SUN
Sunshine has a very illuminating effect on the soul. Go outside and frolic in the light. Turns out, not only does it uplift your mood it also is good for your cells. The sun gives your body certain depression fighting juice.
ANTI-DEPRESSANTS
Many choose to take these – and many do not. The choice is personal. This is something that would be a good idea to discuss with your mental health professional, but many people do great on medication.
