What Are The Alternatives To Antidepressants
If you don’t want to take antidepressants, there are lots of alternative treatments you can try. In fact, if you are diagnosed with mild depression, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for treating depression recommend that doctors offer you other treatments ahead of medication.
If you are taking antidepressants, you may also want to use other options for treatment and support, as well as your medication.
This page has information on some of the common alternatives to antidepressants. You may find these helpful to use instead of your medication, or alongside it:
Lifestyle Changes May Play A Role
People with severe depression require help from medical professionals they cant treat themselves but some lifestyle changes can supplement other treatments or counter mild depression:
- Exercise can release mood-enhancing chemicals and improve brain function.
- Yoga, meditation, or other mind-body techniques can lower stress and relieve negative emotions.
- Support groups for people with depression can be found through organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Psychotherapy For Depression Treatment
If there is no underlying medical cause for your symptoms of depression, talk therapy can be an extremely effective treatment. What you learn in therapy gives you skills and insight to feel better and help prevent depression from coming back.
There are many types of therapy available. Three of the more common methods used in depression treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. Often, a blended approach is used.
Some types of therapy teach you practical techniques on how to reframe negative thinking and employ behavioral skills in combating depression. Therapy can also help you work through the root of your depression, helping you understand why you feel a certain way, what your triggers are for depression, and what you can do to stay healthy.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Best Medication For Severe Depression And Anxiety
Take Time To Meditate
When it comes to holistic ways to treat anxiety, meditation can be very effective. Meditating involves sitting quietly, breathing evenly and becoming more aware of your surroundings. It helps you focus on the present moment, not something in the future thats making you worry. Try starting out with 10 minutes of meditation a day.
Lifestyle Changes To Treat Depression
Exercise.Regular exercise can be as effective at treating depression as medication. Not only does exercise boost serotonin, endorphins, and other feel-good brain chemicals, it triggers the growth of new brain cells and connections, just like antidepressants do. Best of all, you dont have to train for a marathon in order to reap the benefits. Even a half-hour daily walk can make a big difference. For maximum results, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity on most days.
Social support. Strong social networks reduce isolation, a key risk factor for depression. Keep in regular contact with friends and family, or consider joining a class or group. Volunteering is a wonderful way to get social support and help others while also helping yourself.
Nutrition. Eating well is important for both your physical and mental health. Eating small, well-balanced meals throughout the day will help you keep your energy up and minimize mood swings. While you may be drawn to sugary foods for the quick boost they provide, complex carbohydrates are a better choice. Theyll get you going without the all-too-soon sugar crash.
Sleep. Sleep has a strong effect on mood. When you dont get enough sleep, your depression symptoms will be worse. Sleep deprivation exacerbates irritability, moodiness, sadness, and fatigue. Make sure youre getting enough sleep each night. Very few people do well on less than seven hours a night. Aim for somewhere between seven to nine hours each night.
Recommended Reading: Best Nootropic Stack For Anxiety And Depression
Or Spend Time With Loved Ones
Depression can tempt you to isolate yourself and withdraw from people you love and trust, but face-to-face time can help wash away those tendencies.
If youre unable to spend time together in person, phone calls or video chats can also be helpful.
Try to remind yourself these people care about you. Resist the temptation to feel like youre a burden. You need the interaction and they likely do, too.
Research has shown that keeping a journal can be a beneficial add-on method for managing mental health conditions.
Writing down your thoughts can help you express what youre feeling more clearly. It can also help you keep track of what symptoms youre having each day and identify what causes them.
You can make a goal to write for a few minutes each day or week. Most importantly, what you want to write about is completely up to you.
When you do the same thing day after day, you use the same parts of your brain.
Research shows doing new things can feel rewarding improve your overall well-being and strengthen your social relationships.
To reap these benefits, consider trying a new sport, taking a creative class, or learning a new cooking technique.
Gardening As A Natural Treatment For Depression
This natural depression treatment will make your hands dirty but your mind shine.
A meta-analysis from 2017, including studies from the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, showed that gardening came with a wide range of health benefits. Digging and planting and watering on a regular basis reduced:
- Physical activity levels
- Cognitive function
The researchers suggest that government and health organizations should consider gardening as a beneficial health intervention.
And that doesnt sound so odd, does it? After all, gardening has all of those benefits plus giving you something to care for. Watching living things grow can give us a sense of purpose. Simultaneously, its a form of exercise AND its a great way to stay mindful
Other mental health researchers have found that gardening together with others has more health benefits than gardening alone .
You May Like: Overcoming Depression On Your Own
What Are Symptoms Of Depression
Depression is a common mental disorder that includes
- loss of interest or enjoyment in previously loved activities
- feelings of guilt or low self-worth
- disturbed sleep or appetite, and poor concentration
These problems can become chronic or recurrent, and lead to substantial impairments in an individuals ability to take care of his or her everyday responsibilities. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide. Almost 1 million lives are lost yearly due to suicide, which translates to 3,000 deaths by suicide every day.
Learn To Recognize Negative Thinking
Sometimes these thoughts can be obvious, such as times when you berate or criticize yourself. Other times, they can be more subtle. You might find yourself engaging in things like catastrophizing or all-or-nothing thinking.
Catastrophizing involves always anticipating negative outcomes. All-or-nothing thinking means that you think of things as either successes or failures with no in-between. Once you get better at recognizing these cognitive patterns, you can start working on some healthier replacements.
Also Check: Can Depression Cause Low Platelets
Proper Diet And Nutrition To Help Anxiety
Modifying what you eat can have profound effects on both your overall health and mental health. A healthy diet, in particular, can help regulate anxiety levels, according to recent research. Experts recommend that individuals with depression avoid overconsumption of sugary and processed foods along with caffeine and alcohol.
Additionally, more doctors are recognizing the role that bacteria in your gut can have on mental health. A healthy diet that includes probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and kefir can help promote a proper balance of gut bacteria. Taking pre and probiotic supplements may be beneficial as well.
Natural Solutions To Depression
There are many options to naturally cure depression. Some of these natural solutions can be used in combination with one another while some are best used alone.
The first step in choosing from the different natural remedies available is to determine the root cause of the depression. For example, vitamin B12 supplementation will benefit depressed patients with low levels of the vitamin while stress-related depression can be effectively managed with herbs which have both an antidepressant and anti-stress properties.
Also Check: How To Deal With Depression Quotes
St Johns Wort For Depression And Fatigue
Considering taking herbs to fight depression?
Sure, theyre natural. But, remember that herbs can still be considered psychotropic drugs and not necessarily safe.
St. Johns Wort, for example, is one of the most recognised natural remedies for depression and safer than SSRIs, according to this study .
But it comes with one safety warning. Youll need to consult your doctor before taking it if you are on any medication or the contraceptive pill.
And while were talking about the contraceptive pill, research has shown that the pill can cause anxiety, depression and low libido . So it might be worth asking your doctor to review your medication to ensure its suitable and appropriate for you.
Essentials For When Youre Depressed
Firstly, if youre feeling suicidal, please go straight to my page: Help with emotional problems, to find where you can turn to right now.
Secondly, there are numerous medical conditions . So, do have a health checkup if you havent had one yet.
Thirdly, check the side effects of any of your prescribed medications.
Drugs prescribed for high blood pressure, hot flushes , prostate enlargement, pain, digestive system or lung problems, epilepsy, and would you believe it depression and anxiety, are linked to depression.
Recommended Reading: Depression Support Groups Gainesville Fl
Complementary And Alternative Therapies
Some people find complementary and alternative therapies help to manage their symptoms. For example, this may be aromatherapy, reflexology or acupuncture. Complementary therapies may also help manage some of the side effects of medication, if you decide to continue with it.
Some herbal remedies can interact with antidepressants and other types of medication. So if you are thinking about taking a herbal remedy alongside any medication, speak to your doctor or pharmacist about whether this is safe.
St John’s wort
is a herbal medicine that is sometimes used to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is available to buy without needing a prescription.
There is some uncertainty about the effects of St Johns Wort, as well as the correct dose to take and how it interacts with other medicines. It is best to seek advice from your doctor before taking it, especially if you are already taking any kind of medication.
Healing From Depression The 6 Proven Non
Depression steals people. So far, despite the colossal investment of resources, there is still no reliably effective treatment. What we know for sure is that antidepressants just arent working. According to Dr Stephen Ilardi, respected psychologist, university professor and author of The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression Without Drugs, antidepressants only have about a 50% success rate. Out of the people who do find relief, half of them will relapse, taking the actual recovery rate to 25%. Then there are the side effects, such as emotional blunting, weight gain and sexual dysfunction.
When antidepressants fail to deliver, the hopelessness that lies at the heart of depression becomes even more brutal. If we could immunise ourselves and the people we love against depression, wed be lining up. There is no immunisation, but a growing body of research is finding that there are ways to protect ourselves from depression and alleviate any existing symptoms, particularly for mild to moderate depression.
Its about certain lifestyle factors six of them and the difference they can make to each of us, depressed or otherwise, is phenomenal. The claims may sound extravagant, but science is proving them over and over. The evidence is too compelling for us not to take notice.
Also Check: Best Service Dogs For Depression And Anxiety
Small Steps Big Impact
If a person feels sustained, intense, feelings of sadness or loss of interest in activities, they may have clinical depression. People also refer to this condition as major depressive disorder.
However, there are small steps you can take to help you gain more agency in your life and improve your sense of well-being.
Read on to learn how to incorporate these strategies in a way that makes sense for you.
Can Depression Be Cured Without Medication
Can I recover from depression without antidepressants?
This is a question that many people ask me. They search the web, talk to their doctors, and seek alternative treatments, hoping that they can recover on their own. The answer to this question is both simple and very complicated. It often depends on the severity and persistence of depressive symptoms. Few people, in my experience, recover spontaneously and fully from depression entirely on their own. Reaching out for help is an important part of the recovery process. But getting help can take many forms, and what works for one person may not be the answer for another.
Studies show that psychotherapy can be as effective as medication in improving depressive symptoms, and the benefits tend to persist after treatment ends. Therapy addresses the root causes of depression, such as unresolved grief, anxiety, early childhood trauma, negative thinking, poor self-image, loss of meaning, and relationship difficulties. Therapy can also help to improve coping skills and resilience. But for severe or persistent depression, both therapy and medication may be needed for a complete recovery. This article will talk about what individuals should consider when deciding whether to take antidepressants for treatment of depression or whether another approach might work as well.
1. Severe, debilitating depression warrants a consultation with a doctor.
References:
Read Also: Icd 10 Code For Severe Depression
Do I Need Health Insurance To Receive This Service
The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.
Individual Or Group Therapy
When you hear the word therapy you might automatically think of one-on-one sessions with a therapist. However, group therapy can be very useful in depression treatment as well. Both group and individual therapy sessions usually last about an hour. What are the benefits of each? In individual therapy, you are building a strong relationship with one person, and may feel more comfortable sharing some sensitive information with one person than with a group. You also get individualized attention.
In group therapy, listening to peers going through the same struggles can validate your experiences and help build self-esteem. Often group members are at different points in their depression, so you might get tips from both someone in the trenches and someone who has worked through a challenging problem. As well as offering inspiration and ideas, attending group therapy can also help increase your social activities and network.
When the going gets tough in therapy
Also Check: Excessive Daytime Sleepiness And Depression
Electroconvulsive Therapy May Help Treatment
When psychotherapy and medications dont relieve symptoms of depression, or there is a high risk of suicide, doctors may turn to electroconvulsive therapy . Once called electroshock therapy, ECT has come a very long way since it was first used in the 1940s. According to Mayo Clinic experts, its safe, though there is the potential for side effects such as memory loss that may or may not be temporary, depending on the person.
ECT passes an electrical current through the brain while the person is under general anesthesia, causing a brief, controlled seizure that affects neurons and brain chemistry. Typically the person wakes up 5 or 10 minutes afterward and is ready to resume normal activities in about an hour, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
That said, not everyone reacts the same way to ECT, notes Elizabeth Wassenaar, MD, regional medical director of the Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center in Denver. She explains that people cannot drive the day they receive treatment, and some people find they cannot work the next day.
ECT is initially administered three times a week for an average of three to five weeks, says Dr. Wassenaar. After this initial series, ECT treatments are typically given less frequently twice a week, once a week, every other week, or even less often explains Wassenaar. She adds that ECT is often covered by insurance.
In addition to memory loss, temporary side effects of ECT may include the following:
Supplements To Treat Depression Without Medication
Can taking supplements really improve your mental health?
Im not a fan of taking supplements with the expectation that theyll transform your well-being.
Nutritional supplements, such as the B vitamins, magnesium and fish oil, are often recommended to improve mental health.
However, to get the benefit of one, you need another for the first one to be absorbed. And for your body to be able to use the latter, it needs yet another substance, and so on.
In addition, the average supplement you find on the shelves often contains chemical lookalikes with a good chance your body doesnt even recognise it if it can absorb it at all.
So, its no surprise that eating the right foods is the safest, most effective supplementation.
Also Check: Medically Induced Coma For Depression
Why Is Social Activity Important
Social activity is a natural buffer against depression. It breeds a sense of belonging and a sense of safety, both of which mitigate feelings of distress, promote a sense of well-being, and affect physiology to curb the output of stress hormones. Staying socially active also counters the effects of depression symptoms. It takes direct aim at the disconnection so many of the depressed feel.
One of the many consequences of depression is a heightened perception of and reactivity to social rejection. Feeling connected to others, whether to individuals or groups, boosts recovery in people with depressive symptoms, providing a particularly large dose of satisfaction and encouragement.