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Meditation Can Physically Change The Brain
All of the above-mentioned methods will help you in overcoming depression and get you back on track, especially if you are able to follow a few of them at once. However, if there is one area we recommend putting the most effort into, it is meditation.
Why? Because meditation has been found to physically change certain brain regions that are specifically linked with depression.
TRAIN YOUR MIND,
St Johns Wort: A Possible Herbal Solution
St. Johns wort is a popular herbal treatment for depression in Europe. American physicians are more divided about its usefulness.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine , St. Johns wort doesnt appear to be effective in treating major depression. But it may benefit people with mild-to-moderate forms.
St. Johns wort may have serious interactions with medications, herbs, and supplements. To be safe, always consult your doctor before taking it.
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Natural Relief For Depression
The lows of depressiondark moods, lack of energy, loss of joyaffect many people at some point in their lifetime. Now a Johns Hopkins review of research suggests meditation deserves a place among the therapies shown to lift mild to moderate depression symptoms.
Meditation has been studied for decades, but we wanted to know if it was really better than the placebo effect, says Johns Hopkins expert Madhav Goyal, M.D., M.P.H. So he and a team of researchers reviewed 47 meditation studies, involving 3,515 volunteers, most of whom were not suffering from clinical depression or clinical anxiety.
Their conclusion: Meditation appeared to provide as much relief from some depression symptoms as other studies have found with antidepressants, Goyal says. Volunteers who took an eight-week meditation course experienced a 10 percent to 20 percent improvement in depression symptoms and a 5 percent to 10 percent improvement in anxiety symptoms. Meditation also showed similar promise to reduce pain.
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.
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Meet Yourself Where You Are
Depression is common. It affects millions of people, including some in your life. You may not realize they face similar challenges, emotions, and obstacles.
Every day with this disorder is different. Its important to take your mental health seriously and accept that where you are right now isnt where youll always be.
The key to self-treatment for depression is to be open, accepting, and loving toward yourself and what youre going through.
How To Reach Out For Depression Support
Look for support from people who make you feel safe and cared for. The person you talk to doesnt have to be able to fix you they just need to be a good listenersomeone wholl listen attentively and compassionately without being distracted or judging you.
Make face-time a priority. Phone calls, social media, and texting are great ways to stay in touch, but they dont replace good old-fashioned in-person quality time. The simple act of talking to someone face to face about how you feel can play a big role in relieving depression and keeping it away.
Try to keep up with social activities even if you dont feel like it. Often when youre depressed, it feels more comfortable to retreat into your shell, but being around other people will make you feel less depressed.
Find ways to support others. Its nice to receive support, but research shows you get an even bigger mood boost from providing support yourself. So find waysboth big and smallto help others: volunteer, be a listening ear for a friend, do something nice for somebody.
Care for a pet. While nothing can replace the human connection, pets can bring joy and companionship into your life and help you feel less isolated. Caring for a pet can also get you outside of yourself and give you a sense of being neededboth powerful antidotes to depression.
10 tips for staying connected
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Why Is Meditation The Ultimate Anti
What is the importance of meditation and how does it help to cope with depression? Regularly meditating is one of the best ways to overcome depression according to Harvard Health. This helps break the connection between these two regions of the brain.
As this connection withers, you will no longer assume that a momentary feeling of fear means something must be wrong with you. This also explains why the more you meditate the more your anxiety decreases. Dr. John W. Denninger, director of research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital believes that:
When you meditate, you are better able to ignore the negative sensations of stress and anxiety, which explains, in part, why stress levels fall when you meditate.
As Britta Hölzel, another researcher in MHG said, It is fascinating to see the brains plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life.
Ways To Overcome Anxiety And Depression Without Medication
This morning, the World Health Organisation has reported concerns over the amount of children and young adults taking antidepressants to treat mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
In Wales alone, there has been a 30% increase in the number of children prescribed the medication over the past ten years and, in the UK as a whole, there was a 54% rise between 2005 and 2012.
The use of antidepressants in young people has also been linked to a rise in suicidal thoughts and behaviours. This is because everyone reacts differently to the chemicals in antidepressants and it can take the body and brain a while to adjust after beginning to take them.
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The director of mental health at the World Health Organization, Dr Shekhar Saxena, told the BBC: Anti-depressant use amongst young people is and has been a matter of concern for two reasons. One, are more people being prescribed anti-depressants without sufficient reason? And second, can anti-depressants do any major harm?
With this news in mind, we wanted to highlight some alternative methods to help overcome mental health issues which dont involve medication. Obviously, it is important to mention that if you are at all concerned about your mental health you should consult a GP about the best option for you. But, for now, here are a few to consider
Here are 3 diet changes to help ease anxiety.
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Talk It Out To A Mental Health Expert
Remember that reaching out for help is an essential aspect of healing. See a life coach, therapist, or psychiatrist. Share and talk your depression out. Having someone you can trust to help you work through your emotions can make a huge difference.
Thats why its also important to know how to find a mental health clinic thats a good fit for you. And, dont worry about privacy. Unless someone elses safety is at risk or a court order is involved, anything you say is confidential.
Some therapy treatments educate you on how to reassess negative thinking and use social skills to overcome depression. Treatment can also help you understand why you feel the way you do, what causes your despair, and how you can overcome depression.
Keep A Regular Sleep Schedule
Its vital to focus on a balanced sleep schedule where you arent sleeping too little, but you also arent sleeping too much. Staying up late one night and sleeping in the following day is one way to feed into your depression. Also, you shouldnt try to solve problems late at night when your brain is half-awake.
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Improve Sleep Habits & Reset Circadian Rhythm
Remember that poor sleep triggers your bodys stress response and increases inflammation.
Resetting your internal clock can help you get better quality sleep. When electronics and electric lighting constantly alter the day-night cycle, our sleep suffers and so does our mood. Spending time outdoors, and avoiding artificial light when it is dark outside, will reset your circadian rhythm to match the light-dark cycles God built into nature.
In fact, one study showed that camping for just once week was able to reset circadian rhythm and greatly improve sleep. If going camping for a few days is not for you, try to be outdoors as soon as you wake up, spend as much time as you can in nature, and take advantage of natural lighting at home. And at sunset, wean off from electronics and slow down in preparation for good deep sleep.
Steps to Improve Your Sleep Naturally
- Set up a sleep schedule, and be asleep by 10 pm each night.
- Turn off your screens at least one hour before going to bed.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
- Eat a lighter dinner and avoid snacking before bed.
- Use dim, warm light in the evening and expose yourself to sunlight in the morning.
- When all else fails, go camping!
Want more help with sleep? Take a 5-question Sleep Quality Quiz here and learn 5 things that sabotage sleep, and how to overcome them here!
The Number One Tool For Better Sleep
Whatever your sleep pattern looks like, there are some excellent tools to help you improve it. As a natural consequence, your depressive symptoms will decrease. Sleeping is one of the best medication-free depression treatments we have, and the tools are the same, regardless if youre sleeping too much or too little. There is a number one tool for improved sleep, recommended by Dr. Matthew Walker :
- Wake up at the same time every day and establish a bedtime
So, the best thing to do to improve your sleep is to decide to wake up at the same time every day and to go to bed at the same time every night, even during weekends. Use 90 minutes to unwind before bedtime and set an alarm for when your unwinding-time begins. Theres no use going to bed when you dont feel tired. Also, if you find yourself lying awake unable to sleep, get out of bed after 20 minutes and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again. Then, return to bed. If you lie awake in bed for too long, your brain will start to associate the bed with wakefulness.
If you dont like this sleep tool, or think its too challenging to start with, check out these strategies for improving sleep and reducing depressive symptoms:
If you need more information about these sleep tools before starting making changes, . It includes a complete sleep module with both theory and homework for beginners.
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Other Forms Of This Disease
Though its not common, a depressive state can also come in the form of irritability or anger -especially when a person feels helpless or for some reason hopeless. It is less known that this doesnt have to be just a simple symptom of depression but also a signal that can show a more serious level of such state, especially if it manifests itself in a long-term relationship with a partner or family. Hostile mood and uncomfortable behavior are also associated with the likelihood of anxiety. Other emotional states like sadness, hopelessness, or shame are often masked by anger but it is anger that is a feeling that unexpectedly appears in public in depressed people.
Learn To Talk To People
People who suffer from depression or anxiety tend to lock themselves in their shells. But that should not be the case. Talking to others, or at least to a special person will help you release emotions. It is unhealthy to keep them to yourself. Learn to talk and listen and it will bring you great relief.
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What You Eat And Drink Can Also Affect How You Feel
Theres no magic diet that will treat depression. But what you put into your body can have a real and significant impact on the way you feel.
Eating a diet rich in lean meats, vegetables, and grains may be a great place to start. Try to limit stimulants like caffeine, coffee, and soda, and depressants like alcohol.
Some people also and have more energy when they avoid sugar, preservatives, and processed foods.
If you have the means, consider meeting with a doctor or registered dietitian for guidance.
When To Seek Depression Treatment
Holistic, natural remedies for depression can always be something you consider, but its important to keep in mind that with a lack of research for these natural remedies, evidence- based therapies and treatments might be something to consider. Depression can, and typically does worsen over time without treatment, whether thats a medical treatment like prescription medication or natural depression treatment.
If you are experiencing symptoms of depression that have lasted longer than two weeks, and if theyre interfering with your ability to function daily, you might need to reach out for help.
If youre having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, you should get help immediately. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline is always available.
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Break Out Of Your Routine Today
Sometimes being stuck in a rut is just that. But if you get out of your same old routine, your mood may come along with you. Take a day off from work and go explore a town nearby. Go out to a restaurant for dinner, even on a Tuesday night. Take a different route as you drive to work, wear something that is totally not you, or take your camera and go on a photography hike. For a major blue mood, consider taking a vacation.
Create A Morning Pampering Routine
When you live with depression, you may notice your personal care starts to decline. You might start by skipping the shower. Brushing your hair may feel like a chore. Maybe you dont remember when you last brushed your teeth.
A small, cross-sectional study found married women who self-pampered were less likely to experience depression compared to married women who didnt self-pamper.
Its possible, however, like with diet, that people who pamper themselves more are more likely to have other beneficial mental and physical behaviors, which might explain lower rates of depression.
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Know That Today Isnt Indicative Of Tomorrow
Todays mood, emotions, or thoughts dont belong to tomorrow.
If you were unsuccessful at getting out of bed or accomplishing your goals today, remember that you havent lost tomorrows opportunity to try again.
Give yourself the grace to accept that while some days will be difficult, some days will also be great. Try to look forward to tomorrows fresh start.
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.
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