The Development And Effects Of Depression:
There are a number of factors that may trigger a depressive disorder. Some of these factors include:
- People with major medical conditions
- History of anxiety
Education-level and social status can also be factors that lead to depression.
Depression can also be episodic in response to a major change in someones life. The following events have been linked to depression:
- Postpartum pregnancy
Serious cases of depression or re-occurring depression can lead to psychotic symptoms, suicide ideations, and/or suicide.
Modern medical support and lifestyle changes are options that may affect and help manage depression. Including natural herbs and remedies for depression in a daily routine may help relieve symptoms.
Is My Teen Depressed
While occasional bad moods or acting out is to be expected during the teenage years, depression is something different. The negative effects of teenage depression go far beyond a melancholy mood. Depression can destroy the essence of your teens personality, causing an overwhelming sense of sadness, despair, or anger.
Many rebellious and unhealthy behaviors or attitudes in teenagers can be indications of depression. The following are some the ways in which teens act out in an attempt to cope with their emotional pain:
Persistent negative mood. Frequent crying due to an overwhelming sense of hopelessness is a common sign of depression. However, teens with depression may not necessarily appear sad. Instead, irritability, anger, and agitation may be the most prominent symptoms.
Problems at school. Depression can cause low energy and concentration difficulties. At school, this may lead to poor attendance, a drop in grades, or frustration with schoolwork in a formerly good student.
Loss of interest in activities. Outside of school, you might notice that your teen shows less enthusiasm for their favorite hobbies. They may quit a sports team or hobby, for example, or withdraw from family and friends.
Running away. Many depressed teens run away from home or talk about running away. Such attempts are usually a cry for help.
Drug and alcohol abuse.Teens may use alcohol or drugs in an attempt to self-medicate their depression. Unfortunately, substance abuse only makes things worse.
Take Time To Give Thanks
According to Harvard Health, expressing gratitude has been shown to have a positive emotional effect on people with depression. Theres an association between gratitude and a persons well-being.
When you write down what you appreciate, you increase activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain thats often associated with depression. Gratitude really does make you happier!
Read Also: I Am Suffering From Severe Depression
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.
Antidepressant Medications Alter Brain Chemistry
Although its unclear exactly how they help with depression, antidepressants are drugs that moderate neurotransmitters, chemicals in the brain such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These chemicals play many roles and are thought to impact things like mood and motivation.
About 13 percent of Americans age 18 and older report taking antidepressants, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, with women about twice as likely as men to take antidepressants .
Many types of depression medications are available today. Most fall into the following drug classes, grouped by their effect on brain chemistry:
- Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants
Some widely used antidepressants, such as Wellbutrin , dont fall into the above categories.
All of these medications require a prescription from a physician and usually take several weeks to begin working. They also have possible side effects, such as weight gain, fatigue, and restlessness, that your doctor should discuss with you.
RELATED: Depression Medication: Which One Is Right for You?
Also Check: How To Deal With Stress And Anxiety And Depression
Finding A Natural Balance
For much of my life, I struggled trying to figure out how to get rid of my own anxiety.
Taking supplements like the Natural Stacks mood stack, a balanced serotonin supplement, changing my diet, and incorporating meditation has brought about huge changes.
Incorporating natural alternatives like exercise and meditation and supplementing my diet with herbs for natural anxiety relief brought me feeling of well-being Id been seeking for years.
I now find it much easier to control my moods, and tend to just be happier on a day-to-day basis.
In short: everything in life feels easier.
When it comes to natural anxiety help, do you have any strategies for easing your symptoms?Let us know what works for you by commenting below!
Nutritional Supplements For Mental Health Disorders
There is increasing evidence that nutrition alone is not enough to help someone suffering with mental health issues.
There has been much research done on the benefits of nutritional supplements for mental health in recent years, and certain supplements, like fish oil, probiotics, Magnesium, Vitamin D, B-Vitamins, and others are more and more recognized as important addition to the healing plan – I call it, as part of the “nutrition orchestra”.
Developments in agriculture and food processing in the last 100-150 years have led to a depletion of the soil as well of nutrients and micronutrients in fruits, vegetables and other foods we eat on a daily basis. More of that is explained in the book mentioned above.
Recommended Reading: Holistic Treatment For Depression And Anxiety
Talk With Your Doctor First
If you think you may have depression, you should first consult with a mental health professional, like a psychiatrist, or reach out to your primary care provider. A doctor can evaluate your symptoms and discuss treatment options, ranging from supplements that may help manage your mood to lifestyle changes or medication.
In some cases, supplements can interfere with other medications, or even worsen symptoms in some people, so you should always consult with a doctor, and never attempt to treat your depression entirely on your own.
In most cases, alternative treatment options like herbs and supplements are best suited for those with mild depressive symptoms, characterized by short periods of low moods. While they may be enough to help someone with mild depression manage their mood, these options may not be effective for those with more severe depressive symptoms.
“The challenge is figuring out what works for you and when, if necessary, to switch to the more traditional treatments because the symptoms are interfering with your life,” says Kevin Gilliland, Psy. D, a licensed clinical psychologist and executive director of Innovation360, an outpatient counseling service that serves people with mental health and substance abuse issues.
While supplements are not regulated by the FDA, third-party laboratories, like Consumer Lab, do test supplements for potency and accuracy, so you can check to see if a supplement has been tested before you buy one.
What To Do When Your Teen Is Depressed
Youve read over the above list and are pretty sure that your teen is depressed. Now what? Here are some things you can do to help your teen with depression.
1. Talk to Your Teen
Find out as much as possible by asking lots of questions. For example, Ive noticed that your schoolwork is suffering. You want to talk about it? or Im concerned that youve been spending a lot of time in your room and not going out with your friends? Is there something with which I can help?
2. Take Your Teen to a Mental Health Professional
You may or may not be on the right track suspecting your teen is depressed. Like I mentioned, sometimes, its difficult to decipher your teens mood. Thats why a professionaltherapist, psychiatrist, or doctorcan either confirm or allay your suspicions and either point you in the right direction to get your child help or tell you to keep an eye on things and give it a little more time.
3. Explain Your Reasons for Concern.
You may want to express your concerns to your teen and the reasons why youre having them. For instance, you might say, I am concerned that you might be depressed. Heres why Then, list the reasons. Furthermore, you can say, If you are feeling depressed, I just want you to know that theres help out there.
Putting words to what your teen is feeling will validate their experience. Often, having words to our experiences can be a great relief.
4. Consider Medications
Be your childs advocate!
You May Like: How To Get Out Of Major Depressive Episode
Essential Facts While Choosing Antidepressants
When choosing a natural antidepressant, you should first talk to your doctor about the safety and efficiency of the product you are planning to use.
If you are currently taking prescription antidepressants, you should be cautious about taking any other drug or supplement that could increase the levels of serotonin in your body as this could lead to serotonin syndrome.
If, however, you are not taking any treatment for depression or other mood disturbances, you may try natural antidepressants as a safe alternative to prescription antidepressants.
Just make sure that the product you are choosing is a reputable company to avoid ending up with adulterated and tainted supplements.
Inclusion And Exclusion Criteria
Only randomized controlled trials were included in this review. Meeting abstracts, comments, review articles and case reports were excluded. Studies involving St. Johns Wort were also excluded because it has been extensively researched, revealing many potential interactions with drugs that are P-glycoprotein and/or CYP3A substrates . Also, the large body of literature merits a separate review.
Details of our screening selection process are provided in Figure 1.
Overview of study selection
Don’t Miss: Anti Depression Meds Over The Counter
Cut Down On Drinking As A Natural Depression Treatment
As you can imagine, alcohol and depression in combination easily trigger a vicious cycle. Drinking alcohol frequently increases the risk of depression and depression increases the risk of alcohol abuse.
So, what does drinking frequently mean? How much alcohol is too much?
Well, according to the NHS, drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week is considered high-risk drinking. Less than 14 units is low-risk .
14 units = 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.
Also, you shouldnt drink more than 3-4 units on the same day.
So, be careful not to drink too much when going through depression, especially not late at night as it will affect your sleep quality. This video will tell you more about some common sleep villains who disturb your sleep and increase the risk of depression:
If you need help with cutting down on drinking, visit this NHS page: Alcohol Support.
Herbal Treatment Of Major Depression: Scientific Basis And Practical Use
Many patients can benefit from herbs with gentler action, fewer adverse effects, and some health benefits beyond their antidepressant effects.
BOOK REVIEW
Scott Mendelson, MD, PhD, has written a landmark volume in the Clinical Pharmacognosy series on Botanical Medicines for CRC Press. Why is this a landmark book? It thoughtfully reviews theories of the mechanisms of activity for antidepressants, including ketamine, and lays out the evidence for herbal activity through those mechanisms. Most psychiatrists will be surprised to learn about the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and neuroplastic effects of these herbs.
Book chapters include relevant in vitro studies of the effects of 66 herbs, providing a foundation for understanding preclinical animal studies and human studies of depression. An additional chapter goes into detail about Chinese Herbal Medicine. Another chapter covers specific plant chemical constituents supported by data on their mechanisms of action. The final chapter discusses how to choose herbs, combine herbs, address comorbidities, and augment conventional synthetic pharmaceuticals.
Another barrier to the use of phytomedicinals is the lack of insurance reimbursement. The out-of-pocket cost must be weighed against the potential therapeutic benefits to the patient, in the context of the patients financial situation.
Dr Brown is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Vagalos College of Medicine, New York.
Don’t Miss: How Do I Pull Myself Out Of Depression
Which Supplements Are Commonly Used For Depression
Studies show that certain dietary supplements, including omega-3s, vitamin D, rhodiola, B12, and saffron, may be helpful for reducing depressive symptoms in some people.
However, these supplements may not be appropriate or effective for everyone.
Be sure to clear any new dietary supplement with a healthcare professional before taking it. This is especially important if youre taking antidepressants or other medications.
A healthcare professional can help you decide which supplements may be the most appropriate based on factors like your medical history, medications, and laboratory values.
Natural Relief For Depression
The lows of depression dark moods, lack of energy, loss of joy affect 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 volunteer patients, 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% to 20% improvement in depression symptoms and a 5% to 10% improvement in anxiety symptoms. Meditation also showed similar promise to reduce pain.
Goyal notes that a 2021 review of 136 trials looked at the effects of mindfulness-based programs for depression on more than 11,000 people who did not have a medical diagnosis. The results of that review were similar to the ones we found, he says. Mindfulness-based programs reduced depression to roughly the same degree when compared with an active control.
Recommended Reading: How To Live With A Manic Depressive
How To Fight Depression Without Medication
Verywell / Bailey Mariner
For many people living with depression, prescription medications can be life-saving drugs. Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac and Zoloft , are the most widely prescribed medication for depression, and while they are often effective, they can have side effects and be expensive depending on your health insurance coverage.
There are many ways to counter some of the symptoms of depression that don’t involve prescription medications. If you have depression, you might like to try managing it naturally without medication or supplement your antidepressant with other options. If so, check out these natural alternatives and then talk to your doctor about which might make sense as part of your treatment regimen.
This article discusses some natural treatments that may help fight depression including lifestyle changes and supplements. It also covers other strategies you might try such as practicing mindfulness or enhancing your home environment.
Other Herbs And Natural Medicines For Anxiety
Many other natural medications have been prescribed for anxiety, but their success rates vary and are not entirely clear. St. John’s Wort, for example, is an herb meant for depression but believed to have an effect on anxiety. Nevertheless, the research hasn’t backed up this claim. The three above have been successfully used for anxiety for years with minimal side effects, and research has often supported their success as a natural treatment for anxiety.
Still, you need to remember that you should never depend on medication alone, otherwise your mind will lose out on its ability to cope further. That’s why you need to make sure you’re complimenting your natural medicine with some type of medication free anxiety reduction strategy. And always consult your doctor before considering any of these options.
Was this article helpful?
Read Also: What To Do When You Think You Have Depression
So What Is The Best Natural Treatment For Depression And Anxiety
No single strategy will work for everyone. The treatment for your mental health condition needs to be just as individual as you are.
In the experience of most practitioners , you will have the best chances to fully recover from depression and anxiety if you follow the 7-step strategy and process outlined here
A combination of all methods above, customized and tailored to your individual needs, either with the help of a professional or as a DIY project, will lead to eventual recovery.
How long will it take to get well?
Here also, the best answer is: It depends. It truly depends on your genes, envionment, strategy and actions. Most often, it will take years to achieve full recovery, especially if you do not get the best natural treatment for depression and anxiety possible at the right time, whether with or without conventional treatments added.
Can Social Anxiety Disorder Be Cured
Depending on the conditions severity and the treatment that people receive, social anxiety disorder may affect people differently. For some, social anxiety may be short and brief, while others may experience a more chronic condition with symptom relapses.
Studies suggest that over 50% of people with social anxiety disorder achieve remission and no longer experience symptoms. Regardless of how long people experience symptoms, social anxiety disorder can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy , certain medications, or a combination of both.
You May Like: How Many Children Have Depression