Useful Methods On How to Treat Depression

In this article, we will discover some of the best and simplest methods how to treat depression at home besides making use of foods.

1. Light Therapy
During the dark, short days of the winter season, many people are likely to something known as “seasonal affective disorder” – one type of depression.
Maybe using the light therapy is one way to reduce symptoms of this issue, in which people will need to sit near a brightly lit box that may mimic outdoor light. In general, this therapy would start with daily sessions of fifteen minutes and could increase to up to 2 hours per day. The practicing time would depend upon the intensity of the light and the severity of the issue, which a doctor can determine. Although this therapy cannot totally treat depression, it can help to reduce some hateful symptoms due to the condition, sometimes after just 2 – 3 days.

2. Exercise
Exercise can help a lot in relieving depression, possibly by altering serotonin and norepinephrine – the two mood-regulating brain chemicals.
It can also release the endorphins responsible for the ‘runner's high’ someone may be experiencing.
P. Murali Doraiswamy, MD, professor of behavioral and psychiatry sciences at Duke University School of Medicine recommended people to exercise for 20 to 30 minutes 3 – 5 times per week. Aerobic exercise is the best (such as brisk walking on a treadmill) but the combination of many different exercises at some degrees is better.

3. Yoga
Striking a pose can help to reduce stress and depression symptoms. Research have exposed that in both people with major depression and emotional distress, practicing yoga can help a lot in reducing depression, anxiety, hostility, stress, as well as improving energy, well-being, and sleep quality.
Although there are not too many researches on this topic, yoga could be an easy, low-risk tool for boosting the healing process of depression.

4. Mood Diary
Many researchers suggested that this therapy that can teach us how positive thinking can help to reduce depression.
Dr. Doraiswamy recommended people not to write in a diary every day if it feels like a difficult work; once-per-week entries would be simpler to stick with.
Dr. Doraiswamy recommended that people should keep their own mood diary as it would be an effective tool used to train someone to keep the positive thinking track happening in their own life and do not allow any single negative event to wear down them.
A mood diary can help to keep negative events in perspective and could also serve as a reminder that there used to be happy things in your life.

5. Support Groups
Dr. Doraiswamy said that support groups used to be standard in the psychiatric setting. However, they are not used as regularly in the nowadays, although they are a great way that can help a lot in treating mild depression forms.
These groups offer a community of support, information about depression, as well as the chance to learn from those coping with the same problems.
As a replacement for those not interested in talking about this mental health issue, Dr. Doraiswamy recommended finding a group that can share interests whether it is meditation or a book club.

6. Use Fish Oil
Fish oil supplement provides omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found high in fish, such as herring, albacore tuna, and salmon.
Researches on this supplement are inconclusive, but it is thought that a certain-time lack of this fatty acid (for example, during the postpartum period) can lead to depression and mood swings.
In regions where the intake of omega-3 fatty acids foods is high, people tend to have low risks of depression.

7. Meditation
A promising study suggested that meditation may play an important role in inhibiting the relapse of depression. The study concentrated on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy that combines cognitive behavioral approaches with traditional meditation.
In 2 researches, people used antidepressants to treat depression until their symptoms disappeared. Then 1 group continued taking the medications while another made use of the meditation therapy.
The relapse rates of depression in those taking antidepressants (about 30%) were similar to those using meditation, and lower than people on a placebo (about 70%) in 1 research.
The 2nd research found that 60% of the group on antidepressants alone relapsed, compared to 47% of the meditation group.

8. Saffron
The saffron plant may be ideal for more than a useful herbal ingredient to season Middle Eastern foods.
A research in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology suggests that saffron could help to raise the levels of serotonin and other chemicals in the human brain. The small research, which looked at 38 people over 1.5 month, discovered that saffron was as efficient as fluoxetine (Prozac) in relieving the risks of having depressed feelings.
Participants taking saffron also saw fewer side impacts than those taking fluoxetine, such as sexual dysfunction and sweating.
9. St. John's Wort
This is the last but also a very important tip on how to treat depression that readers should not look down. In fact, St. John's wort is one of the most researched supplements for depression. This yellow-flowered plant could be used in forms of pills, teas, and extracts.
The National Center for Alternative And Complementary Medicine analyzed nearly 40 researches and discovered that it may be as useful as antidepressants for mild cases of depression (without leading to any side effect like other medications).

This article is an entire list of the best tips on how to treat depression naturally at home that everyone can make use with ease. If you want to ask something about the content of this article, do not hesitate to leave your comments on the section below.