Depression is the state of low mood due to several factors. This condition can greatly affect a person’s thought, behavior, and well-being.
Oftentimes, people suffering from depression can experience extreme sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, and worthless. Depression can also cause one to experience several negativities to one’s person causing problems in concentrating which somehow leads to an attempt to commit suicide.
Today, this situation has become rampant in the society.
Immediate medical attention should be given to those suffering from depression. Alternative treatments can also be used to overcome this state. These alternative ways can be easily included in one’s daily routine in order to have a positive mindset and a peaceful outlook on life.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Challenge your negative beliefs.
Being depressed greatly affects one’s thoughts and attitudes towards oneself. This makes one feel more hopeless and useless.
In order to battle these negative feelings, one should challenge these thoughts using truthful and logical evidence.
List down the things that make you feel down. Evaluate each of the items and know the specifics.
Carefully analyze how these things influence and affect how you feel and think. Think of ways on how to bring more fair and balanced thoughts that will help you improve.
2. Engage in some exercise.
A good way to fight depression is to engage in pleasurable activities and exercises. This will continue the connection with other people, and is a science-backed way to ease the symptoms of depression.
You can start with simple and short activities that can bring you joy. Remember that these activities should be done because you want to and not because you are obliged to.
Little by little add more activities and increase frequency. Follow and stick to these exercises and assess the results after.
3. Do something you are good at.
Fighting depression should include increasing the confidence and worth of a person.
This can be done by doing things that you love and that you are good at. A job well done will give the feeling and sense of accomplishment.
Start with the simplest activities that are easily manageable. Do not overwhelm yourself with the tasks.
Learn to appreciate little details and enjoy every single moment that you’re doing it.
4. Don’t isolate yourself.
Depressed persons should not isolate themselves, keep quiet, and not bother other people. Instead, when you feel bad, it is necessary to talk to other people especially family and friends who can listen and understand.
Talking about problems and opening up with family and friends will lighten the burden and the pain. Going to social gatherings can also help in lifting up one’s spirits.
Enjoy the outdoors and indulge yourself to others. Remember that you are not alone and other people are experiencing the same things that you are up to.
5. Eat the bulletproof diet.
Depression can be avoided by having a proper diet. Eat healthy foods and avoid toxins.
The Bulletproof diet should be strictly followed. This should include foods rich in omega 3 and omega 6 for better brain performance and even the person’s overall health.
Eat foods rich in tryptophan as they help improve the mood of the person. These foods will surely help you actively fight depression.
6. Be active.
Being active can help deal with the state of being depressed.
This will reactivate the body when it starts to shut down. Doing some exercise is one way to achieve that.
It can help release endorphins which are responsible for calmness and better thinking.
Keeping oneself busy can help lessen depression. Moreover, it can help you feel more accomplished and useful.
The regarding activities will allow you to ultimately change the outlook in life as well as how you feel and think at all times.
7. Face your fears.
Depressed people should learn to accept the truth and face their fears. At all times, people should learn to survive no matter how hard and unpleasant things may be.
Learning to let go of expectations is also a must. Facing possible rejections which cause disappointments should be carefully handled. Doing so will lead to better self-management and even letting go of emotional stress.
Natural Approaches to Fighting Depression
There’s no question that one of the most troubling problems facing western society today is the high rate of depression. In the United States, many people admit to being plagued by feelings of anxiety and depression, as society becomes more fast-paced and social dislocation brings on feelings of isolation.
A lack of connection to others, feelings of low self-esteem, and an inability to cope with the many changes happening in our society are all connected to the high rate of depression in today’s world.
The good news is that people are now much more open about sharing their feelings about depression, which in turn makes it much more likely that a person can find healing for the problem.
Since the introduction of anti-depressant medications like Prozac and Zoloft, (which act to increase serotonin levels in the brain) many people have gone on regular treatment with these medications. Though these drugs do alleviate serious depression for many patients, doctors are now being urged to offer other more natural treatments for feelings of depression as well.
A steady exercise regime has been found to be very beneficial for patients who are dealing with feelings of sadness. oSme experts think that regular exercise, like jogging, walking, or swimming, may be as effective as medication in treating depression.
Yoga is also thought to be a great natural treatment for feelings of anxiety and depression, as it is a rigorous exercise that increases blood flow while also bringing on a meditative state. The good news in all of this is that treating depression with exercise is a cure that is free and also free of side effects.
Another important facet in healing from depression is good nutrition.
A balanced diet full of raw, fresh fruits and vegetables can really help to heal feelings of sadness, as the vitamin boost these foods bring on is very healing and invigorating.
Health experts also recommend that people in the throes of depressive episodes take vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as supplements that contain amino acids. These types of supplements will go a long way towards bringing on feelings of calmness and lessening depression and insomnia.
As the word gets out about the many different ways depression can be treated naturally, more and more healthy supplements are becoming available.
Many of these supplements are affordable and also easy and convenient to take on a regular basis. What’s clear is that depression needs to be treated from all sides, and that the more one takes care of their physical well being, their emotional well being will benefit too.
3 Ways Hypnotherapy Helps In Treating Depression
Suicide is the leading cause of premature mortality in Australia. Some of the highest suicide rates are recorded in Tasmania. Research suggests that mental health disorders for example depression play a significant role.
Supporting someone with depression is important. There are many possible treatments available. However, an effective solution that works in the long term is hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy, a word often confused with hypnosis, is a method of therapy which involves hypnosis.
When discussing hypnosis, the first image that may flash in your mind is that of a stage hypnosis which is very different from clinical hypnosis.
While one is based on pure entertainment, clinical hypnosis is a way of treating underlying symptoms of various disorders like insomnia, overeating, depression, etc.
How hypnotherapy works?
Hypnotherapy explores the subconscious mind. By doing so, the information that may not otherwise be accessible becomes known and is used in dealing with disorders.
Hypnotherapy sessions involve achieving a hypnotic state of mind with the help of a trained hypnotherapist. The body is aware and conscious in this state. It just becomes more relaxed and more responsive to the treatment. It helps you deal with unhealthy problems and damaging behavioural issues.
The length of the treatment depends on a number of factors: the person involved, symptoms, the extent of the problem, etc.
Hypnotherapy offers a way of therapy that is not invasive and has no side-effects. However, people who suffer from delusions and hallucinations are not good candidates for hypnotherapy.
Also, hypnotherapy cannot happen without consent. You will not be hypnotised against your will.
Hypnotherapy and fighting depression
Let’s see how hypnotherapy can be effective in treating depression:
- It helps to identify the thoughts that are troubling you
Often depression is associated with ideas that have rooted themselves deeply in your mind.
These ideas could be anything. It can be the death of a loved one, a childhood trauma, guilt, anger, resentment.
Hypnotherapy helps you identify the feeling that is causing all the trouble. The purpose of hypnotherapy is to target the root cause and remove it rather than dealing with it superficially.
- It replaces negative with positive
Repetitive negative feelings of worry or anxiety cause a vicious cycle of negative thinking. With hypnotherapy, these negative feelings can be replaced with positive thoughts. Once the emotions related to a past trauma are released, the inlet for positivity is open. It helps you get rid of problems that you may have been battling with for a very long time.
- Hypnotherapy is a long-term solution
While there are many ways to treat depression, most of them are not long-term solutions and only help the concerned person for a short amount of time after which there is a high chance that depression returns.
Hypnotherapy is different. It is a long-term solution that deals with the underlying cause of the problem. It may or may not be very effective alone but works better with some other form of treatment.
Further Note
While hypnotherapy was a rarely practised form of treatment, the continuous research and advancement has made it a regularly used form of therapy. It helps people suffering from anxiety, insomnia or those with unhealthy eating problems.
A word of advice
When considering hypnotherapy, always consult a trained and certified hypnotherapist.
There comes a point in a person’s life when their beliefs and actions are being shaken. The norms are disrupted which somehow results in changes in the mental health, attitudes and moods.
This might occur on a positive or a negative note.
When negativity arises, it is necessary to immediately evaluate oneself and take action. This way, things will work out for the betterment and avoid more serious problems.
Always ensure that you live a healthy and meaningful life.
About The Author
This is a guest post by Samuel Baker, a health content editor at On the wagon – the hub for expert substance abuse information.