8 Ways in Which Depression Can Be Treated Without Medication | Guest Post by Taylor Hill
Depression is a very scary mental disorder; it can completely ruin a person’s life and make them feel hopeless and miserable. Depression can have severe implications on one physical health as well, and it can be a complete and utter nightmare. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of misinformation about depression, and most people lack awareness about it. You need to understand that depression is nothing like momentary sadness. A sense of worthlessness and self-hatred accompanies it, and it is like an explainable emotional pain from the tip of your hair to your toenails.
Depression affects people in different ways; some people have small episodes of depression, while depression can become a constant state of mind in more severe cases. It can be difficult for patients to even get out of bed, and in the worst case, depression can lead to suicidal thoughts.
Treatment of depression:
Most people have the misconception that antidepressants are a treatment for depression, when, in fact, they are only a temporary solution. Furthermore, they can have various detrimental side effects and cause patients to develop a dependency.
Therefore, here are some alternative solutions that can help you combat depression without medication.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is widely accepted as the most effective long-term solution for depression. In this form of therapy, instead of just suppressing your emotional problems with medication, they are discussed. You talk about your emotions and thoughts with a psychotherapist, and they help you find a positive perspective. The key idea of CBT is to recognize negative thought patterns and work to resolve them.
Cannabis:
Cannabis is a prevalent drug, and it is mostly known as a recreational substance. Still, over the recent decade, there has been a lot of research regarding the medical use of cannabis, and it has also been legalized in most of Canada and the US. One of the most promising effects of cannabis is that it can be used to combat depression. The cannabinoids in weed, THC, and CBD, interact with our bodies’ natural endocannabinoid system and cause pleasure hormones like dopamine to be released. Furthermore, marijuana also decreases the levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Therefore, cannabis can be an effective and safer alternative to antidepressants, and since it is legal, you can even order it online through Bud Mail.
Exercise:
I understand that it can sometimes be tough to do anything, let alone exercise when you are depressed. However, regular exercise can help decrease the frequency of depressive episodes.
Firstly, exercise gets your blood flowing and triggers the release of stimulants like serotonin in the body; secondly, exercise can help you feel better about yourself. When you complete a set, you will feel a sense of accomplishment in something positive. Lastly, exercise will also help you sleep better and eat better; therefore, try to add some light exercise to your routine. You will experience a significant decrease in the frequency of depressive episodes.
Eating healthy:
Our diet is impactful on every aspect of our health. Maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet can be quite helpful in fighting depression. A healthy diet can decrease your stress levels, which is a common instigator of depressive episodes.
Moreover, when you follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly, you feel better about yourself and build up self-worth.
Following a healthy sleep cycle:
Irregular sleep patterns are very common in people with depression. Some people tend to sleep too much, while others may struggle to get any sleep at all. Both of these cases are bad for a person with depression. Insomnia and depression have a very ambiguous relation; sleep deprivation can make depression worse, whereas people might have difficulty sleeping because of depression. Therefore, sleep deprivation can be very dangerous.
Some try to improve your sleep cycle. According to experts, 6-8 hours of sleep is enough, any more or less can be bad for one’s mental and physical health. Therefore, if you are having trouble sleeping, try some natural solutions like cannabis, massage, or melatonin supplements, however, don’t use sleeping pills.
Talking to friends and family:
Emotional support is significant for everyone, especially for people who are prone to depressive episodes. Everyone should have someone to talk to and share their problems with. Bottling up your emotions and not letting them out can be very bad for your mental health, especially for a person trying to recover from depression; therefore, you need to talk to your friends and family about the things that are bothering you.
I understand that when a person is depressed, they may feel like their problems aren’t worth discussing, or they don’t want to burden others with their problems, which might seem insignificant to others. Furthermore, it isn’t easy to find someone you can trust and who truly understands what you are going through.
Joining a support group:
Another effective method that can help in the treatment of depression is joining a support group. You can find a lot of people there who are going through similar problems as you are, and more importantly that, you will meet people who have recovered from depression.
This will give you hope, and the support of people who can truly understand where you’re going through can help fight depression.
Adopting an emotional support dog:
These days, people with depression can also adopt an emotional support dog. These dogs are trained to show you love and affection when you are feeling down. Dogs are very loyal pets, and they can be quite helpful for people trying to recover from depression. Studies have also shown that petting an animal can decrease stress, which can help in the prevention of depressive episodes. Furthermore, adopting an emotional support dog is a responsibility. Taking care of a pet can give a depressed person a sense of purpose, which is quite helpful in the treatment of depression.
Final thoughts:
Depression is one of the worst mental disorders imaginable, and to make things worse, there is a lot of misunderstanding about it. However, you should know that depression is treatable, even though things may seem hopeless and bleak for now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and with care, support and therapy, and depression can be treated.
**Please Live does not directly endorse and products or methods mentioned in this article. This is a guest post on the author’s opinions and tips- those tips and/or opinions do NOT necessarily reflect those of Please Live.**