Alternative Therapies For Depression

Depression is a medical condition associated with a prolonged feeling of sadness as well as not feeling as motivated to complete your regular day to day activities. Depression is a very common medical condition and a lot of people suffer from it and its symptoms. It can be caused in many ways but it is often a natural reaction to a loss, or an injured self-esteem. People with depression often experience feeling hopeless, worthless, like they don't matter, and a complete sense of helplessness. Depression can have a serious effect on your normal functioning and makes even the easiest tasks seem impossible.

It affects one’s ability to think properly, feel, and behave. Depression can lead to a number of both physical and emotional problems. People with depression require a long term treatment plan and they usually turn to medication, counseling, and even alternative treatments to cure depression. Some of the more common symptoms of depression that people experience are listed below.

• A feeling of fatigue and loss of energy throughout the day

• A feeling of unhappiness about almost everything even things they found happiness in before

• Getting very irritable over small things

• Either excessive sleeping or a state of insomnia

• Reduced urge to do things that they used to really enjoy

• Unusual weight loss or weight gain

• Indecisiveness and an impaired sense of concentration

• A constant feeling of guilt and pessimistic thoughts

• Physical pains, cramps, headaches, and digestive problems that cannot be treated by medicines

• Reduced motivation wherein everything seems completely meaningless and it feels like it's just not worth making an effort

Depression symptoms can also vary depending on your age. For instance, younger children, when depressed might feel sad and be irritable at all times. Depressed adolescents and teens might feel angry and avoid social interaction with others. Depressed older adults, on the other hand, might get suicidal thoughts. If a person with depression experiences a persistence of the above listed symptoms over a long period of time, for maybe two weeks or longer, it is best advised for them to get assessed by a professional. There are many cases where depression might go away on its own and the person starts feeling better, but if it is ignored for a long time, it might lead to both physical and mental health problems.

Treatment of Depression

Different types of treatment options are available for different types of depressions. At times doctors may prescribe medications to the patient to relieve them from the symptoms of depression. Many times, however, meeting up with a psychiatrist or a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions like depression, is typically advisable. Typical treatment options for curing depression may include:

• Medications: The doctor can prescribe you antidepressant medications such as Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants, and Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

• Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy, commonly known as a talk therapy involves meeting a psychotherapist or a mental health provider who tries to help cure the depression symptoms by scheduling talk sessions to learn more about the causes of your depression.

• Alternative therapy: Alternative therapy has actually been found to be quite useful in curing depression and making its symptoms less bad. Alternative therapy refers to alternative forms of treatment or strategies encompassing activities such as diet changes, exercise, mental conditioning, and lifestyle changes.

  Types Of Alternative Therapies

  Some commonly prescribed forms of alternative therapy are detailed below.

  Acupuncture

  Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment for certain diseases and conditions and is characterized by sticking fine, solid needles on specific body parts. It aims to correct the body’s imbalances and thereby stimulates the resistance to different forms of illness. It triggers the production of chemicals that help in decreasing painful sensations.

  

  Herbal remedies

  St. John’s Wort is a popularly used herbal remedy for depression. It is a flower that is rich in chemicals which prevent the nerve cells from reabsorbing the chemical messenger known as serotonin. St. Wort’s is effective as an anti-depressant for people suffering from non-melancholic depression.

  Read More: Depression On The Rise: One In Ten Americans On Antidepressants

  Another popularly used herbal remedy is Ginkgo biloba, which is typically used for the treatment of conditions related to reduced flow of blood to the brain. It is often used for treating certain ‘thinking’ disorders such as depression.

  Light Therapy

  Light therapy involves exposing the patient to bright light in the form of the conventional fluorescent lamps or bright sunlight for about half an hour each day. Light therapy has been found to be particularly useful for people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The Seasonal Affective Disorder is characterized by the onset of depression in specific seasons (typically winter and autumn). The depression goes away in other seasons such as summer and spring.

  Yoga

  Yoga is an Indian-origin exercise philosophy involving a gentle form of exercise and is known to be an excellent method for stress management. Yoga is characterized by performing specific ‘asanas’ or postures that are synchronized with breathing. It has been found to be very beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety which are the key precursors to depression. The relevance of yoga in reducing depression has been widely recognized.

  Massage Therapy

  Massage focuses on using touch for providing relaxation and reducing depression. Massage therapy is based on the principle that the mind and the body are interconnected and therefore the physical health and emotional well-being too are closely interrelated. This in turn proves that when the body is relaxed, it eventually leads to an overall well-being as the mind too contributes to a better health. Massage therapy is known to produce chemicals in brain that lead to a feeling of overall well-being, calmness, and relaxation. Massage reduces specific hormones such as adrenalin, norepinephrine, and cortisol, which can trigger depression in certain people.

  Guided Imagery and Relaxation

  Guided Imagery is a technique of curing depression by creating harmony between the body and the mind. This technique involves creating peaceful images in the mind for therapeutic uses. Guided imagery is an excellent technique for enhancing a person’s coping or resistance skills. This technique is very beneficial for overcoming feelings of stress, pain, anger, depression, and insomnia.

  Omega-3 fatty acids

  It is advocated that eating a diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help ease depression. Omega-3 fatty acids are typically found in fish such as tuna, mackerel, swordfish, and salmon.

  Aromatherapy

  The technique of aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils extracted from flowers and plants with the purpose of boosting the emotional and physical health of the patient. There are more than 400 essential oils that have a soothing effect on the human mind and body. The oils can be used for massage, or inhaled by using them in an oil burner. You can also add a couple of drops of essential oils while bathing. Aromatherapy is very beneficial for relieving stress and muscle aches.