Lifting Depression Without Medicine

There are plenty of people out there who suffer from depression. Some people have a chronic depression problem they battle with all the time, and in others it can come on suddenly, perhaps as a result of stress or problems in their lives, but sometimes for seemingly no reason at all.

There are lots of things that can be done to help people with depression, and doctors are generally ready to prescribe anti-depressant drugs that can help combat even the most severe cases. However, for some people, anti-depressant medication can cause some unpleasant side effects, and it can also take quite a long time to become truly effective. It can therefore be a good idea to consider approaches to dealing with depression that don’t involve clinical drugs. In some cases, these can completely remedy the problem without the need for drugs at all, and in others they can help while you are waiting for your drugs to become fully effective.

Here are some things that have been proven to help with depression:

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy

Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy (TMS) is an approach to treating depression that involves applying magnetic impulses to the parts of the brain that are shown to be underactive in depressed people. By using TMS therapy on the frontal lobe of the brain, neurons can be coaxed into action, giving the patient a better sense of well being, as well as an elevated mood, and accompanying feelings of motivation and drive. Companies like Smart Brain and Health who practice TMS on people with depression report high success rates, and because the process is non-invasive, painless and has no side effects, it is popular with patients too.

Lifestyle Changes

When you are depressed, it can seem horribly reductive to say that this serious problem could be cured by simply getting some exercise and a good night’s sleep, but actually, in a lot of cases it can. While finding motivation to do anything can be hard when you feel this way, if you can force yourself to take up a regular exercise regime you will experience not only better sleep and reduced stress, but also a better mood. This is not just a case of ‘exercise is good for you’, there are scientific reasons why it works. When you engage in physical activity, you release natural endorphins that make you feel good – these are essentially your body’s own way of medicating itself!

Counseling

Counseling is important for some kinds of depression, and may often be required alongside any other kind of clinical therapy, including medicine. If the sense of depression is connected to problems or events in your life, rather than just a chemical imbalance that has occurred for no reason, talking through the problems and finding solutions may be the only way to resolve your depression long term.

If you are struggling with depression or know somebody who is, while drugs can be very effective, they are not the only option available. Talk to your doctor about how non medical solutions like these may help you get better.

Source: http://www.recallcenter.com/