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If you’re suffering from a serious condition such as chronic anxiety or depression, you should see a doctor for professional help. However, if you’re just feeling a bit down and you’re looking for something to improve your mood, here are a few simple ways to do just that.

Visit a Religious Service: A study was conducted on the effect of religious services on attendees, and it found that those who went into the services feeling down actually came out in a better mood. Attending these services regularly has an even more pronounced effect. This study didn’t compare the nature of the religious services, instead looking at the results from all the different services together.

Looking at Family Photos: Take a look at some old photo albums and not only will you remember the good times of the past, but you’ll be in a better mood as well. Many of us also have hours of home video from the old days that can help put us in a better mood.

Saying “Thank You”: We’ve all heard countless times that we should count our blessings. It’s an old proverb for a reason: saying thanks helps us appreciate the good that other people do for us. And getting a smile in return is an even better mood-booster.

Clean Your Living Space: When our environments are cluttered and disorganized, we feel the same way about our lives. It can be hard to get a hold on things when you’re constantly dealing with the clutter, so do yourself a favor and straighten things out.

Get Out in the Sun: Most of us have heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. This condition affects us during the winter months when there’s little sunlight and our moods deteriorate as a result. Get as much sun as you can if you find that your moods are affected by the winter months. There are also some forms of light therapy that can be helpful if used correctly.

Exercising: It may not be what you want to hear, but exercising is always a great way to improve mood. Being active causes our bodies to produce the hormone called endorphin – the substance that’s responsible “runner’s high.” Exercising boosts our moods by causing our brains to release this pleasure hormone.

Herbal Tea: A cup of warm chamomile tea on a cold winter night can hit just the right spot, and the herbs will calm your nerves as well. Try adding some passionflower, jasmine, or lavender for a little extra boost.

The best depression treatment has been the center of debate for some time now. While most of the medical community leans toward the use of traditional medications, patients and their families, unhappy with the serious side effects and addictive nature of these medications, have been looking for other answers. Now, there are other methods of treatment available that offer great promise.

The best treatment for depression relies on addressing the health of the brain and nervous system. Without focusing on this underlying cause, treatment will not be completely successful. The malfunction of neurotransmitters leads to emotional imbalance and feelings of dread and unhappiness can result. The key to restoring equilibrium, then, is re-establishing proper neurotransmitters.

Standard anti-depressants focus solely on the surface symptoms of the condition, providing a quick fix and enabling patients to function normally, but stopping short of a long term solution. These medications can also carry serious side effects and the possibility of becoming addictive, making them less than the best depression treatment.

A far more hopeful alternative is the use of natural remedies. Developed by clinical psychologists and drawing on centuries old homeopathic methods, these products represent the best treatment for depression as they offer a whole system approach, targeting both surface symptoms and their cause.

Combining a variety of herbs and other plant based ingredients, including St. John’s Wort and Passion flower, natural remedies provide the ability to balance moods, calm nerves and improve the emotional state. And because they are entirely organic, they carry no side effects at all, making them the best depression treatment for patients of any age.

What makes these products so effective is their ability to work with the body’s own defenses to provide thorough and long lasting results. It is a theory homeopaths have traded on for years, establishing wellness by treating the body as a whole rather than focusing on one particular area. This approach offers the best treatment for depression currently available.

Of course, even a natural remedy will only be truly successful if it is implemented as part of an overall approach to treatment. The best depression treatment can include a variety of methods, including behavior therapy, stress reduction and lifestyle changes. Everything from practicing yoga to ensuring that you eat a balanced diet can have a very real effect on mental well being. Together, all these methods represent the best possible course of treatment.

In order to treat depression thoroughly, it is necessary to consider the health of the whole body. If depression symptoms are a problem for you, consult your doctor and together you can decide on the best course of treatment. Remember to consider all of your options and don’t forget to include natural remedies. Nature’s healing can be the best treatment of all!
Lois Lane is a passionate advocate of natural remedies for health and well being, whether for humans or their pets alike. As an ardent researcher, she presents the best information she learns and introduces people to natural products that may assist them in living a fuller, more vibrant life.

Beating depression is possible naturally. There are a lot of proven methods to deal with this mental illness at home without the routine administration of prescription drugs. With 11 million Americans contracting the disease every year, the importance of finding out natural ways to treat it is fast becoming imperative. One of the best ways of fighting depression is to take natural supplements. But it is important to note here that most of these “proven” natural treatments are backed only by a coupled of insignificant studies. Following are the top 5 natural supplements which have an actual track record of curing depression.

There are many adults who are trapped under the state of depression due to increase in work load or due to other personal problems. Depression is something that can be treated naturally but it does not mean that people can use self treatment. It is very important for that person to consult the doctor in order to cure the same as it can turn serious if left untreated. Depression is the symptom of other diseases such as anemia or hypothyroidism. According to the doctors depression must always be treated naturally in order to get rid of it totally.

There are various natural treatments of depression.

• St. John’s Wort: It is a herb that comes under the category of folk medicine which is used in order to relieve poor sleep and nervousness. It is effective antidepressant. For patients with moderate depression, the effect can be noticed within 4 to 6 weeks. It is available in all the medical stores and can be consumed in the form of tablets, capsules, tea or liquid extracts.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: According to the doctors, it is suggested that people under depression needs more of fatty acid in order to trigger the proper functioning of the brain. Omega-3 fatty acid is found in fish. It is also noted that countries where fish is the main food such as Taiwan and Japan, depression rate is much lesser.
• SAM-e: SAM-e means S-adenosyl-L-methionine which is naturally found in the human body and is helpful i increasing the level of dopamine and serotonin.
• Folic Acid: Folic acid also known as folate is generally found in fruits, green vegetables, grains and beans.
• 5-HTP: 5-HTP means hydroxtryptophan and it gets generated in the body and helps in boosting up the level of serotonin in the body. It should not be used with the combination of any other antidepressants.
• Diet: The intake of sweets must be reduced in order to bring down the sugar level. The intake of alcohol and caffeine must also be avoided as it increases the anxiety and depression in the long run. Magnesium must be included in the diet as it is important for the production of serotonin. Vegetables, grains and nuts are very good sources of magnesium.

Can you believe that there is a fast and permanent method to help you break the cycle of depression, so you can live a normal life again? Can you imagine to be proud of yourself to have followed your gut feeling to the right cure for dealing with depression? Imagine, having done so, to live your life to the fullest again.

Are you having trouble facing daily challenges? Is it hindering you from work, studies or family responsibilities? You might know this already: Depression is not a passing feeling of sadness. It’s a condition requiring professional attention. Several approaches to treating clinical depression can improve your condition so you can move on with your life.

Treatments for depression may vary from person to person. Your case may not be the same as the others having the same condition.

It is always wise to see a doctor because he will tell you if you’ve got a physical illness that leads to depression. In this case, your doctor is the only one who can give you the appropriate treatment.

Approaches to heal depression that originates in the brain range from taking medication, the talking cure, holistic approaches to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for very severe cases.

• Dealing with depression by taking medication is very common but it is not my favorite method. 50% of depressed people are not responding to antidepressants.

However, I want to explain what kind of drugs are out there to treat this condition. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter needed for your brain to maintain your mood, temperature and sleep cycle stable. Depression will usually take place when you have a low serotonin reserve. SSRI or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors regulate serotonin levels. Common SSRI medications are fluxetine, setraline, citlopram and paroxetine. Other neurotransmitters involved in depression are epinephrine and dopamine. Unlike SSRI, atypical antidepressants target these two neurotransmitters to reduce depression. Common drugs under this category are bupropion, nefazodone and mirtazapine. People who are resistant to SSRI and atypical antidepressants would need a different kind of antidepressant medication. MAOI or Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors are not usually prescribed because of the many side effects. People who are on MAOIs have to avoid certain foods and drinks because it may interfere with the medicine. Elderpryl, Nardil, Zelapar and Marplan are some medications prescribed under this category.

• A very effective approach in dealing with depression is known as ‘talking cure’.

Since depression is a subjective condition, your therapist will need to understand where your depression comes from. Psychotherapy enables you to voice your negative feelings and thoughts that lead to depression and make long lasting changes in your life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) uses this particular method in treating depression. The aim of this therapy is to try to change negative thoughts and feelings to a more constructive ones.

• Reading self-help books (bibliotherapy) that are based on new CBT and brain research findings have been acknowledged to be as effective as psychotherapy.
• Several studies on holistic approaches have been found to bring better results than other therapies. Yoga, meditation, supplements, exercise, regular sleep, a specific diet, and acupuncture have been proven to play a solid part in depression recovery.
• For severely depressed people electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is often the last resort when nothing has helped. Then electric currents are used to alter certain brain compounds to relieve symptoms. Although ECT is still controversially discussed as an anti-depression treatment, it is used today with precise electrical current calculation to reduce adverse effects.

You’re not the only one suffering from depression so you should never be ashamed of it.Dealing with depression successfully requires your participation. Ask for help and get help before your depression gets worse.

If you suffer from a depressive illness you don’t need me to tell you that it is not easy to lift yourself out of that black pit of despair. I can, however, give you a few pointers – then the rest is up to you.

Firstly, you probably did not get to the position you are in now at an exact point in time. Your episode of depression was not suddenly switched on and so it cannot be suddenly switched off. It will take some time to get straight and will have its downs as well as ups.

OK then. To start with don’t expect too much of yourself too soon.

• Begin with small goals. Break big goals into various small steps. When you manage the first then work at holding it and moving to the next. If you set too big a task you are setting yourself up for failure. Each day do the things you can manage and take on a little step forward.

• Try not to spend too much time alone. Be with others but don’t just use them as objects to direct your feelings into. They don’t want to hear them and they will avoid you pretty soon. Just be with them and try to be involved – if only a little. Having company will be better for you even if you feel that you want to be alone.

• Don’t take on any additional responsibilities. This will just serve to overload you with stress. It will also, more than likely, lead to failure and push you back in your recovery.

• Do things that make you feel better especially if they involve other people. Perhaps taking part in some form of exercise such us running or playing tennis. This can be good especially if you have been interested in these things before your illness.

• Don’t take any major decisions until you feel on top of things again. For example, don’t decide to get married or divorced, don’t make big job changes.

You will be enveloped by negative feelings which are difficult to ignore. These are part and parcel of depression. Try to understand that they are not the true you and will disappear as you recover. I know, you can’t believe me fully while you are ill – but it is true.

Whatever anyone may say, you cannot “snap out of it”. If that was possible you would have done it, right? So don’t blame yourself for your condition.

Go get help from a professional. Depression can be much too difficult to beat on your own however supportive the people around you are.

Researchers and scientists have found that in many people that suffer from depression also suffer from nutritional imbalances and deficiencies.

This is good news for those that want to stop or ease depression for good. Being depressed is not easy, it’s very possible to feel like nothing will ever work and that you’re stuck feeling down and sad about everything.

The truth is that you are the one who has to get sick of feeling this way, only then can you learn how to get rid of depression. I know what you’re thinking. Who am I to say anything to you, what do I even know?

I have been studying natural alternatives for well over half a decade. Even at my young age I have solved many of my own health problems and helped me peers at the same time.

A Healthy Lifestyle is the First Step

The real facts are, as I mentioned above, that most people can ease or even get rid of their depression by giving their body the nutrients that it needs and living a healthy lifestyle.

Did you know that many processed foods can leech nutrients from your body and powerfully affect the way you feel? This is yet another reason to eat a diet consisting of largely fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, fish and nuts, as those are the most nutrient packed foods.

Natural Ways to Ease and Get Rid of Depression

With all that said, I’m sure you’re interested in what you can actually do to stop depression in its tracks.

Here are 3 quick tips, they are extremely simple, but sometimes can be tough to implement.

• Exercise – exercising is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re depressed, but it has been proven that when you exercise, your body releases endorphins which are chemicals that make you feel happier and more relaxed.
• Diet – as I said above, eating a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods is the first step. You should also clear out any unhealthy alternatives. The sooner you do this, the better. What you eat does affect you in a big way. Even though it might not feel that way, it does!
• Supplements – many clinical studies have found that when you supplement with high quality multivitamins and omega-3 fish oil products, you can significantly if not completely stop depression. The trick is finding something that is both high quality and pure.

Summary

Many people want to stop depression, but they do not want to put a lot of effort into it. This kind of mindset will get you nowhere. If you don’t really want to get rid of depression, then you won’t.

But if you’re sick of it and ready to start living a new life, then you can and then steps are simple. One of the easiest things you can do is to get high quality supplements that will usually give you the energy to exercise and change your diet.