Royane Real
More Non Drug Therapies For Depression
By Royane Real
Author of “How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative”
I have always taken a deep personal interest in learning about alternative non-drug therapies for depression because I suffered from severe depression for many years of my life.
I found help in talk therapy, and I also had to use prescription medications a few times, but I tried to take the lowest dose possible of these antidepressants, and I took them for the shortest time possible. Like many other people who suffered from depression, I was suspicious and fearful of the long term effects of prescription antidepressants, and so I spent many years looking into depression alternatives to medication.
I have included several articles on this website about non drug alternative treatments for depression, and I plan to include more articles in the future on this very important topic.
Most people who look into alternate treatments for depression, start to focus on food and supplements.
It's no secret that the kind of diet many of us eat today, especially in North America, is very far from the kind of natural diet our ancestors used to eat.
Has the change in our diet in the past few centuries made us more depressed?
In those countries where the population eats a lot of ocean fish, the rate of depression appears to be low. North Americans don't eat very much ocean fish, and the rate of depression in North America is quite high. Many nutritionally oriented therapists believe there is a connection.
Certain ocean fish such as tuna and salmon are very rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and other compounds that are beneficial to the heart and the brain. Eating more of these fish, or getting fish oil capsules from the health food store may be useful in treating some instances of depression.
However, there is a lot of controversy over whether these fish are safe to eat, since many large ocean fish are now contaminated with mercury poisoning.
Does the benefit of the fish oil outweigh the possible danger of the mercury?
Researchers don't agree about this at this time. But you can try to include a lot more fish like salmon and tuna in your diet to see if it boosts your mood.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is one of the most important nutrients in the body, but sadly, a lack of folic acid is one of the most common deficiencies in the world.
Low levels of folic acid are associated with heart problems, memory problems, and depression.
If you suffer from depression, consider taking at least 400 mcg. per day in a supplement.
Final Thoughts
This has been a brief rundown of natural products you might find at the health food store that can help with depression.
But there are at least two more ideas I want to mention in closing that have been shown to be very beneficial to cases of depression.
Remember that before antidepressants were invented, people mostly relied on talk therapy to try get better. This can still work really well, if you have a good therapist, and if paying for therapy isn't a problem for you.
Not all types of psychotherapy work for depression. Cognitive therapy teaches the patient new, more realistic ways of thinking. Cognitive therapy has a record of curing depression that appears to be just as the rate of cure of most antidepressants.
Also remember that before therapists were invented, people talked over their problems with trusted friends, family members and spiritual advisors. So, if good therapists aren't easily available where you live, you can try look for other people to talk to that might help.
And now, one here is one final cure for some cases of depression that is easily available to most of us - exercise.
In some studies, regular physical exercise was shown to relieve depression just as effectively as medications!
So, consider incorporating some of these ideas into your life if you are feeling a bit depressed.
However, if your depression is serious, then professional treatment may become necessary.
This article was written by Royane Real who is the author of the book “How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative” Download it today and learn more ways to get the maximum use of your brainpower. It’s available at http://www.lulu.com/real
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