Most mental health experts concur that the best “natural treatment” for depression is speaking. Forms of chat treatment include cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic treatment. These types of treatment for depression are called. Other kinds of natural treatments for depression which are often used include meditation, exercise, dietary supplements, and acupuncture.
“Psychotherapy, with or without drugs, is the easiest way to deal with depression,” advises Richard Shadick, PhD, manager of the counseling centre and adjunct professor of psychology at Pace University in New York City. Nonetheless, he adds, “There are some alternative treatments that will help mild to moderate depression.”
Natural Treatments for Depression: Exercise
“Exercise, if done right, is among the most promising natural treatments for depression. It elevates mood fast and faithfully. It’s believed this takes place because exercise affects precisely the same neurotransmitter system that medication does,” says Dr. Shadick.
A recent review of all available controlled trials that compared exercise of treatment that was recognized with no treatment or a different kind in people diagnosed with depression concluded that exercise does alleviate symptoms of depression. But how successful and which type of exercise is best stay to be seen.
Many studies support the use of exercise as part of a treatment plan for light to moderate depression. Most experts suggest about 30 to 60 minutes a day to lift your mood.
Natural Treatments for Depression: Meditation and Yoga
“Meditation and yoga have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, which can give rise to depression,” says Shadick. Relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga all have been utilized to relieve symptoms of depression and reduce stress. These mind-body techniques can encourage feelings of joy and well-being.
Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn’s meditation studies at the University of Massachusetts have demonstrated that practicing meditation to lower stress can enhance mood and alleviate negative feelings of depression such as anxiety and rage. Using these same meditation practices, called mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, several research have found that meditation can reduce the chance to get a recurrence of major depression.
Natural Treatments for Depression: Dietary Supplements
Many people use herbs or vitamin supplements . It is very important to consider that some can interfere with other drugs or of these nutritional supplements may have unwanted effects.
St. John’s wort is an extract from a wild-growing shrub and has been used as an herbal medicine for hundreds of years. It’s used in Europe to treat mild depression. In the USA, St. John’s wort is a popular-selling product, but its effectiveness for depression isn’t demonstrated. Some studies suggest it may help for mild depression, but it didn’t do better when compared to a placebo for major depression.
SAMe (S Adenosyl L Methionine) is a synthetic nutritional supplement that is made from naturally occurring proteins in the body. It has been utilized to take care of osteoarthritis also as depression and liver disease. A review by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found 47 studies in which SAMe was used for depression and reasoned that SAMe worked better than a placebo.
Natural Treatments for Depression: Acupuncture
Acupuncture is being used as an all-natural treatment for depression. One place where acupuncture has been analyzed for depression is in depression related to pregnancy. Because of possible unwanted effects of drug treatment in girls that are indeed pregnant, acupuncture will be an important option.
In a study printed in the Journal of Affective Disorders, 61 pregnant women with major depression were treated with acupuncture specifically tailored to take care of depression, general acupuncture that didn’t target depression, or with massage therapy. The women who have been treated with acupuncture particularly targeting depression had a response rate of 69 percent. In comparison, the response rates were lower for those who received general acupuncture (47 percent) or massage therapy (32 percent).
Work together with your physician to find the best treatment, in the event you have depression. Let your physician know, if you choose to test natural treatments for depression. Remember, several of the top ways by which you can help your depression besides taking medication include getting enough sleep, eating well, preventing stress, and having a great support system.