First, some bad news. About 40 million Americans will suffer from depression at some point in their lives. Only about 50% will try to get help, yet 90% of depression cases can easily be treated with medication. It has been found that depression can last from six months to a year but there are are many patients who remain chronically depressed for years. The good news is that besides medication with anti-depressants there are many natural ways to treat depression.
Let us take exercise for example. What could be more natural than that? Any from of exercise that is going to get the 'feel good' endorphins going and improving your mood is one of the most effective and natural ways to treat depression. Even half an hour three to five times a week doing power walking, running, aerobics, dancing or just a good brisk walk will cut depression symptoms in half.
Social networking is a great way to keep in touch with real people and I am not including Facebook in this one, which is a sort of virtual networking in front of a computer! By social networking, I mean the real thing! That means having real, face to face contact with people through family, friends, clubs, sports and church. It has been found that the more social networking you do, the less likely you are to suffer from depression. This is another one of the natural ways to treat depression.
Anti depressant medications such as Prozac, Zoloft and Marplan can have serious side effects and I know that many patients had to stop taking them because they could no longer put up with the 'zombie' feeling. Whenever and if you decide that these medications are no longer for you, see your doctor as these drugs have to be tapered off as discontinuation syndrome can be quite severe if it is done in a cold turkey way. Doctors of course do not want to call this withdrawal but that is basically what it is. As the brain chemistry has been radically altered for such a long time, you can imagine that withdrawal is going to play havoc with your life. Certainly, if you opt for one of the natural ways to treat depression, discontinuation or withdrawal symptoms will never be a problem.
Natural treatment for depression is gaining momentum now as people are more and more wary of big pharm, their profits and their hype. Herbal remedies for depression have so few side effects and do not represent any risk to your health in the long term. Some of the herbs used such as St. John's Wort and the Passion Flower aid the mind in dispelling feelings of the blues and supporting a positive mental attitude. Coupled with cognitive behavior therapy which is also a natural treatment for depression, these herbal remedies can transform your life. By looking at some natural ways to treat depression, many people have successfully come through depression, much to the joy of their loved ones.
