A lot of things you can do for depression require you to do the opposite of how you feel when depressed. Depressed people often stay indoors, do not go out, keep the drapes drawn and the lights out. They often sleep all day and stay up all night. They do not exercise or clean house. They frequently let their hygiene go. They do not "take care of business" such as bills, errands, etc. They do not socialize and will stop seeing friends or family. They will not answer the door or the phone. They tend to live on sugar and caffeine and may resort to stronger drugs or alcohol to self-medicate their depression. They may remain stuck in a rut in their work, their relationships or their life in general. They live in a black hole from which there is no light. (And I say a black hole rather than a tunnel. A tunnel has a light at the end. Depressed people often see no light at the end of a tunnel, only endless darkness. And from this comes an immense feeling of hopelessness.) They see no hope for the future.
How can this be reversed? By forcing yourself to do the opposite of how you feel. Here are a few examples.
1. Expose Yourself - To Sunshine
Research has shown that exposure to sunshine reduces
depression. This makes perfect sense. People struggling
with depression typically avoid sunlight and prefer darkened rooms
with the curtains drawn. This only exacerbates feelings of
isolation, sadness and hopelessness. Even if you just go sit
outside, exposing yourself to sunlight will help lift your
mood.
2. Melatonin
Melatonin is a natural hormone that the body produces which lulls
you to sleep. People struggling with depression tend to sleep
all day and stay up all night. This usually results in less
deep sleep, or REM sleep. REM sleep is when your mind dreams
and your body repairs the damage done during the day. It is
important to maintain healthy sleep patterns when fighting any type
of mental illness or mental stressor. If you are sleeping
during the day and staying awake at night, this also puts you in
conflict with the natural rhythms of the Earth. It is
important to reset your natural sleep patterns and this can be done
with a natural hormone that is generic and available over the
counter - melatonin. Find out more about how
melatonin works and why I recommend it in my article,
"Insomnia and Melatonin".
3. Exercise
People struggling with depression often find themselves with
greatly reduced levels of energy and increased levels of
fatigue. The last thing in the world they feel like doing is
exercising, yet this may be the antithesis to fatigue.
Exercise does not have to be intense or long. A simple 30
minute walk around the block serves two purposes: it
increases your exposure to sunlight and gets you up and moving,
both of which will lift your mood and increase your energy and
motivation.
4. Socialize
Depression can make you isolate and avoid contact with other
people. You don't get the mail. You don't
answer the phone. You don't answer the door. You
don't leave the house. You avoid contact with other
people. If you want to beat depression you have to reverse
this pattern. Be careful not to surround yourself with other
people who are also depressed. This only reinforces your own
depression. Force yourself to meet with upbeat, happy
people. Go to lunch with old friends. Get out of the
house. See new faces and visit new places.
5. Change your
Diet
People fighting depression often use a diet of caffeine, simple
carbs and sugars in an attempt to boost their energy. But
this is a false boost. Simple carbs and sugars will boost
your mood temporarily but cause it to plummet in a few hours when
the effects wear off. This roller coaster effect only
exacerbates feelings of depression. It's better to eat
whole grains, fruits, vegetables and proteins. Proteins
provide your body with the amino acids it needs to make those
neurotransmitters your brain so desperately needs to feel better
(i.e. Serontonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine). Complex
carbs such as whole grains and vegetables provide the fuel for
energy, but do it gradually. Fruits provide fructose, a more
complex sugar than the simple sugars found in candy. Because
it requires more processing for the body to break it down and turn
it into energy, it enters your bloodstream more slowly and tapers
off more gradually.
To lift your mood, use exercise, sunshine, socialization and
fresh air. Use nutrition to provide you with the fuel for
these activities rather than depending on it for a false high that
crashes later only to leave you feeling more depressed than
before.
CONTINUE READING TREAT YOUR DEPRESSION
NATURALLY
- Kellen Von Houser, Intent.com
Kellen is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Life Coach who has worked in the mental health field for more than 15 years. In her years of working with other people she has developed various ideas and opinions which she shares on Intent.com and www.kellevision.com.
