In the United States, millions of people suffer from depression. The standard treatment for depression is the combination of talk psychotherapy and medication. Depression is primarily treated with a daily selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI). Many people suffering from depression are left hopeless due to the failure of the traditional combination of treatment. New efforts are desperately needed to help find relief for the symptoms of treatment resistant depression, as 60-70% of patients currently do not respond to first-line depression treatments. Experts hope that the combination of both pharmaceutical and natural remedies will help relieve the symptoms of treatment resistant depression.
Natural Remedies have been proven to help alleviate symptoms of depression and have shown to have last positive effects:
- Regular Physical Exercise: There are a number of benefits from exercising regularly including cardiovascular, improved mood and brain function. Physical exercise is critical and by living an active lifestyle one will teach their body to be happier—literally. Physical exercise helps build confidence, a sense of pride and eliminates rumination and the unnecessary, painful, and destructive thought patterns that lead to depression.
- Massage: The truth is, if we all got regular massages or back rubs, we’d all be living in a better place. It’s remarkable what a simple massage can do to promote a positive outlook on life. Perhaps by simply allowing our backs—that thing that holds our entire body upright—to have a break, we inspire our minds to do the same. Whatever it is, it certainly works, and it works fast.
- Meditation, Yoga & Mindfulness: We live in a busy, competitive world and that means, in order to survive, we must learn to make comparisons and quick judgements about our environment all day. While this has proven to be a useful tool for accomplishing many things, doing it too often can cause some to develop anxiety, and depression. To counteract this, mindfulness teaches us how to still our minds—to think of nothing—in order to silence our inner voice and simply experience the moment—however fleeting it may be. Some prefer to sit and focus on a chant, while others can do it in silence. There is no wrong way to do it, as long as you focus on nothing.
- Art Therapy: Sometimes, our anxiety and depression manifests because we don’t feel like we have had an opportunity to express ourselves appropriately. Using art therapy, we can find a medium to compose our emotions and our thoughts in ways that lets us take it out of our head, and bring it to life. Many find this very rewarding, even if nobody else ever sees their work.
- Acupuncture: There are many people around the world who profess the powers of acupuncture. This ancient Chinese practice is not as common in the United States, but it’s still easy enough to find a practitioner, should one be required. This art is based on the belief that special points on the body are doorways for our “chi” or energy. The understanding is that by manipulating these energies–using an acupuncture needle—we may control the release of this energy, in order to remedy different conditions.
- IV Hydration Therapy: This therapy is a softer, more direct treatment approach. While IV Hydration itself is not specifically an antidepressant treatment, it may lead to a more positive mood due to the newly acquired emotional and physical additions ala IV Hydration solution. The solution, which is largely composed of essential vitamins and nutrients is used by many to relieve hangovers and helps some athletes recover after an event. Modern medicine has shown that deficiencies in certain vitamins—like vitamin D and B-12—can lead to depression. Therefore, it makes sense that supplementing our bodies with these could be enormously beneficial. Learn more about IV vitamin therapy.
In addition to these six natural remedies for depression, solutions like ketamine for depression may also be useful—especially for those who suffer from severe forms of treatment resistant depression. In fact, many patients who have tried ketamine treatments have found relief in as few as 1-2 infusions. If you want to learn more about ketamine infusions, call Evansville Ketamine Center for a free consultation today. Complete the brief form below, or call us to schedule a consultation.
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