You know that you need help. You’ve been struggling for a bit, and you know these thoughts and feelings will only worsen, especially if left untreated.
You want to take care of yourself, but you’re not a huge fan of medication. You’re worried that if you seek the help you need, the action plan will involve taking a pill that you don’t really want to take every single day from here on out.
Depression is a common and serious mental health condition. It’s vital to seek help for it sooner rather than later. The therapy world has come a long way, and there are ways to naturally treat depression if that’s the route you’d like to take. This is how you can treat depression without medication.
Stick to a Schedule
Make sure you're sticking to a schedule and routine. Depression can hurt your daily life and routine. It can cause you to not be able to fall asleep at night, stay asleep during the night, or not want to do anything else but sleep. Creating and sticking to a schedule can help your body and mind naturally fall into a good routine. Go to bed and wake up at an established time. This ensures that you have enough rest, recovery, and energy to function to the best of your ability each day.
Be Mindful of Your Nutrition
It's important to help yourself feel better from the inside out. This means taking care of yourself. You've probably heard the saying, "You are what you eat." Depression can change your eating habits and cause you to overeat and undereat.
If you're consuming foods that are unhealthy, it can lead you to feel worse about yourself and even add to your signs and symptoms of depression. Take the time to plan out your meals for the week with a list, go to the grocery store, and meal prep. Aim to eat healthy and well-balanced meals during your day.
Move Your Body
Exercise is known for its benefits to one's physical health, but it's also extremely beneficial to one's overall mental health and wellness. When movement occurs, endorphins—feel-good chemicals—are released. Exercise can naturally reduce one's stress and anxiety levels and improve one's overall mood.
If you're not a huge fan of exercising, don't worry. All it takes is finding a way to move your body, increase your heart rate, and get your blood pumping for at least thirty minutes each day. You can do this by going for a walk outside, hitting up your local gym, or dancing around in the comfort of your own home.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a practice that can have a positive impact on one's mood as well as someone's ability to manage depression. It's what allows us to focus on the present moment, stay grounded, and live without judgment. You can practice mindfulness through yoga, meditation, deep breathing, body scans, or journaling. Find what works for you to better manage these signs and symptoms you're struggling with.
Seek Additional Support
You may be avoiding going to therapy out of fear of being prescribed a medication that you don't actually want to be taking. Rest assured that not all therapists immediately prescribe medication. Depression is a common and serious mental health condition, and depression therapy is one of the best-recommended treatment options.
Your therapist will work with you on your specific history, signs and symptoms, and overall goals of treatment. All of these areas are considered to determine a recommended approach for treatment. We are here to help you find a natural cure for depression without the use of medication. Don't delay getting the help you need and deserve. Reach out today to learn more.