9th Oct 2022

How to Beat Depression Naturally

Societal conditions or a lack of drugs? If you're depressed you deal with it. When you're depressed you eat more, smoke more, drink more. You may take your depression out on those around you or you may threaten suicide. But when depression becomes debilitating, making you either suicidal or homicidal, it's time to seek help. 

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

But, when you tell your doctor that you have a problem, that you're depressed, what do they do? They immediately put you on Prozac or some other antidepressant, right? So, what they are telling you, is that the sole reason for your condition is a lack of drugs, if you just consume these pills everything will be a-okay for you, right?  

What sense does that possibly make? It doesn't. It's people that make me crazy, not a lack of drugs.  

But Everybody Must Get Stoned

Medication is not as important as changing the societal conditions that lead to depression.

Taking pharmaceutical prescription chemicals to make up for social ills that make us depressed is never going to be a successful way forward. Humans are mammals, and mammals have needs for community and purpose and safety. Unless those things are being provided, there's no drug that can solve that problem.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are being denied to average (poor) Americans who are being forced to live in ghettos (cities) with rats, roaches, gangs, street drugs and a police state because there are no opportunities that pay a living wage but there is plenty of corrupt representation. Politicians are poverty pimps who profit off of our suffering. More drugs (prescription or otherwise) is not a solution to our dilemma.  

Research has shown that SSRIs like Lexapro aren't really doing what we once were led to believe: correcting a "chemical imbalance" in your brain. In fact, it's high time that this conventional wisdom is properly debunked for the general public once and for all.

The latest analysis, released in the journal Molecular Psychiatry in July, is yet another review of serotonin research through the years and concludes that there is no solid link between low serotonin levels and depression.

Mental health experts not only agree, but say the conclusions are nothing new. 

"There was no real evidence that serotonin deficiency caused depression," said Irving Kirsch, a psychologist and lecturer at Harvard who's studied antidepressants and their placebo effect for many decades.

This year, Kirsch and his colleagues conducted a review of antidepressant studies that were submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration over a nearly 40-year period. It found that only about 15% of American patients "have a substantial antidepressant effect beyond a placebo effect in clinical trials."

When it comes to depression, other treatment options have been shown to do a better job.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK said in a 2019 position paper that "the routine use of antidepressants" for mild depressive symptoms "is not generally recommended," and that more research is needed on the benefits and harms of long-term use.

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: call or text 1-800-422-4453

In the UK, federal evidence-based guidelines suggest eight different interventions for mild depression before SSRIs are used, including guided self-help, group exercise, and meditation. For more severe cases of depression, antidepressants are recommended in tandem with therapy.

"The antidepressants that we now have are the least safe of all of these treatments," Kirsch said of SSRIs. "You get substantially greater relapse with antidepressants than you do with physical exercise, or even with placebo."

Breathing Exercises For Anxiety And Depression 

If you are going through anxiety, stress and depression, then it is very crucial to relax. Relaxing doesn’t mean just to sit and watch T.V or play video games. People with anxiety and depression find it difficult to do their daily activities and it makes life difficult at times. You may go through many medications to control this situation which might not give you positive results. 

There is one simple solution for this problem – just breathe. Yes, breathing is a relaxation exercise which will help to calm down anxiety and depression.

According to several studies, exercise will reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Because exercises and other physical activities help to produce endorphins which are chemicals in the brain and act as pain killers in your brain. Here's how: 

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing will help you to calm down and release anxiety from you, head to toe. Try this whenever you feel stress is building in your body. You can even combine this deep breathing with meditation to acquire greater relaxation, stress relief and focus.

Deep breathing also helps to slow down your heart rate and naturally reduces the risk of heart attack.

How To Do

Sit on the floor by keeping your back straight, your legs uncrossed and your arms on your knees.

Now take deep and slow breath through your nose 5-6 times. 

Hold on breathe for 2-3 seconds and exhale it through your mouth for 6-7 seconds. Breathe like you are whistling.

Repeat 10 times.

Progressive Relaxation

Progressive relaxation technique will help you to calm down and refocus.

How To Do

Sit straight with uncrossed legs on the floor. Close your eyes and try to relax your muscles from your toes to your head and breathe deeply as you tense or relax your muscles. 

Slowly start tensing your muscles, start from your toes, knees, thighs, then chest, arms, hands and finally neck, jaw and eyes. Inhale through your nose and hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds while you tense each muscle group. Exhale slowly through your mouth while relaxing your muscles. 

Guided Visualization

This technique can be done only in places where you can safely close your eyes and it works well to reduce anxiety and stress.

How To Do

Try to find a quiet and calm place where you can sit comfortably.

Close your eyes, focus your attention on a dot in your mind until your mind is free of all other thoughts, breathe deeply and then focus on positive and pleasant things which make you feel good. Picture yourself on an exotic island or floating on clouds. Pretend your on an endless shopping spree or summer vacation, whatever it is that makes you happy. 

Walking is a useful tool in treating depression 

BBC: Vigorous exercise has already been shown to alleviate symptoms of depression, but the effect of less strenuous activities was unclear.

A study in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity showed walking had a "large effect" on depression.

One in 10 people may have depression at some point in their lives.

The report's authors showed "walking was an effective intervention for depression" and had an effect similar to other more vigorous forms of exercise.

They said: "Walking has the advantages of being easily undertaken by most people, incurring little or no financial cost and being relatively easy to incorporate into daily living."

Water is another tool to treat Depression, Stress and Anxiety

Dehydration can strain the body, leaving us stressed, tired, and edgy. Simply put, dehydration stunts brain functioning, so think of water as a nutrient your brain needs.

Dehydration affects our moods, according to researchers at the University of Connecticut, it shows an increase in “total mood disturbance.”

Research has linked dehydration and depression, and now we can learn how important water is for our mental health.

Dehydration means that the body has lost more fluids than the amount taken in. It means that the amount of water in the body is lower than the level needed for body function.

We lose a lot of water and fluids in urine and sweat, and even through respiration. While small drops don’t cause major problems, they go unnoticed. Even a single percent below the optimal level of hydration can affect mood, disturb concentration, and induce a headache.

Since our heart and our brain have more water than the rest of the body, staying hydrated is crucial.

Dehydration hinders energy production in the brain. The brain requires this energy to function efficiently, and a hindrance can even shut down these functions. What results due to this dysfunction can be depression.

Not consuming enough water can affect the brain’s tissue, which can result in social stresses like anxiety, fear, insecurity, emotional problems, etc.

Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter. It plays a vital role in determining moods. Serotonin is created from tryptophan, an amino acid. However, the body needs to have sufficient water to transport tryptophan across the brain.

Dehydration also has a negative effect on the level of amino acids in the body, which leaves us feeling sad, anxious, irritable, and inadequate.

If you are anxiety-prone, you should ensure you are properly hydrated daily. 

Water has natural calming properties, so drinking sufficient amounts is an important step in anxiety management. 

A warm bath can go a long way to alleviate muscle tension and, at the same time, create a sense of calm. You can also use herbal-based supplements, like:

CBD

Chamomile

Creatine

Pure Encapsulations Rhodiola Rosea

Saffron

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Magnesium

Zinc

WebMD: A diet that includes vitamin B complex helps boost mental health. Vitamin B deficiency could negatively influence your memory function, and cause cognitive impairment and dementia. Vitamin B contributes to the complexity of depressive symptoms.

Did you know that nutritious foods can also protect your mental health? Good overall nutrition is essential for your mental well-being. Eating foods that are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, protein, and fatty acids is key to keeping your brain in good working order.

Vitamins and minerals play a key role in your brain health.

Low levels of folate have been linked to depression. Vitamin supplements such as folic acid (a synthetic form of folate also known as vitamin B9) can boost relief in women. Folic acid helps the body make healthy red blood cells.

Where to find folic acid? Folic acid can be found in green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, beans, fortified bread, and cereals. Because vitamin supplements do not work as a standalone solution for mental health issues, it's important to include these foods in your daily diet. With folic acid, you should only consume around 1 milligram daily.

Mental health problems such as memory loss, anxiety, depression, irritability, and insomnia are also associated with deficiencies in vitamin B1. The brain uses this vitamin to help convert glucose or blood sugar into energy. This means that without it, the brain may not have enough energy to function normally. Lack of enough vitamins may also lead to fatigue, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Vitamin B12 is a key component in the formation of red blood cells. Its deficiency could lead to an oxygen-transport problem in the blood known as pernicious anemia. This disorder may cause issues like mood swings, paranoia, irritability, confusion, dementia, and hallucinations (or mania).

When Vitamin B12 and folate supplements are combined, they enhance the production of serotonin and dopamine. The two vitamins both play important roles in regulating and maintaining a good mental health state. It is important to note that older people are more susceptible to deficiency of vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 can be found in plenty in animal products such as fish, lean meat, poultry, eggs, and low-fat and fat-free milk. Fortified breakfast cereals also are a good source of B-12 and other B vitamins.

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with active mood disorder and depression. Further investigations point out that vitamin D is important and is used during brain development. Vitamin D can be gotten naturally from the sun, inadequacy of vitamin D has been positively linked to mental problems.

Maintaining a healthy diet may help you avoid nutritional deficiencies that cause mental health problems. It can be quite hard trying to stay on a healthy diet plan. Reducing or avoiding alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, refined sugars, and caffeine may help to maintain good mental health.

Drinks and foods with caffeine can trigger anxiety and make it difficult to sleep.

Choose your carbs wisely. Limit sugary foods and opt for smart or “complex” carbs (such as whole grains) rather than simple carbs (such as cakes and cookies). Fruits, vegetables, and legumes also have healthy carbs and fiber.

Good sources of healthy proteins include beans and peas, fish, poultry, soy products, and yogurt. 

Good sources of omega-3s, including alpha-linolenic acid, are:

  • Fatty fish (anchovy, mackerel, salmon, sardines, shad, and tuna)
  • Flaxseed
  • Canola and soybean oils
  • Nuts, especially walnuts
  • Dark green, leafy vegetables

Eat foods rich in antioxidants: 

  • Beta-carotene: apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collards, peaches, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato
  • Vitamin C: blueberries, broccoli, grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, peppers, potatoes, strawberries, tomato
  • Vitamin E: margarine, nuts and seeds, vegetable oils, wheat germ

National Domestic Violence Hotline: Text "START" to 88788 or call 1-800-799-7233

A healthy diet will help as part of your overall treatment. If you have any mental health issues, seek help from a professional. 

Do yourself a favor. Think for yourself. Be your own person. Question everything. Stand for principle. Champion individual liberty and self-ownership where you can. Develop a strong moral code. Be kind to others. Do no harm, unless that harm is warranted. Pretty obvious stuff...but people who hold these things in their hearts seem to be disappearing from the earth at an accelerated rate. Stay safe, my friends. Thanks for being here.

READ MORE:

Thank you for stopping by. PLEASE scroll down to post to social media.