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One out of every 10 people suffers from depression in the United States, according to estimates. While there are many prescription medications that can alleviate depression symptoms, there are a few natural remedies that could help as well. Find out what they are below.
Light Therapy
Light therapy can be a mood-booster for people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder. This condition causes people to feel more depressed during certain times of the year – usually winter.
A "light box" works by exposing sufferers to brightness, which has been shown in numerous studies to help boost people’s spirits.
Massage
Massage hasn’t been researched extensively in treating depression, but one study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggest that massage therapy may have "potentially significant effects" in alleviating depression and anxiety.
Supplements
Various herbal supplements, such as St. John’s Wart, may help with depression. Increasing your intake of omega-3s and vitamin D could also be effective.
But before taking new supplements, make sure to discuss them with your doctor first, because they may interact with other medications.
Talk Therapy
Talk therapy has been well-studied in the treatment of depression and has been shown to have extremely positive effects in some people.
Talk with your doctor about your options and find out what works best for you. Always tell your doctor if you plan on adding any herbal supplements to your diet.
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Add a Comment3 Comments
Seasonal depression isn't depression, it's Seasonal Affective Disorder. Light therapy makes infinitely more sense than antidepressants for SAD, and I wholeheartedly endorse it for that purpose. But depression is a different animal altogether. Similarly, PMS depression isn't depression
February 22, 2012 - 10:51amhttp://www.pmscomfort.com/pms-pmdd-symptoms/pms-pmdd-depression.aspx
although the symptoms can be similar, and MDs do prescribe antidepressants for PMS and PMDD (and light therapy wouldn't help PMS depression.)
This Comment
I have actually just saw an article about a research that found that light therapy is as effective as antidepressants (for seasonal depression only), so I don't know if I agree with Dr. Heller's comment. You can see the article here: http://www.light-therapy-reviews.net/sad-light-treatment/
February 21, 2012 - 11:38amThis Comment
I don't want to offend anyone, but this article wasn't written by a medical professional. Listing light therapy and massage first, and talk therapy last, in an article about depression? There is no doubt that talk therapy should be first, even though it's not necessarily a simple solution. Also, no mention of exercise? This is inexcusable, really. There are so many other natural approaches that this article doesn't touch on, that work infinitely better than massage and light therapy, this is kind of befuddling.
February 21, 2012 - 10:57amWe have an article, see below, that is a much more thorough discussion of natural solutions for depression.
Dr. Daniel Heller
PMS Comfort
http://j.mp/yDK0xz
This Comment