Alternative Therapies for Depression

Depression is no longer seen as a sign of personal weakness but is now understood as a potential imbalance in the brain of chemicals. As such, feelings of lethargy, loathing, lack of self-worth, and a loss of joy in daily activities does not have to be understood as a failure of the person to motivate themselves, but rather an ailment that strikes millions of people around the world, and that has begun to be understood and treated. However, not everybody wishes to see a therapist or take anti-depressant drugs, and as such people have begun to look to alternative therapies to help relieve their symptoms of depression. In today's article we are going to take a look at a number of these different treatments, and help you figure out which ones might work for you.

A good place to start with is to check if you are getting enough sunlight. Too many Americans are vitamin D deficient (over 50% during the winter), and with current fears over skin cancer on the rise, people are getting less and less sunlight during the day. As such, vitamin D levels drop, and a deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to depression. If you don't have the time or inclination to get sun, then try increasing your vitamin D intake through either supplements, fortified milk, cereal or orange juice, or by seeking to consume fatty fish with high levels of vitamin D.

Once you've ensured that you're getting adequate amounts of vitamin D, check to see if you are active enough. Spending all day in your chair or on the couch will ensure that your body grows stiff and sore, and the benefits of exercise are too many to enumerate here. This doesn't mean joining a gym and becoming hard core about exercising, but rather committing to at least fifteen minutes of walking each morning in order to stimulate the production of endorphins, a feel-good hormone that can have amazing effects on your sense of wellbeing.

Finally, if you wish to take a more direct method you can seek to take St. John's Wort. In many countries it is commonly prescribed for the treatment of mild depression, especially in children and adolescents. Tests have shown that St. John's Wort is more effective than placebos, have fewer side effects than standard anti-depressants, and are as effective. It can either be taken in pill form or as a tea, and should be only taken if you are not taking any other medications.