Depressed?
Most people feel "down" once in a while, for short periods of time. A true
depressive illness causes persistent sadness, pessimism, and feelings of anxiety
and hopelessness. It has both physical and behavioral effects. While severe
cases require medical attention, natural therapies may help mild cases and can
also support any treatment prescribed by a doctor.
An occasional low mood is a normal part of life. Triggers include stressful events
and unresolved problems or disputes. Deeper situational depression may follow a
significant loss, such as a marital breakdown, a bereavement, or a business
failure. Some people who experience such a loss are unable to recover because
they suffer from an imbalance of brain neurotransmitters. An imbalance of
neurotransmitters can provoke depression even in the absence of a distressing
event.
In these cases, professional treatments that deal with both emotional and physical
problems usually work best. More women than men are diagnosed with
depression. This is partly because women are more likely to seek professional
help for their symptoms and because they may experience hormone-related
depression.
PREVENTION
Since stressful situations make you more vulnerable to depression, reduce their impact by using stress-management strategies. These include:
- Arranging or accepting help and support.
- Eating a healthy, nutrient-rich diet to optimize brain function.
- Limiting alcohol to one or two units a day , and caffeine consumption to the equivalent of one or two cups of coffee a day. A high intake
of both of these substances can affect mood adversely over time (see "Treatment").
- Being kind to yourself, allowing yourself to enjoy life's pleasures, and not setting your standards too high.
- Getting enough sleep every night (at least seven hours for most people).
- Practicing yoga, meditation, or another relaxation technique regularly.
TREATMENT
Exercise: Exercise makes you focus on your body, providing relief from difficult feelings and thoughts. If you work your body hard enough, it
releases chemicals called endorphins, which may act in the brain to help lift your mood. If you don't exercise already, you may want to start
simply, with a brisk half-hour walk at least three times a week. Once in the habit of exercising, consider something more strenuous, such as
aerobic dance. Activities that you share with other people, such as tennis or team games, may be preferable to solitary forms of exercise, such
as swimming, which leave your mind free to dwell on negative thoughts. Vary the type of exercise you do, and don't choose something you
don't enjoy at all. Be careful not to overdo exercise, or you will feel exhaustion instead of increased energy and improved well-being.
Diet
- You may find it easier to eat several small meals daily than three larger meals.
- Counter a craving for one sort of food -- such as sweets or cheese -- by eating small, frequent, balanced meals. Cravings may result
from a low level of the neurotransmitter serotonin. To increase serotonin levels, eat protein-containing foods that are rich in the amino
acid tryptophan.
- Occasional treats like chocolate or French fries may cheer you up temporarily. Indeed, chocolate contains a compound that is thought
to have a positive effect on mood. However, don't eat such sugary or fatty foods too often, and avoid them altogether if you are
sensitive to them.
- Don't use alcohol to "drown your sorrows." It may help you relax for a short while, but it also depresses the central nervous system,
making depression worse and reducing your ability to deal with problems.
- Limit caffeine consumption. Excessive intake may make depression worse.
- If you suspect that a food allergy is causing your depression, try to identify the food and then avoid it.
Stress reduction: Practice strategies for minimizing stress. For example:
- Make sure that you and those around you understand that there are limits to what you can do when you don't feel well.
- If possible, delegate tasks that you find too difficult -- for example, business trips or organizing the school PTA. People are often willing
to assist if you tell them what you need.
- You may find it helps to break down large, daunting tasks into small, manageable steps, listing each one and checking it off when you
have completed it.
- Take the time to reflect on your problems and practice activities that will help you cope -- for example, yoga, meditation, or prayer.
LIGHT THERAPY
Exposure to bright light may diminish winter depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), by reducing the levels of the sedative brain
chemical melatonin and boosting those of serotonin, which is stimulating. You can increase your exposure to light in the following ways:
- Go outside in the middle of the day for a half hour.
- If your doctor approves, try sitting in front of a high-intensity light box for a half hour to two hours every day. Do not use if there is a
flickering fluorescent tube in the box, as this could provoke light-sensitive migraine or epilepsy.
- Install a bright, full-spectrum, fluorescent tube in the room where you spend most of your waking hours.
- Make the best use of daylight by adjusting your wake-sleep pattern to dawn and dusk. Alternatively, buy a bedroom lamp specially
designed to turn on at dawn and gradually increase in brightness until you rise.
