Depressed? Here’s Some Natural Ways To Fix It.

Have you been on edge lately? Feeling a little sad, depressed, or hopeless?

Everyone feels sad or low sometimes, but these feelings usually pass with a little time.

Before you are diagnosed  with “clinical depression” or a “depressive disorder”, try making some lifestyle changes. If feelings of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness have suddenly taken you over, step back and figure out what has changed over the past month to change your outlook and reactions. 

10 Common Causes Of Depression

Depression affects people in different ways because the causes are different.

1. Medications – pharmaceuticals,  including pain killers, statins, and anti-depressants, typically cause personality changes, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions;
2. Aspartame – aspartame causes phobias, loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies or activities, difficulty sleeping, and severe depression;
3. Street drugs – uppers, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, damage the brain and lead to severe depression;
4. Work Environment – there are very clear connections between work stress and depression; day after day, year after year – if you are not spending the majority of your time every day doing what you really love, you will slowly, but surely, become depressed;
5. Alcohol – desperate to feel better or numb the pain, depression sufferers often use the effects of alcohol for that purpose – numb the reality of their depression. Unfortunately, alcohol ends up having the opposite effect. Alcohol is a depressant that slows the body down even more;
6. Public schools – younger children are subject to social changes, bullying, and stricter rules when in public schools; depression may surface if they pretend to be sick, refuse to go to school, or cling to a parent; Older children and teens with depression may get into trouble at school, sulk, and be irritable. Teens with depression may have symptoms of other disorders, such as anxiety, eating disorders, or substance abuse;
7. Retirement homes –  older adults with depression typically show less obvious symptoms because they are less likely to admit to feelings of sadness or grief, but unless they voluntarily leave their home for a nursing home or retirement center, they typically repress feelings of loss when they abandon their “past roots;“
8. Unhealthy relationships – people in an unhealthy relationship typically have symptoms of sadness, worthlessness, and guilt;
9. Illness – depression can occur alongside other illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Depression can make these conditions worse, and vice versa;
10. Financial stress – financial stress leads to symptoms of depression;  depression is three times more likely to occur when an individual is in debt.

10 Solutions

I’m not saying that these solutions are easy, or that they’ll work for everyone, but if you have recently become depressed, it’s time for some changes. Change is not always easy, but it is worth it once you remove the cause(s) that are bringing you down.

Life is challenging, as it should be, because that’s how we grow our character and personal strength. Challenges teach us how to be smarter, stronger, wiser, more self-confident, and happier.

1. Medications – wean off antidepressants and pain killers; just do it;
2. Aspartame – avoid ALL diet sweeteners, with the exception of pure stevia products;
3. Street drugs – stop, just stop;
4. Work Environment – unless you are retired, you spend the majority of your time every day at your job; if you are not enjoying your job, find another job, ask to relocate to a place you’d enjoy more, or become self-employed;
5. Alcohol – quit, or at the very least, stop consuming hard liquor and beer, and switch to a quality red wine;
6. Public schools – the American public school system is in trouble today; research switching to a private school or to a home-schooling program that matches your personal philosophies; become more active in your child’s education; remember that schools are merely a supplement – the parent and the family are the best teachers for impressionable children;
7. Retirement homes –  the family home represents security, financial safety, and loving memories for the elderly; let your elders remain in their home for as long as physically possible; in-home care can be less expensive these day than retirement centers and nursing homes;
8. Unhealthy relationships – if you are in an unhealthy relationship – get out of it as soon as you can; we are all products of our environments and negativity breeds guilt, insecurity, and destroys self-confidence;
9. Illness – research the many alternative treatments and healthy nutrition programs available if you are challenged with an illness; lessen your dependence on pharmaceuticals and doctor’s visits, and take it upon yourself to do whatever you can to do the work to restore your health;
10. Financial stress – pay off as many of your debts as possible; don’t buy that new car or new home, and cut up your credit cards. Get out of the banking system, stash some cash, and own, get the title, on as much as you can. The financial systems today are one of the primary causes of stress and depression – regain your independence by having as little bank and credit card debt as possible.

The Glass Is Half Full

The world is growing more intense day by day – politics, banking, medicine, and social change. Resist letting life today depress you by controlling your environment to be as positive as you can make it.

Stay out of the Matrix. Turn off your TV. Get outdoors. Get a dog. Wean off the meds. Garden. Keep your life as simple, basic, and filled with integrity.

Read. Research. Learn. Stay open-minded.

Try your hardest to resist depression. The meds won’t stop it. Removing the cause is the only way to change your state of mind.

Always remember to look at the glass as half FULL.

Contact me if you want to begin a positive program for health, happiness, and wellness.

 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, and is educational in nature. The FDA may not have evaluated some of the statements.  This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding supplements or making any changes to your dietary program.

Before taking vitamins, consult your doctor; pre-existing medical conditions or medications you are taking can affect how your body responds to multivitamins.