Beating Depression - Self Help Techniques and Depression Natural Remedies

When you feel down, beating depression is possible with self help techniques and depression natural remedies.

You may feel scared that you will never get past the cycle of emotional numbness, lack of interest in life, and the accompanying malaise you find yourself experiencing.

Healing depression can feel challenging when your mind and body seem to be pulling you in the opposite direction. Know that there is hope. Just as you traveled the spiral into depression, you can turn it around and create a happier life.

The following holistic depression self help techniques and remedies will support your healing in mind, body and spirit.

How to Overcome Depression Naturally

Understand the mental and biological causes of depression.

The first step in knowing how to overcome depression is to understand it so you can focus your attention and energy on what is causing it.

Once you have a grasp on why you feel down, choose appropriate techniques and remedies to support your healing. Be sure to click on the highlighted links for expanded information related to the tips.

Make a commitment to beating depression every day.

At first you may only be able to make half-hearted small steps. That's okay. Set easily accomplished goals using these tips. Stick to your plan regardless of what your emotions say. Consistency will make progress easier and faster. Then set bigger goals. Give yourself lots of encouragement and praise for moving forward.

Once you gain momentum, you'll notice more frequent bright moments. Focus on these feelings. Allow a few weeks to experience significant results.

Seek help.

Sometimes the most effective self help for beating depression and other problems is to seek help. If you have trouble getting started or following through, give yourself the gift of working with a coach or cognitive behavioral therapist for a while. If you are experiencing severe depression or are considering suicide, consult a health professional immediately.

Do something.

According to Dr. Chopra, "Inertia is depression's best friend." Take charge of your thoughts and emotions to help reclaim your power.

A good starting exercise is to experiment with Charlie Brown's teaching for beating depression. His wise observation of the mind body connection may appear to be poking fun at a serious problem. Actually, it contains pearls of wisdom that outpace medical science. Try it yourself and see.

Sit and stand up straight. Try a smile - a big one, or two. Don't worry if it feels phony or forced or even worse. Retrain yourself. Remember that you have to change a brain habit. Fake it 'til you make it.

Accept what is and take control of your thoughts.

Bad things happen, even to good people. Life happens. You may not be able to control circumstances, but you can certainly control your response to them. Actually, the only thing you can truly control is your thoughts.

Downer self-talk like 'It's all my fault', 'there's nothing I can do about it', or 'what's the use?' disempowers you, is likely to be partly untrue, and provides no way out.

• Turn around your negative thinking patterns in order to build neural pathways that support positive responses. Acknowledge your initial depressive thoughts and shift it to a better feeling thought. Develop the habit of responding with better feeling, more supportive, expansive thoughts quickly.

• Explore the connection between depression and anger. Where do you need to let go of anger? Who, including yourself, do you need to forgive? How can you use that energy as a positive force instead of a draining one?

• Meditate. Meditation helps you be in the present moment. It transforms your brain and helps you relax.

Practice Habits of Healthy Living.

• Exercise is one of the most beneficial natural remedies for depression. Moderate exercise raises feel good hormones and lowers chemicals that make you feel down. Commit to twenty minutes of brisk walk, bicycling, or swimming three or more times a week. Go with someone you enjoy for healthful social interaction.

• Eat healthy foods. Limit sugars and grains to normalize insulin and leptin which affects mood. Eat wild-caught salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel or fish oil regularly to get plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids. There is a strong correlation between lack of Omega 3 fatty acids and depression.

• Stay hydrated with pure water. The American Psychiatric Ass'n conducted a huge study that showed the main difference between depressed and non-depressed populations was...drinking water!

• Get safe sun exposure. Sunshine brightens your mood. If you notice a drop in your mood and energy during the winter, consider using a light box. There is a correlation between lack of Vitamin D and depression. Ask your doctor to perform a blood test to see if you are deficient.

Practice Self-Love and Care.

Your ultimate love and care come from yourself. Change stressful conditions as much as possible. Decide if the problem is something you can fix. Do you need to put up with it or can you/do you want to walk away? Feel empowered by the fact that you are making a choice.

Focus on relationships, instead of situations. Treat yourself and others with love, associate with people who inspire you. Do work or a hobby you love.

Explore the yeast connection.

Dr. Dean claims 85% of her female patients find relief from depression using her treatment plan.

Use Depression Natural Remedies.

• Use Herbal Remedies - Certain herbs such as St. John's Wort and Kava kava have a long history of easing the blues.

• Depression essential oils and blends can help uplift your spirits and balance your mood quickly and are good when you are feeling a little down.

• Certain supplements are effective for beating depression. COQ10 helps with energy production and can boost the effect of herbs and supplements that promote serotonin production. SAMe and 5-HTP are known for lifting your spirits. Magnesium deficiency is a cause of depression and anxiety. Ironically, Prozac depletes magnesium. So do other fluoride containing drugs such as nicotine, diuretics, cocaine, and birth control pills.

Depression natural remedies usually take time to work and aren't instant cures. Many are effective for mild to moderate blues, but not severe depression. Consult your doctor before taking herbs or supplements, especially if you are on medication to avoid negative interactions.

A commitment to using holistic depression self care will take you a long way on your healing journey. By implementing practices that feel right to you, you may find that you are beating depression and feeling quite a bit better in a matter of weeks.

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