When left untreated, depression can be a severe problem. Ignoring depression can cause you problems at work, ruin relationships, and make it hard to overcome severe illnesses. Major depression, also called clinical depression, affects one’s thoughts, mood, and body.
Depression affects how you feel about those around you and even yourself. It affects how you sleep and eat. While antidepressant medications can help relieve depression, it’s not the only way to get relief. This article outlines five ways to ease depression without medication.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a therapeutic approach that teaches skills to help you live a meaningful life. It’s an effective treatment for depression symptoms, including difficulty thinking, remembering, or concentrating, persistent irritation or sadness, disinterest in once-fun activities, recurring suicide or death thoughts, chronic pain, headaches, or other physical issues that don’t respond to treatment. DBT is a treatment based on change and self-acceptance synthesis.
Regular DBT treatment can improve motivational change through modifying inhibitions and positive reinforcement. It also enhances self-destructive behaviors. The dialectical behavior treatment module regulates extreme emotions and lessens the resulting negative behavior. It also helps victims trust their feelings, thoughts, and experiences. You can join DBT skills classes at Village Counseling & Wellness Center or other certified institutions.
- Physical activity
Regular physical activity can improve mood when depressed, especially if you have mild to moderate depression. Some exercises that can ease depression include aerobics, running, strength training, yoga, tai chi, walks, and more. Consider doing around 150 minutes of moderate to high-intensity activity a week. If you haven’t exercised for a while, you can start slow and gradually build up to your week’s target.
- Get enough sleep
Sleep issues are usually among the first depression signs. Poor sleep patterns make it harder to treat depression. Getting a good night’s sleep is critical to your depression management plan. Ensuring good enough rest gives you more energy, improved focus, and a great view of life. To ensure better sleep, create and stick to a good sleeping routine, pay attention to whatever you eat and drink, limit daytime naps, create a restful environment and manage worries.
- Avoid alcohol
Alcohol is a depressant. Drinking interferes with sleep and affects your sleep quality. Alcohol isn’t a quick fix; it worsens most depression symptoms. It may also reduce inhibitions and result in bad decisions and risky behaviors whose behavior may be long-term. If you’ve been abusing alcohol and need help to quit, you can talk to a doctor because withdrawal symptoms can temporarily worsen depression. This is why you’ll help to go through the recovery process.
- Be socially active
Depression mostly causes the affected to withdraw, alleviating isolation and loneliness feelings. Even if you don’t feel like socializing or going out, consider reaching out to family or friends and sharing your emotions and thoughts with those you trust or are comfortable talking to. You can also join a support group to speak and interact with people going through similar challenges and experiences. Volunteer in a cause you’re passionate about to meet new people while expanding your social circle.
Endnote
Depression can be detrimental to one’s physical, mental, and overall health. Consider using these tips to relieve depression without medication.