Depression Without Medications

There are different types of depressive disorders, but depression is mostly concerned with a change in mood.  Experience of depression is different for most people and if you ask them why they are depressed, the answer is usually: ´´I don´t know.´´ This makes treatment of depression very complex.

Nowadays, we can often hear that depression is a disease of modern time or that the world is going into a psychological depression. People worry about their existence, the future of their children: will I find a job (keep my job), will I ever own a good car, a home…will I be able to pay off my credits?

Depression is almost always related to our everyday life problems, but also with exceptional situations such as alcoholism or drug abuses, abnormal eating habits, or anxiety disorders based on stress, fear and pathological anxiety.

Depression usually originates from a bad, tragic or disturbing event in one´s  life or it appears without  apparent cause. It is said that the latter is the most common form of depression, yet there is always a reason; it´s just that people repress the notion of it.

When somebody dear to us passes away, if something bad happens like divorce, addiction problems in the family, severe disease, bankruptcy or any other tragic event, it is only natural that you fall into a certain form of depression – after all, we are all human. Of course, you can´t be happy if your marriage is over after 20 years of living together (even if you were the one who decided to put an end to it), if your child is addicted or has psychological problems, or if you can´t earn enough to take care of your family. The list of all problems and tragic events is too long even to think about it.

Yet, there are people for example, whose children died (and most people believe nothing worse can ever happen to them than to outlive their own child) and they managed to beat depression and go on with their life. Of course, the grief never fades, but people learn to move on.

So how do they do that? How do people overcome depression?

Depression is so deceitful; it is an enclosed area, enchanted circle. It is almost impossible to see the end of it.

*Almost impossible means: it is still possible to put an end to it.

Albert Ellis (famous American psychologist, 1913-2007) once said:

´´You largely constructed your depression. It wasn't given to you. Therefore, you can deconstruct it.´´

This is the first and the most difficult step in overcoming depression and living your life in general. Depression usually comes as a consequence of tragic events that we were forced to endure, no matter who or what caused them. Some things are imposed on to us, we can´t change them, therefore, the only thing we can do is to accept them and learn how to live with them.

• Be careful not to brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Just don´t repeat them in the future. Depression is nourished by a lifetime of grief and unforgiveness. Don´t feed your depression with negative thoughts about your life and guilty conscience.  Repent, redeem with good deeds and move on!
• Be careful not to ´´kill´´ yourself with anxiety and depression because somebody with whom you are compulsively in love doesn't love you back.  Do everything you can to stop thinking about this person, avoid places where you can meet and don´t nourish false hopes. There is a soul mate for everyone – be patient!
• Be careful not to judge your parents because of their mistakes. Nobody is perfect. If your parents aren´t perfect, forgive them and love them the way they are. Be a better parent to your children than they are (were) to you.
• Don´t forget: noble deeds are the best cures for depression!

Depressed people can spend all day in bed, and still not get a good night´s sleep. They always feel tired, non-motivated and passive. Their home (or room) is usually untidy, sleeping and eating habits are disrupted. If you recognize yourself in these details, put an end to this slow-motion film!

• Get up early in the morning and go early to bed in the evening.
• Don´t start your day with a few coffees and a bunch of cigarettes. Make yourself a nice breakfast first, and then have a cup of coffee. Try to smoke less – make smoking a reward for something you´ve done or an activity to perform in pauses during the day.
• Clean your home every day: iron your clothes, cook, make lunch and/or dinner, bake cakes, dust…anything that has to do with housework. You will feel better because you are moving; it is exhausting to clean all day, but it´s better to be exhausted from work than from depression. Ultimately, you will feel better in a nice, tidy and aromatic environment. Move the curtains or open your windows for the sun to come in during the day and light some candles and scented sticks in the evening  to create a positive atmosphere.
• Enjoy a hot bath as often as you can!

Cooking and learning to become a great cook is a way to entertain yourself (especially if you invite your friends for dinner more often or surprise your family members after they come home from work), but also music, books, internet, television, films (DVD´s, Blue Rays)...

• Doing exercise is great to lift your spirits up, especially if you work out listening to lively music.
• Choose spiritual or funny books to read, interesting movies to watch and positive music to listen.
• Enjoy hobbies: try making some handicrafts or drawing and painting.
  

• Play games with your friends and family. Playing social games like monopoly and risk is a great way to spend an evening. Such games encourage laughter – another important habit to learn for our general well-being.
• Join some social bookmarking sites like Hubpages, Red Gage, She Told Me or Digg. Use Facebook or Twitter. Participating in these communities will make you new virtual friends and you can learn a lot by reading the pages these sites have to offer.
• Try meditation, it has been a tremendous help for many people who have treated their depression.

Depressed people are unable to construct a future because they lose interest for everything. Depression makes them ´´lose their sight´´. 

• Find your interests and learn about them.
• Internet is a great source of information; engage yourself in reading and writing online. What would you write about, you ask yourself? Well, if you engage yourself in cooking, then cooking might be a good idea to write about. Post your favorite recipes online. Write book reviews, about music, movies, anything you like. Write about things you´ve learned. Write about how you´ve overcome depression.
  
• Participate in forums, ask and answer questions online. Join the Hubpages community now! SIGN UP FOR FREE!

Many depressed people avoid meeting other people and end up in alienation. They avoid going out and have no interest in communicating.

• Go out with somebody who cares for you and understands your situation – somebody who understands that you are not in the mood to talk. Silence is also an aspect of communication!
• Invite your friends for dinner and for a nice game play. If you are not ready to engage yourself in normal talk, they will able to talk to each other which gives you the chance to speak less. Just be with them!
• Start doing good deeds and smile to people who need it like you! Take a friend with you and visit a children´s hospital or an old people´s home and share candies and smiles. Think of something else if you don´t believe you would ever go to these places. Bake a cake and take some to your neighbor.
• Associate with other people, start talking to them and doing things together because no man was born to be alone!

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