Life is a rollercoaster of ups and downs with events such as death, divorce, disaster, disease, distress, and disgrace being unavoidable stitches intricately woven into the fabric of our lives.
And let's face it, even if you are lucky enough to avoid these events you are eventually going to die.
What all this means is that expecting to live life absent of sharp episodes of grief, sadness, and despair in not realistic and ultimately all of us will likely experience a bout of depression requiring either professional help, self help, or possibly both.
Today 130 million people woke up feeling depressed.
Some will end up on anti-depressant medications (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil), others will ignore the problem for an average of 7 years, and still others will seek self help for depression.
I am assuming if you are reading this article you or someone you know are ready to join, or gather information about, the last group.
So with that in mind let's get started.
Self Help for Depression - General Ideas First you might want to reduce your exposure to caffeine since it a known fact that caffeine makes depression worse.
This isn't saying that you should quit drinking your morning feel good cup of coffee or soda.
It simply means you should opt for the varieties containing less, or better yet no, caffeine.
Second don't smoke and avoid second-hand smoke since smokers have a significantly higher risk of depression than non-smokers primarily due to nicotine's ability to destabilize mood.
In the realm of self help for depression there is no shortage of ideas with the most often suggested being exercise.
Interesting enough, at least according to an article published in Professional, Psychology: Research and Practice it makes little difference what type of exercise.
Both aerobic (walking, hiking, biking, running) and non-aerobic (such as strength training) were shown to be equally effective.
The reason exercise is so effective is that it causes the body to release additional serotonin, which in turn provides temporary relief from negative thoughts, increases self-esteem, and reduces stress levels.
My own person formula is a 50 minute hike 3 days a week whereas the famous natural health specialist Andrew Weil suggests a brisk, 45 minute walk at least 5 times a week.
Hope to see you on the trails! Self Help for Depression - Herbs and Supplements There is no shortage of herbs thought to do wonders for depression.
This list includes rosemary, cinnamon, chamomile, sage, thyme, basil, black hellebore, basil, clove, ginger, oat straw, passion flower, and St.
John's wort.
Many of the above can be used in the kitchen to add a little extra zip to your recipes.
Cooking with depression busting herbs is an easy inexpensive way to combine feel good depression fighting foods with uplifting herbs.
Additionally, there is some evidence to suggest that omega 3 fatty acids found in abundance in salmon, sardines, mackerel, and herring may ease depression.
So put on your chef hat and mix and match your way to a happier and healthier state of mind.
Without a doubt the most powerful self help for depression herb is St.
John's wort.
While not so great for cooking it is the basis for many different herbal depression remedies with my favorite being those containing St.
John's wort and passion flower.
One study consisting of 23 randomized trials, published in the British Medical Journal, concluded that St.
John's wort was as effective as standard antidepressants in treating mild to moderate depression.
One last thing worth mentioning in our journey through self help for depression.
A deficiency in certain B vitamins may cause depression.
This assumption is based on statistical evidence revealing that 35 percent of those with depression are deficient in folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.