Fighting Depression Using Alternatives Other Than Medications

17.5 million Americans are diagnosed with clinical depression every year. It's not "just the blues" or some "made-up disease" that many people can just get rid of. It affects your moods, thoughts, body, and behavior. Researchers believe depression is caused by the two naturally occurring chemical imbalance of serotonin and norepinephrine. These chemicals are located in the brain and body. Serotonin and norepinephrine are thought to be associated with mood.

There are four types of depression. Those are mild depression, major depression, situational depression, and seasonal affective depression also known as the "winter blues." It is thought that by the year 2020 depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease, and studies show that it is a contributing factor to coronary disease. People who have depression experience some of these signs: sadness all day and feeling that way every day; Loss of interests or enjoyment in your favorite activities; Feeling emptiness or hopelessness; Fatigue; Sleeping to much; Change in appetite.

Many doctors today are prescribing thousands of prescriptions in the battle to fight depression. I believe they need to look at other alternatives to fighting depression first before they so easily reach for that pen and prescription pad. Some of the drugs used to treat depression are Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and Cymbalta. Many of these drugs have serious side effects and have been linked to suicide, violence, psychosis, abnormal bleeding, and brain tumors. The numbers of people that use these drugs have increased over the past 10 years. These medications work between 35% and 45% for the depressed population.

If you are depressed or think you might be, and you have NOT started medication (for those on medication do not stop using them until you talk to you doctor first), try some non-medication ways to battle your depression. One thing that I would try is to start thinking about you. If it's stress and the ho hum of every day life that has you down, take a breather. Schedule yourself once a week or even once a month for a back massage. A back massage is a great way to relieve tension and will loosen those back muscles. Take the time during this down time to breathe calmly and let yourself relax. This is a natural way to make you feel better and get rid of the pain you feel in your back from the stress.

Acupuncture is another alternative instead of medication. This is an old form of Chinese medicine that is used to promote health and wellness. The idea is to encourage the body to promote natural healing and to improve function. Acupuncture is done by inserting needles and applying heat or electrical stimulation at very precise acupuncture points. Old Chinese explanation for acupuncture is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These channels are like rivers flowing through the body to various parts, structures, and organs. An obstruction to this flow can cause backup, somewhat like a dam in a stream. Acupuncture corrects these flows and unblocks these obstructions. It has been said that with one treatment you can feel the difference in your body.

Another way to possibly help fight depression is to exercise and eat healthy. Walking every other day for at least 15 minutes is a start. This will get your heart rate up, blood flowing, and energy levels up. This could be time to also reflect and think about the positive things going on in your life, instead of focusing on the negative, which may be causing your depression. Find ways to keep active and energetic.

Last have one person that you trust to just talk to. Talking to someone you trust about the things going on in your life that are making you feel blue can help. Just get it all out and don't keep it bottled up. Many people feel they have no one to talk to. If you truly don't then maybe seeing a psychiatrist will help to talk it out. They can also give you some valuable points to help turn your depression around. If you try all of these alternatives and none work, then turn to medication, but always as the last resort.