Did you know that anti-depressant drugs are now less popular than before although the actual number of prescriptions seems to be increasing. Why is that? The reason is that thanks to the Internet , support groups and forums, people are generally much better informed now than say, ten or fifteen years ago. Add to that the fact that anti depressant medications have been subjected to more scrutiny and their side effects have been publicized a lot more now, than in the past. Treating depression without drugs is now a real possibility but don't expect your doctor to tell you that!

I know some depressed people who have a real problem in getting out of bed in the morning. It may seem laughable if you suggest to them that they do some exercise. Try getting them out of bed first! There are ways of getting round this in that you can take an active role and make sure that you do any form of exercise together. This increases motivation and self esteem and will lead to an improved body image. Actually researchers now have shown that sweat breaking exercise (power walking, running or aerobics) can actually replace anti depressants as the effects are just the same if not better ! There are no side effects either. The role of exercise in treating depression naturally has been largely ignored.People now know that diet can play such an important role in our mental health that we risk madness if we ignore that. Depression could actually be caused by a diet or vitamin deficiency. Vitamin B12 is a supplement which can be found in a wide variety of foods from meat, dairy, whole grains and fruit. It has been shown that if these are combined with a diet which is rich in Omega 3,the so called fatty acids, then there is much less chance that depression will strike. Treating depression without drugs could be partly solved round the dining table.

Other ways of treating depression without drugs can range from biofeedback and electroconvulsive therapy which is enjoying a comeback. Psvchotherapy is now highly regarded and any form of talk therapy will have much more lasting results than mere pill popping with anti depressants. The latter will never be able to help a person cope with a relapse and the percentage of these cases is quite high.

In cases of mild depression such as SAD (seasonal affective disorder), the lack of sunshine in winter usually can cause a decrease in the levels of serotonin and our mood is affected. It is also important for the production of cortisol which helps us to keep active during the day. Treating depression without drugs is not only perfectly feasible but can save a person a lot of unnecessary complications brought on by anti depressants and their harsh side effects. Discover a whole new bright future in learning about treating depression naturally.