Antidepression

Modern stressful life, tension in family and at work could lead to different types of depression but very often people even don’t realize that they are experiencing depression. For example, lack of energy and limited motivation to achieve anything in life are obvious signs of depression; regular mood swings without visible reasons could also be a signal for depression; sleep difficulties and/or sleep disorders are recognized as a common symptoms of several types of depression; hopelessness, uselessness, unhappiness, loneliness, worthlessness are also common signs of depression; etc., etc.

Although very often depression is recognized as a mental health condition, many scientists suggest that depression is rather a state of mind than body illness.

Are there any ANTIDEPRESSION strategies which ordinary people can use or implement for preventing any farther development of depression in the long run? Can women defeat depression and be happy? Is it possible to prevent and manage depression? The answer is YES and, here are recommended strategies which on long term can help you to live your life with full sense of purpose, to strengthen your self-confidence, to support you in being happy and satisfied.

Generally speaking self-help strategy can eliminate all elements which trigger depression. Below introduced antidepression strategies will certainly empower the internal self-confidence and self-satisfaction by leaving your currently experiencing negative feelings.

Make your life normal with a sense of goal, satisfaction, happiness and excitement in everyday life.

ANTIDEPRESSION – lifestyle changes

Firstly and probably the most effective method to overcome depression are lifestyle changes. Healthy lifestyle is an enemy of depression.

Evaluate your lifestyle and be sure that you always avoiding isolation; maintaining positive relations with friends, family members and colleagues; avoiding all possible conflicts and always ready for compromises; strengthening your self-confidence; socializing with people and sharing/discussing your problems (never keep it inside!), stories, jokes; relaxing and enjoying life; reacting positively at any events.

Important parts of your healthy lifestyle should be regular physical activities and healthy diet.

Use this checklist for making positive changes in your lifestyle – it will help you to overcome and defeat your depression:

• Always control your thinking – positive thinking should be normal habit for you (exclude negative thought habits);

• Forget your tensions and worries and concentrate on positive things and positive solutions;

• Invite your friends and family members for relaxed chat and discuss your problems;

• Choose interesting hobbies and develop interests because the most common reason for depression is lack of enough interests and activities;

• Keep your mind off problems and negative thoughts and emotions – learn thinking positively;

• Always have your personal relaxation times (every week, every month, every holiday) and devote special time for your hobbies;

• Invent the most pleasurable (personal) and/or most interesting activity and always do it when feel unhappy or stressed or depressed;

• Have regular long walk in nice environment (park, beach, gardens) or with pets;

• Never postpone solutions for your problems – fix it in time (alone or with friends or step by step or in special order “first come, first solve”;

• Try to be always realistic in planning and in problem solutions – never plan things you cannot do and never promise things you cannot accomplish;

• Be positive and value all your accomplishments, talents and qualities;

• Stop negative bad behavior – don’t shout, don’t cry, don’t ignore and don’t humiliate people;

• Avoid binge eating, food addiction, overeating, substance or drug addiction;

• Be active and devote enough time for physical activities – sport, aerobic, yoga, walking, joking, swimming, etc. (at least 30-40 minutes every day);

• Create positive social environment around you – positive friends and colleagues, close people with good sense of humor, successful professionals and happy families.

ANTIDEPRESSION – diet

“Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are” (Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, 1826)

“Man is what he eats” (Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach, 1863)

“Ninety per cent of the diseases known to man are caused by cheap foodstuffs. You are what you eat.” (Victor Lindlahr, 1923)

“You are what you eat” (Adelle Davis, 1930)

So, no doubts that food diet could be crucial in depression management. Actually eating healthy has been found out as one of the major antidepression methods (lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, absence of unhealthy foods – sugar, refined food, fat, oils).

When we are stressed or depressed, we are overeating, starving and/or binge drinking just for suppressing our negative feelings. But in reality for defeating the depression, we need balanced meal three times a day with no snacks in between.

There are several food products which can be considered as natural antidepression products – try use them every time you feel down:

• Bananas – contain so called “tryptophan”, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin (“mood hormone”) which helps us to feel relaxed, happy and in control.

• Tomatoes – full of “lycopene” which helps fight inflammation triggered by stress.

• Dark chocolate – stimulate neurotransmitter in the brain and trigger body happy feelings.

• Sunflower seeds – source of the amino acid phenylalanine which the body turns into the brain chemical called “norepinephrine” (natural antidepressant).

• Nuts – full of protein (energy), omega-3 fats, vitamin E – known as “mood-boosting snacks” (perfect elements for depression treatment).

• Black-eyed peas – full of “folate” which plays an important role in the creation of opamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, three brain chemicals that help regulate sleep, memory and mood.

• Potatoes (purple only) – potatoes contain “anthocyanin antioxidants”, which can help reduce inflammation which contributes to bad moods.

• Oregano – contains caffeic acid, quercitin and rosmarinic acid, which are known as antidepression, antifatigue and antianxiety chemicals.

ANTIDEPRESSION – vitamins and supplements

Modern market is full of antidepression vitamins and supplements but only few can be recommended as antidepression products:

• Fish oil – full of omega-3 fats which are important in nerve signal transmissions in the brain; it can ease depression symptoms, improve mood, reduce fatigue, strengthen memory and eliminate unpredictable mood swings.
  

• B-vitamins – complex B vitamins (especially B6 and B3) help body to conserve the amino acid tryptophan and convert as much tryptophan as possible into serotonin which is responsible for mood. It was discovered that B6 can balance brain’s neurotransmitters, elevate mood, improve memory, strengthen mental performance and relieve depression symptoms.

• The amino acid 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) – is converted into serotonin in the body and it is responsible for increasing levels of serotonin (“happy hormone”).

• Theanine – well known as an effective trigger for releasing the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA activates the major calming neurotransmitters, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety in clients with depression or depressive symptoms.

• Vitamin D – main vitamin which is responsible for maintaining healthy teeth and bones but also can combat anxiety and depression.

• Ginkgo biloba – herbal extract that can increase blood flow to the brain, improve memory, strengthen concentration, increase energy level, boost mood, reduce anxiety and increase levels of serotonin.

• Tyrosine – another regulator of neurotransmission in the brain; it can ease depression symptoms, improve brain focusing, reduce fatigue, defeat stress, boost moods and improve body mental and physical performances.

• Vitamin C – antioxidant that can strengthen immune system, protect body from different diseases (mainly mood-related problems), ease depression symptoms and reduce the risk of recurrent depression.