How To Deal With Anxiety And Depression Without Medication

How To Beat Anxiety By Challenging Perceived Threats

The reason perceived dangers and threats can be so scary for you is that you assume that whatever youre thinking about is inherently bad, and that it would be terrible, painful, and harmful if it occurred.

This is an extremely strong negative assumption that can create a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety.

So its in your best interest to always challenge this negative assumption by asking the following question: is it possible that I could learn, gain, and benefit from X in some way?

For example, if you assume that it would be terrible if people ridiculed you when you started speaking in public, ask yourself the following question: is it possible that I could learn, gain, and benefit from people ridiculing me in some way?

In this case, if you think about it, it might not be so bad if people started ridiculing you. After all, you could learn that you can accept and handle this type of ridicule, and by learning this, you would naturally be a stronger, more confident person.

So in this way, far from being your worst nightmare, being ridiculed in public could actually work in your favor, since you could actually learn, gain, and benefit from this experience in a powerful way, and become more confident than ever.

Nutrition May Aid In Managing Depression

Good nutrition, in addition to expert treatment, is often a cornerstone for the management of any mental illness. In a state of malnutrition , most treatments for depression will have limited efficacy , Wassenaar explains.

In fact, research has demonstrated an increasingly clear role for nutrition in managing depression. For example, the SMILES trial published in January 2017 in BMC Medicine found that dietary counseling provided by a registered dietitian to people with moderate to severe depression may provide an efficacious and accessible treatment strategy for the management of this highly prevalent mental disorder.

Other research has shed light on a potential link between diet, depression, and gut health. A review article published in July 2019 in Nutrients indicates that the quality of ones diet impacts the gut microbiota , which can in turn affect depression risk.

RELATED: 10 Foods That Could Soothe Seasonal Depression

Some people with depression turn to the herb St. Johns wort as a home remedy, but doctors are concerned about interactions with other medications. Do not use St. Johns wort while you’re taking antidepressants, since the combination can result in serious side effects.

Give Yourself An Exit Strategy

Sometimes, anxiety is due to feeling out of control. You cant always be in the driver seat of your life, but you can take steps to identify your triggers and cope with circumstances that cause anxiety.

Does the thought of going into a social situation or meeting new people make you want to jump off a bridge? As everyone at a party engages in exciting conversations, maybe you see yourself holding up the wall and counting down the seconds until youre put out of your misery. You drove with friends and cant leave, so you spend the entire night looking like the punchbowl attendant. Its this fear that makes you decline invitations and sleep through the weekends.

But what if you had an exit strategy in place before leaving the house? For example, instead of carpooling with your party animal friends, you could drive yourself. This way, you can leave if your anxiety starts to build and you cant handle another minute of awkward interactions. The more in control you feel, the less anxiety youll have.

Read Also: What Foods To Eat To Reduce Anxiety

Dr Amrita Basu Healthwealthbridge

Clinically diagnosed depression and anxiety will need a professional opinion, medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes.

But before I go into that, let me first tell you two things.

• Anxiety and depression do not fall in the same category of mental illness.

Anxiety is a neurosis where insight is present, and in depression, one can lose insight. This means that with depression, you cannot self-diagnose, self-treat, and never self-medicate. With anxiety many times, personal development hacks work if its not debilitating.

• Clinically diagnosed acute depression needs urgent medical management to prevent chronic depression, which is challenging to treat. If you have a depressed mood almost every day, for most of the day for more than a few days, seek help. Depression is a complex problem, and thee details are beyond the scope of discussion here.

When we talk about Monday blues, thats not depression. A little bit of mood swing is okay, if you can swing out of it. But when the duration becomes longer and you are unable to go about self-care, medical help is needed.

Your genetics and lifestyle play a role in mental health problems. The genetics we can do little about, but lifestyle is in your hand. Medication, therapy, and self-care habits are all critical for treatment and long-term wellness.

How to Prevent Anxiety and Depression through Lifestyle?

1. Avoid substance abuse. Addictions make you more susceptible to other substance abuse.

3. Sleep on time and sleep at least 8 hours.

Mindfulness Meditation And Depressive Thoughts

Meditation is so effective against depression partly because mindfulness empowers you to handle the painful negative thoughts depression can bring. If you are someone who struggles to manage negative intrusive thoughts, check out the video below. The first shows how a negative thought can turn into a full blown depressive spiral. The second video shows how to stop this spiral at an early stage, using only mindfulness techniques.

Read Also: How To Get Over Anxiety

How Can We Keep Our Stone Age Brain Happy

Brains can change, and we have the capacity to change them. The key is finding the most effective ways to do that. Enter neuroscience. The chemistry of our brain is very responsive to what we do for better or worse. Depending on the choices we make, we can deplete it or enrich it.

In preliminary clinical trials comparing the effect of lifestyle changes against antidepressants, researchers found that lifestyle choices brought about a reduction in depressive symptoms almost three times that experienced by the antidepressant group. There are six primary lifestyle factors that have been proven to protect the brain against depression and reduce depressive symptoms and Ilardi details them in his book, The Depression Cure. Interestingly, these lifestyle factors are remarkably close to the way we would have been doing things had we been living in the Stone Age.

Do I Need Health Insurance To Receive This Service

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

Recommended Reading: Does Turmeric Help With Anxiety

Alternative Options For Major Depression Treatment Without Medication

It is usually advisable for someone struggling with the life-altering impact of MDD to seek out traditional treatment first, that being antidepressant therapy and psychotherapy. However, if these treatments are not successful in relieving symptoms why not try an alternative method? Here are some alternative depression treatments without medication:

• Physical activity has a powerful effect on mood by the release of certain brain hormones called endorphins.
• Exposure to sunlight increases vitamin D levels, which boost mood. For areas that have little sunlight, a therapeutic light box can help.
• Certain mood-enhancing supplements can be suggested by your doctor once any drug interactions are eliminated. These include St. Johns Wort, SAMe, L-Theanine, 5-HTP, Omega-3, vitamin B.
• Avoid caffeine, which reduces serotonin levels, and alcohol, which is a depressant
• Certain foods boost levels of serotonin, a mood-enhancing brain chemical. These include fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, lean proteins, healthy fats such as nuts and seeds.
• Mind-body activities. Certain holistic therapeutic activities can promote overall relaxation and centeredness, which can positively impact mood. These include yoga, mindfulness exercises, prayer or meditation, journaling, guided imagery, and massage therapy.
• Brain stimulation therapy. Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation is a safe and effective treatment for major depression that uses the power of magnets to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.

Alpana Deo Mothers Gurukul

In my opinion, depression or anxiety starts with baby steps, but if it is not addressed in time, then it can get bad. The first step for anyone suffering from this state is to realize that yes, there is a problem. Until and unless that realization not there, no-one can help the person.

Second is the readiness to make a change. If they go into their shell, it gets tough to take them out, and for that, they have to talk. Thats the third point. Talk, share they fear, feeling with anyone they feel comfortable with.

And if, after taking every possible step, there is no change, seeking professional help in must. Because there is always a difference between dealing and treating.

Read Also: How To Relax Muscles From Anxiety

Antidepressant Medications Alter Brain Chemistry

Although its unclear exactly how they help with depression, antidepressants are drugs that moderate neurotransmitters, chemicals in the brain such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These chemicals play many roles and are thought to impact things like mood and motivation.

About 13 percent of Americans age 18 and older report taking antidepressants, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, with women about twice as likely as men to take antidepressants .

Many types of depression medications are available today. Most fall into the following drug classes, grouped by their effect on brain chemistry:

• Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants

Some widely used antidepressants, such as Wellbutrin , dont fall into the above categories.

All of these medications require a prescription from a physician and usually take several weeks to begin working. They also have possible side effects, such as weight gain, fatigue, and restlessness, that your doctor should discuss with you.

RELATED: Depression Medication: Which One Is Right for You?

Dipika Singh Gleeful Blogger

Anxiety disorders are mental healthy related red flags, that should be taken seriously. An anxious mind is always in the battle with itself, over-reacting to a regular stressful situation, feeling depressed, low on energy, socially disconnected, and feeling suicidal are some of the common symptoms of anxiety and depression. Though experts treat mental disorders medically, but there are some natural ways to keep anxiety at bay.

Also Check: Can Anxiety Last For Days

Treating Anxiety Without Medication

If you suffer from anxiety, the constant, nagging feelings of worry can be troubling and hard to control. These feelings are usually intense and out of proportion to the actual troubles and dangers in your everyday life. They can make it hard to function at home, at work, or in social situations.

Anxiety can be treated with medication, but several mind-body approaches may also be effective.

Hypnosis is sometimes used along with cognitive behavioral therapy to treat anxiety. It can help people focus their attention, rethink problems, relax, and respond to helpful suggestions. Hypnosis relies mainly on your ability to concentrate and on the trust you have in the therapist. If you are interested in hypnosis, discuss it first with your psychiatrist or psychologist. She or he can help you find a qualified practitioner.

Biofeedback measures specific body functions, such as heartbeat or breathing, and feeds this information back to you in the form of sounds or lights. This can help you become aware of your body’s responses and learn to control them using relaxation and cognitive techniques. You can practice different relaxation techniques while attached to biofeedback equipment and get immediate sensory input about which techniques produce the desired results, such as slowing the heart rate or relaxing tense muscles. The hope is that this extra feedback helps people find and refine techniques that can calm the body and reduce anxiety.

Small Steps Big Impact

If a person feels sustained, intense, feelings of sadness or loss of interest in activities, they may have clinical depression. People also refer to this condition as major depressive disorder.

However, there are small steps you can take to help you gain more agency in your life and improve your sense of well-being.

Read on to learn how to incorporate these strategies in a way that makes sense for you.

Read Also: How To Know You Have Anxiety Test

St Johns Wort: A Possible Herbal Solution

St. Johns wort is a popular herbal treatment for depression in Europe. American physicians are more divided about its usefulness.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine , St. Johns wort doesnt appear to be effective in treating major depression. But it may benefit people with mild-to-moderate forms.

St. Johns wort may have serious interactions with medications, herbs, and supplements. To be safe, always consult your doctor before taking it.

Healing From Depression And Anxiety Without Medication

In order to be healed from depression and anxiety without medication is to seek Jesus Christ like never before. You must be willing to be delivered from the spirit of depression and anxiety. God is the only person who can heal you, He is your only option and only way out. That is how you deal with depression and anxiety without medication!

If you are still struggling with depression and anxiety you can get my workbook Dealing With Anxiety & Depression Workbook, it will show you step by step guidelines to get through depression. It has goals and expectations for you to do on daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Under those circumstances, if you are still struggling but would like to find a deeper way to get delivered or healing from God you can set up a coaching session with me. Now I will give you key details, goals to meet, step by step details that helped me become the woman that God called me to me. The steps I took, what did I do, how did I get where I am now.

In the sessions, we will discover, what is the calling or purpose for your life?

• Coaching You Into Your Purpose
• Finding Your Purpose in Life
• Building A Personal Relationship With God
• Lead You to the Holy Spirit
• Find out What is Gods Purpose for Your Life?
• Set Clear Goals & Expectations
• Develop Steps to Get there
• You will experience Deliverances, Spiritual Guidance and Healing.
• What is Your Why?
• Spiritual Guidance, Prayer & Fasting

You May Like: What Types Of Anxiety Are There

Addiction Treatment And Co

There is no easy way to overcome drug addiction. Recognizing the problem is the first step. Living a sober life requires looking at how you deal with stress and finding new, healthy ways to cope with it so you do not have to resort to illicit drug use as a treatment for depression. The people you associate with, activities you pursue during your free time, and being able to improve your self-image will all impact your recovery potential as well. Detoxification, behavioral counseling, and medication will only go so far if you dont focus on coping with lifes stressors rather than running away from them through drug abuse.

Treatment for depression and any other underlying mental health issues will give you your best chance at achieving lasting sobriety. An outpatient program provides support around your schedule, so that you can still go to school or work while in treatment for depression and substance abuse. Even in this format, the treatment protocol can and should also address co-occurring mental health problems. Coping with stress is one reason people turn to drugs, so therapy and counseling to help handle stressful situations is definitely worth considering.

If you are receiving drug addiction therapy, its important to focus on finding dependable methods of stress relief that work for you as well, so that anxiety and/or depression dont become overwhelming. Remember, you can try:

• Watching a movie
• Going out with friends

Ways To Improve Depression And Anxiety Without Meds

As a psychiatrist trained in psychopharmacology, it would be easy for me to rely exclusively on psychiatric medications as the be-all, end-all treatment option for patients with mood disorders. Psychiatric medications work, and they work fast, and I use them regularly in my practice to treat a host of problems and conditions, from depression and anxiety to bipolar disorder and chronic insomnia. That being said, I am always mindful of other, equally significant ways to enhance mood and wellbeing, specifically methods related to our ways of thinking and daily behaviors. Here then are my top 10 recommendations for improving depression and anxiety, sans medication:

1. Limit Your Time on Facebook A recent cover article in The Atlantic magazine asked, âIs Making Us Lonely?â and confirms what I have been seeing in my own practice over the last several years. When Facebook is used as a casual tool to keep in touch with friends or stay in the social loop, it can be a useful distraction. However, when Facebook is used to keep constant tabs on others or to promote a certain self-image, it can lead to an unconscious need to compare ourselves to everyone in our social network. This frequently leads to jealousy, insecurity, misplaced feelings of superiority or alternatively, feelings of inadequacy. Limiting time on ubiquitous social media sites like Facebook may be hard at first, but it may be one of the best things you do for your mental health.

For more by Sheenie Ambardar, M.D., .

Recommended Reading: What Is The Meaning Of Anxiety