Natural Cures - For Depression

The common scientifically recognized treatment for depression are antidepressant and psychotherapy. People who are suffering from mild to severe depression are often recommended psychotherapy or antidepressant, or both. Antidepressant though have worked for many people and still works, it comes with a lot of side effects and as a result many people are now looking for natural cures for depression or alternative treatment where they are sure side effects will be limited or eliminated. Some people with depression moderate to severe have benefited greatly from alternative treatment or therapy. But know that there is no evidence to this fact.

Alternative or complimentary treatment is an health treatment that is not classified as standard western medical practice.

Natural cures for depression work by increasing relaxation, and relaxation helps relieve a person of depression symptoms. And also help a person cope with the causes of depression such as anxiety, grief, roles changing and also physical pain.

There are different kind of alternative therapies and it ranges from diet and exercise to mental conditioning, and lifestyle changes. I will be discussing some of these natural cure approaches below.

Herbal remedies

There are different types of herbal remedies that are used to treat different illness but the ones most popular for the treatment of depression are: St. John's wort and Ginkgo biloba. In other parts of the world St. John's wort has been used medically for thousand of years and well accepted as an effective treatment option for depression.

Meditation

Meditation also described as an altered state of consciousness is a form of relaxation. While the mind is at rest, you focus on just one thought for at least 10 minutes each day, clearing your mind of every other thoughts. Other relaxation techniques you can use along side meditation are: progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery or music therapy.

Massage

Massage is among the available touch therapies. Touch therapies use touch to provide relaxation. These types of therapies work on the principle that the mood and body are interconnected and the physical health and emotional well being are closely linked. All types of massage are based on this principle including shiatsu, neuromuscular therapy, spinal release therapy, and so on. The belief is that when the body is relaxed, the mind contribute to better health, and with better health, there is less depression and overall well - being.

Exercise

There are different forms of exercise and they help in lowering stress, make you feel relax and less depressed. Exercise has other benefits for those who are depressed such as increasing their energy level. This makes exercise a generally safe health practice.

Music therapy

Music therapy is like a natural tranquilizer for the human spirit. Personally I find music to be very effective to getting over fear, anxiety, stress, and it can also be an effective way to get over loss if you let it. If you want to enjoy music, listen carefully to the words and find strength in them or simply force yourself to get up and dance to it, you will definitely feel better afterward. Music has so much power over us. To have a music therapy all you need is a CD player or mp3 player with headphones. Then choose the music that matches your need at that point in time. It's better to create a music list. Like I have a list for 'rhythm and blues', 'motivational' 'hip hop' and so on. So that depending on your mood, you can just pick the list appropriate at that time and let it play and carry you away from where you are, and your problems.

Other alternative treatment options for depression that you can look into are:

Acupuncture
Aromatherapy
Biofeedback
Chiropractic treatments
Guided Imagery
Hypnosis
Yoga
Diet
Flower remedies

Taking alternative medicine for depression

Before taking any herbal remedy or starting any natural remedy program for depression, consult your doctor so that he or she can weigh the risks and benefits for you, so you are informed and know exactly what to expect from the process, rather than just jumping into it blindly.