health sectionhealth sectionDepression can be a chronic disease that greatly impacts the daily functioning of the suffering individual. Depression can impair a person's ability to focus, function at work and can impact their ability to get a restful nights sleep. The most common way to treat depression is through medication but more people are investigating non-pharmaceutical remedies for depression.
Anxiety and depression are both mental illnesses that often go hand in hand. Prescription medication is a common treatment, but there are plenty of home remedies to treat anxiety and depression in mild to moderate cases.
Depression not only affects our mental state but also our entire body, including the nervous system. Estimates are that 22 percent of Americans are depressed. This mental condition can be the result of stress, food allergies, chemical imbalances and even malnutrition. Treating depression requires balancing or increasing certain chemical activity in the brain through diet. Certain foods have proven effective in getting people out of depressive slumps. Try these food remedies to control depression.
Double depression occurs when dysthymia sufferers advance into major depression. Dysthymia is a mild, long-lasting depression that manifests itself as a negative, downward personality. Dysthymics often believe this is just how they are - that their negativity is an inborn trait. When major or clinical depression hits a dysthymic, the results can be very dark, often leading to suicide. Whether holistic or allopathic, treatment is critical. While a number of psychopharmaceuticals have proven successful, many worry about the short and long-term affects of medication. It is important to consult a psychiatrist or physician when dealing with any form of depression.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depressive disorders affect an estimated 9.5 percent of adult Americans per year, or 20.9 million people. They are the leading cause of disability among men and women of all ages in the United States and worldwide. Fortunately, depression is treatable. Despite the obvious popularity of medication, there are many people suffering from depression who would like relief, but would prefer not to be treated with drugs. The tips offered here are not a substitute for the advice of a physician.
