Dont Seek Anti-Depressant Drugs For Depression Help - Self Treat Naturally Instead

If youre taking anti-depressant medication, its quite possible you dont need it. If you want safe depression help, self treating using natural methods is the best option, especially where general depression exists.

Recent stats show that the most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S. today are anti-depressants, more than high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, or headache medications. Often, its not necessary, except in certain extreme cases.

The Centre for Disease Control conducted the study which revealed that in 2005, 118 million prescriptions were for antidepressants. One reason for this is that doctors dont have the time to counsel people suffering from depression.

Its quicker to prescribe something to ease their suffering. In many cases, the patients simply ask for the lastest depression treatment they saw advertised, hoping for fast relief.

The problem is that there is a huge list of potential side effects related to anti-depressant drugs, depending on the specific drug. Heres the incredible list, taken from http://www.depression.realage.com:

• dry mouth
• drowsiness
• dizziness
• constipation
• nervousness
• increased perspiration
• nausea
• weakness
• weight gain (Remeron)
• weight loss/decreased appetite (Effexor and Effexor XR)
• increased cholesterol
• risk of seizure
• withdrawal symptoms when drug stopped
• fatigue
• anxiety
• sleep problems
• vomiting
• tremors
• muscle twitching
• confusion
• memory problems
• sexual dysfunction
• dangerously high blood pressure
• stroke
• blurred vision
• headache
• heart palpitations
• mood swings
• nightmares
• hair loss
• gastrointestinal distress
• diarrhea
• thirst
• restlessness
• arrhythmia
• possibility of toxic effects

Having taken antidepressant medications myself years ago, I recall being in a constant state of tiredness, lack of concentration, weakness and an overall listlessness. It was almost impossible to get my work done on my job. Today, Ive discovered other ways to deal with my intermittent depressive episodes, which arent nearly as bad as they were 25 years ago. Mostly, they include keeping busy, doing things I enjoy and that give me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, staying active by walking in the woods and in my neighborhood, and relaxing whenever stress gets too much.

To accommodate for dull days of winter and especially dreary days, Ive rearranged my living room so my chair is beside the huge picture window which allows the sun to pour into my house.

So rather than seeking the latest miracle drug, choose other options for depression help. Self treatment can include:

• exercise
• light therapy or phototherapy (for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) only)
• massage therapy
• relaxation
• dietary improvements
• increased B-Vitamin intake

Lets take two of these: Exercise and Relaxation. Exercise Exercise is a natural mood enhancer. It is very effective for depressed and non-depressed individuals. Evidence supports the fact that exercise might be equally as effective as medications as a depression treatment. Exercises such as walking, running, bike riding, swimming, weight training and stretching are proven to be equally effective as mood enhancers.

The effectiveness of exercise on mood is believed to be both biological and psychological. It stimulates the endorphins in the brain. These are hormones that reduce pain and trigger a sense of well-being. For someone with depression, this makes exercise and physical activity a great natural depression treatment.

The side-effect of this exercise and boost in endorphins is an increased sense of self-esteem, feelings of accomplishment, and a release from daily worries and negative thinking. As well, its a way to expel built-up hostility that can exist this is hostility from feelings of inadequacy, stress, and other causes. Relaxation The goal of relaxation is to decrease physical and mental tensions. Some exercises you can try include progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, biofeedback, yoga, guided imagery, meditation and other techniques that involve the body and the mind.

Also, consider seeking professionals for treating depression. These include massage therapists, shiatsu, therapeutic touch and hypnosis experts. My favorites are guided imagery, biofeedback and music relaxation.

Now, I havent seen music relaxation suggested anywhere. Its a technique I came across on my very own that proved to be the absolute best method to ease tensions and put me in that euphoric state that overtakes any depression. Heres how it works.

I happen to absolutely love Hawaiian music, especially the instrumentals. As a teen, I was listening to island music while my friends were ogling over Pat Boone and Elvis Presley.

When my depression hit in the 70s, I turned on my favorite album and lay on the floor in front of the hi-fi my head between the two speakers. Then I closed my eyes and added imagery.

I imagined myself dumping all my troubles into a huge urn on the beach, laying out my beautifully colored blanket and lying down in the warm sun. The sweet smelling breeze drifting over me. As the music played I envisioned birds flying in the blue sky overhead.

Suddenly, my blanket began to rise off the sand. Just off shore there was a tropical island, filled with birds of every color. My blanket circled the island, allowing me to enjoy the sounds of the forest, along with the music. The blanket then drifted back to shore and onto the sand.

This is my magical self treatment for depression and just to relax and escape, without the stress of train, bus or plane travel.

Find your own magic and youll discover that you can eliminate your depression as I did.

Biofeedback is another method I highly recommend. It involves putting electrodes onto your fingers while you watch a video. The goal is to use your mind to control your tension relax your muscles and see the results on screen. The better you get at this, the more relaxed you'll be.

If you want to try biofeedback, Wild Divine is a computer program that is hosted by one of the meditation gurus of all time, Depak Chopra.

Read my review of Wild Divine

Sylvia Dickens is an award-winning journalist who has struggled and overcome depression, panic and anxiety. Stop Smoking, Natural Anxiety Relief, Dog Training, Music Instruction (piano, guitar) and Travel ideas are some of the topics covered on her site at http://www.book-titles.ca. Visit her Fat Loss and Fitness Blog for more information on fitness and health-related topics. Get coping tips from her Natural Anxiety Relief Blog.

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How to Teach Anger Management to Your Child

Most of us recognize the continuing escalation of violence around us, due to intolerance, and many of us blame it on somebody else. Parents teach their children, all the time, and when one of us displays road rage, while our child is in the car, we teach a brand new skill set.

Although, road rage is inappropriate behavior, at any time, and can get you killed, most children who are exposed to it, will duplicate the actions of their parents, when they are old enough to drive.

So the first step, is to set an example and, possibly, use some of these ideas, for yourself. Studies show that anger causes atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaques in the arteries, that is a major factor in developing high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, and premature death.

Also, during a temper tantrum, adrenaline and blood pressure levels rise beyond normal. This behavior is more dangerous to parents bodies due to the normal wear and tear already existing.

Now, you may be convinced that anger can kill you, but lets look at one more factor. You could hurt someone else, find yourself in prison, or get yourself killed due to inciting violence against others. There are other people, who are having difficulty dealing with anger management too.

Back to our children: All children need exercise and they are naturally full of energy. Look at any other species, and you will see the same behavior. Should we drug our dogs, cats, and parrots, when they display youthful exuberance?

Children have to run, jump, and shout. So let them play in the back yard, in a park, and get them involved in sports, Yoga, dance, or martial arts. You will never regret letting your child enjoy life, constructively learn in the process, and just be a kid.

For all of us, there is a time to be quiet and a time to shout. Children need years to learn this, so lets keep them active in the process. Keep them away from the television, Internet, and video games, except for rainy days. Coloring books, board games, and reading are also good activities for rainy days.

A heavy bag is a great tool for letting anger out. You and your child can use it together. You can learn to punch and kick it, for the aerobic benefits, as well. If you have a friend who is a boxer or martial artist, you could get some pointers. After just a 20-minute session, I guarantee you, and your child, will have dealt with anger - there will be little, if any, left.

Teach your child forgiveness, through your own example. I am not asking you to let people walk all over you. However, let grudges go; life is really too short to keep a feud going.

You can also control your childs circle of friends, just by getting him or her involved in, group activities such as: League sports, dance, yoga, or martial arts. The parents who have their children in these activities want the best for them and are willing to sacrifice their time, or money, to get it.

This will keep your child busy, happy, and active, with a pre-selected crowd of friends, who have parents that care. This is a win win situation and well worth the investment.

This is not to say that every child you run into, at these functions, will be perfect, but in the above mentioned activities, all of them are structured, adult-supervised, and rules for behavior are in place. This form of organization becomes a habit, your child will follow these guidelines, and bring them home.

Here is another idea that will help. Have your child take care of a pet or a plant, every day. Children love to care for animals or plants, but they still need supervision. The result of this will be, your child learns compassion.

Compassion will keep anger in check every time.

Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? - for Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

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