According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Depression, sometimes known also as clinical depression and major depressive disorder, is a common and severe mood disorder which can affect people regardless of their age, gender or ethnicity, although there are certain studies that show that women are twice as likely to exhibit symptoms of depression than men of the same age, here are several ways to reduce depression.

Healthline, the fastest growing health information site states that over 80% of the people that have symptoms of clinical depression are not receiving any special treatment for their depression. The symptoms of depression differ from person to person, but some of the most common signs of depressive disorders include feelings of despair, hopelessness and helplessness; lack of motivation and interest in any kind of activity, difficulty sleeping and concentrating; insomnia and appetite changes, as well as anxiety attacks, fatigue, different kinds of aches and pains and lastly, thoughts of suicide attempts.

The question why depression occurs in certain individuals still remains unanswered, but there are risk factors that might trigger or increase the chances of getting depression in a specific period of your life. These factors include a family history of depression or suffering a sudden traumatic event or loss. Depression is also known to co-occur as a side-effect of some physical illnesses as well as medication.

There are also different types of depression that develop under different circumstances such as psychotic depression, bipolar disorder, pre and postnatal depression, as well as seasonal affective disorders which mostly occurs during winter months and around the holiday season.

Is depression completely treatable is still unknown, but there are certain ways to reduce depression treatments which are known to alleviate the symptoms of this mood disorder. While many of these ways to reduce depression treatments include the use of drugs and medications in a combination with psychotherapy, here we’ll put the focus on ways to reduce depression without medication and using only natural remedies .

 4 Best Ways to Reduce Depression Without Medication

Indulge Regularly in Physical Activity to Cope with Depression

Finding proper motivation and the will to indulge in fitness is quite difficult, but if you wish to try and overcome this disorder, it’ll be necessary to take matters into your own two hands and find the motivation you need to tackle this illness.

 

Taking up a sport or exercising on daily basis can be important ways to reduce depression. the symptoms of depression as physical activity is proven to release endorphins, neurotransmitters and endocannabinoids, which are known to be the feel-good brain chemicals needed for the person to start feeling better.

Other than this, exercising can help you keep your mind from overthinking, which is a common cause of depression. Most importantly, having a healthy body usually leads to a healthier mind and the confidence boost you get from fitness is another factor that might alleviate the symptoms of depression at least slightly.

Meditate- one of best ways to reduce depression

A study published in the Forbes magazine indicates that mindfulness meditation might be more effective than medication when it comes to treating signs of depression. The reason for this is that meditation is focused on training the mind to enter a mode of consciousness, making those who indulge in this ancient doctrine more aware of the problems that haunt them and helping them find effective solutions on how to cope with them. Other than this, it’s said that mediation aids in regulating the activity in amygdala, the area in the brain which is in charge of stress.

Spice Up Your Life

They say that you are what you eat and it seems as this proverb has some major importance when it comes to treating symptoms of depression. Certain foods, herbs and spices contain powerful compounds that can affect the levels of serotonin, dopamine, melatonin and other chemicals in your body which are in charge of your overall mood.

 

This means that implementing some of these foods to your diet plan can greatly help you reduce your depressive episodes. Some of the most effective ingredients used for treating depression are curcumin, saffron, fish oil, green tea and kava, arctic root and St. John’s Wort, which is noted as one of the most popular natural antidepressants.

Engage Yourself

Lastly, taking up a hobby or engaging yourself in certain activities can also act as natural antidepressants. This is especially expressed in elderly people, as activities which include socializing, volunteering or helping others in any way can give them a sense of accomplishment.

Giving yourself a sense of purpose is quite difficult when you suffer from depression, but indulging in simple things that make you happy is the first step towards getting better with these ways to reduce depression. Young adults and adolescents have it easier in this sphere, as finding friends and hobbies in old age is somewhat harder, which is why there are professional caretakers and home care facilities which are specialized in providing the elderly with the help they need to overcome this wretched illness.

Depression is a horrid disorder and unfortunately, there are many of those who don’t offer it the attention it deserves. In order to tackle this disease and help those suffering from this mood disorder overcome it, it’s important to spread awareness about depression, but also about effective drug-free treatments that might reduce the symptoms and help those in need recover properly.

 

Author bio    

Emma Lawson is a passionate writer, online article editor and a health enthusiast. In her spare time, she likes to do research, and write articles to create awareness regarding healthy lifestyle. She also strives to suggest innovative home remedies that can help you lead a quality and long life.