Depression… While more people are getting aware of it, it is still a controversial topic to some. You’ll hear people – the majority of people, quickly jumping into recommending pills or antidepressants quickly – despite being “not” too knowledgeable about depression itself (signs, symptoms, diagnosis, etc.)
PILLS TREATMENT
Over the last decades, the treatment rate with pills for depression has increased for many good reasons – but also, a bit for bad.
When today’s antidepressants hit the market, it was a revolution compared to the old pill available.
The old ones had massive side effects. You were kind of sent into a zero land where all emotions were gone – you became like a ghost, and they were heart toxic – meaning it was easy to intoxicate yourself with the end result of death.
I KNOW THIS, MEDICALLY, AND FROM EXPERIENCE…
I know from personal experience that my brother repeatedly was taken to heart intensive care.
TODAY’S ANTIDEPRESSANTS
The new version of antidepressants, however, did not have those tough side effects. They are not toxic, so it is hard to kill yourself with them and that is a plus in depression treatment!
SIDE EFFECTS OF TODAY’S PILLS
Some people feel like they get into a bubble eating them, while some have a negative effect on your libido, and they usually take a couple of weeks before they start to make a difference.
Many patients have great help from them – the deeper the depression was to start with, the better the effect. Still, they aren’t for everyone and there is no way other than to test them out to see whom they do work for.
A TREATMENT THAT OUTCLASSES THE PILLS.
Yes, with today’s knowledge, there is one treatment that far out outclasses the pills!
Physical activity has come up as the #1 best medicine for depression – all mild depression but also for moderate depression.
But you’d notice that it is not often used as a treatment in traditional medicine. I wonder why…
WHAT DEPRESSION IS
Depression is often a result of stress and anxiety. We have used daily walks as a treatment for stress for a long time – so this is just the far end of stress treatment.
Physical activity is 1.5 times more effective than pills or psychotherapy for reducing symptoms of depression according to recent studies in the British medical journal.
The effect was good both for healthy individuals and for people diagnosed with disorders that can cause anxiety or lead to depression.
THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical activity releases dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin which all are feel-good hormones.
It is a superpower for turning us into a good mood!
The side effects of physical activity are also mostly good effects on other processes in our bodies, like weight, energy levels, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, muscle- and joint pain, and much more.
But despite all these facts…
Physical activity has not been the first choice of treatment in health care.
I think that is a pity because of all the good we know AND it is for free, you can do it anytime it suits you.
You can also take power walks with your friends and make it a win-win with a good conversation together. Also Yoga, Pilates, and alike have the same effects!
I AM NOT SAYING PILLS ARE USELESS
They absolutely are useful and helpful, especially in cases of severe depression. If possible, combine pills and physical activity together for increased effect.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRESS, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION
Stress is our emotional and physical response to stressors like unexpected changes or events, and other situations. It raises our blood pressure and heart rate as our body feels the emotional strain and pressure. It’s a reaction to a current trigger.
Anxiety, on the other hand, is when we feel uneasy due to constant worries, especially about the things that have not happened yet – which may or may not happen at all. It is how we dread certain events from happening (or not happening) and may have similar symptoms to stress, but due to different causes.
Stress and Anxiety when both left untreated… may lead to depression, which then constantly affects your mood negatively.
IN ADDITION TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY…
Physical activity is just one of the many options available as a natural treatment for stress, anxiety, and depression.
Other things that you can practice include being mindful, getting a good amount of sleep, establishing healthy habits, healthy lifestyle, and healthy food choices.
Combining them all together will help you not fall to the growing number of people experiencing depression.
And in case you get lazy…
It’s normal – as not everybody has the energy to move around their bodies – but it is necessary not just for mental health, but also for your health in general.
MAKE IT FUN
It doesn’t have to be exhilarating, as you can choose activities you know you will enjoy. Ride a bike, or learn a new sport – whatever suits you – just remember to always make it fun for it to be enjoyable, and so that you won’t dread doing it and instead LOOK FORWARD to doing it! 🙂
And if the given techniques don’t work anymore, try more from here, they work just the same.
To defeating depression,
