Aaron Butler
Not everyone wants to take drugs to treat their depression. Here are some ways we can manage our depression without medication.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently concluded there is sufficient support for screening for depression in adults, which is recommended with a grade of B by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), is reasonable and necessary for the prevention or early detection of illness or disability and is appropriate for individuals entitled to benefits under Part A or enrolled under Part B.
Physical activity is a fundamental part of being human and helps the brain produce endorphins and oxytocin, which are the happy chemicals.
Connecting with nature with a walk by the water, hiking in the woods, or catching a sunset can fill us with appreciation and wonder for Earth’s natural beauty that lifts out of depression.
Get a pet. If you can afford it and have the means, animals are proven to alleviate depression. Studies have shown that giving affection to a pet reduces anxiety and the love given to us produces oxytocin in the brain, which is the happy chemical.
Yoga slows down your brain activity and reduces cortisol while stretching your muscles. Reduction in cortisol will amplify the happy chemicals in your brain!
Gardening brings peace of mind and feelings of self sufficiency and empowerment. This Guide to Gardening has everything you need to know.
Meditation is not as difficult or mysterious as it is made out to be because it is simply the experience we have when our brainwaves slow down, and anyone can do this! Here’s how to meditate: sit somewhere quiet, get comfortable, code your eyes, and focus on balancing your breathing in and out. When thoughts come, simply revert your awareness to your breath. There is also technology that can help support the experience of meditation, like binaural beats or isochronic tones.
