Natural Approaches to Treating Depression

Like millions of other people all over the world, I have suffered from depression for many years of my life.

And like many people who suffer from depression, I didn’t really like the idea of taking powerful pharmaceutical drugs to treat it.

So, I have always been searching for ways to help depression that don’t necessarily rely on using heavy duty drugs.

What I have written in this article is a really, really short overview of some of the many natural treatments that have been used for depression.

If your depression is mild, then natural methods can work.

If you have a serious depression, and that means a state of sadness or emptiness that goes on and on, and bleeds all the joy out of your life, until you feel that life is empty and meaningless, then some professional treatment can be helpful, or even necessary to overcome it.

Remedies from the Health Food Store

Is there anything you can get in a health food store that might help with depression? Yes, maybe, if your depression is in the mild to moderate range of severity. A more severe or long-term depression should be treated by a qualified professional.

If you are already taking prescription anti-depressants, do not also take any natural remedies at the same time without first consulting your doctor!

In some cases, there can be dangerous interactions. Just because something is natural does not mean it is always safe for everybody.

St. John’s Wort

One of the best known and most widely prescribed natural remedies for depression is St. John’s Wort. This herb has been used as a remedy for depression in Europe for decades. It is believed to now be the most commonly used anti-depressant in the world.

Many people who take St. John’s Wort say they prefer the gentle lift this herb provides compared to the side effects of prescription anti-depressants.

The exact method by which St. John’s Wort works is unknown. The main active ingredient is believed to be hypericin. Other factors in the plant may have an anti-depressant effect as well.

A typical recommended dose is 900 milligrams per day, divided. Look for a product that is standardized to contain .3 percent hypericin.

Some side effects with St. John’s Wort may be experienced. They include nausea and abdominal pain. Some people experience increased sensitivity to sunlight and there is some indication that taking it may lead to a higher incidence of cataracts.

Not all studies of St. John’s Wort have shown positive results. Many researchers in Europe say that St. John’s Wort is effective, but at least one large recent American study found it to be ineffective as a treatment for depression.

When buying St. John’s Wort, or any other herbal preparation, purchase only those brands that have a reputation for reliability. Some independent tests have confirmed that not all brands of St. John’s Wort offered for sale actually contain the ingredients being claimed on the package.

If you are already taking a prescription anti-depressant, do not start taking St. John’s Wort without consulting your doctor first. It may not be compatible with your other medications.

Don’t take St. John’s Wort if you have bipolar depression or if you are pregnant.

SAM-e

If you want to find something from the health food store to fight depression, you could ask for SAM-e, also known as s-adenosyl-methionine.

SAM-e is a substance which our body can make using the amino acid L-methionine, and various other nutrients. It is believed that SAM-e can boost the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which may be able to improve mood.

Research reports from Europe say SAM-e has the same rate of effectiveness as most prescription anti-depressants, about 70 percent, but that it works faster and has fewer side effects. Some studies have found positive improvements in depressed patients in as few as four days.

Side effects can include nausea, agitation, anxiety, and insomnia at doses above 100 mg per day.

SAM-e is better absorbed if you take it on an empty stomach between meals.

Recommended doses for treating depression vary from 50 mg per day to 400 or more mg per day.

People who have bipolar depression should not take SAM-e. If you are already taking MAO inhibitor antidepressants, do not take SAM-e. SAM-e is not available in health stores in all countries.

How to Maintain Positive Attitude

Is maintaining a positive attitude easier said than done? There are many times in our lives when putting on a smiley face is not easy and it may not even be what we want to do at that moment.
Think of when someone annoys you and you feel anger inside, perhaps even revengeful; or when you are busy with a project that doesn't seem to have given results for a long time, and you feel discouraged; or when you see people suffering that you can do nothing for, and the hopeless feeling.

This kind of situations bring up negative feelings, and then we cling on to them most of the times, specially if our ego is involved – like when you believe that someone has been unfair or rude to you and you feel you deserve an apology. Focusing on these negative thoughts only creates a circle in which the more you think about them, and feel negative, the more it seems that this is indeed reality.

The more you see the reality as being aggressive towards you, the more you feel bad about yourself. The best thing for you is to take a step back, say NO to all those negative feelings, and choose to focus on the positive aspects in your life.

The following tips for maintaining a positive attitude could be the help you were looking for, in order to do that. You may be able to apply only one or maybe many of these tips to your current situation, and they may even inspire you to look for your own ways of feeling good about yourself.Five tips for maintaining a positive attitude

Use these tips to help you keep a positive attitude when things around you make you feel negative. Don't let discouragement, anger or sadness get you down any longer!

· Do something nice for yourself:

Take a warm bath, enjoy a walk on your own, spend an afternoon doing something that you like (reading, watching a good movie, playing an instrument, cooking, gardening).
By focusing on yourself and taking some time off just for you, you put your negative circumstances and feelings aside for a while. When you come back, it's easier to deal with them, as you'll do it from a positive state of mind.

· Be grateful for what you already have:

Think sometimes that there are many people in wore situations than you are right now. This story went like "I complained that I had no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet". Realize that you receive things, people, and experiences into your life that other people have no access to, due to different reasons. Feel grateful for what you do have. You may like to have a glance at this article on being thankful.

· Turn your attention outwards:

Take some time to help someone. Give time, attention and support to somebody that needs it. You could give a hand to a friend or spend an afternoon helping out at a charity group, for instance. At times we think that our problems are really big when things aren’t really all that bad. Getting out of your own reality will help you put things into perspective and deal with them better afterwards.

· Don't look at results but consider the whole process:

This is true if you're disappointed about a project, because we tend to focus on immediate results. Think that the no-results state is only temporary. Look at what you are doing as a whole process. Your only job is planning the process well, so that in the end it brings you the results you expect. See it this way and you will find it easier to keep on the positive attitude.

· Trust that everything will be all right:

When everything else seems to fall apart, trusting that everything will be all right is the best exercise for your mind and soul. Feel the overwhelming calmness when you feel the trust. Maintaining a positive attitude is a good starting point to enjoy a great life.

Source: Victoria Wright

What Carries People to the Top?

Ever wondered What Carries People To The Top? What makes people tick? Experts say the answer lies in understanding Human Motivation. The people in the society who live their lives need to have a key purpose defined in their life which is meant to serve others The best way to impact or influence the life of the common masses is through the power of motivation.

It’s my observation that when individuals undergo mental turmoil, encounter negative situations, problems, and people with passage of time they loose their interest levels and their endeavour turns out to be a lackluster. Not to forget that mental turmoil is also the time when some individuals visit a fortune teller or an astrologer to get some good startling predictions on their roads to achievement. Well, God helps those who help themselves. Rightly said, motivation relates to the mind just as exercise relates to our body.

Individuals feel that motivation is not permanent. It lasts only for a brief period of time after which the individual is back into the comfort zone. Well, the answer is clear. To keep the lamp of motivation burning it is vital that we read some thing inspiring and motivating everyday to set the spiritual tone for the day. The result, we are sure to be ahead of the game.

The Power of Motivation if given justice has proved time and again that individuals cannot be dismissed as useless. With motivation people have not only been able to come back from the jaws of the death and debts but have also been able to keep their peckers up and maintain a happy home.

So, what carries people to the top – “The Power of Motivation”. To me it is the burning desire an individual has to achieve something Big in life. The feeling should be similar to what a fish may feel when it is taken out of the water. Rightly said by the renowned Industrialist Andrew Carnegie “People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity."

Patience brings harmony

Patience brings harmony in relationships.

Projection:

When there is a misunderstanding in a relationship we hardly put in any effort in order to understand the other person. We tend to become impatient and we don't listen to the other person to understand them. Because of which we start inventing things about them. This only further increases the misunderstanding.

Solution:

When we have a difference of opinion with someone, we need to give some time to understand and listen to the other person. Only then will we be able to understand the other person's point of view. This practice will enable us to finish any misunderstanding we have with others and brings harmony in relationships.

- Unknown

Power of Positive Thoughts

The power of positive thoughts enables others to be free from their worries.

Projection:

When someone is going through difficult times there would be naturally worry and tension. At such times it becomes very natural for us too to come into tension. However, we don't seem to be able to help the other person in anyway when we have such thoughts. Instead we only add to the negative thoughts of that person.

Solution:

When we find someone who is having negative thoughts in a difficult situation, we need to remind ourselves that we are the only ones who can help them come back to his positivity. It is possible for us to do this only when our own thoughts are positive. When we train our mind in this way we will be able to maintain our own positivity which will enable the other person also to be rid of his worries

- Author Unknown

Motivational Life Story

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.
He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.

He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible.

It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the
sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

- Author Unknown

Inspiring Story - Three Dolls

A sage presented a prince with a set of three small dolls. The prince was not amused.

“Am I a girl that you give me dolls?” he asked.

“This is a gift for a future king,” said the man. “If you look carefully, you’ll see a hole in the ear of each doll.”

“So?”

The sage handed him a piece of string.

“Pass it through each doll,” he said.

Intrigued, the prince picked up the first doll and put the string into the ear.

It came out from the other ear.

“This is one type of person,” said the man. “Whatever you tell him, comes out from the other ear. He doesn’t retain anything.”

The prince put the string into the second doll. It came out from the mouth.

“This is the second type of person,” said the man. “Whatever you tell him, he tells everybody else.”

The prince picked up the third doll and repeated the process. The string did not reappear from anywhere else.

“This is the third type of person,” said the man. “Whatever you tell him is locked up within him. It never comes out.”

“What is the best type of person?” asked the prince.

The man handed him a fourth doll, in answer.

When the prince put the string into the doll, it came out from the other ear.

“Do it again,” said the sage. The prince repeated the process. This time the string came out from the mouth. When he put the string in a third time, it did not come out at all.

“This is the best type of person,” said the sage. “To be trustworthy and wise, a man must know when not to listen, when to remain silent and when to speak out.”

- Author Unknown