If you struggle with depression and are looking for ways to feel better that you can try on your own without medication or simply don’t respond well to medication, then exploring holistic lifestyle changes may be the right choice. In mental illness, one-size-fits-all treatment is a complicated thing since causative factors are unique to the individual. Luckily, lifestyle changes can easily be adjusted based on a person’s individual needs and can positively support people who can’t or don’t want to use medication. Since using a holistic approach to bettering your mental health looks at the symptoms and explores the root cause of the illness, you can effectively treat depression and make lasting positive changes for your mental health without any adverse effects.
Treating depression through a holistic approach without medication will look different for everyone. Much of the process looks like trying different things out and seeing how your body and mind respond, and deciding what works best for you. If you think you could benefit from treating your depression holistically, see below for some ideas of lifestyle changes to make a part of your routine.
Alternatives to Medication for Depression Treatment
- Dietary interventions:Â Just modifying what you eat and drink in a day can impact your mental health. Lowering your intake of caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and processed foods can reduce symptoms of depression.
- Talk therapy:Â Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy have been shown specifically to benefit those struggling with depression. By exploring yourself in therapy, you can help better understand potential root causes for your depression and work through your negative mindset.
- Exercise:Â Exercising can increase energy and reduce stress levels which will have a favorable impact on depression.
- Yoga:Â Yoga is a type of mind-body practice that can be used to improve psychological well-being and decrease symptoms of depression. Other types of mind-body practices include qigong and tai chi which also bring positive psychological benefits.
- Nature therapy:Â Being in nature has a positive impact on mental health since it promotes feelings of gratitude and mindfulness, improves sleep patterns, and encourages physical exercise, which all act to calm depression.
- Meditation:Â Meditation has been scientifically found to alter the brain areas that are linked to depression and helps bring awareness to our reactions to stress and anxiety, which can both be a causative factor in depression.
If you don’t want to use medication to treat your depression or have already unsuccessfully tried using medication for your depression, then alternative treatment options are available. By exploring and trying lifestyle modifications to treat your depression, you may find a solution that works for you without the use of any drugs. At Avalon Malibu, we believe in the importance of using holistic therapies as part of treating mental illness and substance abuse. Our treatment programs use a combination of clinical and holistic therapies in a nurturing environment to support our clients towards their goals of sobriety and improved mental health. To find out more about how Avalon Malibu could get you back to living a healthy, vibrant life, call us at (844) 857-5992.
