9 Natural Therapies for Depression

Depression is a mental illness that affects many facets of a person's life. 

It hurts a person holistically because the symptoms and signs of depression can be:
a. Physical e.g. weight gain or weight loss
b. Mental e.g. deteriorating memory and poor concentration
c. Emotional e.g. feeling sad and crying for no apparent reason 

Therefore, the best approach for managing mental depression is a holistic one that combines physical, mental and emotional therapies like the following:

Prayer

Prayer is a spiritual therapy that you can use to manage depression naturally because James 5:13 tells us that we should pray if we are suffering. 

Therefore pray every day if you are dealing with depression because God promises you that If you call on Him, He will answer you and He will be with you in trouble and He will deliver you and honor you. (Psalm 91:15) 

As you pray, give the mental burdens that are weighing you down to Jesus because He cares for you (1 Peter 5: 6-7) and so that He can sustain you. (Psalm 55: 22) 

Ensure that you ask Him to heal you so that your joy may be full. (John 16:24) 

Christian Meditation

Christian meditation is a mental therapy that you can use to manage depression depression naturally. 

This is due to the fact that your thoughts contribute to how you feel and who you become. Therefore if you consistently think depressing thoughts, you will begin to feel depressed and you may even become depressed because a person becomes what they think in their heart. (Proverbs 23:7) 


Therefore constantly monitor your thoughts and replace all negative thoughts in your ind with positive thoughts that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4: 8) and you will begin to feel better.

Social Therapy

Social therapy is a physical therapy that can be used to manage depression naturally for Two people are better than one because they have a good reward for their effort and if one falls down, the other will lift up his/her companion. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) 

In addition, Though one may be overpowered by person, two can withstand him and a threefold cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)  

Therefore build your social support system by finding atleast two friends who share the same Christian values with you and whose company you enjoy. Create time to spend with them so that you can share the good times and lift each other up when you are down.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils for their healing benefits and it is a Biblical therapy because the Bible tells use that Ointments and perfumes delight the heart. (Proverbs 27:9)

Therefore whenever you need to delight your depressed heart, inhale anti-depression essential oils like rosemary, sweet orange and rose essential oils. You can inhale them directly from the bottle or add 3 drops to a cotton ball and carry it with you wherever you go so that you can inhale their uplifting scents whenever you need it. 

You can even prepare your own anti-depression bath salts by mixing 4 drops of bergamot, 4 drops of rosemary and 4 drops of sweet orange with a cup of Epsom salts. Add a handful of these scented salts to your bath water and soak in it for at least 10 minutes when you need to chase away the blues.  

To learn more read my book Aromatherapy for Depression (click here for the PDF) or consult me for customized stress management essential oil blends. 

Writing Therapy

Writing therapy for depression involves penning your uncensored emotions on paper. It offers a safe form of emotional release which can help you heal from emotional pain and recover from depression.

Writing therapy can be updated to the 21st century by creating a free blog and posting your feelings online anonymously.

Music Therapy

Music therapy has been used for depression treatment and to raise spirits for eons. 

Therefore listen and sing praises to God whenever you start to feel down because the Bible tells us to Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. (Isaiah 61:3) 

Talk Therapy 

Talk therapy is very effective for treating depression.  Therefore talk to a friend or consult a Christian counselor.

Self-talk therapy also has an important role to play in the treatment of depression especially if you do not have anyone to talk to or if you are surrounded by negative people.

Therefore create time to engage in self-talk therapy by speaking good words to yourself since Anxiety in the heart causes depression but a good word cheers it. (Proverbs 12:25) 

Here is a great example of self-talk therapy

For effective self-talk therapy, speak anti-depression Bible verses over yourself as positive affirmations each day for at least 10 minutes. For example you can confess:
1. This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) 

2. I will be happy because the God of Jacob is my help. (Psalm 146:5) 

3. I can do all things including overcome depression through Christ who strengthens me (Adapted Philippians 4:13) 

Diet Therapy

Diet therapy for depression treatment begins with eating foods which are rich in omega 3 fatty acids since studies suggest they can alleviate mood changes. Oily fish like salmon, halibut and tuna are perfect examples of foods which are rich in these essential fatty acids.

Vegan sources of these omega 3 fatty acids include flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans, winter squash and extra virgin olive oil. To incorporate them into your diet you can grind 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds and sprinkle them onto your breakfast cereal and snack on salads with walnuts tossed it in extra virgin olive oil. 

Dark chocolate is another delicious anti-depression food since it helps you feel better through the release of "feel good hormones" known as endorphins.

Click here to learn how to use Chocolate for Stress Management so that you can also use it to relieve depression. 

Herbal Therapy

St John’s wort (hypericum perforatun) has been shown to be effective for treating mild depression.

Rosemary is another herb used to manage depression. You can use it by steeping 1 teaspoon of rosemary in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes to make your own uplifting rosemary tea. Strain the leaves and sweeten it with honey before drinking. 

However, before you begin taking medicinal amounts of these or other herbs always consult your doctor.

Medical Therapy

Medical therapy is not a natural therapy for treating depression but it is important to include it here because the treatment of depression should begin with consulting your doctor so that they can:
a. Evaluate you 
The aim of the evaluation is determine whether your symptoms and signs are due to depression or to another medical or mental condition 

b. Determine the cause of depression 
There are many causes of depression and they include medications like acyclovir (Zovirax which is used to treat herpes or shingles), atenolol (Tenormin which is used to treat high blood pressure, angina chest pain), atorvastatin (Lipitor which is used to lower cholesterol and prevent heart attacks).

c. Prescribe medications to treat depression
There are many medications used to treat depression and these include duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor), paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram (Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa) bupropion (Wellbutrin) and amitriptyline. 

Click here it you need Christian Counseling