If you are following the traditional paradigm you will most likely receive a prescription for antidepressants. Unfortunately, they are proven to be very uneffective in placebo studies, and certain ones are implicated in increased risk of suicide. It wouldn't be so bad if antidepressants were harmless sugar pills. As you likely know they aren’t and can actually cause many people to have and very serious side effects, such as violent behaviour. Unfortunately, every year, 230 million prescriptions for antidepressants are filled in, making them one of the most-prescribed drugs.
Despite all of these prescription drugs being taken, more than one in 20 are depressed, of which 80 percent report some level of functional impairment, 27 percent say it is extremely difficult to do everyday tasks like work, getting things done at home or getting along with others because of their condition/medication.
So why are so many people feeling so low, even though antidepressants -- the supposed “cure” for depression -- are so widely available? Maybe because antidepressants are barely effective -- in fact, previous studies have clearly shown that there is very little difference between them and a placebo.
Address your stress -- Depression is a very serious condition, however it is not a “disease.” Rather, it’s a sign that your body and your life are out of balance.
This is so important to remember, because as soon as you start to view depression as an “illness,” you think you need to take a drug to fix it. In reality, all you need to do is return the balance to your life, and one of the key ways to doing this is addressing stress.
Eat a healthy diet -- Another factor that cannot be overlooked is your diet. Foods have an immense impact on your mood and ability to cope and be happy, and eating whole foods will best support your mental health. Maintaining good blood sugar level is key and it helps normalize your insulin and leptin levels, which is another powerful tool in addressing depression.
Support optimal brain functioning with adequate glucose and resist the suggestion to unsaturate your brain with the so called "essential fatty acids", you were born deficient and I guarantee fish oil will not help long term.
Get plenty of sunshine – Making sure you’re getting enough sunlight exposure to have healthy vitamin D levels is also a crucial factor in treating depression or keeping it at bay. Vitamin D deficiency is actually more the norm than the exception these days, and has previously been implicated in both psychiatric and neurological disorders.
These three primary things -- addressing stress, eating right (quality and quantity), and getting regular sun exposure -- will help you begin to build the foundations to a happier you. Whether you want to overcome depression or just want to stay healthy, these are the lifestyle changes that will help get you there