Is Sahm Depression The Same As Postpartum Depression
The short answer? No. But once again, the long answer is incredibly complex. While postpartum depression and stay-at-home mom depression may be comorbid, that isn’t inherently the case and the two can in fact be mutually exclusive.
Postpartum depression develops after a woman gives birth, starting anywhere from a few weeks after delivery all the way to a year after birth. When untreated, postpartum depression can last for months.
Conversely, stay-at-home depression develops while a woman is staying home raising a child. Not all women who have stay-at-home depression had postpartum depression. Additionally, stay-at-home depression can occur years after birth . Due to the aforementioned circumstances as well as the variety of individualized factors, it’s important to note that the two forms of depression are not the same and do not necessarily co-occur within a patient.
However, the most likely form of comorbidity between postpartum depression and stay-at-home mom depression exists within women who were already at risk. People who are predisposed to depression may experience it in multiple forms and during multiple life stages. While it is possible to experience both postpartum and stay-at-home mom depression, they are not the same and one can exist exclusive of the other.
When Should I Contact My Healthcare Provider
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience thoughts about suicide, hurting yourself, or hurting others. Remember, you should always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions. Never stop taking your medications or start an alternative therapy without approval and supervision.
Incredible Natural Remedies For Anxiety And Depression
At some point in our lives we all end up going through anxiety and depression. While these feelings are normal and affect a majority of people, it’s never fun to feel blue or anxious. Many times, people dealing with depression and anxiety will turn to prescription drugs to help them with these feelings, yet natural remedies for anxiety and depression can help too.
As an advocate for mental health and wellness, as well as natural remedies, I have researched thoroughly to share the natural and safe ways to help anxiety and depression.
How to Prevent Anxiety and Depression
Complementary And Alternative Therapies
Some people find complementary and alternative therapies help to manage their symptoms. For example, this may be aromatherapy, reflexology or acupuncture. Complementary therapies may also help manage some of the side effects of medication, if you decide to continue with it.
Some herbal remedies can interact with antidepressants and other types of medication. So if you are thinking about taking a herbal remedy alongside any medication, speak to your doctor or pharmacist about whether this is safe.
St John’s wort
St John’s wort is a herbal medicine that is sometimes used to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is available to buy without needing a prescription.
There is some uncertainty about the effects of St John’s Wort, as well as the correct dose to take and how it interacts with other medicines. It is best to seek advice from your doctor before taking it, especially if you are already taking any kind of medication.
What Is Depression And Anxiety
It’s true that depression and anxiety are different, but they also have a lot in common. A depressed person can experience strong anxiety on the inside, while looking calm or even sluggish from the outside. About 50-70% of people with depression suffer from an anxiety disorder as well. So, depression and anxiety are more similar than they look. For example, both conditions include:
- Intrusive, negative thoughts
- Sleeping problems
- Concentration difficulties
Imagine a parent and a 3-year-old daughter standing at the side of the road. The parent sees a bus coming towards them and his brain immediately produces an image of the daughter stepping into the road in front of the bus. He feels fear and becomes ready for action. He takes his daughter’s arm, despite her protests, and holds her close as the bus passes.
Now, imagine a different scenario: A parent is frequently tortured with intrusive thoughts about his 8-year-old daughter being hurt on the street. These thoughts pop up out of nowhere several times a day and make him feel very nervous. He never lets his daughter play outside and drives her everywhere in his car.
As you’ve already figured out, the first scenario is an example of fear working to our advantage. The second scenario is an example of unhelpful fear, in which the parent is most likely suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Helpful fear usually works like this:
Trigger:
Decides never to let the daughter play outside
The strategy doesn’t really resolve the situation:
St Johns Wort: A Possible Herbal Solution
St. John’s wort is a popular herbal treatment for depression in Europe. American physicians are more divided about its usefulness.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine , St. John’s wort doesn’t appear to be effective in treating major depression. But it may benefit people with mild-to-moderate forms.
St. John’s wort may have serious interactions with medications, herbs, and supplements. To be safe, always consult your doctor before taking it.
Take A Different View
With depression often comes a psychological myopia: the sufferer robotically repeats to him or herself soul-sucking negative thoughts: “Nothing I try ever works out” “How could I have been so stupid?” “I am not worthy of being loved”. A patient deep in the throes of that kind of thinking can, if unchecked, spend an entire session staring at one spot—often the floor. At those moments I prod, “You are so stuck on only seeing things one way that you miss any other possible view. Literally. If you force yourself to look up, there are a variety of objects in the room to observe and ponder—a bookcase; lamps: paintings; a window with sunlight streaming in… It’s not that my office is so fascinating, but there is so much you miss when you refuse to look.” The patient then sheepishly lifts his or her eyes to take in the entirety of the room as I hammer home the point: “There are a plethora of ways to view anything. Instead of continually convincing yourself everything is hopeless consider all the other options. There is always a Plan B.”
Get A Handle On Stress
Stress can drive up levels of a brain chemical called , which has been found to be higher in folks with depression.?? There are lots of strategies for coping with stress, such as time management, meditation, and biofeedback training.
Some stress-relieving activities that you might want to incorporate into your daily life include:
- Deep breathing: A few minutes to slow your breathing and focus your attention on your body in the moment can help you get a better handle on your worries.
- Exercise: Regular physical activity is a great way to blow off steam.
- Progressive muscle relaxation: This process involves intentionally tightening muscles throughout the body, holding that tension for several counts, and then releasing that tension until the muscles are completely lax. With regular practice, you may be able to learn how to intentionally relax your body fairly quickly whenever you are feeling tense.??
Learning to manage your stress takes time and practice. Talk to your doctor or therapist about other strategies you might try to minimize the stress and your response to it.
Stress Management Techniques for All Types of Stress
Visualize A Happy Memory
When a patient continually revisits a painful memory , it can tip him or her into near emotional catatonia. I say, “Wait, before you ‘go down the rabbit hole’ and all the dark feelings overwhelm you, close your eyes and go to a happy memory.” *Paul remembered, “When I graduated from college, looked out at the audience and saw my family looking so proud, I felt amazing and powerful.” I said, “Great, go there. Let’s relive that wonderful experience.” As he described details from that lovely day his posture went from slumped over to peacock proud. He actually smiled. I suggested, “The moment you feel yourself sliding back to an awful memory that takes you under, take a breath and instantly conjure up graduation day. Counter the gloom with an immediate dose of positivity!”
Starting Depression Treatment At Home
– By making an activity chart
For this exercise, you’ll need:
- Something to write with ?? ??
| 24.00 | Sleep |
Now it’s your turn. Go ahead and write. It doesn’t have to be “perfect”, this is just for practice.Did you really do it? If not, give it another try.Congratulations, you took the first step towards at-home depression treatment. Before we move on to the next, take a look at this video. It shows how to treat depression at home with an activity chart and explains the next two steps in some detail:
Step 2: Record your mood
| Time | |
|---|---|
| 24.00 | Sleep |
Just for practice, now you try it. Rate how depressed you felt during these activities on a scale from 1 to 10. 10 is when the symptoms are very intense, and 1 is not at all intense. It can be difficult to remember how you felt earlier today and it doesn’t have to be “perfect”. The important thing is that you try it.Did you really do it?Congratulations on finishing the second step on the road towards treating depression on your own. Only one step left.
The last step is very important when it comes to treating depression at home. Recording your sense of mastery will help you reflect on what kind of activities are especially important to you and should be added to your schedule. When doing this regularly, you will get to know yourself better and gain a better understanding of your depressive symptoms. A complete Activity chart might look like this:
Step 3: Record your sense of mastery
| Time | ||
|---|---|---|
| Meeting client Mood: 3Mastery: 10 | 24.00 | Sleep |
How To Treat Depression Naturally
1. Consider why you might feel depressed. Sometimes depression is a symptom of something circumstantial in your life, rather than biochemical imbalances. Does your job require you to sell out your integrity every day? Have you been unable to admit that you need to end your ? Are you feeling spiritually disconnected or sexually restless? Are you suffering from creative blocks? Is your body failing you? Are you facing financial ruin? Be honest with yourself about what might be off-kilter in your life, and make an effort to get to the root of why you might be feeling depressed.
2. Move your body. Exercise releases happy-making endorphins, which act like natural antidepressants. Runner’s high, anyone?
3. Never skip a meal. Keeping your blood sugar stable reduces mood swings.
4. Eat a serotonin-enhancing . Many antidepressants like Prozac act by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin by receptors in the brain, thereby increasing serotonin levels. But you can increase your brain’s serotonin levels by eating foods that boost your serotonin levels naturally. Serotonin-enhancing foods include:
- Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids
- Healthy fats like coconut oil
- A high-protein diet, especially proteins high in tryptophan, like free-range turkey
5. Avoid caffeine, which reduces serotonin levels. If you need an energy boost, supplement with L-Tyrosine .
7. Try mood-enhancing supplements.
There Are More Than One Depression Treatment
Treat depression at home
Is it possible to cure depression without antidepressants? There is a simple answer to this question: Yes. Yes, it is. Most people don’t know that you can treat depression at home, medication-free. If they do, most people don’t know how. The fact is, you don’t need pills to reduce depressive symptoms or even to recover from depression. By making a few lifestyle changes at home, your symptoms may decrease significantly or disappear altogether. This text introduces five different treatments for depression and none of them includes antidepressant medication.
Treat depression at home
So, what are the five treatments for depression?
Well, similar to a car engine, the human body needs a few basic conditions to stay in a good mood. According to health research, there are at least five different ways to treat depression at home, without medication, by making lifestyle changes. Fortunately, four out of five ways are completely free. Here they are:
Increase Your Magnesium Intake
Magnesium is a very important part of a balanced diet. Without a proper level of magnesium, we cannot keep the chemicals within our brain stable, regulate our heartbeats, or synthesize our RNA and DNA.
Required Ingredients:
- Incorporate foods such as spinach, bananas, dry almonds, and/or soy milk.
- If you do not enjoy these foods, magnesium capsules will suffice.
Process:
- Intake magnesium rich foods or a magnesium capsule each day for a highly functioning body and mind.
- Make magnesium a part of your daily diet.
Finding The Best Depression Treatment For You
When you’re depressed, it can feel like you’ll never get out from under a dark shadow. However, even the most severe depression is treatable. So, if your depression is keeping you from living the life you want to, don’t hesitate to seek help. From therapy to medication to healthy lifestyle changes, there are many different treatment options available.
Of course, just as no two people are affected by depression in exactly the same way, neither is there a “one size fits all” treatment to cure depression. What works for one person might not work for another. By becoming as informed as possible, though, you can find the treatments that can help you overcome depression, feel happy and hopeful again, and reclaim your life.
Method 3 Of 4:boosting Your Overall Health
Negative Thoughts And Depression
Worrying or thinking negatively is common in people with depression. This affects your ability to focus on getting better and makes you more vulnerable to unhealthy emotions.
Tips to help you control worry and reduce negative thinking include:
- Write down what you are worried about. Go through each concern and think about how realistic your negative thoughts are. Explore alternative thoughts and explanations.
- Try not to focus on the things you cannot change.
- Focus on the present. Accept your thoughts without actively engaging with them.
- Write down your problems and brainstorm solutions. Jot down the pros and cons with each option and choose the one that seems the best. Review whether it worked to overcome the problem.
- Avoid making major decisions about your life at this time.
Method 2 Of 4:lifestyle Changes
Treatment for your depression should be a consistent part of your life. With some effort each day, a few lifestyle changes could make a big difference. While none of these steps can cure your depression on their own, they can support your mental health and boost your mood if you’re consistent with them. Remember to pair these steps with professional treatment from your therapist or psychiatrist for the best results.
What You Eat And Drink Can Also Affect How You Feel
There’s no magic diet that will treat depression. But what you put into your body on the way you feel.
Eating a diet rich in lean meats, vegetables, and grains may be a great place to start. Try to limit stimulants like caffeine, coffee, and soda, and depressants like alcohol.
Some people also and have more energy when they avoid sugar, preservatives, and processed foods.
If you have the means, consider meeting with a doctor or registered dietitian for guidance.
What Are The Alternatives To Antidepressants
If you don’t want to take antidepressants, there are lots of alternative treatments you can try. In fact, if you are diagnosed with mild depression, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for treating depression recommend that doctors offer you other treatments ahead of medication.
This page has information on some of the common alternatives to antidepressants. You may find these helpful to use instead of your medication, or alongside it:
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Transcranial magnetic stimulation or deep transcranial magnetic stimulation is a noninvasive method used to stimulate small regions of the brain. During a TMS procedure, a magnetic field generator, or “coil” is placed near the head of the person receiving the treatment.:3 The coil produces small electric currents in the region of the brain just under the coil via electromagnetic induction. The coil is connected to a pulse generator, or stimulator, that delivers electric current to the coil.
TMS was approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder in 2008 and as of 2014 clinical evidence supports this use. The American Psychiatric Association,:46 the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Disorders, and the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists have endorsed rTMS for trMDD.
The response rate is about 29% for TRD patients. Remission rate is about 20%.
Helping A Friend Or Family Member
You can play a key role in helping a person who is depressed:
- Be a good listener and avoid making any judgments.
- Encourage your friend or family member to get other help as well, and assist them in finding it.
- Offer to go with them to appointments.
- Stay in regular contact; let them know you’re there for them.
- Make plans together to do something fun.
- Stay alert for warning signs of suicidal behaviour . If there is an immediate risk, get them to a hospital emergency department, or call 911 right away.
Don’t forget to look after yourself. Make sure to make time for yourself and your own wellness needs – physical, emotional, social – and seek extra support for yourself when you need it.
Ways To Treat Depression Without Medication
Verywell / Bailey Mariner
For many people living with depression, prescription medications can be wonder drugs. , especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac and Zoloft . They can have side effects and can be expensive depending on your health insurance coverage.
There are many ways to counter some of the symptoms of depression that don’t involve prescription medications. If you have depression you might like to try managing it naturally, without medication, or supplement your antidepressant with other tactics. If so, check out these natural alternatives and then talk to your doctor about which might make sense as part of your treatment regimen.
Method 1 Of 4:natural Remedies That Might Work
There are many natural depression remedies floating around on the internet, but most of them don’t have much evidence proving that they’re effective. A few, however, do show promise and have some research supporting them. If you’d like to try these treatments yourself, be sure to ask your doctor or psychiatrist first. They may interact with some drugs, especially antidepressants.
What To Eat To Treat Depression
The best way to start treating depressive symptoms is to add:
- Vegetables ?
- Nuts ?
- Seeds ?
to your diet. It will actually decrease depression, because a well-nourished body is better at handling stress, recovering from illnesses and difficult life events.World-leading expert on diet and mental health, Professor Felice N Jacka at the Department of Psychiatry at Deakin University, has studied the effects of the traditional Mediterranean diet on depression. The antidepressant diet includes whole grains, fish, vegetables, fruit, berries, nuts, seeds and, of course, the unrivaled cold pressed olive oil.Professor Jacka and her colleagues conducted the SMILES trial in 2017. It showed that 30% of depressed participants recovered from depression just by changing their eating habits. It means that you can too. If you want to know exactly what and how much to eat and what to avoid to reduce depressive symptoms, check out the free therapy app from Flow Neuroscience: . It’s a complete treatment programme for depression, including facts, exercises and helpful tools for how to treat depression with the antidepressant diet.Or, read more about how your diet can help you recover from depression in this article: An easily digested guide to diet and depression.Now, let’s move on to our next medication-free depression treatment.
Tms Therapy For Depression
If you’re suffering from major depression that has been resistant to therapy, medication, and self-help, then TMS therapy may be an option. Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy is a noninvasive treatment that directs recurring magnetic energy pulses at the regions of the brain that are involved in mood. These magnetic pulses pass painlessly through the skull and stimulate brain cells which can improve communication between different parts of the brain and ease depression symptoms.
While TMS may be able to improve treatment-resistant depression, that doesn’t mean it’s a cure for depression or that your symptoms won’t return. However, it could provide sufficient improvements in your energy and drive to enable you to begin talk therapy or make the lifestyle changes—such as improving your diet, exercising, and building your support network—that can help preserve your depression recovery in the long term.