According to the Centers for disease Control and Prevention in any 2-week period, 5.4% of Americans 12 years of age and older experienced some sort of depression. From major depression like being incapacitated, to symptoms like feeling a little blue, many people have been affected by this modern day malady.
Understand that not all kinds of depression are created equal. Some people have legitimately unbalanced hormones which can cause them to have major depression symptoms. Other people are in a rut or sorts, sad about the loss of a relationship, a death in the family or losing a job. Then there are also some teenagers, for whom the default setting is “depressed.”
The key here is to recognize that each of these states is different. While medication might be the best choice for some of the major depression symptoms, this is often not the case. That’s the importance of seeing a doctor or mental health professional if you are experiencing symptoms of depression. You need to know if you’re actually biologically depressed.
I recently read an article in the Bloomberg Times that said one in ten Americans are taking antidepressants. This is double the percentage of people taking them in 1996. During the same period the use of psychotherapy has declined because of insurance company restrictions on payments. So if you go to your doctor with symptoms, don’t look to them to supply you with any natural cures for depression. Since medication is more “cost effective”, and easier to get approved, it is typically used for people who are “clinically depressed”. The problem is that it often isn’t needed or even helpful. Does this help you understand why we need medical insurance reform?
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I’ve had a few bouts with depression. All of these were as a result of me being stressed over one thing or another, from losing a girlfriend to not being able to make my business succeed. Fortunately I got over them.
If you are like me, when you are in a depressed mood, you just want to lie on the sofa and stare at the television. You don’t want to watch anything that takes too much energy. You don’t even feel like reaching for the remote to change channels. It’s like your mind has super-glued you to the couch.
The last thing you want to do get up and go outside, but believe me, in order to fight depression, that’s exactly what you need to do. The cure for depression is almost always acting against what you feel like doing. Getting up and moving is one of the best ways to relieve stress and depression that can literally choke the life out of you.
According to studies by mental health professionals I’ve read, exercise is a necessary for overcoming stress and regaining a sense of self-control. The great thing is that, at least while you exercise, you’re thinking of something besides what is stressing you out. It can also provide you with a better night’s sleep, which will help your immune system better defend you against stress factors like colds and the flu.
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