5 Unconventional (& Natural) Ways To
Deal With Depression

Posted on 2016/10/5
TAGS: DEPRESSION, HEALTH

By

Luke Miller Truth Theory

Depression is something that I think affects most people on some kind of level at some point
in their lives. This can vary from days when you feel a little low, all the way up to years you
spend locked away in deep despair.

However it has affected you in your life, I think it is fair to say life is pretty tough when you
have an overwhelming, and what feels like an uncontrollable thing like depression taking
charge.

I personally feel that depression is largely misunderstood by society. It is a signal telling you
that you need to stop and reflect, but instead of being given this time to just feel the rhythm of
life, you are made to feel guilty about feeling bad. This often leads to us feeling that there is
something wrong with us, when in reality these feelings are experienced in more people than
not.

The fact is that there is not anything wrong with anyone suffering with depression, it is just
your mind signalling you that you need to change something or that you need a rest. The
biggest battle when depressed is often the fight against it, when sometimes the best way to
move forward is to work with it, to understand what the problem is.

This doesn’t mean working through it will be easy, but it still means you will need to work
through or come to terms with whatever it is you are going through.

The system we currently have of drugging symptoms is deeply flawed and it is still quite
possible that drugs are unnecessary. From a purely logical point of view drugging is clearly
not working, because now more than ever people are suffering with mental health issues.
Instead of the issues being worked through, they are being suppressed.

I have a story from my own life that shows how willing they are not only to hand out drugs to
anyone but to try to convince you it is the best option.

Recently I accompanied a friend of mine to the doctors as she had been suffering from
migraines. The doctor advised she should try anti-depressants, when she said she was not

depressed the doctor tried to convince her she was. She made it very clear that she was not
interested in taking anti-depressants, but the doctor persisted asking her if she was sure and
telling her she should really think about it.

When you go into see a doctor with a headache and they try to convince you that you are
depressed and shove drugs down your throat you know you have a serious societal problem.
And to top it off the doctor said she would have to try it for 6 months and if there was no
improvement she would have to try another one for 6 months. Prescribing a year’s’ worth of
unnecessary drugs for an unrelated problem. I am not painting all doctors with this brush, but
just showing an unacceptable example from my life.

There are plenty of unconventional and less damaging ways you can try to tackle your
depression here are 11 unconventional

Art Therapy

With art therapy you can sometimes say what you want to say without actually saying it as it
allows you to speak in a language you don’t usually engage in.

A bit like when you have a problem in an area of your life (eg a work problem) you need to
step outside of that area (eg read a book) for the solution to come to you. This can be the
same with art, you are expressing that darkness you are feeling or lightness you are lacking
through the expression of art.

Animal Therapy

Having an animal in your life can really help if you are an animal lover. Dogs are especially
great as they can get you out of the house and give you a reason to connect with nature.

Human company is obviously a good thing to have also, but you have a different relationship
with animals than you would with people and for this reason you can behave in a different
way around an animal.

Having animals give you responsibility, connection and significance and can be great in
helping along those who feel depressed.

Psychedelics

When psychedelics are used responsibly they hold up the mirror and make you face your
demons, this is something that a lot of people who are suffering with depression need to do,
but are avoiding.

They take you out of the normal existence and take you on a transcendent journey. Up until
recently there was little scientific data to back up the use of psychedelics for mental health
issues, but science is starting to catch up.

This recent study

mapped out the effects

psychedelics have on the brain, explaining the feelings of oneness and unity.

Meditation

Depression is often caused by over thinking. Some forms of meditation are the opposite to
that, sitting in silence.

Meditation is not just for “spiritual people” if there is such a thing. It is

not just a placebo either, although the placebo can be very powerful. Meditation is heavily
backed up by scientific studies and can have a profound impact on your mental and physical
wellbeing.

It also changes the physical structure of your brain

and when you look at the brain

of someone who is depressed they have a very different make up from someone who is not.

Diet

Diet is not a one size fits all solution, so I am not going to give too much specific dietary
advice. But if you are depressed look into different diets, herbs, supplements and lifestyle
choices you can make that could contribute to a more balanced life. The saying we are what
we eat rings true and if you are not eating enough live, nutritious foods it can contribute to you
not feeling alive inside. I am not going to preach veganism or vegetarianism as it is a personal
choice that needs to be made. But if you are consuming a lot of dead products it can leave
you feeling dead inside. This doesn’t just apply to meat, but also to heavily processed foods
that have had the life removed from them.

Like anything else these will not work for everyone. Just some ideas to get you going, would
love to hear if anyone has managed to come out the other side of a bout of depression and
how they managed to do so. Please leave a comment if this is you and don’t forget that you
are amazing and should never give up on life! It has its swings, but the deeper you feel the
darkness, the further you can adventure into the light. Much love, Luke