Depression is a debilitating mental illness that when left untreated can wreak havoc on your life. For women who have children, a home to care for, and a career to build, the onset of depression can cause a downward spiral in their lives. As they go through long periods of extreme sadness and hopelessness, they suddenly lose interest or even the will to be there for themselves, let alone their children, home, and career.
Spanning weeks, months, and even years, depression can be challenging to overcome. There is a ton of advice and self-help tips you can try. For example, getting more sleep, talking with a therapist, reducing stress, doing things you enjoy, and getting active. They can all be beneficial when done on a regular basis. For some women though, it simply isn’t enough. If you’ve tried methods to improve your mood and beat depression with little to no success, you may need to consider other options.
Medications
If your depression has been ongoing for several weeks with no real relief your doctor or therapist may recommend that you take medication. As depression can lead to weight issues, poor sleep, and suicidal thoughts, taking antidepressants may be the only way to improve your health and quite frankly, save your life. There are various types of medications you can take each with their own benefits and side effects so be sure to consult with your doctor. It may also take them some time to find the right medication and dosage for your depression, so be patient and address any issues right away.
Eliminate Foods and Beverages
You may not believe this but there are certain foods and drinks that can aggravate or exacerbate your depression or anxiety. Eliminating these substances from your diet while taking medication and trying other self-help methods for treating depression may make a big difference. Foods and beverages that make depression worse include those containing refined sugars, caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oil, and salt. Consider becoming vegetarian or vegan for a while to flush the body clean of any toxins or contaminants that could be making your mood worse.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), is a non-invasive medical procedure that has helped patients suffering from various forms of depression and behavioral disorders. Using short magnetic pulses, the procedures stimulate nerve cells in the brain. The procedure doesn’t take long (18-minute sessions over 6-8 weeks) and patients are able to perform normal activities after they’re done a session. An electromagnetic coil creates pulses that travel through the skull to help regulate the part of the brain responsible for mood.
Have Your Thyroid Checked Out
If you’re still having issues with depression it could very well be related to your thyroids. Hyperthyroidism or low thyroid is a condition in which the body isn’t receiving enough thyroid hormones to continue functioning properly. Known to be diagnosed more in women than men, you may notice additional symptoms that include fatigue, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, low blood pressure, low body temperature, weight gain, trouble breathing, cold sensitivity, and difficulties conceiving.
Take Supplements
If you’re deficient in vitamin D or B12, this could be the cause of your depression. Increasing your intake of foods containing vitamin B12 like chicken, fish, dairy, and eggs, is the best solution, however, if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you’ll discover that there isn’t much of this necessary vitamin in plant-based foods. Therefore, you’ll need to take supplements to get your daily dose. Vitamin D is best acquired from sunlight. Going for a walk for at least ten minutes a day can help to boost your mood and vitamin D levels. If this isn’t helping, taking a supplement is advised.
Depression is nothing to play around with. It starts off feeling like a bad day, but it can slowly creep into all areas of your life. Whether you’ve recently had a baby, suffered a traumatic experience, or just haven’t been feeling yourself lately, you must act. If you’ve tried methods like exercising, reducing stress, and doing things that make you smile with no luck, you should turn to more advanced options like those discussed above. They can be the very solution to helping you pick up the pieces to your life and becoming the woman you used to be.
Depression is awful if’s it’s too much talk to someone!