Natural remedies for depression and anxiety

Dealing with depression and anxiety can be scary; it feels like we are alone; we feel disconnected. Nothing seems to make our situation any better. I am not against medication, but with the techniques that I am about to share, you will see a significant improvement in your overall mental health. So, if you want to know natural remedies for depression and anxiety, keep on reading-

YOUR THOUGHTS:-

We all know that our thoughts impact our mental health. To improve the quality of your thoughts, you should do the following-

1. Pay attention to the signals of the body and write them down whenever you feel unpleasant.

2. Search for a word that describes your feelings and jot it down.

3. Rate your feelings on a scale of intensity from 1 (almost undetectable) to 10 (maximum).

4. Ask yourself what was going on when you started noticing your emotions and the signals given by the body. The corresponding event can be something happening in your world. It can also be in the form of a thought or image that runs through your mind. Be concrete and specific. Refrain from writing something very random such as I hate my work. Instead, ask yourself what happened at work that you did not like.

5. Record your thoughts on paper. Describe how you perceive, interpret, or think about the event.

6. Review your thoughts. Then, write those thoughts down that evoke the highest amount of emotion — your most intrusive thoughts.

Decide for yourself whether your thoughts are guilty of causing emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, other complex feelings or not. Even if you conclude that your thoughts have some grain of truth, you are likely to discover that they are more likely to cause harm. Then, think that if your best friend has the same thoughts – what advice will you give her? Rationalise your thoughts. You will see that you are creating a problem for yourself and all you need to do is change your thoughts into more positive ones.

NUTRITION TO CURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION:-

Nutrition you provide to your own body can be one of the best natural remedies for depression and anxiety. Foods you should include in your diet-

apricots
spinach
sweet potato
carrot
blueberries
kiwi
orange
Nuts and seeds
vegetable oil
legumes
beans
peas
yoghurt
soy products
whole grains
flaxseed
green vegetables
pumpkin
sunlight for vitamin D
probiotics
antioxidants

Foods to avoid-

alcohol
refined foods
processed oils
caffeine

LIGHT THERAPY LAMPS:-

Light therapy lamps can be an effective treatment for depression associated with the lack of sunlight during the winter months. Because individuals take in less natural light in winters, they experience a drop in serotonin(the happy chemical) that naturally occurs in our bodies. And this makes some people feel more lousy and depressed. Light therapy lamps provide natural lighting when it is not present in our environment.

AROMATHERAPY:-

There are some researches like the one that found that aromatherapy might help relieve depressive symptoms. The following essential oils are one of the best natural remedies for depression and anxiety.

Ylang-ylang
sandalwood
jasmine
rose
basil
geranium
neroli
lavender
chamomile
clary sage

BRAIN EXERCISES TO CURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION:-

Physical exercises are beneficial for overall well-being. Brain exercises target mental health that can improve our cognitive functioning and uplifts our mood. It includes the following-

dance
puzzle-solving
Doing activities where there is the active involvement of your senses
Playing cards or chess
Learning or teaching a new skill
listening to music

STRESS MANAGEMENT:–

Whenever you find yourself in a stressful situation, you have only two options- either change your situation or environment or change your attitude towards it. Accept whatever has happened. Then, think as to what is the best step you can take next. Act accordingly.

Also, lower the caffeine intake, stay in touch with someone with whom you can share everything, maintain a stress diary and have proper time management.

ROOT CHAKRA BREATHING:-

When you breathe, try to take oxygen from your chest towards your root chakra or lower abdomen area. Loosen up your abdominal region. It will give a signal to your body that you are safe and protected.

BRUSHING WITH THE NON-DOMINANT HAND:-

It might sound odd but, brushing with the non-dominant hand relaxes your body. It will fire and wire different nerves taking your body from fight and flight mode to ALL IS WELL mode.

ACUPRESSURE:-

Start by massaging your scalp. Then, tap gently on the temple, between the eyebrows, forehead, cheekbone, above the lip, the chin, the chest, right under the armpit, at the top of the wrist and finally, right above the wrist on your pinky finger side. After that, shake your body. Repeat everything until you feel better.

BREATHING TECHNIQUES TO CURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION:-

Belly Breathing

Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position.
Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath.
Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

Breath counting

1. Begin by taking a couple of slow, deep breaths.

2. Slowly inhale and on a slow exhale, count 1 to yourself.

3. Inhale again, and next time you exhale, count to 2 and continue to inhale and count on the exhale, up to 5.

4. Continue to breathe slowly and gently. After a set of 1 to 5, begin from the top. While doing this, you might lose count but do not worry; this is normal. Just restart from 1.

Square breathing

Sit with your back supported on a comfortable chair and rest your feet on the floor.

Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose while counting to 4 slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.
Hold your breath inside while counting slowly to 4. Try not to clamp your mouth or nose shut. Avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.
Exhale in 4 counts.
Repeat steps 1 to 3 at least three times. Ideally, repeat the three steps for 4 minutes or until you feel calm.

101 WAYS TO PLEASE OURSELVES:–

Form a list of 101 things that you would like to do or the things that would make you happy. It can be as simple as eating your favourite chocolate. Do one task from the list every single day.

MINDFULLNESS AND MEDITATION TO CURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION:–

Mindfulness refers to paying attention to your experience in the present moment. It involves observing thoughts and emotions from moment to moment without judging or getting caught up in them. Being mindful while performing any task will help in making you more focused. Including meditation which changes your state of being and raises your vibrations in your daily routine, can be helpful.

SLEEP:-

In the list of natural remedies for depression and anxiety, sleep holds a lot of importance. Our body requires proper rest to heal and rejuvenate. Avoid using your phone at least an hour before sleeping, wear comfortable clothes, keep your feet and body warm and cosy and make sure that your room is airy. Following all this can help improve the quality of your sleep.

GUIDED IMAGERY TO CURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION:–

Guided imagery is one form of relaxation training that you might find helpful for calming anxiety. It involves the following steps-

Find a Quiet Place Free From Distractions
Take a Few Slow Even Breaths
When You Are Feeling Relaxed, Gently Close Your Eyes
Breathe in and smell your favourite scent
Imagine that you went on a vacation to your favourite place. Feel everything- the warm sun on your skin, the cool breeze blowing your hair, the sound of ocean waves, the texture of sand beneath your feet.
Stay in This Scene for as Long as You Like.
When You Are Ready, slowly count backwards from 10 to 1. After that, open your eyes. Now, work on maintaining a calm state of mind throughout your day.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE:-

Fight or Flight mode is a reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful effect, attack or threat to survival or when you go back to spiralling into sadness.

Whenever you feel that your body is going into flight mode, stop doing whatever you are doing at the moment. Disconnect from the outer environment. You can do pranayama or practice breathing techniques mentioned above and then try these yoga asanas to feel grounded.

SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX:–

Seeing all the perfect people living perfect lives makes us compare ourselves or our lives to them. Have you ever tried social media detox before? If not, then all you have to do is- turn off all the notifications from all the social media apps you use. Then, archive those apps for at least a week. It will make you feel peaceful and creative. It is incredible! Also, when you use any device, do not forget to track the screen time!

HAVE A HOBBY:–

Having a hobby serves as an outlet for our creativity. Your hobby can be anything- gardening, drawing, cooking, etc. If you already have a hobby, make sure that you are giving some part of your day to it. In case you do not, try out different things which you have not done before. See as to what calls you. You can even take up a course to learn a new skill. It would also allow you to meet new people.

PEOPLE AROUND YOU:–

Become aware of the company you keep. Are they bringing you down? Are they energy vampires? If they are making you feel worse, you need to step away from them. Protect your mental peace and energy. It will not be easy. However, later on, stepping away from such people will be one of the best decisions of your life.

APPRECIATING YOURSELF:-

There are times when we get hard on ourselves for not being where we want to be. We may feel depressed or anxious, but getting hard on ourselves is not an option. Be kind to yourself. Eventually, you will find yourself beating depression and anxiety.

CLEAN YOUR SPACE:-

Cleaning our surroundings does not only help in cleaning our environment but also our mind. Get rid of the things you do not want as a cluttered home environment can cause constant fight or flight responses which can further increase our anxiety and depression.

GET A ROUTINE TO CURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION:-

Having a proper routine gives a clear direction to your mind. When you do not have one, your mind will have plenty of time to think about unnecessary things. After all, An Idle Brain is the Devil’s workshop. We all have heard that at some point, right?

ROLE OF WORKOUT TO NATURALLY CURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION:-

Working out for 30 minutes releases feel-good endorphins, natural cannabis-like brain chemicals (endogenous cannabinoids) and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being and is among the best natural remedies for depression and anxiety. It also takes your mind off worries so that you can get away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression and anxiety. Now, you do not need a personal trainer for this. There are so many workout programs available online. Plus, you can always go for a jog!

GOALS AND RESPONSIBILITY:-

Setting clear cut goals, taking responsibilities and then fulfilling them will make you feel productive. It will also increase your self-esteem and confidence in yourself.

ROLE OF OUR POSTURE TO NATURALLY CURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION:-

People with depression often slouch, their droopy shoulders mirroring their down mood but occasionally, reminding yourself to sit or stand up straight can help you feel more upbeat and energetic. Shockingly enough, it is one of the best natural remedies for depression and anxiety. The energy flow will also be more harmonious with the straight spinal cord.

Going through something like this has never been easy. Every single day you have to make an effort to keep up with yourself. It might be hard for now, but I can guarantee that it will not be like this forever. Every single step you take- no matter how small it is – in the end, will help you to take better control of your life and yourself. Just do not ever give up on yourself. You are showing up to what life has to offer every day despite what you are going through. And THIS IS YOUR POWER. Thus, always be kind to yourself.