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Recognizing the Symptoms of Depression

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Natural Depression Treatments

15 ways to help treat depression naturally.
By R. Morgan Griffin
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

While therapy and medication are key in controlling depression, there’s also a lot you can do on your own to fight back. Making changes to your own behavior -- your physical activity, diet, and lifestyle -- can be effective natural depression treatments.

 “Lifestyle changes are a very important part of treatment,” says Ian A. Cook, MD, director of the Depression Research Program at the University of California Los Angeles.

On their own, Cook says, natural depression treatments can beat back milder forms of disease. For more severe depression, they can complement other approaches. When medication and therapy aren’t enough, treating depression naturally through lifestyle can help push people toward full recovery.

“Fighting depression is a war that’s waged day to day, not just over weeks and months while you wait for other treatments to take effect,” says Dean F. MacKinnon, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

So as bleak as things might seem, there are things that you can do, right now, that will help you feel better. Here’s what you need to know about natural depression treatments.

Get in a Routine to Treat Depression Naturally

If you’re depressed, or have been depressed, you need a routine. Depression can strip away the structure from your life, letting one day bleed into the next. That absence of order can also make your depression worse.

 “It’s extremely stressful to wake up in the morning and have no idea what you’re going to do with the day,” says MacKinnon.

Cook agrees. “Having a routine gives you a sense of control over the day,” says Cook. “We know that helps, and we know that not having a sense of control makes people feel worse.”

What should you build into your schedule to help fight depression naturally?

1. Exercise. Study after study has found that physical activity can boost mood, says Cook. How much? You don’t need to run marathons to get a benefit. “It seems like half an hour several times a week may be enough,” Cook says. “More than that may not have a further effect on mood. There seems to be a plateau.”
The type of exercise you use as a natural depression treatment doesn’t seem to matter. “Your cardiologist might want you getting a lot of aerobic exercise for your heart,” says MacKinnon. “But for your mental health, just getting out and walking can be enough.”

2. Diet. There is no depression diet, but there are great benefits to healthy eating. “I don’t think there’s any particular dietary regimen you need to follow,” says MacKinnon. “A basic healthy eating plan should do.”
Nutrition is an important element in your effort to help treat your depression, MacKinnon says.  “Healing from depression is a physiological process, just like healing from a physical injury,” he tells WebMD. He says that without good nutrition, medications for depression can’t work as effectively.
There are some other things to keep in mind. Ask your doctor if your medication might cause weight gain. If so, you may want to take special care with your diet. If your depression is associated with an eating disorder -- like anorexia or binge eating -- you need to be working with an expert.

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Are You Treating Your Depression?
Cymbalta
Sponsored
Cymbalta is approved for the treatment of depression.

Important Safety Information About Cymbalta

Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Suicide is a known risk of depression and some other psychiatric disorders. Call your doctor right away if you have new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Be especially observant within the first few months of treatment or after a change in dose. Approved only for adults 18 and over.

What should I talk about with my healthcare provider?

Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, restlessness, or extreme hyperactivity. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have thoughts of suicide or if any of these symptoms are severe or occur suddenly. Be especially observant within the first few months of antidepressant treatment or whenever there is a change in dose.

Who should NOT take Cymbalta?

You should not take Cymbalta if:

  • You have recently taken a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
  • You have uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma (increased eye pressure)
  • You are taking Mellaril® (thioridazine)

What other important information should I discuss with my healthcare provider?

Before starting Cymbalta, talk with your healthcare provider:

  • about all of your medical conditions, including kidney or liver problems, glaucoma, diabetes, seizures, or if you have bipolar disorder. Cymbalta may worsen a type of glaucoma or the control of blood sugar in some patients with diabetes
  • about your alcohol use
  • if you are taking nonprescription or prescription medicines, including those for migraine, to address a possible life-threatening condition
  • if you are taking NSAID pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners. Use with Cymbalta may increase bleeding risk
  • if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant during therapy, or are breastfeeding an infant

While taking Cymbalta, talk with your healthcare provider:

  • if you have itching, right upper belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of liver problems. Severe liver problems, sometimes fatal, have been reported
  • if you have high fever, confusion, and stiff muscles to address a possible life-threatening condition
  • before stopping Cymbalta or changing your dose
  • if you experience dizziness or fainting upon standing, especially when first starting Cymbalta or when increasing the dose.
  • about your blood pressure. Cymbalta can increase your blood pressure. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure prior to and while taking Cymbalta
  • if you experience headache, weakness, confusion, problems concentrating, memory problems, or feel unsteady while taking Cymbalta which may be signs of low sodium levels
  • if you develop problems with urine flow

If you have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider before taking Cymbalta.

What are the possible side effects of Cymbalta?

In clinical studies of depression, the most common side effect of Cymbalta was nausea. Other common side effects included dry mouth, constipation, decreased appetite, fatigue, sleepiness, and increased sweating. This is not a complete list of side effects.

Other safety information about Cymbalta:

Cymbalta may cause sleepiness and dizziness. Until you know how Cymbalta affects you, you should not drive a car or operate hazardous machinery.

See Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information, including Boxed Warning.

Safety Information and Boxed Warning | Prescribing Information | Medication Guide
This center is funded by:

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