2 New Ways To Ease Depression Naturally

If you suffer from depression or suspect you may be experiencing it, then it is important to seek help from a mental health counselor who can create a custom depression treatment plan for you. While medications can be helpful for easing depression symptoms, if you would prefer to treat your depression without medications, then your counselor can provide cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis therapy, psycho-dynamic therapy, or one of several other therapies proven to help relieve depression. Your counselor may also suggest lifestyle changes that can boost your mood very quickly. 

Read on to learn about two new ways to ease depression naturally that you can try before you begin counseling or with the guidance of your mental health counselor. 

1. Imagery Training

Guided imagery is a technique used by many mental health counselors to help clients battling many types of mental health disorders, including depression. During guided imagery sessions with a mental health counselor, your counselor has you close your eyes and visualize people, places, and events that make you happy and replace negative images that run through your mind with more positive ones. While it may sound too simple to work, there is growing evidence that the human brain doesn't distinguish between a sight you see with your eyes and one you visualize in your mind. 

A recent study revealed that through imagery training, a patient can continue their own guided imagery at home after being given instructions by a mental health counselor. That means that you can provide yourself a daily imagery session to help ease your depression more quickly even if you are only seeing your counselor every week or bi-weekly for additional guidance. 

2. Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables

If your diet is lacking in fruits and vegetables or you just eat a serving or two a day, then you likely know that you should eat more fruits and vegetables to benefit your physical health. However, a recent study revealed that the simple act of increasing your daily intake of fruits and vegetables can actually help you relieve your depression symptoms, especially lack of motivation, in as little as two weeks. 

You don't have to eat any specific fruits and vegetables to reap the mental health benefits and you don't have to eat a drastic amount. The people in the study who experienced an overall boost in mental health in just two weeks at an average of about 4 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. 

The reason increased fruit and vegetable intake can so drastically boost mood is unclear, but there is a theory that depression may be linked to brain inflammation, and the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables can ease inflammation in the body. 

If you are experiencing signs of depression, then it is important to seek mental health services to help you begin feeling like yourself again. Your mental health counselor can help you ease your symptoms naturally, if you prefer, and may suggest these two natural mood boosters along with a type of therapy they feel will work best for you. Click here for more info about this topic.