Are you a sufferer of chronic depression? Are you being treated with anti depressant medication and talk therapy? Are these treatments working for you? A lot of people tend to find positives in the treatments. For two years I've been taking Zoloft and it has helped me feel better than ever. Medication has definitely, come a long way.
Unfortunately there are others who cannot seem to get the same effects. Is this you? No matter which medications they try and regardless of who they talk to they can't seem to find relief. What's so disturbing is that this is not uncommon. Depression is a complex disease that affects as many as 20 million different people.
It's not easy for a therapist or doctor when it comes to figuring out just the right combination of medication and talk therapy considering just how different we all are and how differently we respond to treatment. Wouldn't it be helpful if we could put ourselves in a position where we had a much better chance of getting these treatments to work?
Studies have concluded that a person's diet can have a significant effect on depression and its symptoms.
The Diet to Prevent Depression:
There is scientific evidence that proves that certain foods can help to eliminate the symptoms associated with depression. In addition, there is conclusive evidence that eating foods that contain particular ingredients can prevent depression. Here is a look at some of the essential foods and ingredients that can prove to be absolutely vital to your mental health.
1. To relieve or prevent depression one should consider using Omega 3 fatty acids available in fish oils. Research with the most recent study conducted by Ohio State University has shown that depressed people often lack the correct balance of fatty acids. Current recommendations allow up to two servings each week of cold-water fish and the best source of Omega 3 comes from salmon and trout.
2. Treating depression and mood elevation has been very successfully achieved when vitamins such as Vitamin B12 were used to treat the conditions. A lack of B vitamins is a cause of depression although researchers are not sure why. Things like spinach, salads, and avocados contain these vitamins.
3. Many minerals are essential with regard to alleviating depression. It has been shown that some people may have a deficiency in minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and potassium, when suffering. One example would be iron deficiency, also known as Anemia which has been found to be a major cause. The minerals you need to fight depression can be found usually in meats and vegetables.
Foods to Avoid:
Just as there are certain foods that actually work to reduce the possibility of developing and enduring symptoms that are associated with the "blues", there are certain foods, beverages, and ingredients that should be avoided or if you are experiencing depression or even if you are prone to depression.
1. Carbohydrates - Decreasing carbohydrates has been found to be extremely beneficial when it comes to combating depression. Depression can be alleviated by the intake of carbs, which raise serotonin levels. The problem is that after the high is complete the depressed mood returns - usually worse than before.
2. Caffeine - When depressed, caffeine can make the situation worse. Caffeine is a stimulant that can get you feeling "up". However, it can bring you "down" really fast.
3. Alcohol should be avoided as it is a natural depressant.
3. Sugar - Metabolism in a person's body can be swayed by large amounts of sugar entering it and should be avoided if possible.
4. Salt - If you are someone who has difficulties struggling with depression, it is best to minimize your salt intake.
Conclusion:
Everyone knows the saying "you are what you eat". This is especially true if you suffer from depression and the symptoms of depression are not easy to treat being different people respond differently to different treatment options.
One thing that is certain is that by maintaining a healthy diet you can relieve or even prevent depression altogether.
If you work outside your home, you probably have colleagues with whom you share information, complete projects, and just chat. In fact, you probably begin to think of them like ?family;? consequently, you'll want to make sure that they are as healthy as possible, which means being aware of the warning symptoms of depression. And if you do find your co-worker is suffering, you'll want to know the best depression treatment for him.
Though many people equate depression with just being slightly ?miserable? or ?self-obsessed,? it doesn't always manifest itself in such an obvious way. In fact, there are plenty of subtle symptoms of depression that are easily misinterpreted by teammates.
In order to help someone and introduce him or her to anti depression treatments(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Depression.html), you first have to know the unusual, but incredibly serious, symptoms of depression(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Depression.html). Poor Hygiene
?Doug? from marketing used to dress well each day and take good care of himself, but lately you've noticed that his clothes seem to always be wrinkled and stained. His hair is never tidy, either. You wonder what's happening. The answer could be that he's in need of depression treatment.
Many people who are depressed stop paying attention to their hygiene. They don't shower regularly (creating obvious body odors), they don't comb their hair or brush their teeth (again, obvious to coworkers over a short period of time), and they do not wash or prepare their clothing. This is due to the fact that depression creates a lowering of self-esteem, and the depressed individual can't seem to make him- or herself care anymore about what others might think. Frequent Illness
?Melissa? keeps getting colds. She's your assistant and you used to be able to count on her, but lately she's called in sick once practically every week. It's becoming annoying and worrisome.
Melissa cold could be one of the symptoms of depression: a more serious illness. Depression lowers a patient's immunity, making him or her more susceptible to colds and viruses. And depression can also ?mimic? a cold, leading someone with undiagnosed depression to assume he or she has ?the flu.? Unusual Mood Swings
?Amy? is happy one minute, angry the next. Some days, she has the energy of twenty workers; others, she refuses to even answer the phone. This is totally unlike the way she was when you first met her, and you're becoming annoyed.
Before you assume that Amy is doing this deliberately, consider that she may actually be experiencing the symptoms of depression. Many people in need of depression treatment actually become ?manic?, swinging between extreme emotions on a daily (or even hourly) basis.
What Amy needs is an antidepressant or depression treatment that will help her onto an ?even keel? emotionally. In fact, she might be unaware that she's exhibiting symptoms of manic depression(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Depression.html). Providing Help
As a concerned coworker, you can help a teammate with suspected depression by taking him or her aside and have a caring, concerned conversation. Describe what you've witnessed and explain why it worries you. Then, allow your colleague to speak. Don't judge, and don't tell him or her to ?get depression treatment or else.? Just listen.
If you're not friends with a coworker who may be suffering the symptoms of depression, tell your human resources manager or the employee's supervisor about your suspicions. That way, he or she can bring up the topic in an appropriate manner.
Both Scott Becker & Mitamins Team are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Scott Becker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Common Cold and Health. Scott Becker has been writing for over 10 years mostly about depression and anxiety. He authors the blog