Tips for Dealing With Depression

* Take part in at least one pleasurable activity each day

*Don't isolate yourself from family and friends. Find someone you can talk to. Hang out with happy positive people. Join a social or religious group. Take a class. Volunteer.

*Try not to worry about things you can't control.

*Identify and correct negative thoughts. Consider counseling/therapy to help correct negative views of self, the world and the future.

*Avoid turning to destructive habits such as compulsive eating, alcohol, or drugs, which will always leave you worse off in the end.

*Get a pet! Spend some time listening to or playing music.

*Exercise is a great treatment that is often as, or more, effective than medication. Consider starting with a 10 minute a day walk and gradually increasing to 30 minutes a day. An organized exercise class may be helpful as it has the added benefit of providing interaction with others.

*Good Nutrition is important, especially a diet with lots of omega-3's fatty acids such as those found in fish. A diet containing minimal amounts of starch and sugar prevents drops in blood sugar that can affect mood.

*Get regular and adequate sleep.

*At least 30 minutes of sunlight per day can boost your body's production of the feel-good hormone serotonin.

* A good daily multivitamin containing adequate folic acid, B-vitamins, magnesium, vitamin- D and zinc is important. (Low levels of vitamin D have been linked with depression in some studies)

*Studies suggest that St. John's Wort(600-900 mg daily divided in two doses; use with caution, as interacts with numerous medications) SAM-e (200-400 mg daily) omega-3 fatty acids (6-8 capsules daily), and 5-HTP (precursor to serotonin; take 50-150mg at bedtime) may help particularly for milder forms of depression.

*Realize that some creative people do their most innovative work when depressed, because feeling down forces us to grapple with the difficult realities of life. Remember: You may be living in the nightime now, but morning will come. You will get better!

www.depression.org
www.twloha.com
www.hopeline.com
www.nimh.nih.gov