How To Effectively Deal With Depression and Elevate Your Mood

by | Dec 16, 2017 | Health, Self-Development | 0 comments

The current age we live in is increasingly becoming more isolated with people searching for purpose and greater meaning. It isn’t uncommon for people to be alone or reclusive in our modern digital age due to the amount of distractions that are available at hand.

With that said, it isn’t a surprise that our current generation has a higher rate of depression and suicide than any generation before. The question is, what is the issue with our modern world? Is it our working lifestyles or is it our failure to do the things that we feel will truly leave us feeling fulfilled?

What many people really need and are seeking is a meaningful life. People have necessities which include powerful connections with other people.

At the moment millions of Americans are suffering clinical depression each year. More and more studies are showing that exercise can be a very effective treatment method for depression. Furthermore counseling with cognitive-behavioral therapeutic techniques could potentially help alleviate symptoms of depression.

Depression affects roughly 9.5% of the U.S. adult population each year, and it is estimated that approximately 17% of the U.S. population will suffer from a major depressive episode at some point in their lifetime. Depression has been ranked as the leading cause of disability in the United States, with over $40 billion being spent each year on lost work productivity and medical treatment related to this illness. Recent research suggests that between the years of 1987 and 1997, the rate of outpatient treatment for depression in the United States tripled and that health care costs related to this disorder continue to rise.

Based on the summary above it is quite clear that depression is a really big factor in our current healthcare system as well as our productivity rate within the U.S. workforce. The good nes is that there are many links and studies that show that simply exercising a few times a week and increasing endorphin activity in the brain through kinesthetic motion can help with brain chemistry.

The biggest benefit to exercise is the endorphin’s that are released by the brain, which can greatly impact one’s happiness and level of satisfaction. The endorphin hypothesis predicts that exercise has a positive effect on depression due to an increased release of β-endorphins following exercise. Endorphins are related to a positive mood and an overall enhanced sense of well-being. This line of research has not been without criticism. The debate remains as to whether plasma endorphins reflect endorphin activity in the brain. Some have argued that even if peripheral endorphin levels are not reflective of brain chemistry, they could still be associated with a change in mood or feelings of depression. Several studies have shown increases in plasma endorphins following acute and chronic exercise; yet, it remains unclear if these elevations in plasma endorphins are directly linked to a reduction in depression. Lastly, the phenomenon of runner’s high, often attributed to endorphin release, is not blocked by naloxone injection, an opiate antagonist.

There is no question that exercise is very beneficial to those who are facing symptoms of depression. Data shows that more focus on time and energy in the fitness environment pays off, especially when considering the mental health benefits along with the confidence boost of developing greater strength and endurance.

Here is a quick list of things you can include and do to help you alleviate any symptoms of depression:

  • St. John’s Wort – This natural herbal remedy has been used as a form of treatment for depression as a way to help increase serotonin levels. One should note that it could potentially interfere with over the counter anti-depressant prescription medications. A 2009 systematic review of 29 international studies suggested that St. John’s wort may be better than a placebo (an inactive substance that appears identical to the study substance) and as effective as standard prescription antidepressants for major depression of mild to moderate severity. St. John’s wort also appeared to have fewer side effects than standard antidepressants. The studies—conducted in German-speaking countries where St. John’s wort has a long history of use by medical professionals—reported more positive results than those done in other countries, including the United States.
  • 5-HTP – This molecule is a by-product of the amino acid Tryptophan which serves a a precursor in the brain for the production of the hormones melatonin and serotonin. The antidepressant effects of 5-HTP are comparable to that of some antidepressants (R). Combined treatments of 5-HTP and SSRI seems to have strong synergistic effects on serotonin levels in rats and humans so that some clinicians recommend the use of slow-released 5-HTP in combination with SSRIs (R, R2, R3). However, additional clinical trials are required to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of this approach, and combinations of 5-HTP and medications should only be used under medical supervision. In a small clinical trial involving 52 healthy male subjects, either oral 5-HTP or antidepressant enhanced serotonin levels by 35% and 100%, but a combination between antidepressant and 5-HTP by 500% (R).
  • Vitamin D3 – When you have little outdoor exposure due to long working hours, excessive studying, or dealing with long winter months it can give people minor symptoms of depression. Most people are aware of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is related to lack of sunlight exposure and low vitamin D3 intake due to the lack of sunlight exposure during the winter months. One way to help deal with the deficiency of vitamin D3 and SAD, are to take a winter vacation to the beach or supplement with 2,000 IU’s of D3 per day during the course of the winter season. There has been research examining the relationship of vitamin D to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), schizophrenia, and depression. Several studies have examined whether light therapy improved mood.  randomized 29 patients (16 with SAD and 13 controls) in a parallel fashion to either one hour or 15 minutes of light therapy in the morning for two weeks in the winter. One hour of light therapy significantly decreased depressive symptoms more so in the group with SAD than the control group (p = .003).  randomized 15 participants with SAD to either 100,000 IU of vitamin D (one time dose) (n = 8) or phototherapy (n = 7). They reported that depression (assessed with the Hamilton Depression Scale) decreased in persons who received vitamin D (from 10.9 to 6.2, p = .040) as compared to those who received phototherapy (from 12.6 to 11.3, p = ns). There were no untoward side effects from the dose of vitamin D; however, a limitation of the study was the one time dose. Studies have examined the relationship of vitamin D to other psychiatric disorders. In a prospective birth cohort that studied the intake of vitamin D supplements in the first year of life, it was noted that an intake of 2,000 IU or more per day was associated with a reduced risk of developing schizophrenia (RR = 0.23, CI = .06–.95) for males. The limitations of the study were that although there was a large sample (over 9,114 persons), the number of individuals with schizophrenia was small (n = 79) (). In addition, exposure to vitamin D was based on the mother’s self-report in the first year of life. Lower levels of vitamin D have been noted with other mental disorders.  reported that vitamin D levels were lower in persons with schizophrenia (Mean = 35.1 pg/ml) and major depression (37.3) when compared to healthy controls (45.9). However, the difference was lower only for those with schizophrenia when compared to the controls (p < .02).
  • Niacin – Also known as vitamin B3, is one vitamin that happens to be water-soluble which means that it can be flushed out of the system through the urine if you happen to have too much in your system. According to Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D. explains: “Niacin is one of the best substances for elevating high density lipoprotein cholesterol (the “good cholesterol) and so decreases the ratio of the total cholesterol over high density cholesterol.” Another niacin feature is its ability to greatly reduce anxiety and depression. Yet another feature of niacin is that it dilates blood vessels and creates a sensation of warmth, called a “niacin flush.” This is often accompanied with a blushing of the skin.
  • Ashwagandha Root – This adaptogenic herb happens to help lower cortisol hormone levels which may be correlated with high stress levels. Ashwagandha happens to be very effective for stress and anxiety and may happen to make a difference without the negative side effects of a prescription medication.
  • CBD Oil – This oil tincture provides the CNS with cannabinoids and phytochemicals that help assist with overall homeostasis and well-being. It also provides as a serotonin agonist receptor thus helping with anxiety, compulsive behavior, and stress. 
  • Go to the gym on a regular basis. Attending to exercise 3-4 days a week will help your serotonin levels and elevate your endorphin’s. The key is to have a routine that is vigorous enough to challenge you and increase your heart rate. When doing so you begin to release endorphins which are like our body’s natural morphine, which can be pain relieving and give us a greater sense of happiness and joy.
  • Eat more raw foods that aren’t processed with additives and preservatives.
  • Listen to some Sugar Ray and Smash Mouth both of which are jamming ocean vibe music.
  • Take action on your regrets. Chances are that you have set certain things off in your life and you are sitting in regret wishing you had done certain things earlier. What are you really waiting for?
  • Stop worrying about things that never happened to you.
  • Pay less attention to other people’s expectations of you and do what you really enjoy doing.
  • Stop spending your time chasing after things that don’t increase your happiness.
  • Spend less time on your smart phone and really limit your time that you spend on social media. Excessive time spent on social media can make you feel depressed when you constantly compare yourself to others and it also gives you dopamine overloads when you receive new messages and likes. Check out this interview by Simon Sinek on millennials.
  • Visit elderly folks in nursing homes or assisted living facilities and talk to them about the joy’s they experienced growing up and living.
  • Lastly, spend your time learning something that you’ve always aspired learning, such as a language or a skill that you feel you’ve always wanted to master and learn.

Despite the stress of our modern day world with excessive electronics and work-life balancing of activities, routines, and tasks; there is a way to deal with any feelings of depression associated with daily living.

Getting outside, getting involved in an exercise routine, and exploring are all great ways to escape any symptoms of depression. The best way to overcome these feelings is to continue to grow and learn as a person and surround yourself with new people and new activities. Sometimes taking on something new that you’ve never done before can become one’s saving grace.

References:

  1. Craft, Lynette L., and Frank M. Perna. “The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed.” Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 6.3 (2004): 104–111. Print.
  2. Davidson, Jonathan M.D., Mischoulon, David M.D., Ph.D, Weber, Wendy Ph.D., and John (Jack) Killen, Jr., M.D. “St. Johns Wort and Depression: In Depth.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), 2013 September.
  3. Otto, Michael W. et al. “Exercise for Mood and Anxiety Disorders.” Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 9.4 (2007): 287–294. Print.
  4. Penckofer, Sue et al. “Vitamin D and Depression: Where Is All the Sunshine?” Issues in mental health nursing 31.6 (2010): 385–393. PMC. Web. 16 Dec. 2017.