Natural Ways to Manage Depression (Beyond Anti-depressants)

We asked our Instagram followers and Facebook community to share tips for managing Major Depressive Disorder (beyond anti-depressant medications). Here's a roundup of their responses so far:

• Brad Hines: Cardiovascular activity like walking.
• Salome Shyan: Aside from exercise, healthy lifestyle, losing weight, vitamin D, blood work to rule out thyroid issues or B12 deficiency or anemia, meditation, positive affirmations and positive thinking/attitude, CBT, counselling, spirituality, mindfulness, dancing, music, getting out of bed....love❤️
• Carey Rosen Davidson: Vibroacoustics. 
• Lauren Trimble: Homeopathy
• gosia.coach: Mindfulness was/is my savior. So it often is for my clients. However I would never discourage medicine. Of course it's not to say taking care of yourself by healthy lifestyle/mindfulness routine isn't an option but it is not a cure. The most recent study clearly points to physical brain disfunction, and although Mindfulness was proven to alter physical structure of the brain, I'd still use it alongside medication. Best wishes ❤️
• doterra_wellness_products: I have personally found essential oils to be very helpful in self-regulation for mood-disorders - please feel free to personally contact me if you would like to learn more via DM or email. Best, Sheene
• andie_neumann: Good friends. Someone to talk to without judgement. Good support from family and friends. Me time for exercise and positive wellness (Spa. Meditation. Nature walks. A hobby and / or meeting up with friends for coffee) There is a place and time for medicines and everyone must decide for themselves when that time has come though. Good luck with your journey to better mental health. Best wishes. 💖
• asofiasalvador: Reiki therapy
• spineandjointoc: Connection, purpose, processing emotion with clarity
• energeticfitandhealthy: Prayer, exercise and sunshine ☀️💖
• teamoilsinspirelife: Essential oils, time in nature, meditation and yoga!
• leechelleryan: I didn't read the blog, but number one advise, make sure you have a committed support group. Depression is tricky and the journey for total health is one no one should travel alone. And go at it nutritionally, socially, psychologically, physically, and spiritually.
• healthy.mallorca: Look at your hormone and nutritional situation, for example vitamins like Vitamin D can influence depression.
• jennkrusinski: First, give yourself a hug for being your own self advocate❤️ second, know that you are not alone . Share your story with someone you trust. Begin making nutritional changes - eliminate anti inflammatory foods, add more healthy fats, read dr. Kelly Brogan’s blog - she helps all of her patients get off meds and heal with nutrition, meditation, extreme self care. Her program is the Vital Mind Reset. ❤️❤️❤️
• blondiv: Passion flower helped me a lot. I also have been adding more minerals into my diet and watching that I have enough magnesium. It’s already helped with my PMDD.
• susansolovay18: 80% of serotonin is made in our guts and it sends signals to our brain so eating healthy affects our mental health completely. One day they’ll realize that depression is the inflammation of our immune system, similar to allergies. Eliminate all sugar and processed foods/eat healthy fats, veggies and protein/exercise, even a walk in nature will do/make sure to get 7-8 hours sleep/Vitamin D, a warm bath with Epsom salts before bed and a good probiotic 👌 Depression is a useful message from our bodies to slow down, rest and heal.
• rayraycos: Walks in nature, yoga and exercise 20+ min per day
• Janet Baumgart-Trice: My son would go play with his preschool cousins. He was 17 at the time. He said it helped him tremendously!

• magnesium
• Yoga
• meditation
• 20 minutes of exercise every day
• Passion flower
• anti-inflammatory foods
• Vitamin D
• nature walks
• mindfulness
• Vibroacoustics

These tips were crowdsourced in response to this instagram post, based on a community member's question. Need some advice? Ask away! We can feel, get, and be better – together.