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Top Ten Holistic Depression Treatment Techniques
by
1. Consult your doctor
If you think, you have depression, the first thing you should do is to consult your doctor so that they can:
Evaluate you to determine whether your symptoms are due to depression or to another medical or mental
condition. Determine the cause of your depression. Change any medications that you may be on that may be
causing the depression. Medications which can cause depression to include Acyclovir or Zovirax (used to
treat herpes or shingles), Atenolol or Tenormin (used to treat high blood pressure, angina chest pain,
abnormal heart rhythms, and heart failure), Atorvastatin or Lipitor (used to lower cholesterol and prevent
heart attacks) and many other medications. For a full list of medications that may cause depression visit
http://hubpages.com/hub/Causes-of-Depression-Medications?done. Prescribe treatment for your depression
such as duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor), paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram
(Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa) bupropion (Wellbutrin) and amitriptyline.
2. Pray
Are you suffering? Pray! Pray if you are suffering from depression because God promises you that if you call
on Him, He will answer you, and He will be with you in trouble, and He will deliver you and honor you.
Medical research also assures us that prayer works. Therefore, present your problems to God each day in
prayer and experience the tranquility that comes as prayer lifts the issues that were depressing you.
Cast all you care upon Jesus in prayer because He cares for you. Cast the mental burdens that are weighing
you down in your mind to Him, and He shall sustain you. Cast and then ask for whatever you need to heal
your depression for you are to Ask, and you will receive so that your joy may be full.
The following is a sample prayer for depression.
Save me O my God!
For problems have come up to my neck.
I am sinking in deep depression,
I am in deep trouble, and problems overwhelm me.
I am tired of crying, and my prayer is to You.
O Lord, in the multitude of Your mercy hear me.
Deliver me out of this depression and let me not sink in it.
Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of these deep troubles.
Do not let problems overwhelm me and do not let depression swallow me.
(Adapted from Psalm 69)

For more information read Why Jesus is the Best Stress Management Therapist.
3. Think Positively
Since thoughts contribute to how you feel and who you become, if you consistently think depressing
thoughts, you will begin to feel depressed, and you may even become depressed for as a person becomes what
they think in their heart.
4. Establish Social Support
Establish your social support system because two people are better than one, because they have a good reward
for their labor and if one falls down, they other will lift up their companion. Therefore, find a friend whose
company you enjoy and spend time with them to ease the loneliness of depression.
5. Take an Aromatherapy Bath
Adding essential oils such as bergamot, rose, rosemary, ylang ylang and chamomile to you bath water may
help you feel better since these essential oils may raise your spirits. You can make a blues busting bath blend
by adding 3 drops of bergamot, 3 drops of rosemary, 3 drops of ylang ylang and 3 drops of chamomile to
your bath water.
6. Blog
Writing therapy can be updated to the 21st century by creating a blog and posting your deepest uncensored
feelings online without revealing your identity as this can help you heal from pain and recover from
depression.
7. Sing Praises
The Bible tells us to put on The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Therefore, sing praises to God
whenever the spirit of heaviness or depression tries to pull you down. Sing praises to God every day even if
you don't feel like singing for as you continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, you will break the
spiritual chains of sadness trying to constrain you for God is enthroned in the praises. You can sing your
praises to God as you spruce up after your aromatherapy bath, or as you exercise since, singing will also help
you reduce tension and relax.
8. Affirm Yourself
Since Anxiety in the heart causes depression but a good word cheers it, you have to speak good words to
yourself whether or not others are speaking them to you. Therefore, choose positive, power-filled, present
tense scriptural affirmations and repeat them to yourself each day for at least 10 minutes.
9. Increase dietary omega-3 fatty acids
Increase your dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids as some studies imply they may alleviate mood changes.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, halibut, tuna and other fatty fish as well as flaxseed,
walnuts, soybeans, winter squash, extra-virgin olive oil and dark-green vegetables. To do this you can grind 2
tablespoons of flaxseeds and sprinkle them onto your breakfast cereal, eat salmon or tuna with winter squash
for lunch and snack on salads with ground flaxseeds, and walnuts tossed it in extra-virgin olive oil
10. St John's Wort
Though St John's Wort or hypericum perforatum can be of some benefit in treating mild depression, always
consult your doctor before you begin taking it since it interacts with other prescription medications, and it
may reduce their effectiveness.

Source: http://nlmbc-nm.org/Top%20Ten%20Holistic%20Depression%20Treatment%20Techniques2012.pdf