As a culture, we have a total lack of creative thinking when it comes to treating depression.
And most likely, medication is front of mind.
As a holistic psychiatrist, I know firsthand that there aremanyavenues that often go unexplored.
Eat an antidepressant diet.
If you want to treat your depression without meds, this one is nonnegotiable.
I won’t sugarcoat it: It doesnt come cheap, and it requires an immense amount of effort.
So what does an antidepressant diet look like?
Its a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, real food diet.
Switching up your diet is no small task.
Ask for the help you need (enlist help from roommates, partners, family).
Stay strong and remind yourself this is an act of radical self-love.
Avoid foods that make you sad.
Get into nature as much as possible; your nervous system will thank you.
A critical dimension of healing depression is ensuring that your life is full ofconnection with nature.
Man, can I feel my nervous system uncoiling from years of sirens and concrete!
Get honest about your daily schedule: Can you live like this?
A controversial and risky suggestion!
But lets talk about this.
I have treated ambitious and strung-out New Yorkers (and Ive been one) for far too long.
Ive realized that the never-ending stress treadmill is often a construct and a choice.
Start finding your tribe by doing activities YOU enjoy.
Prozac doesnt hold a candle to community, so start building yours.
Begin by thinking about the people you know who are amazing additions to your life.
These qualities are contagious, and there will be more people like that in their orbit.
Whatever floats your boat.
Lower your standards on exercise.
My advice is to lower your standards, a lot.
I suggest anything from Pilates to calisthenics to yoga to dancing along to a Beyonce music video on YouTube.
Don’t give up on yoga and meditation.
Similarly, if you haven’t found a meditation approach that pulls you in, keep exploring.
Keep seeking until you find a practice that resonates with you.
Opt out, say “no,” and make rebellious lifestyle choices.
Its time to take a major step back and reevaluate the structure of your life.
Everything is up for grabsfrom career to geography to relationships to how much clutter youve accumulated in your home.
Take stock and make decisions about what needs to go and what needs to change.
Dont be afraid to make some rebellious opt-out choices when it comes to career and lifestyle default controls.
Take some leaps for create the right life for you.
In my experience, these can transform depression at the root and obviate the need for medication.
Not convinced thatnature can back up your health?
Thisstudy showed that teens who live near nature are less depressed.
1 bestselling bookThe Anatomy of Anxiety.
She takes a functional medicine approach to mental healthconsidering the whole person and addressing imbalance at the root.
Vora received her B.A.
fromYale Universityand her M.D.
More from the author:
Life Coaching+ Certification
