Studies show that those who are active and exercise can come out of depression just as easily as with medication-in fact more easily.

excercise, diet, staying involved with the community.

Get active in helping others. Or just get out and away from a closed in place for a good time.

Surround yourself with things and people that make you happy and get out into the world. Sitting in your house alone isn't going to help. Laughing and being with those who love you help.

I think writing off medications as an option is a mistake, but here are a few ideas: Exercise : no really. Not just because it's healthy or because it makes your body in better shape and that will cheer you up somehow.. no. Endorphins. Exercising releases endorphines which makes you feel good. Depression tends to bog you down and make you inactive, want to sleep all the time, etc. Get the body moving and it will stimulate your brain in a healthier direction. Continue on an ongoing basis and you might see dramatic improvements. Eat healthier: Again, not because this would make you thinner or anything. Because the chemicals you put in your body affect you! A depressed person might be eating a lot of junky, sugary foods, for the temporary high. Cut that out. Eat fruits, vegetables, fish. Get proteins and vitamins. Stimulate your brain: don't stay in the house, don't stay in a rut. Break routine, feed your mind. Read a book, see a movie, go somewhere new. Socialize: Personal interaction will draw you out of the closed loop of your own, currently-screwed-up mental processes. Once again this is fighting against the natural inclination with depression to withdraw, to lose touch with people. Stop it. Call your friends. Just say hi. Go to dinner, get some conversation. Even if you're not comfortable talking about your depression, try your best to be around people and to talk to them - about movies, about work, about whatever. Get some sunshine: Seriously, and especially if you're seasonally affected. There's a lot less light in the wintertime and that really affects a lot of people. Go out and soak up what sunshine is available. (There are special lamps you can buy that supposedly can substitute for the missing sunshine for people who get depressed in the winter - I've heard positive reviews, but never tried it myself). Clean your place: Not only is this good exercise, it will have a tremendous impact on your mental state. Cleaning and organization are the first things to go when you're sinking into a depression. Attack your apartment/house and get it clean. You'll have a sense of accomplishment when you finish and you will feel better about your surroundings. Get a project: Things fall by the wayside when you're depressed. A lot of things slide. This is ok. It happens. Pick one thing to stick with from beginning to end, whether an old project or new. Volunteering is a good thing to do. It hits a trifecta of getting out of the house, social interaction, and accomplishing something positive. I recommend volunteering at a local animal shelter, because animals are great for your mood, and shelters generally need a lot of help. Talk therapy: Important. You wouldn't believe how much it helps, and your health insurance should cover it. At least give it a try.

nothing is better than a vacation.

You need to go see your doctor and get a full examination to find out the depth of your depression. For some types of depression, particularly more severe depression, a combination of both antidepressant medication and psychological treatment may be most helpful. Antidepressant medication helps change an individual’s mood state, and increases responsiveness to psychological treatment but if you are just mildly depressed ask him to recommend a counsellor who specialises in Cognitive-behavioural therapy. This approach has been found to be much more effective than general counselling. Counsellors provide techniques and skills that can help reduce and control depression and lessen underlying sensitivity to future episodes of depression. Cognitive-behavioural therapy has proven to be more effective at treating the most common mental health conditions, are effective in treating most anxiety and depression disorders,tend to be more effective than medication over the long term, because people receiving medication only are more likely to relapse after they stop taking antidepressants. It

alternative medications.. look into herbs and ayverdics. Im a huge fan on India when it comes to this stuff.

Positive thinking.

I had medication, it helped, but nothing helped me as much as my friends, open up and trust them, let them help you :-)

find activities that you enjoy use a journal go to church and remember who you are and were before the depression and reach for that goal.. Try to find out whats causing the depression and reorganize your life.

I got help with theophosticprayer.com

1) Get more exercise. 2) Masturbate more frequently. I'm not kidding. This is YOU-time. Spend more time doing things that make you happy (without abusing your body and narcoticizing with drugs or alcohol). 3) Spend time with people who care about you. Not your obnoxious, "fun" friends. People who are there for you the most. 4) Try homeopathic remedies for depression. There's amazing stuff out there in natural foods and herbs. Bananas are packed with the same chemicals as there are in the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin. They say, 'you can chase the blues away, if you eat two bananas a day.' 5) If there is an actual known source of this depression in your life, such as your job or a bad relationship, look into ways that you can work on this, either through counseling or just finding ways to communicate better.

OH HERE WE GO AGAIN.. i have a method that will cure your depression. it is simple and it WILL work. depression is a mental thing. fucking babies dont get depressed. so i dont wanna see that chemical imbalance stuff. but anyways, this method will make you feel happy and very confident. but you must do it. its the easiest thing in the world to do., and it can be done so nobody around notices it at all. soon you will be happy and confident. PERIOD. no ifs ands or butts sbout it.

1. Talk to a close friend or get counselling. 2. Be accountable to that friend also....like having him or her phone every morning to make sure you are up and actually taking care of hygience. 3. Get an exercise partner who is reliable. 4. Read and meditate. 5. Be able to say "no" to people's unrealistic expectations.

you wont to no how to get over anxity/depression i had it for 15 long years. and now its time to get better if you will give all you money on meds,and self help stuff what is 1.00 more for some one that can help? r74600@cnetco.com let me no

There are so many things you can do to help yourself through a depressive episode...but they won’t all necessarily work for everyone…so try as much as you can to stay positive. Know that there are a great many people that suffer from similar if not exactly the same emotions. Hear are some things I have discovered: 1. Seek professional help when needed. Don't ever be ashamed of taking advantage of professional resources. That's why they're there! Talk to a doctor, pastor, therapist, or psychiatrist for additional help and information when needed. The professionals have many ways to help a person with depression…there are therapy techniques. 2. Cut refined sugars out of your diet as much as possible. Depression is often linked to low serotonin levels in the brain, and sugars give a temporary boost to serotonin. It's no wonder that many people crave sugar when depressed! But the boost is only temporary and you will crash later. Don't be tempted by sugary foods. Eating proper foods and take a multi vitamin tablet. Keeping your diet as well balanced as possible is a positive step to a recovery. 3. Exercise gives you a natural high and adrenaline rush, which can boost your mood for hours at a time. Try to exercise on a regular basis. 4. Research has shown that daily sunlight helps boost your mood. Even if it's just for 15 minutes, go outside and get some sunlight and fresh air! If you find you are having low mood in the winter there is a chance that you may have S.A.D, consider getting an s.a.d light box. 5. Lack of sleep contributes to poor body function, irritation, and depression. Getting an appropriate amount of sleep (7-9 hours) can improve your mood drastically. Take a small nap during the day if you need to. 6. Recording your moods in a diary could help you in the long term…with some people there are certain things that will trigger a depressive episode, and you might have too much going on in your day to realise…if you keep a log of your feelings (maybe scale on a 1-10 of how good you feel), there is a chance you could pick up on things that are contributing and have the chance then to change them. 7. Depression can make you want to hide from the world, but that will only make the depression worse. Call a friend/family or make plans to do something social with a friend. Even a small chat with a friend can help improve your mood. 8. Pray. Meditation or prayer has been shown to improve moods, so give it a chance. Take just a little time each day for quiet reflection or prayer.

Strength of mind and positive will ... Find an interest ... art etc Find within yourself what qualities you have that others do not ... then believe in yourself to be great ... Change your environment ... work and/or home ... quit that lousy job and move to the country. Exercise whenever possible ... walking in a park of trees is good for me ... Talk to some older people and ask them about life and how they coped ... Think of all those who have died well before their time ... or those that have died to give you your time. Forget wealth and material ... its not what matters. Goodluck!

1st and foremost. Remove the source of the depression.

Be as pro-active as possible and especially with anything that is a source of anxiety. That means learn as much as you can about whatever causes your anxiety and take real steps to minimize potential harm to you. If it is people that worry you have an up front (not confrontational) discussion about whatever concerns you. Always actively seek out a resolution to minimize or eliminate your concerns and it helps a lot to help other people overcome the same concerns.

Look at the Answerbag. A wink and a smile always does it for me.