Anxiety and depression affect millions of Americans on literally a daily basis. If you don’t suffer from depression and/or anxiety yourself, there’s a pretty good chance that you know someone that does. Living with anxiety and depression can be debilitating and prevent the person suffering from being able to live their daily lives. It’s why so many who are suffering turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to get some relief and feel better, even if it’s just temporary.
While this might be a temporary solution, in the long run, it can lead to more significant consequences such as the development of other mental health issues or even addiction. The good news is when it comes to dealing with depression and anxiety, there are many all-natural and healthy approaches to helping. These can include vitamin supplements and even fun activities such as yoga and meditation. Let’s take a look at some of these and talk about the benefits of trying the holistic approach to anxiety and depression.
Vitamins For Depression and Anxiety
There are vitamins currently on the market that are designed to help combat depression and anxiety. There are also vitamins out there that are designed to help your body and mind perform at the best of their ability. These can also help combat depression and anxiety. While these vitamins and supplements alone won’t necessarily do the trick, they are part of the overall holistic approach when it comes to fighting depression and anxiety. Let’s take a look at some of the vitamins and that can help with depression and anxiety.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a great vitamin to help regulate your overall mood. In addition, it is also designed to help with brain function and nerve health. Vitamin D can also directly help with depression and anxiety. In fact, multiple studies have shown a direct correlation between raised vitamin D levels and improvements in anxiety and depression. While you can get more vitamin D in your life by taking vitamin D pills, you can also do so by spending more time in the sun and eating foods rich with vitamin D including fatty fish such as salmon.
Magnesium
Magnesium is important in that it helps the body perform optimally. For many people suffering from anxiety and depression, it’s because their magnesium count is low and therefore their body isn’t operating correctly. You can add more magnesium to your diet by eating the following foods:
- Spinach
- Whole wheat
- Quinoa
- Dark chocolate
- Black beans
- Almonds
- Cashews
Vitamin B
Vitamin B is actually made up of 8 different vitamins, all designed to help manage different parts of the body and how they operate, such as stress and anxiety levels. People with low vitamin B levels are more likely to experience depression and anxiety whereas those with higher vitamin B levels don’t. For the most part, if you are consuming a well-balanced, animal-based diet chances are you are already getting your daily amount of vitamin B needed. However, for those who live a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, you will likely need to take vitamin B supplements.
Supplements For Depression and Anxiety
In addition to vitamins, there are also supplements on the market that can help regulate the body and, in turn, help combat the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression. Let’s take a look at some supplements that you can take that can naturally help with anxiety and depression.
Passionflower
Passionflower is a popular herb that is used to calm anxiety and stress. It helps promote a more positive mood as well as ease nervousness and even improve sleep. While it can be found in tablet form, it is more commonly added to teas.
Valerian Root
Valerian root dates all the way back to ancient Greece. It has many different medicinal uses including helping with sleep and reducing anxiety. It helps relax the mind and body and also helps regulates the body’s stress levels. It is typically consumed in capsule, liquid, or tea form.
Lavender
Lavender is well known for its calming and relaxing effects. In fact, many think that just smelling something with lavender in it, it can help relax them. Using lavender creams, balms, and even aromatherapy can help ease stress and anxiety and promote relaxation.
Holistic Options For Depression and Anxiety
While vitamins and supplements are a great way to make sure your body is functioning at its optimal level, there are also other things that you can do that promote relaxation and overall wellness for the body and mind. Let’s take a look at some of those activities.
Yoga and Meditation
Yoga and meditation are not only a great way to center your mind, body, and soul, but can also help relieve feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Meditation and yoga produce many of the same feelings that drugs do, however, there are no withdrawal symptoms associated since it is all-natural.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture focuses on the energy that the body produces and puts out. Acupuncture uses tiny needles to transfer energy from one part of the body to another. It is widely considered the most used holistic therapy in the world and can help with:
- Chronic pain
- Migraines
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
Want To Know More About the Holistic Approach to Anxiety?
While these holistic approaches can help someone deal with anxiety and depression as an alternative to drug and alcohol use, they can also help someone who is suffering from addiction as a way to combat their anxiety and depression in a healthy and drug-free manner.
If you or someone you know is suffering from an addiction as a result of their anxiety and depression, contact us today. At Lifetime Recovery we offer a variety of treatment methods, including outpatient treatment, an intensive outpatient program, and a partial care program. Our team can help get you or your loved one back to living a happy, healthy, and sober life.
