7 Ways to Holistically Deal with Depression - Rachel Devine

Depression can be overwhelming. It could feel like you have to climb a mountain just to take a shower or get dressed. Something within always seems to be pressing against the norm. It might feel like there is a cloud always hovering over. When you feel this way, it’s time to start looking within to see what is happening on the outside. And there are holistic ways to feel better.

Alongside professional treatment, certain lifestyle adjustments and holistic self-care practices can help mitigate depressive symptoms gently yet effectively. Here are 7 research-backed ways to deal with depression holistically:

Increase Omega-3s

Studies confirm insufficient essential fatty acids, including anti-inflammatory omega-3s, correlate to higher rates of depression. Supplementing daily with quality fish oil, hemp oil, or flax oil nourishes neurotransmitter development tied to mood.

A 2019 meta-analysis of 41 trials showed a clear reduction in depression severity among those supplementing with omega-3 fish oils over those taking placebos. The holistic change to add fish oil to your diet will lift low moods.

Embrace Gratitude

Cultivating daily gratitude through routines like gratitude journaling literally changes brain physiology. MRI scans reveal improved connectivity in gratitude neural pathways. Appreciating blessings also combats the negativity bias underpinning depression. Count your blessings and your life will be happier.

According to a 2021 study of 200 clinically depressed participants, daily gratitude journaling for just 3 weeks reduced depressive symptoms significantly. Staying in gratitude will lift your mood.

Light Therapy

Exposing eyes and skin to bright artificial light that mimics natural sunlight actually modifies melatonin and serotonin light-sensitive pathways. Poor daylight exposure exacerbates seasonal affective disorder and depression.

A meta-analysis of 18 studies confirmed that both seasonal and non-seasonal depression responds to daily light box therapy. Just 30–60 minutes benefited the mood of 70% of participants.

Adopt anti-inflammatory diets

Chronic inflammation and gut microbiome imbalances correlate strongly with depression. An anti-inflammatory diet emphasizing plant foods rich in polyphenols while reducing inflammatory sugars, refined carbs, and fried foods tames systemwide inflammatory pathways.

Research finds the Mediterranean diet, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and seafood, effectively improves mental health.

Optimize Vitamin D

Some studies link vitamin D deficiency to an increased risk for depression symptoms such as sadness and anxiety. Vitamin D modulates hormones and neurotransmitters, influencing mood regulation. Much evidence links low vitamin D stores with seasonal depression as we get less sun exposure.

Getting your vitamin D levels tested and supplementing accordingly under medical guidance is advisable, especially during the darker winter months. Vitamin D also stabilizes mood disorders like bipolar depression.

Negative thoughts

Negative thoughts can exasperate depression. It’s not easy to be positive when depressed, but it's worth the effort. Try hard to change negative thoughts into positive ones. When things seem dreadful, ask yourself: Is it really that bad, or are your thoughts and fears magnifying your depression? Try saying some positive affirmations out loud several times a day.

Inner child healing

Finally, addressing unresolved childhood wounds through inner child work can also lift depression rooted in past traumas, attachment wounds, and mistaken core beliefs like worthlessness or defectiveness. These past emotional wounds get embedded in the subconscious. Techniques like dialoguing, visualizations aimed at reparenting your inner child's unmet needs for unconditional love and safety, releasing trapped emotions from painful memories, and replacing negative self-talk stemming from childhood with self-compassion will help transform depressive mind loops fueled by the wounded inner child. As these subconscious burdens dissolve through conscious processing, inner children feel seen and nurtured, freeing us to value our worth. Increased self-acceptance and integration of letting go of the past lead to wholeness, increased functionality, and brighter perspectives characteristic of holistic depression recovery.

The key point is that depression often links to oppressive inner critic voices, perfectionism, low self-worth, self-isolation, and hopelessness stemming from childhood maltreatment, emotional absence or even grief. By directly healing these past wounds through inner child healing techniques, we target the root psychological and subconscious drivers of depression for deep transformation rather than just symptom management.

While working with doctors to manage diagnosed clinical depression is vital, certain holistic self-care techniques outlined will empower you as a partner in sustaining long-term therapeutic benefits through your daily lifestyle change. Every small positive choice counts towards inner healing from depression.

If you need it, please call 988 suicide and crisis line. Your life is worth it!

More information on depression on Drugwatch.

Rachel Devine’s new book, Discover the Power of the Secret Within: Healing Your Inner Child to Manifest Your Dreams, is on Amazon now and will help you come to terms with the wounded inner child.

Devine Intervention: Inner Healing Center