Prevention

There's no sure way to prevent depression. However, taking steps to control stress, to increase your resilience and to boost low self-esteem may help. Friendship and social support, especially in times of crisis, can help you weather rough spells. In addition, treatment at the earliest sign of a problem can help prevent depression from worsening. Long-term maintenance treatment also may help prevent a relapse of depression symptoms.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Depression generally isn't an illness that you can treat on your own. But you can do some things for yourself that will build on your treatment plan. In addition to professional treatment, follow these self-care steps for depression:

• Stick to your treatment plan. Don't skip therapy sessions, even if you don't feel like going.
• Take your medications as directed. Even if you're feeling well, resist any temptation to skip your medications. If you stop, depression symptoms may come back, and you could also experience withdrawal-like symptoms.
• Learn about depression. Education about your condition can empower you and motivate you to stick to your treatment plan.
• Pay attention to warning signs. Work with your doctor or therapist to learn what might trigger your depression symptoms. Make a plan so that you know what to do if symptoms return. Contact your doctor or therapist if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel. Consider involving family members or friends in watching for warning signs.
• Get active. Physical activity and exercise have been shown to reduce depression symptoms. Consider walking, jogging, swimming, gardening or taking up another form of exercise you enjoy.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol. Alcohol and illicit drugs can worsen depression symptoms.
  
  

Coping and support

Coping with depression can be challenging. Depression makes it hard to engage in the behavior and activities that may help you feel better. Talk to your doctor or therapist about improving your coping skills, and consider these tips to cope with depression:

• Simplify your life. Cut back on obligations when possible, and set reasonable schedules for goals.
• Consider writing in a journal to express pain, anger, fear or other emotions.
• Read reputable self-help books and consider talking about them to your doctor or therapist.
• Don't become isolated. Try to participate in normal activities and get together with family or friends regularly.
• Take care of yourself by eating a healthy diet and getting sufficient sleep.
• Join a support group for people with depression so that you can connect to others facing similar challenges.
• Stay focused on your goals. Recovery from depression is an ongoing process. Stay motivated by keeping your recovery goals in mind. Remind yourself that you're responsible for managing your illness and working toward your goals.
• Learn relaxation and stress management. Try such stress reduction techniques as meditation, yoga or tai chi.
• Structure your time. Plan your day and activities. Try to stay organized. You may find it helpful to make a list of daily tasks.
• Don't make important decisions when you're in the depths of depression, since you may not be thinking clearly.

Alternative medicine

You may be interested in trying to relieve depression symptoms with complementary or alternative medicine strategies. These include nutritional and dietary supplements and mind-body techniques.

Keep in mind that nutritional and dietary products aren't regulated. The Food and Drug Administration doesn't test them for safety, purity or effectiveness. You can't always be sure of what you're getting and if it's safe. Also, be aware that herbal and dietary supplements can interfere with the way certain prescription medications work or cause dangerous interactions that can harm your health. Talk to your doctors and other health care providers before taking any herbal or dietary supplements.

While some researchers are studying the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine, the jury's still out. Make certain you understand possible risks as well as benefits before pursuing them. Complementary and alternative treatments generally aren't a good substitute for traditional HeartCare-Info care.

Nutritional and dietary supplements
Here's a look at some nutritional supplements commonly used for depression:

• St. John's wort. Known scientifically as Hypericum perforatum, this is an herb that's been used for centuries to treat a variety of ills, including depression. It's not approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat depression in the United States. Rather, it's classified as a dietary supplement. However, it's a popular depression treatment in Europe. Some studies show it may be helpful if you have mild or moderate depression.
• SAM-e. Pronounced "sammy," this is a synthetic form of a chemical that occurs naturally in the body. The name is short for S-adenosyl-methionine. It's not approved by the FDA to treat depression in the United States. Rather, it's classified as a dietary supplement. However, it's used in Europe as a prescription drug to treat depression.
• Omega-3 fatty acids. These are polyunsaturated fats found mostly in seafood. Good sources of omega-3s include fatty, cold-water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Flaxseed, flax oil and walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids, and small amounts are found in soybean and canola oils.

Mind-body connections
The connection between mind and body has been studied for centuries. And with depression, some people experience physical symptoms even more than mood-related symptoms. For instance, they may experience frequent fatigue, headache, backache, or vague aches and pains.

Mind-body techniques are thought to strengthen the communication between your mind and your body. Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe these two systems must be in harmony for you to stay healthy or to heal.

Mind-body techniques used to improve depression symptoms include:

• Acupuncture
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Guided imagery
• Massage therapy

As with dietary supplements, take care in using these techniques. Although they may pose less of a risk, relying solely on these to treat depression may not be effective enough. If you try mind-body techniques first to treat your depression but your symptoms worsen or don't improve, be sure to consult your health care providers.