These treatments also compliment therapy and medication – these are some of the things I try and do alongside taking medication. Some more than others. Some of these I have only tried once or twice so cannot say they ‘work’ or not but I wanted to mention them. Medication is a personal choice and so are these treatments. Some might work and some won’t do a thing. Some may help you but not help me or others out there. I thought it is worth mentioning and writing about as many things as I have come across in case anyone else is like me and sits up late at night looking for something ‘new’ to try. Some of these are purely things I personally enjoy doing and totally made up. I hope it helps in some way. X
Meditation
Herbal Remedies
Supplements and Vitamins
Acupuncture
Hypnotherapy
Yoga
Aromatherapy
Grounding and other exercises
Diet and Nutrition
Reflexology
Exercise
Mindfulness
Homeopathy (have not tried this)
Counselling and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Massage Therapy
Crying Therapy (lots of this)!
Healing Crystals & Deepening Spirituality
Faith and Religion: Prayer
Light Therapy (haven’t tried this)
Creative Writing & Poetry
Art Therapy
Music Therapy
Cooking
Support groups and apps
Charities and website to reach out for help (‘Mind’ and many others)
Online Therapy – aimed at speaking to other who feel the same and learning more
Sleeping Pattern – getting enough sleep (Sleep apps) NAPS
Sun Therapy (YES, It’s a thing)
Creating a mini schedule of your day or week
Forest bathing / nature healing / hug a tree / getting outside / rolling on the grass
Animal therapy (PETS) We love them all – hug them, stroke them, lock them in your room so they cannot escape!
Family Therapy
Friends
Helping others is therapy too!
Laughing Yoga
Candles
Long baths
Writing down three good things about your day
This is a great list! Many of these are huge topics on their own, so there is much more to be said/read. Some of these I have found helpful, though impossible to actually do when deeply depressed (cooking and exercising in particular) while others like taking medication or vitamins/supplements are much more achievable no matter my mood. There are interesting new ideas about the connection between the digestive system and the brain which have led me to try and improve my diet and nutrition, though I couldn’t have changed my eating habits without major support from my parents – I visited for 10 days and they bought or cooked most of my meals for me! On returning home I have continued the healthy eating habits they started for me! Three months later and I am feeling much better, but I have no idea if it’s mostly due to the diet changes or other factors. I have lost some of the weight I put on over the last few years, so definitely benefitting from the change!
I could write so much more about each of these.
Some are impossible to do on the days where you can barely move from your bed. On the days where the sun seems to make an appearance and you feel like you can manage it – then I try and do as much as I can.
I think it is probably a bit of both. X