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MAKINGWAVES
More Stories About
More on the Human Struggles with Mental Health
Below, you will find different stories, blogs, videos & articles for your reading pleasure.
Theses resources teach about the the stories across cultures & time, that speak of humanities struggle with mental health.
Clinical depression is typically treated with psychotherapy and medication in Western medicine. If those treatments aren’t working, then it might be time to try alternative therapies. Scientists have yet to agree on the effectiveness of herbal supplements, acupuncture and other treatments, but many patients with depression say they’re helpful
If you’re depressed, taking medication is only one of many treatment options. A holistic approach focuses on treating your whole being -- body and mind -- to help you feel better. A healthy diet, exercise, and talk therapy are a few of the holistic approaches you can use, along with your medication, to help speed recovery from depression.
If you’ve ever felt adrift, sensing the loss of a once-strong connection to a higher power, you may have recognized the grip of ‘spiritual depression.’ This type of depression can leave you questioning life’s meaning and purpose.
If you’ve been there, know that you’re not alone. Spiritual depression is a well-documented phenomenon and can be addressed through practices like:
meditation
gratitude
empathy
reconnecting with nature
Everyone experiences depression differently. However, there are different types of depression that have particular symptoms. They may also appear at different times. For example, postnatal depression appears around childbirth, while seasonal affective disorder appears during winter.
Some are talked about more often than others. You might have heard of clinical depression and bipolar. Types such as cyclothymic disorder and dysthymic disorder aren’t mentioned as often.
Sometimes we use different names for the same type of depression. For example, clinical depression is also called major depressive disorder.
If you don't want to take antidepressants, there are lots of alternative treatments you can try. In fact, if you are diagnosed with mild depression, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for treating depression recommend that doctors offer you other treatments ahead of medication.
If you are taking antidepressants, you may also want to use other options for treatment and support, as well as your medication.
This page has information on some of the common alternatives to antidepressants. You may find these helpful to use instead of your medication, or alongside it:
Talking therapies
Mindfulness
Arts and creative therapies
Ecotherapy
Complementary and alternative therapies
Peer support
Look after your physical health
Previous studies by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers showed that psychedelic treatment with psilocybin relieved major depressive disorder symptoms in adults for up to a month. Now, in a follow-up study of those participants, the researchers report that the substantial antidepressant effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy, given with supportive psychotherapy, may last at least a year for some patients.
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THC and CBD appear to have antidepressant-like effects in animal models at certain doses but not others.
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Marijuana has been associated with diminished motivation, but a distinct “cannabis amotivational syndrome” Considering Locked vs. Unlocked Treatment Facilities has yet to be substantiated.
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Studies looking at whether marijuana use is associated with increased likelihood of development of depression have mixed findings: in some studies, associations have not been found when other variables associated with depression and marijuana use were taken into account.
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While a slight majority of medical marijuana users report using marijuana for depression and generally find it helpful, some evidence suggests that reductions in marijuana use by those with depression may actually reduce depressive symptoms.
