What is Depression?
Do you ever have such a bad day where all you want to do is crawl into bed and stay there? It doesn’t matter what’s happening with anyone or anything, nothing interests you. You have no pleasure in doing anything and it feels like a struggle to even leave your bed. You feel hopeless and like you can accomplish nothing. Well, some people go through this battle every day because of this mental illness.
Depression is a serious mental illness that severely interferes with a person’s day to day life and activities. Symptoms of depression vary between individuals, but some common symptoms include: a relentless and long-lasting feeling of sadness, hopelessness, no interest in past hobbies, and in some cases suicidal thoughts. Depression can also have physical symptoms like pain, loss of appetite, and sleeping problems. A reoccurring problem in today’s society is the misunderstanding of depression. Depression is not similar to feeling sad. Although many people with depression do deal with sadness, this a much more severe case compared to feeling upset for a short period of time. For example, a bad mark on a test or a fight with a friend can definitely be extremely upsetting, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have depression. However, if you do experience the previously mentioned symptoms for two weeks, it may be time to talk to a doctor.
Depression can last anywhere from months to years, and makes it extremely challenging to continue on in daily life. Depression puts a strain on relationships and careers as well. Some people can’t understand why you aren’t able to “snap out of it “and become frustrated with the person. Some even think the person may have nothing to be depressed about. Depression doesn’t work that way. It isn’t like a light switch you can turn on and off. It’s a real mental illness and those with depression can’t just decide to stop feeling depressed. Unlike sadness or stress, we all experience in life every once in a while, depression is consuming and makes you feel helpless with no way out.
Depression Treatment
Thankfully, depression is one of the most treatable mental illnesses. There are many ways to treat it, again depending on the individual. A lot opt for antidepressants. Antidepressants work by adjusting the chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters that are responsible for your mood and emotions. The adjustment in the neurotransmitters can help improve mood, realign your sleep pattern, and help you concentrate on tasks. Other forms of treatment include psychotherapy (“talk therapy”), and electroconvulsive therapy. Electroconvulsive therapy is saved for the more severe cases of depression with patients that haven’t responded well to other treatments. What happens is the brain receives a small electrical stimulation while the patient is under anesthesia. This treatment unfortunately only relieves the effects temporarily and patients find themselves having to go back for more treatments. So far, antidepressant medications have been proven to be most effective.
Depression and Salt Therapy
While doing the above treatments is highly recommended, there are other aids that can be used in dealing with depression. A great example would be salt therapy. Salt therapy is a natural treatment that involves inhaling salt particles. These particles travel into your respiratory system and clean the airways. While salt therapy is usually used to treat respiratory illnesses, there are many additional benefits to this treatment. These benefits include improving overall mood and helping with sleeping problems, issues that arise for people with depression. Salt is an element that contains negative ions in it. Negative ions are usually found in more relaxing and serene places like a beach or waterfall. These ions do wonders for the body. Just as if you were actually at the beach, the negative ions help relax the body. By doing so, it increases your sense of well-being and mental clarity. This leads to better focus on your tasks and a deeper sleep because the negative ions have a positive effect on the nervous system. Salt therapy also helps in better blood oxygenation, by reducing inflammation and clearing the respiratory system. This natural aid can be used as a side treatment along with any medication being taken because there are no side effects to it. With salt therapy, you can get the healthy boost you need to get your day started.
Depression isn’t an easy illness to deal with. Thankfully, there are so many resources and treatments offered to help with overcoming it. Salt therapy can be a small but very helpful aid in these difficult times. With the purchase of a salt machine, you can make your own oasis in the comfort of your own room to relax and get away for a bit. It’s important to take care of yourself when you’re at a low point and salt therapy can help you do that. It may not be an overall cure for depression, but it can most definitely help with the symptoms. Let yourself feel renewed and motivated again by trying out salt therapy today. It’s all about taking baby steps to win the overall battle.