Feeling “blue” from time to time can be a natural and appropriate response to a stressful or catastrophic situation. Yet, staying in a blue depressive mood for a long time is not a healthy or normal response. Depression is a serious ailment that can cost a life if left untreated. Read on to learn what symptoms are part of a depression diagnosis, treatments for depression, and available resources.
Symptoms of Depression
What exactly is depression or what’s clinically called major depressive disorder (MDD)?
In order to be diagnosed with MDD, a person has to experience symptoms that affect how she/he feels, thinks, and engages in daily activities (sleeping, eating, studying, working, etc.), experiencing a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure and four or more of the symptoms below most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks. The severity of the condition depends on the degree and frequency of symptoms.
According to the DSM-5, you may be suffering from depression if you experience:
- Persistent sad or “empty” mood
- Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism
- Irritability
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
- Decreased energy or fatigue
- Moving or talking more slowly
- Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
- Appetite and/or weight changes
- Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Types of Depression
Depression can take different forms in people.
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): As explained above, the symptoms must take place for at least 2 weeks.
- Persistent Depressive Disorder (or Dysthymia): Depressed moods that last for at least two years.
- Peripartum or Postpartum Depression: Women experiencing MDD during or after delivery (postpartum).
- Psychotic Depression: Depression accompanied by some form of psychosis, such as having delusions (disturbing beliefs not based on reality) or hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that others cannot hear or see).
- Seasonal Affective Disorder: The onset of depression takes place during the winter months.
- Bipolar Disorder: Episodes of major depression along with manic episodes (periods of extremely high – euphoric or irritable – moods as well as elated and energized behavior), or a less severe form called “hypomania.”
Treatment
There are diverse treatments for depression:
Nutrition
Addressing your nutrition can play a powerful role in improving depression by supporting brain health, balancing mood-regulating hormones, and reducing inflammation. A select number of supplements and foods can improve your brain functioning and emotional stability. Nutrient-dense foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants help fuel neurotransmitter production, including serotonin and dopamine, happy chemicals involved in mood regulation.
A balanced diet that stabilizes blood sugar can also prevent mood swings and energy crashes that often worsen depressive symptoms. Additionally, reducing processed foods and added sugars can decrease systemic inflammation, which has been linked to depression in numerous studies. By nourishing your body with whole, nutrient-rich foods, you create a stronger foundation for emotional resilience and mental well-being.
It’s also essential to address your gut health. A healthy gut promotes better digestion, nutrient absorption, and even mood regulation, since much of your serotonin is produced in the gut. Taking high-quality probiotics can help restore balance to your gut microbiome, reduce inflammation, and improve symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, dialectical, group, and family therapies can provide great results. Psycho-education and support groups can also be very valuable. Therapy can provide you with an objective sounding board to express yourself and to help you gain insight into your patterns and behaviors. It can help overcome traumas and negative childhood experiences, address negative thinking patterns, provide healthy coping mechanisms, improve relationship dynamics, get rid of self-destructive patterns, and help you achieve your goals. Anyone can benefit from therapy.
Psychedelics
These hallucinatory and consciousness-altering drugs like mescaline, LSD, psilocybin, and DMT are now appreciated for their positive effects on mood, PTSD, and addiction. Ketamine provides great results for treatment-resistant depression, and edible mushrooms and supplements can also have healing properties. Here are a couple of great interviews by Tim Ferriss on the matter (Psychedelics – Microdosing, Mind-Enhancing Methods, and More & Michael Pollan — Exploring the Frontiers of Psychedelics).
Pharmacotherapy
Medications like antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and anti-anxiety drugs may be necessary at times, but they should be considered a last resort and only for a short-term solution. While medications can provide some relief by easing your symptoms, they don’t address the root cause of the issue. In some cases, using medication at the beginning of your healing journey can help you manage intense emotions while you work on understanding your thought patterns, relationship dynamics, and the reasons behind your symptoms. Yet, you still need to develop healthier coping strategies
It’s important to recognize that antidepressants are neurotoxic and, like most pharmaceuticals, have negative lasting side effects, and they do not promote true healing on their own. If you have been taking medications but have implemented holistic lifestyle changes to deal with depression and feel that your symptoms are manageable, it may be worth discussing with your psychiatrist whether tapering off your medication is appropriate. You can also read this Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs.
Lifestyle Treatments
To truly heal from depression or any other mental health disorder, it’s essential to address your lifestyle alongside any therapeutic interventions. A holistic approach is crucial because the mind cannot be treated in isolation—we are whole beings. Your emotional, cognitive, and behavioral systems are deeply interconnected, and your physical and spiritual well-being play vital roles in your overall health. For lasting transformation, it’s important to examine your daily activity levels (as exercise supports healthy neurotransmitter function), nurture meaningful social connections, explore your sense of purpose, and tend to your spiritual life.
Learn more about holistic lifestyle changes to deal with depression naturally and about incorporating a holistic approach in my book, 28 Days to a New Life
Resources
The following is a list of Mental Health Helplines, Suicide Hotlines, And Depression Advice Centers worldwide compiled by HappyHappyVegan
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
About the Author
Adriana Albritton has a Master’s in Forensic Psychology, certifications in personal training, nutrition, and detoxification, and is the founder of FitnAll Coaching and blog. She is the author of 28 Days to a New Life: A Holistic Program to Get Fit, Delay Aging, and Enhance Your Mindset, and a coauthor of The Better Business Book Volumes II and III. With a background in mental health, Adriana brings a holistic, science-backed approach to wellness. She combines mindset coaching, fitness, and nutrition to help people stay lean, energized, healthy, and centered. As part of Health Six FIT, she’s also helping reshape healthcare through AI-driven, integrative wellness education.
