Depression and anxiety are difficult illnesses to face. Coping with either or both can feel like an insurmountable task at times. But with the right medication, open communication, and proper dieting and exercising, you can begin to fight both depression and anxiety.
Taking Active Measures to Fight Depression and Anxiety
1Start seeing a doctor, therapist, or psychiatrist. Explain how you have been feeling, and what struggles you have been going through. You may be prescribed therapy and/or antidepressants. 
- Your family doctor can help you by listening to your symptoms, referring you to a specialist, and possibly prescribing medication.
- Therapies such as CBT (Cognitive behavioral therapy) and DBT (Dialectal behavioral therapy) can help you counter negative thoughts and learn strategies for handling rough times. 
- Making the step to get professional help can be difficult if you are depressed. Feeling bad because you can’t control your mood on your own is normal. Making the decision to get help is a positive action which will help you to begin fighting depression and anxiety.
- Look for therapists or doctors who you like and feel comfortable with. Don’t be afraid to interview several before picking one you like.
2Keep on top of your medications. Once you meet with a doctor you may get a prescription for medication to help fight your depression or anxiety. It’s extremely important that you take the proper dose and stay consistent. 
- Many of these medications change the chemical imbalance in your brain and affect your serotonin levels. Low levels of the brain chemical serotonin are a factor which can lead to depression.
- When you don’t take your medication regularly, your body experiences withdrawal and can make you feel worse than before.
- Battling depression and anxiety is a constant in most cases. You may not find the right medication for you right away. It may take several months to get it right and you may have several different prescriptions along the way.
- It’s extremely important that you keep honest and open communication about your medication and how you are feeling with your doctor.
3Get moving and exercise. Exercise releases endorphins and improves your overall health. Go for walks, play backyard sports, swim, hike, or play with children or pets.  Try exercising with a loved one to make it fun and help you stay motivated.
- If you suffer from depression and anxiety staying active can be a big challenge. On those days when it’s an impossible task to even get out of bed, the thought alone of physical activity is exhausting. Therefore, it’s a great idea to take measures that keep you dedicated. Get a personal trainer and join a gym. The commitment and cost can help you keep on top of a routine.
- Try doing yoga.  Yoga helps you strengthen your body while also exercising your mind and spirit. The breathing techniques and poses you learn from yoga combined with the physical activity can energize you and help you feel happy and relaxed.
4Eat a more balanced diet. It is essential to get the right type of nutrition. Your body cannot function on junk food alone. Multi-vitamins cannot replace a balanced diet, but they can help make sure you're getting the nutrition you need.
- Figure out what your favorite fruits and vegetables are. Focus on ones you enjoy eating. Try adding these fruits to a dessert (e.g. bananas or strawberries with honey or Nutella).
- Be careful of how much caffeine you drink. Caffeine, like your coffee in the morning, can seem like a great way to feel awake, especially when depression and anxiety make you feel tired. But caffeine can make it harder to sleep, increase your anxiety, and alter your mood. Watch how much caffeine you consume and don’t drink any before bed. 
- Cut back on alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it can lower your mood. When you drink a lot you not only harm your body and lower your immune system, you’re more likely to make impulsive decisions you regret. Depression and anxiety can also make it easier for you to become more dependent on alcohol. Instead of reaching for a beer, try tea. 
5Sleep better. The way you are feeling could be caused by an insufficient amount of sleep. Try to get a longer night’s rest and develop a better sleeping routine.
- Try practicing relaxation exercises at night if you are having a hard time falling asleep like meditation.
- Drink chamomile tea or try melatonin if you are experiencing insomnia.
- If you have depression and anxiety, getting adequate rest can be difficult, but is also very important. Try keeping a sleep routine that puts you in bed at the same time each night. Aim to sleep for 8 hours. 
Finding a Balance
1Identify your triggers. If certain social situations, tasks, or your job trigger negative feelings or anxiety it’s important to know that. Talking with a therapist is a good method for discovering what triggers your mood. It may be best to steer clear of unnecessary triggers for now.
- A therapist can help you use exposure therapy to gradually, safely confront them.
- Note that avoiding a trigger too much can make your feelings worse. Tell an expert how you feel, so you can start working on conquering it in a controlled manner.
2Tell your loved ones that you're struggling. You may feel scared, embarrassed, or ashamed to bring up that you're having a hard time, but it's worth it.
- Loved ones who are close to you can help bring you up when you're down, and make your life easier.
- Confiding in and being able to be yourself around this person can help to alleviate your depression or anxiety. Sometimes, when we feel pressure to pretend to be happy, we end up feeling worse. But when we don’t have to do pretend around certain people it can alleviate pressure and worsened feelings.
- Talk your parents about your depression and anxiety. Often these illnesses are hereditary. You may find that one of your parents has been dealing with the same thing you are. Your parent can give you advice on coping mechanisms that may help.
3Don't isolate yourself. Other people can help remind you that you have value and that life is worth living. Connect with people who make you smile. 
- While you sometimes want to be alone and stay in bed, forcing yourself to get out and interact with others is important.
- Isolating yourself can be dangerous when you’re feeling down. Being alone with your anxious thoughts can worsen how you feel.
- Though you should get out and be active, there are times when being alone is good for you. Perhaps you just need some time to yourself to read a book, watch a movie, or listen to music. Just don’t make a habit of choosing to be alone over socializing. It’s about finding a balance.
4Get physical interaction. Cuddling with a loved one or pet can help you feel relaxed and loved.
- Make time with your significant other to cuddle and talk. Being intimate and open can help you feel better. And help your significant other to understand what you’re experiencing.
- Get a pet to cuddle with. Pets are great for people trying to cope with depression and anxiety. Pets promote touch, can distract us, are happy to see us, and keep us active. 
Exploring Natural Remedies
1Get into a routine. Routines are important for people trying to cope with, or get rid of depression and anxiety.
- Having a daily routine which you follow can be a big help. The reason for this is because a routine gives you something to focus on and look forward to.
- When we are left with no concrete plans we find that it may be easier to wander and procrastinate.
- Try to get up at the same time every day, eat a healthy breakfast and follow daily routines. These routines can be as simple as brushing your teeth, or more involved like planning out a whole day.
- You can also incorporate time just for you into your daily routine. Maybe you find it helpful to go for a fifteen-minute walk every day after lunch.
- If you are on medication, make sure to take it at the same time each day.
2Eat happy, healthy foods. While having a good diet is important for fighting depression and anxiety, certain foods are a great natural resource to boost your mood.For example:
- Cherry tomatoes are a great addition to your salad. These little tomatoes contain a component called lycopene which has antioxidants that are responsible for enhancing your mood.
- Instead of iceberg lettuce in your salad, try spinach. Spinach is full of iron and folic acid which boosts your immunity by buffing up your red blood cells.
- Drink green tea and add honey. Honey is a great sugar substitute that contains kaempferol and quercetin which improve brain health.
- For a healthy, lean meat try turkey. Turkey has tryptophan which makes you happy and provides a great source of protein.
3Practice meditation. When you suffer from anxiety and depression it’s easy to feel like the world is spinning around you and too overwhelming. Meditation is a perfect natural combatant to these feelings. 
- Whether you do it for an hour a day or five minutes, breathing and clearing your mind can help rid you of bad feelings.
- You don’t have to sit in a complicated position on the floor and say “Ohm” over and over; though you may find that comforting. Just find a quiet place where you can be comfortable and focus on your breathing.
- Practice breathing in and out through your nose. Let the air fill your stomach and push it out on the inhale. On the exhale let your belly fall as you slowly expel air.
4Get more exposure to Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is commonly found with people who suffer from depression and anxiety.
- Vitamin D is a vitamin that helps our bodies to stay strong. It’s found in milk and also in the UV light created by sunlight.
- Not getting enough Vitamin D can contribute to our feeling low, weak, and tired. Drink more milk and get outside more to get exposed to sunlight.
- You can also take Vitamin D supplements like drops to help boost your moods.
- If you live somewhere that gets much darker in the winter, consider a sun lamp. These lamps produce light which mimics sunlight and can help trigger Vitamin D production in our bodies.
- Don’t be afraid to seek professional help. Sometimes this is the only way to start fighting depression and anxiety.
- Stay active and build routines to keep you motivated.
- Get out and socialize, but find a balance for those times when you need to be alone.
- If you are on medication and don’t feel like it’s working, contact your doctor to explore other options.
- Refrain from scary or depressing movies or shows. Watch something bright and funny when you are feeling low.
- It may be impossible to completely get rid of depression and/or anxiety for you. However, even if you can't make these conditions go away completely, you can work to make it easier and learn coping mechanisms.
Sources and Citations
- ↑ http://www.webmd.com/depression/finding-doctor-therapist
- ↑ http://psychcentral.com/lib/whats-the-difference-between-cbt-and-dbt/
- ↑ http://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/antidepressants-depression-medication.htm
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/
- ↑ https://yogainternational.com/article/view/5-poses-for-warding-off-depression
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/caffeine-and-depression/faq-20057870
- ↑ http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/alcohol-and-depresssion
- ↑ https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-disorders-problems/depression-and-sleep
- ↑ http://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/teenagers-guide-to-depression.htm
- ↑ http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/05/19/6-ways-pets-relieve-depression/
- ↑ http://www.indiatimes.com/health/healthyliving/fight-depression-20-best-foods-for-happiness-236139-1.html
- ↑ http://www.techtimes.com/articles/2553/20140109/meditation-good-pills-fight-depression-anxiety.htm