How Meditation Can Help Prevent and Potentially Cure Symptoms of Depression

Meditation can be an important part of healing your body and spirit, but it can also be a great way to begin to heal your mind. When you are depressed, the brain is generally having some chemical issues. For example, our neurotransmitters are lacking in the good vibes; namely serotonin and norepinephrine. A lot of people rely on antidepressants to get the job done and get those neurotransmitters working again, however, time and again studies have shown that many antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, can be dangerous and actually cause worse problems than they are trying to treat.

Fortunately, other studies have also found that meditation is a natural way to get those neurotransmitters working again. By utilizing the power of meditation, our brains are able to naturally produce more of the feel good neurotransmitters so that we are better able to prevent and manage depression symptoms naturally.

Another great benefit of utilizing meditation as an antidepressant rather than using pills is that meditation is a fix that can last a lifetime, while with pills, there is always a risk that you will develop a dependency and find it difficult to survive without them. Some antidepressants can be so dangerous that trying to get yourself off of them can even cause you to feel suicidal. Missing a day of meditation, however, will likely not have that effect.

Meditation is a tool that we can always keep in our back pocket for when times get tough. If we practice it often enough, it can help our minds to stay balanced and prevent us from having reactive emotional outbursts or other unwanted or extreme reactions to outside stimulus. We can better manage our emotions by looking more objectively at problems. Meditation helps us to have a more balanced approach to stressful situations, which overall can be a huge boon to anybody who is prone to depression or already suffering from it.

There are so many incredible benefits to meditation. The fact that it can actually produce the chemicals in our brains that are lacking when we suffer from depression seems like a strong indication that we were meant to take time out of our day to reflect and seek out the solitude in our lives. Most of us have an unhealthy tendency to fixate on the negativity; another fun aspect of the brain called the negativity bias. But with meditation, we are better able to see the world with just enough objectivity to remain positive and continue working toward our goals.

This sense of motivation is crucial to people with depression. It can make all the difference between someone who is struggling to get out of bed in the morning and someone who is ready to tackle the next project and move their lives in the direction they want. If you are someone who has ever struggled with depression, considering meditation as a way to help keep your brain regulated is a great option. Finding a peaceful place can help you in more ways than you could count, so give it a try today!