what can a person do about depression when they cannot afford medical treatment.

[hlthe2b]

2. Sea, there are sliding scale mental health treatment/counselors available in most areas...but

short of professional treatment (which of course may be very vital and certainly should be pursued), the one thing that helped me through the loss of both parents --one right after the other several years ago--and the overwhelming depression that followed, was long distance outdoor walks, every day, 5-8 miles. It is more than simply anecdotal, as walking has been shown in studies to be beneficial for depression--from the release of natural endorphins to the rhythmic meditative aspects of walking. I kept it up for many many months during this time before backtracking... Now, after the loss of my last dog, I'm back faithfully doing so again. Getting outside, the exercise, the endorphins, greeting other people along the way---all are incredibly helpful.


Doing what he can to improve his diet will also help--perhaps tremendously... That junk food does more damage than just piling on weight and impacting risk for Type II diabetes... It also changes brain chemistry... There is also some data on Omega 3 fatty acids and depression, so supplementing this and eating fish is a good idea. Obviously getting off the processed food and eating a good balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, lean meat and dairy, high fiber grains can help.

Having a support system is also important...

Best wishes to you and your brother, sea