Depression affects more people than we realize. When a sad moment lasts longer than just a few hours and extends for days... it is quite possible that an individual is depressed. However, medications are not always the answer for people who are able to manage their depression without it. There are numerous ways to manage one's depression without ever using medications.

Try a few of these following things and see if you can’t fight that depression away. It may be easier than you thought!

Get Up and Get Moving!

A great way to get higher serotonin levels in your brain is to get some exercise. It's hard to motivate yourself to get up and moving when you're depressed, but it's definitely worth it. Go outside in the sunshine and go for a nice walk. The serotonin levels in your brain will increase and naturally make you feel happier. Don't feel like going outside because it's raining? Get up and do some indoor exercises. Pull out that kick boxing video and go at it for a half hour.

The exercise will definitely get your serotonin up, you'll feel great, and you're one step closer to getting into shape!

Talk to Someone about What You're Feeling

The greatest healing agent out there when it comes to emotional duress it to talk to someone about it. The person you talk to doesn't necessarily have to be a therapist or a professional. It can be your neighbor, your friend, a family member, or a loved one. It's great to talk to someone and get a new perspective on what is depressing you. It's also a great load off of your shoulders when you let all of your feelings out rather than bottling them up inside.

Or, you could find a support group of other people going through what you are going through if your depression is circumstantial. Hearing other people's stories is a great way to realize that you're not alone and a great way to move onto fighting your depression.

Eat Healthier Foods

Junk food is often a great way to soothe depression, but it's not the best choice. So put away the ice cream and the chocolates and grab a bag of celery stick or carrots. Take time to examine your diet and see what fattening foods you can eliminate. Pick foods that are meant to be eaten by the body: fruits, vegetables, and proteins. These three are great ways to turbo charge your body. Turbo charging your food can lead to helping your body feel healthier.

Just feeling healthier can make you want to get up and move around. It's a great way to fight that depressing that's keeping you down.