Depression is an illness, and it has been shown to affect no less than 6% of any sample population (America for example) at any given period.

The percent may indeed be much higher at times of stress. Many sufferers need medical attention; as the depression does not just go away on its own, here we are going to show you some simple natural cures.

Depression has basically three levels of severity; mild, moderate, and acute (meaning severe).

Mild depression is described as the sufferer having difficulty in with their normal daily activities.

moderate depression disables the sufferer to function properly at their work or in private life.

Acute depression can produce a condition that interferes with a person's ability to generally function normally. This in tern can also produce collateral symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations, and can eventually lead to suicide.

There are of course, many synthetic pharmaceutical remedies for depression.

Some are very well known and have been used by doctors for some time. They do, unfortunately have their own adverse side effects, such as dependency (thus withdrawal symptoms. An example is Paxil, were the US, FDA is now requiring the manufacturer to state the drug has severe withdrawal symptoms).

Happily, there are several natural ways to lift depression, and some arent even medicines at all. See below a list of what is being used (some very successfully against depression).

Kriya Yoga. This is a form of Yoga that uses a type of rhythmic hyperventilation, and its daily practice has been shown in studies to alleviate several or all of depressive symptoms in whole ranges of depressive symptoms.

Bright Light Therapy. Originally a test and treatment for depressed pregnant woman, the Bright Light Therapy has also been used to treat SAD (seasonal affective disorder), where the sufferer has a depression due to the seasons lack of sunlight.

St. Johns Wort (hypericum perforatum). This is a long-studied, and well tolerated natural herbal cure for depression.

St John's Wort contains a variety of natural antidepressant substances including, hypericin, pseudohypericin and hyperforin. These work at the root of mild depression, boosting neurotransmitter function and returning your mood to normal.

It may not work as fast as the pharmaceutical alternatives, but there are NO side-effects, and in time (perhaps 6 weeks) are just or more effective.

EPA. This is one of the Omega-3 fatty acids, derived from fish oil. Recent studies show high does of this natural substance are curing acute depression, even suicidal tendencies.

Saffron. New studies have indicated that saffron (long known for its anti-depressive qualities) is as effective as imipramine and Prozac.

DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA), is now considered by many doctors an effective antidepressant. This herbal remedy for depression works by raising phenylethylamine (PEA) levels in the brain increasing the production of Norepinephrine. This natural antidepressant also protects and increases the lifetime of Endorphins (chemicals involved in mood and pain regulation). DL-Phenylalanine converts to L-tyrosine in the body.

L-Threonine is an essential amino acid. In several studies, L-Threonine supplementation gave people with acute depressive symptoms a greater control over their moods.

5-HTP. This is an herbal remedy for depression that is also the immediate precursor to Melatonin and Serotonin. Serotonin gives a neurochemical balance during times of stress, and is essential to regulating mood and other important bodily functions.

* Skullcap (scutellaria laterifolia). ) Skullcap is rich in the minerals that are essential for the nervous system. This herbal remedy for depression is also used for agitation, neurasthenia, anxiety, fatigue, hysteria, and headaches, Skullcap as an herbal remedy for depression is useful to relieve withdrawal symptoms when going off of pharmaceutical antidepressants and tranquillizers.

As you can see, there are many alternatives to the synthetic, and possibly harmful drugs now given to relieve depression.