The most popular and sought after depression treatment can be broken into three main types: prescription medications, natural and so-called ‘alternative’ medicine, as well as cognitive behavior therapy type programs. Typically one or more of these different types of depression treatment are utilized to help find relief for depression symptoms and causes.
Many people are reluctant to take prescription anti-depressants and other pharmaceutical drugs often prescribed for the treatment of depression. Most of these drugs have not undergone long term testing and so the long term effects are really not known. Many studies and cases have further indicated the potential harm of using pharmaceutical drugs to treat depression, as some types of anti-depressants have known side effects including depression, of all symptoms!
During the 1990s it is estimated that the use of alternative medicine for treating depression increased by more than 300%. Additionally, not only do natural medicines work effectively at treating depression symptoms, but these natural drugs have been around and used for thousands of years, thus giving us much more history to refer to in search of the correct treatment for a given situation and individual.
Natural therapeutic agents such as Kava Kava, St. John’s Wort, Valerican Root, SAM-e and 5-HTP have all been shown to effect significant anti-depressive results in those taking one or more natural medicines for depression for between three and twelve weeks. Of course the reduced cost of natural medicines is also another attractive feature of trying homeopathic remedies for depression.
There are also many combination herbal blends that combine the medicines listed above as well as others. It is generally recommended, however, that patients try different single medicines and herbs before combining them, in order to determine what each ingredient does on its own.
Cognitive behavioral therapy programs can also help decrease or eliminate depression by helping patients identify automatic thoughts and find out which core beliefs in which they are rooted. There is also supportive work done to overwrite the negative core beliefs with positive ones that will effect change in the direction that the client wishes to move. In the meantime, patients are given various types of coping skills and exercises to decrease stress and anxiety during this time of exploration and work.