What Works For Depression

Mind (the National Association of Mental Health), revealed in a recent report that 93% of UK GPs have prescribed antidepressants due to a lack of other treatment options. Many other treatments for depression are available that can be used in lieu of or in addition to antidepressants. They were thinking of something else.

To stay well, it is common to take a combination of different treatments. Even if antidepressants are prescribed, a person will still need to live a healthy lifestyle, such as exercise, good nutrition, and minimal stress.

A small percentage of people suffering from depression are affected by what is known as melancholic (or biological) depression. People with bipolar disorder are also affected. They are often dependent on medication to maintain or attain good health. Non-medical treatments, however, can be considered supplementary. Treatments that include strategies other than medication are common for non-melancholic depressive disorder.

Let's return to the benefits of different treatments.

The Centre for Mental Health ResearchWe surveyed all the scientific literature and ranked the treatments according to how much evidence was supporting them. If you are looking for a term, the Medicine Net medical dictionary can be a great resource.

Medical treatments Both antidepressants as well as electro-convulsive therapies are highly rated and have strong scientific evidence.

Psychological Treatments:

With strong evidence of its effectiveness, cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective. The next level is interpersonal psychotherapy, psychodynamic therapy and bibliotherapy. These therapies are supported by scientific evidence, but not as strong as the evidence.

Lifestyle and Alternative Therapies:

The second tier is a list of useful treatments that include light therapy, exercise, and St John's Wort. However, there is not as much evidence as for antidepressants. There are many other promising treatments on the third tier, but there is less evidence. This includes acupuncture and alcohol avoidance, massage therapy (relaxation therapy), vitamins, and yoga.

The Black Dog Institute used a different approachSurveying whatPatientsThe most effective treatments were rated. Professor Gordon Parker, the leader of the study, stated that patients don't necessarily agree with professionals regarding effective treatments for depression. Yes, patients can be quite incisive about which treatments are effective.

The survey was completed by 2,692 people. People with depression considered exercise to be the most beneficial, leaving aside "talk therapies" and medicines. People with depression ranked yoga, meditation, relaxation, and massage as the most beneficial. Acupuncture and homeopathy were second, with moderate rankings. The lowest ranked preparations of Omega 3 and herbal herbs were the ones that are not considered to be effective.

There you have it. Many people have found that it takes more than just drugs to get well. You will be more likely to keep your health good if you pursue all possible options. It's the difficult part of putting it into practice! Therapies For Depression