I don't want medicine

Question: I have been feeling "down" for several weeks now, and decided to see a doctor about it. The doctor said that I am clinically depressed and should seek treatment. The problem is that I am very holistic, and I do not want to deal with medications. I don't want to go against my beliefs, but I also want to feel better. What can I do to overcome depression without medications?

Answer: Most people do not understand depression, or how to overcome it, which is why millions of people go undiagnosed and untreated each year. While medication is certainly one form of treatment for depression, it is not the only form, neither is it the best form. A great alternative to medication, and a treatment shown to be extremely effective, especially in the long run is psychotherapy, or talk therapy.

What is psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy, or "talk therapy" as it is often called is basically where you talk to a therapist to help you discover what you are feeling, why you are feeling that way, and help you come up with ways to manage those feelings so that they do not escalate.

There are a few different types of therapy you can try. The first is for cognitive behavioral therapy, which basically helps you identify which behaviors are leading to your episodes of depression, and how to stop them. So, in other words, maybe you are taking on too much work, and the stress from getting behind, is what sets off your depression. This therapy will help you identify the problem, and learn to better manage stress and time so that it does not occur continually.

The next type of therapy is for processing and dealing with traumatic experiences from your past that may be causing you to feel depressed.This is called psychodynamic therapy. It will help you identify and work through those issues that are overshadowing your life and making you feel inadequate, guilty, etc.

The third is called interpersonal therapy. This is a therapy that helps treat you for the relationships in your life that are negative emotionally, and may be causing you to become depressed.

If you have mild or moderate depression therapy can be very effective on its own. However, if your depression is severe, or you have major depression, you may do better with treatment that combines psychotherapy and medication.

You may need to do your talk therapy with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a social worker. If you need medication as well, it is worth discussing your views and beliefs with the therapist to see what they recommend for you. They may be able to help you find a treatment option that works better for you.