Easing Depression Without a Prescription

Exercise like brisk run, a massage and a game of chess with friends may all help in fighting mild forms of the illness and stress. According to experts all these can help ease mild depression. These are worth trying even for general health.

Depression alleviation has seen many complementary remedies. Dr. Nadia Marsh, an expert in treating depression who is the chief of the division of geriatrics at Cabrini Medical Center, in New York City says that these will not help in case of a really serious depression.

Millions of Americans are identified to have some form of depression every year and many turn to their doctors for antidepressant medication or even for professional psychotherapy. The most widely used medication is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac or Zoloft.

There is also an ever increasing look out of alternatives for non-pharmacologic relief of illness, which include depression. Evidence that supports the effectiveness of these alternative the rapies is minimal. The studies on these non-pharmacologic interventions are not as extensive either. Mostly they are a few randomized controlled trials. Problems such as too-short follow-up or small sample size are often cited. Some research has been encouraging such as a study released five years back that found exercise as a major weapon against depression.

Researcher James Blumenthal, a professor of medical psychology at Duke University said that "Exercise, at least when performed in a group setting, seems to be at least as effective as standard antidepressant medications in reducing symptoms in patients with major depression."

Another study at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas reported that 30-minute workouts done three to five times a week could cut depressive symptoms in half in young adults. T'ai chi or yoga which is not vigorous or strenuous may also help lower blood pressure and ease stress

Science is not very clear about the effectiveness o f supplements and herbal medicines. Even the use folate or the B vitamins in warding off the blues is not substantiated. The most talked-about herbal therapy for depression is St. John's wort. Evidence to support this is very poor. St. John's wort as well as prescription SSRIs gets metabolized through the liver and both affect the liver.

Non-pharmacologic interventions such as massage therapy, acupuncture or aromatherapy are useful in easing short-term stress but fail when it comes to depression. However science does prove that contact with others -- friends, family, clubs and group activities -- can boost mood and help ease depression. This will certainly advance your physical well-being as well as your mental well-being