The fact that depression affects people so differently makes it a difficult illness to cure. However, encouraging new study suggests there might be alternatives to pills and sitting on a therapist’s couch. This is not to suggest that you should stop taking prescribed antidepressants or end your therapy relationship, but continue reading if you’d want to think about other options.
TMS
According to a recent study, 68% of adult patients receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a type of therapy that employs magnetic pulses to treat depression, had better symptoms after a year of treatment, and 45% had seen complete remission. Although TMS is now used to treat individuals who do not respond well to antidepressants, some experts believe that in the future, the technique may be utilized as the first line of treatment. Under TMS, a huge magnet is positioned on the patient’s left side of the head, stimulating the underactive parts of the patient’s brain responsible for mood control using magnetic pulses. Other than headaches in certain cases, there aren’t many documented adverse effects, and the patient remains awake the entire time. Additional studies that were released in August suggested that TMS might help improve memory.
The use of acupuncture
In the United States, acupuncture is becoming a more widely accepted method of treating a wide range of conditions, from anxiety to chronic pain. Although evidence for its application to treat mental health issues is still developing in the West, it is believed that tension can be reduced by energy manipulation through the insertion of needles into specific body areas. The effectiveness of acupuncture as a therapy remains unclear, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).
Interpersonal psychotherapy
Interpersonal therapy focuses on patients’ interactions with others and how they may struggle with connection and communication. It is frequently suggested for young people and is generally seen as a short-term depression treatment. It is also regarded to be beneficial when marital troubles occur. According to the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom, some study indicates that it may be as helpful as antidepressants in certain circumstances, but further research is needed. Some studies demonstrate that it can be used as a first-line treatment, and it is typically administered in 12 to 16 one-hour weekly sessions.
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Excercise
Research indicates that regular physical activity can enhance mental well-being. For example, Jasper Smits, a psychologist at a Dallas clinic, has long recommended that therapists employ exercise therapy for patients who are not responding to conventional types of treatment. In 2012, a clinical investigation of heart failure patients discovered that regular exercise can help relieve depression symptoms. It is thought that exercise boosts hormones such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain, helping people feel better.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy can help people get more acclimated to and comfortable with things that used to make them fearful and anxious. For example, if someone is frightened of flying, they can gradually build up to taking a flight by merely looking at photos of airplanes. According to Johns Hopkins researchers, finding the correct therapist to trust is usually highly successful.
Mindfulness
Meditation has been shown in numerous studies to be a potentially effective treatment for depression and anxiety. The mechanism is not fully understood, but the idea is that if a person is intensely aware of what is going on in the current moment, they will be able to relax and focus better. As TIME reported in January, several cognitive therapists are now offering it to patients as a strategy to deal with anxiety and depression since it can reduce stress.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America suggests that eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) directly affects how the brain receives information. It allows a person to view troubling content in a less distressing manner.” It is still considered a relatively new form of therapy. As a patient experiences an unpleasant memory, they may see moving lights, hear tones, and feel taps on their palm. It is primarily used to treat PTSD and requires much more efficacy data. Researchers have questioned whether EMDR works.
Electric shock treatment
Shock treatment, often known as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), is a somewhat frequent treatment that involves passing electric currents through the brain to cause seizures. It is thought that the shocks interfere with brain chemistry that may be out of balance. ECT is now considered considerably safer than it was in the past, when excessive doses resulted in significant side effects such as memory loss and physical harm.
Cognitive behavioral treatment (online and by phone)
People are probably familiar with cognitive behavioral therapy, a talk therapy that is typically recommended for people with moderate to severe depression. The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to help patients comprehend the events or emotions that have led to their current situation and figure out how to cope with their feelings on a daily basis. Some recent study suggests that cognitive therapy can be effective even if it is not delivered face to face. In 2012, a research compared face-to-face therapy to phone therapy and discovered that phone therapy was just as effective and more likely to be adhered to by patients. Some therapists will even conduct sessions using video chat, such as Skype.
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