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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffYou may be interested in trying to relieve depression symptoms with complementary or alternative medicine strategies. These include supplements and mind-body techniques. Make certain you understand risks as well as possible benefits before pursuing alternative therapy. Don't replace conventional medical treatment or psychotherapy with alternative medicine. When it comes to depression, alternative treatments aren't a substitute for professional care.
Here are some common alternative treatments that are used for depression.
Herbal remedies and supplements
A number of herbal remedies and supplements have been used for depression. A few common ones include:
- St. John's wort. Known scientifically as Hypericum perforatum, this is an herb that's been used for centuries to treat a variety of ills, including depression. It's not approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat depression in the United States. Rather, it's classified as a dietary supplement. However, it's a popular depression treatment in Europe.
- SAMe. Pronounced "sam-EE," this is a synthetic form of a chemical that occurs naturally in the body. The name is short for S-adenosylmethionine. It's not approved by the FDA to treat depression in the United States. Like St. John's wort, it's classified as a dietary supplement. However, it's used in Europe as a prescription drug to treat depression.
- Omega-3 fatty acids. Eating a diet rich in omega-3s or taking omega-3 supplements may help ease depression and also appears to have a number of other health benefits. These healthy fats are found in cold-water fish, flaxseed, flax oil, walnuts and some other foods. It isn't clear yet whether omega-3s from vegetable sources work as well as fish oil.
Some herbal and dietary supplements for depression — particularly St. John's wort — can interfere with prescription medications or cause dangerous interactions. To be safe, talk to your doctors and other health care providers before taking any supplements.
Mind-body connections
The connection between mind and body has been studied for centuries. Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe the mind and body must be in harmony for you to stay healthy.
Mind-body techniques that may be helpful for depression include:
- Acupuncture
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Guided imagery
- Massage therapy
As with dietary supplements, take care in using these techniques. Although they may pose less of a risk, relying solely on these therapies is generally not enough to treat depression. If you try mind-body techniques or other alternative therapies first to treat your depression but your symptoms worsen or don't improve, talk to your doctor.
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