The Dangers of Alternative Depression Treatment
There are lots of alternative treatments for clinical depression and anxiety disorders, but you may need tried-and-true treatments.
Chinese Traditional Medicine
Acupuncture and "integrative medicine" approaches are the least studied, says Glick. Some studies have found that acupuncture can have "a very good effect" on depression. Glick has applied for a federal grant to study acupuncture and depression. "We're interested in looking at specific acupuncture points that have shown the most dramatic effect in depression," he tells WebMD.
When patients don't seem to benefit from other depression treatments, Glick looks more holistically at their problem -- the integrative approach.
"What roles do diet, lifestyle, even toxins stored in your body play in depression and other mood disorders?" Glick tells WebMD. "We look at the gut, how it absorbs nutrients. If it's not absorbing adequately, why is that -- is it toxicity or an intestinal overgrowth?" Integrative approaches also involve looking at the hormonal system -- the thyroid, the adrenal glands, etc., he adds.
Nothing will replace the time-tested approach -- antidepressants and psychotherapy, Leuchter says. "The point is, there are probably many pathways to symptom improvement, but if you're really looking for a cure to depression, try what works."
If one antidepressant does not help enough, talk to your doctor about trying others. Numerous antidepressants are now available, each with positives and negatives, to help both clinical depression and anxiety disorders, psychiatrists say.
Alternatives for Mood Disorders
There are lots of alternative treatments for clinical depression and anxiety disorders, but you may need tried-and-true treatments.
The Top Contenders continued...
Chinese Traditional Medicine
Acupuncture and "integrative medicine" approaches are the least studied, says Glick. Some studies have found that acupuncture can have "a very good effect" on depression. Glick has applied for a federal grant to study acupuncture and depression. "We're interested in looking at specific acupuncture points that have shown the most dramatic effect in depression," he tells WebMD.
When patients don't seem to benefit from other depression treatments, Glick looks more holistically at their problem -- the integrative approach.
"What roles do diet, lifestyle, even toxins stored in your body play in depression and other mood disorders?" Glick tells WebMD. "We look at the gut, how it absorbs nutrients. If it's not absorbing adequately, why is that -- is it toxicity or an intestinal overgrowth?" Integrative approaches also involve looking at the hormonal system -- the thyroid, the adrenal glands, etc., he adds.
Tried and True
Nothing will replace the time-tested approach -- antidepressants and psychotherapy, Leuchter says. "The point is, there are probably many pathways to symptom improvement, but if you're really looking for a cure to depression, try what works."
If one antidepressant does not help enough, talk to your doctor about trying others. Numerous antidepressants are now available, each with positives and negatives, to help both clinical depression and anxiety disorders, psychiatrists say.
Source...