Treatment
Treatment for Depression can involve a variety of different approaches and often people find that a combination of these works best. There is no “golden rule” or “one size fits all” for the treatment of Depression and for some people it can take time to work out what works best for them.
What helps one person with depression, may not help another. This is true of anti-depressants as well as therapies and other solutions. Do not give up if the first thing you try does not work for you. You may feel like giving up but remember that the illness can make you think that trying different treatments is hopeless, whereas in actual fact Depression is treatable. There are many roads to get to the place of recovery.
For most people, the first step is to approach your GP for help. In many cases your GP may prescribe an antidepressant, although increasingly alternative treatments are being offered. In some areas of Scotland there are schemes where GPs can prescribe exercise, and in other areas you can be prescribed self-help books (called bibliotherapy). Some GP surgeries can even lend you self-hypnosis CDs. If you have particularly severe depression, your GP may refer you to see a psychiatrist, who may prescribe different medication or who may refer you for talking therapy such as counselling, cognitive therapy or other psychotherapy.
Here are some treatment options that may be helpful:
1. Medication
Antidepressants are often used in the treatment of Depression. To date, over 30 different kinds are available in the UK. They work by influencing the balance of chemicals or “neurotransmitters” in the brain which are thought to be important in depression – serotonin and noradrenaline being the best understood. For more information visit our page on antidepressants.
2. Talking Treatments
There are lots of different psychological therapies which can include cognitive, behavioural, interpersonal, arts or psychodynamic therapy and counselling. These types of talking treatments are carried out by people who are trained in that field. NHS access to these will depend on what services are available in your area and you may have a substantial wait. There are also private practitioners who may be able to provide these therapies. There is currently no legal requirement for therapists to be registered but we recommend that people choose a therapist who has been accredited, or is working towards accreditation, with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) or Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA). All three organisations have lists of therapists on their website.
3. Changes in Lifestyle
There is good evidence that improvements in diet and regular exercise can be crucial in improving depressive symptoms. Alcohol can have a depressing effect, therefore should be avoided, as should all other recreational drugs. Try to avoid unnecessary stress or commitments and, where possible, seek to get adequate rest and sleep. See our pages on Food and Mood and Exercise for more information.
4. Complimentary Treatments
These treatments can support or, with mild Depression, replace conventional treatments. Acupuncture, reflexology, aromatherapy and herbal medicines including St Johns Wort have been shown to reduce anxiety and alleviate mild Depression. There is more information on our page about complementary therapy. Hypericum, or St Johns Wort, is available without prescription and is commonly used as an antidepressant in Germany. It has been shown to be as effective as antidepressants in milder Depression although there is less evidence to support its use in moderate to severe Depression. See our page on St John's Wort for more informatation
5. Light
You may find you get depressed every winter but cheered up when the days’ become sunnier. This is called Seasonal Affective Disorder. If so, you may find a light box helpful. This is a sort of bright light which you have on for a certain time each day and which can break up the lack of light in the winter. For more information see our page on Seasonal Affective Disorder.
6. Self-help
Another source of help you could consider is joining a self-help support group where you will be able to talk to people who have had similar experiences to you and share hints and tips on coping with Depression. Joining a group can help you to feel less isolated and alone with your Depression. Depression Alliance Scotland runs groups in certain areas of Scotland, you can get more information on the groups page If there isn’t a Depression Alliance Scotland group in your area, there might be a group run by your local association for mental health. If you contact us on 0131 467 3050 or email info@dascot.org, we can give you more information on local groups.
Some people find reading self-help books helpful. Our books page is a good place to start! Or if you don't like reading why not try an online self-help course like www.livinglifetothefull.com which is free.
7. Research
Don’t just rely on your GP. Become an expert in your own illness. Do your own research on the Internet, go to the library and borrow books on Depression, get information leaflets on Depression and treatment from organisations such as ours. The Royal College of Psychiatrists also has some useful factsheets (Tel: 020 7235 2351 www.rcpsych.ac.uk) as does the Scottish Association for Mental Illness (SAMH) (Tel: 0141 568 7000 www.samh.org.uk).
More Information
Antidepressants
Exercise
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Food and Mood
St John's Wort
Complementary Therapies
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Books
There are other treatments that people with Depression have found useful including Art Therapy, Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy. We will be adding to this section with more infomation about other treatment options so come back again or subscribe to our email newsletter to be kept up to date.