3 Alternative Depression Treatments Without Side Effects

Conversations about mental health have really opened up in the last few years and the stigma around mental health issues is starting to disappear. It has become clear that the scale of mental health problems is a lot more severe than people realized. There are a lot of different reasons for the rise in mental health problems, especially stress at work, and that means lots of people are in need of treatment. The reduction in stigma around mental health means that more people are seeking that treatment, often in the form of medication. However, a lot of depression medication has side effects like weight fluctuations, headaches, nausea, and trouble sleeping. Some people find that they don’t experience too many of these side effects and they get on well with the medication, but for others, the negatives outweigh the positives and they feel that they don’t want to continue taking the medication. It’s a difficult situation because they still need to treat their depression but they don’t want to continue with medication. If you find yourself in that situation, these are some of the best alternative treatments out there. 

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Talking Therapies 

Talking therapies are usually the best way to deal with mental health issues. While taking medication will help you to deal with the symptoms of mental health problems like depression, they won’t help you to deal with the root issues that cause those low feelings in the first place. There is a chemical imbalance that needs to be dealt with, and medication is great at that, but there are also psychological problems that need to be tackled as well. Seeing a counsellor or therapist and talking through those issues is one of the best ways to deal with the problem in the long term. If you speak with your doctor, they will be able to help you access these kinds of treatments. 

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation 

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a treatment that is often prescribed to people that really struggle with depression medication because it does not have anywhere near as many side effects. A TMS treatment involves stimulating the brain with an electromagnetic field, which might sound scary but it’s not dangerous and it has good results. Most patients report a big reduction in their symptoms of depression without any of the side effects that they’re getting from their medication. 

Hypericum 

Hypericum, sometimes known as St. John's Wort is a remedy that has been used for hundreds of years to treat some of the symptoms of depression. It is believed to work in a similar way to normal antidepressants by stimulating the production of chemicals like serotonin in the brain. There are no guarantees here because some people don’t notice any difference and some people will still experience some side effects. However, it does work very well for some people so if you’re not happy with your current medication, it is worth trying. 

Medication works well for a lot of people but if you experience a lot of negative side effects, it can make your situation worse. If that’s the case, you should try some of these natural alternatives instead.