Many of us will have our first real conversations about the possibility of suffering from depression with our primary care doctors. And this article is by no means an attempt to stop you from doing that. However, I often find that clients who reach out to work with me are very interested in finding additional, or completely alternative, ways to to address their depression symptoms.

Fortunately, many individuals can benefit from a variety of other methods that aid in recovery from depression, so that reliance on medications is no longer necessary.

Medications have their place

There are several different classes of medications for treating depression symptoms that are commonly prescribed by PCPs and/or psychiatrists. These include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), like Prozac and Zoloft, Atypical antidepressants, like Wellbutrin SR and Remeron, Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), like Cymbalta and Effexor XR), and several others. Whichever drug is prescribed, most will take a few weeks to come into full effect, so patience is required.

Patient organizing prescription medications for the week, into a 7-section container.

Each of these medications come with different potential side effects, such as impaired sexual functioning, emotional numbing or a short initial period of increased suicidal thoughts. Everyone’s biology and body chemistry is different, which is why there can be a wide range of responses to such medications. Some may find that the first type of medication and first assigned dose works perfectly for what they need. Others may have to go through several trials, and switch to a different class of medication to get the relief that they are looking for.

Still others may not be eligible for medications that treat depression due to their physical state, such as being pregnant, or conflicting substances, such as other prescriptions that cannot be safely mixed with antidepressants. And finally, some may not feel that the level of risk of taking an antidepressant is of an acceptable level to them, and they may steer away from this route altogether.

Do alternative depression treatments really work?

Now, whether you are either currently taking a medication or have not yet tried one, you can still take advantage of other treatments that address the symptoms and the cause of Major Depressive Disorder. Holistic and alternative treatments do not have to compete with your medications, but can be used in conjunction to give you even better results.

Asian women with short styled hair looking upwards with a questioning expression.

So you may be wondering, “If medication didn’t help me, is there still hope of getting better?” And the answer to that would be, most certainly, Yes! Not only is there a treatment out there that can help you, some are reported to be even more effective than medication for some users. In fact, if nothing else, medication combined with therapy has been proven to be more effective than medication alone. And one study gathered data that even suggested that over a 3 month period of treatment, non-suicidal patients with depression who lose the yoga intervention over conventional medication, had symptom relief that was as good or better than the control group.

Underlying causes

Part of the reason why it is worth I to explore additional treatments for your depression is because medications are designed to help blunt the symptom of the depression. They are not able to cure the underlying cause of the illness. These meds are able to give life giving relief in many cases, but the reason that the symptoms developed will eventually need to be addressed. This is where holistic treatments can really shine, because many of the options listed below directly target the root cause, and therefore can result in significant and lasting changes over time.

An example of this would be depression as a result of unaddressed trauma. When traumatic experiences have not been given the time or attention needed to help them reach resolution, they can cause significant problems down the line. Sometimes we are already aware of which difficult experiences in our past have caused these issues. Other times, we may have several “little t” traumas in our history that have flown under the radar, but are now wreaking havoc on our sense of self and self-esteem.

So being able to identify where these struggles really originated and using helpful tools to change our relationship to those past events can make a significant difference to how we feel.

Other symptoms and negative behaviors that go along with depression

Woman sitting on her kitchen floor drinking a bottle of wine and looking sad.

Other factors to consider are whether there are other challenges at hand that you are dealing with besides the depression itself. If you are struggling with excess use of alcohol, born out of an attempt to cope with some of the pain you are feeling, not only will you not be able to take medication as intended (alcohol is dangerous to mix with most medications!), but you will likely need help to curb that use and replace your unhealthy coping behaviors with healthy, positive ones.

Then there is also the issue of not being totally clear on whether or not it is depression, because your symptoms may be different from what we have all been led to assume depression looks like. While some may display more “expected symptoms,” such as frequent crying spells and a sense of hopelessness, others may have more physical signs that something is wrong, such as trouble sleeping, loss of appetite and headaches. And while sadness can often dominate one’s emotions when depressed, some sufferers experience heightened irritability or bursts of anger.

In other words, you can have a lot of variation between what you and another depressed person are experiencing, even with the same basic condition. And for that reason, you will need a personalized and different approach to resolve your particular problems.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, has been around since the 1960s and was originally developed by Aaron Beck. It has been studied many times over the years and found to be generally effective for many populations. The focus of CBT is to teach more adaptive skills and coping techniques to offset overly negative thoughts and coping behaviors, so that suffers of psychological conditions can function more appropriately.

Woman pictured below the shoulders with long brown hair, holding a book and gesturing to someone she is speaking to

Because this method of treatment is very structured and often short-term, it is the preferred method of treatment for insurance companies. Many individuals who try it also find it helpful because they have concrete skills they can use even after their sessions are over.

It may not be the best fit for those who struggle with feeling invalidated or not listened to, as it be very instructional in its approach. It is not always the greatest fit when you need support in processing your trauma, or need a corrective relationship experience with your therapist. Thankfully, many trained therapists are able to incorporate the useful parts of the approach into other ways of treating depression.

Eye-movement therapies

Eye movement therapies, such as EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy [ART], use the bilateral stimulation of your eyes moving back and forth to help your brain focus on and then reduce the activation from traumatic memories.

Man sitting in front of a large window that displays green trees, holding a notebook and a pencil

These therapies were more recently developed, having first been used by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s to treat those suffering from PTSD, and later reformulated by Laney Rozenweig in 2008, for a method that was meant to be more rapid and as effective as its predecessor. ART was later designated an evidence-based form of treatment for PTSD, depression and personal resilience in 2015.

Either of these therapies is extremely effective for depression that is routed in trauma. It is not a good fit for those who have problems moving their eyes back and forth due to a medical condition. Caution is also needed for anyone with a dissociative disorder who is thinking about trying one of these forms of therapy.

Emotional Freedom Technique

Woman with box braids sitting in front of brick wall, holding her head in her hand and smiling.

Starting in the mid-1990’s, Emotional Freedom Technique [EFT] Tapping is a combination of exposure therapy, cognitive therapy and stimulation of acupressure points on the face and body, to achieve relief of negative thoughts and mood, as well as increase positive ones. From more than 100 studies that are published in peer reviewed journals, there is strong evidence of it’s beneficial effect on depression and other conditions.

Because of it’s methodology, EFT can be learned very quickly and therapy clients can use the practice outside of sessions to manage mood struggles on their own. This tool can also be used to reduce symptoms in just a matter of minutes, in some cases. However, there may some limitations to the effectiveness of this treatment in some cases of moderate to severe depression, or it may require a longer period of time for the treatment to bring satisfactory relief.

Nutrition and lifestyle

While it can be frustrating to have clueless professionals or peers telling you to “just go outside!,” there are some well-researched lifestyle interventions for depression that can have a powerful effect on regulating your mood, with or without the addition of medication. Knowing that these lifestyle practices can help to curb the length of a current episode of depression, and/or decrease the frequency with which these depressed periods occur.

One cross-sectional study from 2020 that was conducted in the UK found that physical activity, a healthy diet and satisfactory sleep were all associated with less frequent depressed mood. The same study also found that screen time and tobacco use was associated with a higher frequency of depressed mood. In the analysis of the result by the study’s researchers, they note that the protective effect of optimal sleep combined with less screen time were the most significant and reliable findings.

Woman holding gaming control in her hands while sitting on couch with knees bent.

In a much smaller Spanish study in 2022 (consisting of 188 participants vs the 84,860 in the study above), researches found that compared to the mildly to moderately depressed clients who just saw their primary care doctor and were prescribed anti-depressants, those who were also educated on helpful lifestyle modifications, showed a significantly decreased reduction in symptoms. The interventions included the number of minutes walking per week and sticking to a Mediterranean diet.

In one psychological paper from 2021, in the journal entitled “Lifestyle Medicine,” researchers examined several other studies, where there was considerable evidence for spending time in nature as a way to alleviate depression symptoms. This has been shown to come about due to the effect of green spaces on lowering cortisol levels and decreasing blood pressure, which help to more easily stabilize mood.

Brain stimulation

A plastic cross section model of a brain.

Brain stimulation treatments, like Electroconvulsive therapy [ECT], might sound extreme, but can be life-saving for individuals who have not found significant relief in their depression symptoms from other interventions, like all of those mentioned above. ECT works by stimulating a seizure in the brain, in a controlled medical environment, to reduce symptoms of treatment-resistant, severe depression.

Of course, while this intervention does not require that you ingest any substances, it is a fairly invasive treatment and comes with some potential side effects, such as headaches, muscle aches or memory loss. Still, when psychotherapy or medications are not working for severe depression, it might be an important option to consider.

Conclusion

Woman sitting facing a window in a coffee shop.

This article seeks to keep you informed about the several options available to you for managing and even resolving your struggles with depression. While this list is not exhaustive, it hopefully has opened your eyes to several alternatives, or additions to, treatments to depression that are medication based.

You should always consult your medical doctor and a trained mental health professional when exploring these options so that you are getting the most clinically sound advice possible, and you do not waste time on treatments that are not ideal or effective for your situation.

If you are ready to work with a mental health counselor who can work with you in a variety of holistic treatment models, feel free to set up a call with me today. I would be happy to use my skills to bring you relief, as quickly and effectively as possible.

My Invitation To You

You may have been suffering from symptoms continuously, or on and off, for some time now. I want to reassure you that there is still hope that your symptoms and situation can improve.

While I may not know you yet, I strongly believe that there is a healthy and positive way out of your distress and you can feel a lot better than you do right now.

Take the first step and schedule your consultation call for services today.

Photo of culturally competent black therapist Linda Sanderville. Begin working with a skilled depression therapist in Charlottesville, VA to overcome your symptoms as a busy professional. — About The Author

Linda Sanderville, LCSW is a psychotherapist with over ten years experience in effective trauma treatment and training and supervision of other mental health professionals. Currently, she provides specialty services to adults seeking recovery from stressful life events and those who desire to optimize their wellness and the health of their relationships.

Interested in Starting A Therapy Intensive to treat depression in Arlington or Charlottesville VA?

Are mood swings, sadness, hopelessness, and disrupted sleep ruining your quality of life? Reclaim your joy and vitality while managing your professional commitments through tailored depression counseling. Our specialized support at Satya Counseling & Yoga is designed to fit seamlessly into your busy life, empowering you to conquer depression and thrive. Prioritize your mental well-being – embark on a transformative journey towards a happier and more fulfilling life by following these three steps to get started:

Schedule a complimentary 15-minute call to see if we’ll be the right fit
Begin meeting with me, therapist and trauma-informed yoga teacher, Linda Sanderville, for your session
Start moving forward in your personal and professional life in a positive and healthy way!

Other Services Offered at Satya Counseling and Yoga

At Satya Counseling and Yoga, I want to help create a safe space for my clients to start their healing journey individually or as a couple. To help accommodate you at my Northern Virginia practice, the services I offer in addition to depression therapy include trauma therapy, anxiety therapy, and depression therapy. I also offer a Transformation Therapy Intensive for those looking to seek accelerated progress toward their identified goals and personal growth and Yoga for Therapy to help increase your mental resilience and enhance your emotional state. For more about my practice check out my FAQs and blog!

Depression treatment beyond medication: From an holistic depression therapist