Treating Depression: New Treatment No Longer Involves Medication

A group of researchers focused on finding an alternative cure for depression, one that does not require medication. It was mentioned that psychotherapy and cognitive behavior therapy is just as effective in treating the mental illness.

Depression is one of the most complicated mental disorders that is usually misunderstood. While some do not take it seriously, depressed individuals often find it hard to even get out of bed, or see the sunlight. It's never ok to tell a depressed individual to "deal with it" or "suck it up" as it only makes matters worse. Though depression is usually treated with prescriptions, new studies emerged stating that depression can actually be treated through psychotherapy, eliminating the need for prescription pills and other medications.

The findings were published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" which features a team of doctors from American College of Physician's clinical guideline recommendations for depression treatment, according to Today. ACP researchers are known as the "largest medical specialty organization" based in the United States and they continually thrive to find a solution to cure depression. The team is comprised of doctors that were able to treat most of the American patients suffering from depression.

The studies with ranged from 1990 to 2015 came up with evidence to support their claims that "psycho-therapeutic approaches, alternative and complementary approaches like St. John's wort, and drug approaches, specifically focusing on the second-generation antidepressants" are actually effective in treating depression.

The Clinical Depression website also cited some facts in regards to using counseling as a form of treatment. Though each psychotherapy differs depending on the severity of the patient's condition, it is however, effective.

There are several ways on how therapy works; one of the most effective however is emotional support. Though it is tiring to deal with a depressed individual, it is important to be a ray of sunshine around them, to give them hope. Staying positive around a depressed individual can be of great help, most especially in motivating them to get back up.