Professional counseling is an important part of treatment for depression. Complementary therapies such as massage therapy and yoga may also help you recover more quickly and improve your quality of life. For information about relaxation techniques you can do at home, see relaxation exercises.

Family therapy may help you and those who care about you deal with depression.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be used for those who cannot take antidepressant medications, who have not responded to other treatments, or whose depression is severe and includes symptoms of psychosis, suicidal behavior, or an inability to eat.⁸

Other Treatment Choices

Counseling is an important part of the treatment for depression. The types of counseling most often used for treatment of depression include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which teaches a person how to become healthier by modifying certain thought and behavior patterns. This type of therapy can be provided individually or in a group setting.
• Interpersonal therapy, which focuses on social and personal relationships and related problems.
• Problem-solving therapy, which focuses on the problems you are currently facing and on helping you find solutions to those problems.
• Family therapy, which involves the entire family.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be used to treat severe depression or depression that has not responded well to medications and counseling. ECT also may be a treatment choice for someone who cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressant medications. Modern ECT treatments consist of mild electric brain stimulation while you are unconscious (under general anesthetic) and are an effective treatment for depression. Side effects of ECT include memory loss and confusion.

Complementary therapies

• The herb St. John's wort has been shown to work for mild to moderate depression, but it can interact with other medications.
• Fish oil containing omega-3 fatty acids is currently being studied for possible antidepressant effects.
• SAM-e ( S-adenosylmethionine), a substance that occurs naturally in plant and animal cells, is sometimes used to treat depression. Some studies show SAM-e may help with symptoms of depression, but more studies are needed to determine its safety and effectiveness.

What To Think About

ECT

Deciding whether to try electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be difficult. Although ECT can be a very effective treatment for depression, you may experience short-term memory loss, confusion, nausea, headaches, and jaw pain for several hours-and sometimes even several days-after the procedure. For some people, ECT may cause long-term memory loss. For more information, see electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

St. John's wort

St. John's wort is being tested in the United States to determine its safety and effectiveness. So far, the results have been mixed. Some negative and dangerous interactions between St. John's wort and certain medications have been discovered.⁹ Make sure your doctor has a complete list of all the medicines you are taking.

• Let your health professional know if you are using St. John's wort, especially if you are taking other medications.
• Avoid taking St. John's wort along with other antidepressants, because you could overmedicate yourself and have serious side effects.