Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies are non-medical approaches to healthcare. They are quite often called alternative therapies and will either introduce techniques to make changes in your life or use natural remedies to treat specific illnesses. Examples of complementary therapies which can be used to treat emotional problems such as depression include:

Light therapy
St John’s Wort
Meditation and relaxation, including Mindfulness
Acupuncture, massage and yoga
Others: Art therapy, Fish oils (omega 3) and Vitamin B

Most complementary therapies do not have the scientific evidence that psychotherapy and antidepressant medication has, so it is harder to demonstrate their true effectiveness in reducing symptoms. Many people will use these alternative approaches alongside more conventional treatments and medication.

Stu "I have found relaxation tapes helpful when I’m stressed or anxious. I have recently learned about Mindfulness and now meditate by focusing my mind on breathing. Mindfulness exercises focus on the moment by helping calm my racing negative thoughts about the future."

Light therapy

Light therapy is most commonly used by people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D) - a type of depression that is brought on by a lack of daylight during the winter months. S.A.D typically develops during the Autumn months and goes away in Spring. Increasing exposure to sunlight is one way you can help to reduce symptoms, so make the most of any good weather and get outside as much as possible. It might be difficult to get yourself out of bed so plan an outing the night before and promise yourself to stick to it in the morning. Dreich winter days can put a hold on that, so light boxes are an effective alternative. Light therapy, or exposure to very bright light (at least 10 times brighter than ordinary bulbs) for up to 4 hours a day, can significantly improve symptoms.

Just sit the box on the table about 2 or 3 feet away from you, plug it in and let it shine. You don’t have to stare at it - many people have it on while they eat their breakfast and again at the end of the day.

For more information, contact SAD Association on 01903 814 942 or visit their website at: www.sada.org.uk/

St John’s Wort

St John’s Wort is probably the best known natural supplement that can help with depression. It has been used for centuries to treat problems such as anxiety, tension, insomnia and depression. There is also some evidence to back it up - studies have shown that it appears to be as effective as antidepressants for people with mild to moderate depression, and it seems to have fewer side-effects. If you don’t want to go onto antidepressant drugs prescribed by your doctor then this might be an option, but you should to talk to your GP beforehand. This is important as St John's Wort can interfere with certain other drugs, such as: warfarin, cycloporin, oral contraceptives, anticonvulsants, digoxin, theophylline or certain HIV drugs. If you are already taking an SSRI antidepressant or want to swap over, then it is important to talk to your GP first. St John’s Wort is available from chemists, health food stores and supermarkets. Look for a reputable brand containing a standardised extract and a recommended daily dosage of 300mg.

Relaxation and meditation, including Mindfulness

Relaxation can help to reduce physical and mental tension and get rid of any daily stress. There’s a lot you can do yourself to relax: enjoy a bath, watch a film or DVD, find some quiet space, or read a book, for example. There is a bit of evidence to suggest that relaxation skills therapy, where you learn breathing techniques and muscle relaxation skills, may be helpful in treating depression, but this is based on only a small number of studies. The idea behind relaxation therapy is that if you can relax the tension in your body it will help you control the stress and worry in your thinking. But it takes practice, and it will probably take a few goes before you begin to feel the benefit of it. If you are interested in trying it out, there is a relaxation technique called Anxiety Control Training available free on the Living Life to the Full website, www.livinglifetothefull.com. You will have to register for the site, but once you’ve done that you can work through a number of modules to help learn more about why you feel like you do and how to tackle different problems. To download the Anxiety Control Training tracks work through the two modules on Anxiety. They’re only short so you’ll hopefully find time in your day to do them regularly!

Meditation takes a bit more time and focus. While some people bring a spiritual or religious dimension to meditation, it has been used successfully as a relaxation technique to help control anxiety and stress. Mindfulness in a type of meditation that is becoming more well known, and looks as though it may be helpful in reducing relapses of depression. It has its origins in Buddhism, and is attracting increasing interest among the western world as a non-pharmacological means of dealing with stress, anxiety and depression. Mindfulness is greater awareness of one's thoughts, actions or motivations, and when used correctly, is basically a powerful stress reduction programme, based on a form of meditation. It can enable you to develop your own stress management programme and uses simple techniques to practice to help you cope with a wide range of problems, both physical and emotional. To learn more about mindfulness, visit the UK website: http://mbct.co.uk.

Acupuncture, massage and yoga

Acupuncture, massage and yoga are all becoming increasingly popular, and some people find them very beneficial in managing their mood. There is little evidence about the effectiveness of these activities as there have only been a few studies done.

Acupuncture is where trained therapists insert needles at particular point in the body and manipulate these needles. It comes from Chinese medicine and aims to balance energies in the body. www.acupuncture.org.uk

Massage is thought to help depression because of the way it lowers stress hormones in the body. If you don’t mind other people touching your body, then it can be a really relaxing way to spend 30 minutes. Sessions are done by trained massage therapists and can range from hot stones massage; aromatherapy massage; to deep tissue massage. It is best to ask about the different benefits so that you get the most out of it.

Yoga spiritual practice originating in India to encourage a steady mind. It has become very popular in the UK as a form of exercise as it may improve control over the body and reduce stress and anxiety. Yoga practice includes both stretches and breathing exercises. Two studies have shown that the breathing used in yoga helps bring about an improvement in depression and low mood. More research will need to be done to verify this but it’s a promising start. There are heaps of yoga centres in Scotland, so make sure you go to trained practitioner and talk to your GP first if you have any concerns or existing health problems.

What else is there?

Art therapy. If you find it difficult to express yourself verbally, or talk to people about your mood, you might prefer to try art therapy. We couldn’t find any studies which give scientific evidence of the benefits of art therapy on mental health, but art therapy started in the UK during the 1970s and is used by many people as an alternative to talking therapies. You don’t need to have any particular art skills, as the focus is on you expressing your feelings in an art form - painting, collage, with cardboard, whatever is best for you. Have a search of the internet for trained art therapists near you or email us at ask@lookokfeelcrap.org and we will try and find some contacts for you.
Omega 3 (fish and marine oils). Omega 3, or specifically omega 3 from marine and fish oils, is important for brain functioning, aiding concentration and memory. While there’s no firm scientific evidence to prove that fish oils or omega 3 helps depression, there have been some studies which show the benefits of diets rich in fish oil being helpful in lowering rates of depression. Anecdotally, there are people who find that taking fish oil supplements does help their mood. You can buy fish oil supplements from supermarkets or health food shops, or buy it fresh a few times a week and cook it!
Vitamin B. Research has found that the B vitamins, particularly Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6 can help with depression and stress. You can boost your intake of Vitamin B by taking supplements available from chemists and health food shops or through food. Vitamin B3 occurs in wholegrain foods such as oats, brown rice and bran and vegetables, while Vitamin B6 can be found in wholegrain foods and bananas. See our Food and Mood page for more information on eating for mental health.

Brought to you by Depression Alliance Scotland.
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