11 billion dollars a year! That is how much the anti-depressant medicine market makes in sales so you will NOT be surprised to learn that the pharmaceutical companies are doing everything to protect their interests. That includes the majority of doctors who are sometimes beholden to the companies and will play along in this awful game of prescribing medications which can have lasting and damaging side effects and will rarely mention that there are ways of treating depression naturally. Medication may alleviate depression and certainly works in many cases but the medical community is blinkered when it comes to even considering treating depression without drugs.

Say 'natural' to a doctor and he will probably dismiss your suggestion out of hand. In the UK and in Europe,some doctors actively recommend alternative and complementary medicine and there are health centres where there is a wide range of treatments available fro treating depression naturally. As well as acupuncture, massage, behavior therapy, relaxation exercises, there are homeopathic remedies and if course herbal remedies which are enjoying a boom in sales at the moment.Unfortunately the bad news is that research on anti depressant medications is often rigged by the pharmaceutical companies so that results seem much better than they really are. Needless to say, the companies will never bother with herbal remedies and will denigrate them nor will they be interested in treating depression without drugs.

The fact is that the side effects of a herbal remedy like St. John's Wort are far less damaging than the anti depressants side effects. We are talking here about major problems associated with weight gain or loss and sexual problems which can increase depression rather than treat it. There is an elevated risk of suicidal thoughts especially when treatment begins so this has to be monitored very carefully. Add to that mania attacks, paranoia, insomnia, agitation and aggression . With St. John's Wort, side effects will be as minor as dry mouth, constipation and restlessness.

Other ways of treating depression naturally include lifestyle changes where the patient can follow a diet which is rich in mood enhancing foods (fish oils, Vitamin B, fruit ) and avoiding sugary foods which can lead to mood alterations which can only exacerbate depression. Doing exercise and getting a decent night's sleep can be enormously beneficial.

You can discover just what is involved in treating depression naturally by clicking on the link below this article. One often forgotten fact is that treating depression without drugs (whether mild, moderate, severe and SAD ) often produces faster and safer results than the anti-depressant drugs.