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Your Holistic Depression Treatment Questions Answered

Last Updated on April 11, 2024 by Diane Ridaeus

Holistic Depression Treatment Questions

The term “holistic” is generally used to refer to anything that takes into consideration the whole rather than the parts. This word takes on a much deeper meaning when applied to the treatment of mental health symptoms, substance use disorders, and medication toxicity.

In the case of depression, it means a holistic approach to depression takes into account your whole life rather than just one small part — your symptoms. In fact, holistic depression treatment involves a great number of practices and approaches that can be exactly tailored to the needs and life of the person experiencing symptoms of depression.


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What Is a Holistic Approach To Treating Depression?

Holistic depression treatment focuses on every aspect of your life, your needs, and your body, including your physical and mental health, your spiritual well-being, your genetics, what you put into your body, and the basis of your whole self on a chemical and molecular level.

A holistic approach to treating your depression will take into consideration many dimensions that make up who you are. 

Holistic depression treatment can include: 
  • physical factors including relief of toxic body burden, sleep & nutritional deficits
  • emotional factors, counseling strategies
  • social factors

Physical

Keeping your body healthy, strong, and balanced is an important part of keeping your mind healthy. For example, if you are healing from an injury or experiencing physical ailments, you might experience depression. Or, if you are experiencing an overload of medications or environmental toxins, you could notice symptoms of depression. A holistic approach to depression treatment will consider your physical health and how it might be connected to the depression you are experiencing. It will encourage practices that improve your physical health, such as more sleep, abstaining from harmful pharmaceuticals and recreational substances, and maintaining a balanced, nutritious diet.

Emotional

Of course, it is important to thoroughly examine your emotional health to reach some of the root causes of depression. Holistic depression treatment can include counseling which will strive to help you identify and understand your emotions. Then, you can work on developing strategies for addressing negative thoughts, handling complex emotions, and promoting well-being and self-awareness.

Social

Building meaningful social connections and avoiding social isolation is important for keeping your mind and body healthy and energized. Sometimes, increased periods of social isolation can lead to a rise in depression symptoms, as can changes to or problems in your social relationships. 1 Holistic depression treatment often focuses on developing tools to build human connections so you can work to address the causes and complicating factors involved in your depression.

What About Antidepressants?

As you’re likely aware, one of the most common front-line treatments given to people with depression is antidepressants. However, this is not a sustainable or economical solution, and it often does not reverse the symptoms of depression. Worse, it is often harmful to mental health because long-term use of antidepressants frequently creates new physical, mental, and emotional symptoms by chronic disruption of the person’s biochemistry. 2

Instead, a holistic approach to depression treatment can be used to identify and target all the root contributors to depression, whether they are physical, emotional, or social. By focusing on all aspects of you and your life, holistic depression treatment emphasizes caring for all aspects of who you are. It values the scientific connection between your body, mind, and spirit to help you achieve a healing balance between them all.

Frequently Asked Questions About Holistic Depression Treatment

Holistic Depression Treatment

It is understandable to have a long list of questions about any depression treatment. We have compiled some of the frequently asked questions about holistic depression treatment to help you develop a more in-depth understanding of what it is like and how it might help you.

How Does Holistic Depression Treatment Differ From Conventional Depression Treatments?

As mentioned, most conventional depression treatments encourage patients to take antidepressant drugs, which are expensive and not always effective. In fact, the theory that depression can be cured by artificially forcing a particular “chemical balance” within the brain has never been officially proven.3 Other treatments tend to place a heavy focus on one aspect of your life, such as your mental health symptoms. This is typically not enough to create long-term, effective change. Instead, when you pursue a holistic depression treatment, you are participating in a comprehensive treatment plan in which all aspects of your life are addressed and involved in your healing.

What Would a Naturopath Recommend for Depression?

Healthcare practitioners who focus on holistic, natural healing approaches to mind and body ailments are called naturopaths. Every naturopath is different and might recommend different approaches for your depression depending on your unique situation. However, you might encounter recommendations such as:

  • Nutritional changes — A naturopath might recommend making changes to your diet. For example, low-glycemic foods may boost your energy level and other benefits for mental health. Careful food choices may also provide you more essential nutrients such as vitamin D and vitamin B12.7
  • Changes to your sleep habits — The amount of sleep that you get and the quality of that sleep can have a tremendous impact on your mental health. 4 A naturopath might recommend that you work to follow a consistent sleep schedule in which you get a sufficient amount of sleep each night and that you avoid substances and distractions that can make it hard to sleep.
  • Acupuncture and Massages — Many naturopaths encourage acupuncture or massages as a key part of your healing process. These treatments may help address physical ailments and can help you focus on building the connection between your body and your mind.8
  • Practices for stress relief — Stress can take a toll on your body, therapists suggest stress-relieving practices such as meditation, yoga, light exercise, and deep breathing. Letting go of the tension and stress you are plagued with can be an important component in addressing depression.9
  • Exercise — When you exercise, you’re improving your physical health and encouraging the brain to release dopamine, which can boost your energy levels and your mood. 5 A naturopath might encourage more frequent exercise and a variety of exercises to incorporate your daily routine.
  • Addressing relationships — Social relationships of any kind are important aspects of your life. If you are dealing with relationship issues, isolation, or stressful changes, counseling whether private, group or peers can likely help you address the issues that are causing stress in your life.10

What Is a Good Alternative to Drugs for Depression?

Alternative Options to Drugs While you might hear about drugs that are promoted for treating depression, they are frequently ineffective and can even cause worse symptoms than those you have now. Holistic depression treatment avoids the use of antidepressants. When you start a holistic treatment approach to your depression, a wide approach to your treatment will address the various aspects of your life. You can take action and promote changes to your physical, mental, spiritual, and social health.

A holistic approach will also consider your history and your unique experiences, values, and ways of viewing the world. In doing so, a holistic treatment provider will create a strategic plan for your treatment that focuses on all parts of you instead of targeting your symptoms with neurotoxic prescription drugs. This plan can help to promote long-term changes in your life that are nowhere near as costly or unhealthy as long-term drug use.

How Long Does Holistic Depression Treatment Take Until You See Results?

Every person’s timeline for healing with holistic depression treatment is different. Because holistic treatment addresses you as a unique individual, what works for you might not work for another person. In addition, the necessary changes identified that make holistic depression treatment so effective can take place over the long term. This requires some effort, but in doing so, you will create lasting healing.

Are There Any Risks Associated With Holistic Depression Treatment?

Holistic depression treatment is generally considered a healthy approach to treating depression. Unlike other conventional approaches, such as drug-based therapies, it does not consist of physical risks like addiction, drug-induced mood changes, or negative impacts on the body’s organ systems. However, some changes that you make as a result of your holistic depression treatment, such as changes to your nutritional plan might have some mild physical side effects unique to that therapy. You should make sure to check in regularly with those guiding you through your treatment and express any concerns or negative effects of your treatment plan.

What Is the Best Holistic Therapy for Depression?

There is not a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Holistic therapies for depression span a wide range of practices that take your specific needs and your case of depression into consideration. For instance, some holistic therapies for depression will include an emphasis on nutritional support in an attempt to improve your physical health, which might be contributing to struggles with your mental health. However, other people may need other holistic approaches and adjunctive therapies, such as an emphasis on mindfulness-based stress reduction to reframe and accept a stressful situation, holistic detoxification, neurotoxin removal, and more.

Can Holistic Depression Treatment Prevent Further Depression Episodes?

When you pursue a holistic approach to your depression treatment, you are taking an approach that aims to help you experience sustainable, long-term results. However, no treatment plans can guarantee that you will never experience depression again. If you stick to the changes and plans that you make in your holistic depression treatment plans, such as nutritional changes and coping mechanisms for stress, you can potentially ward off depressive symptoms down the road. It is important to regularly check in with your naturopath or other caregivers and reach out for help when you need it, no matter what your history with depression is.

Can Holistic Depression Treatment Work for Seasonal Affective Disorder?

If you experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in the fall or winter seasons, you are not alone. Instead of reaching for highly promoted conventional treatment methods such as medication, you might be able to benefit from holistic approaches that aim to boost your energy and your mood in these dark seasons. For example, bright light therapy, nutritional changes like increasing your vitamin D intake and social changes like maintaining social connections may help alleviate your symptoms.6

How Do I Know if Holistic Depression Treatment Is Right for Me?

If you are considering holistic depression treatment, you should reach out to a holistic treatment center to determine whether it is the right course of action. Ask questions about what the treatment provider offers, what they would consider in your case, and express your needs, concerns, and questions about the process. You can even describe particular situations or practices you are struggling with, and your treatment provider can inform you if their approach is relevant to your situation.

Contact Us for Guidance on Your Depression Treatment

Contact us to help you with your depression treatment

If you are seeking personalized inpatient treatment for depression and related issues, our holistic mental health services at Alternative to Meds Center can help. Our team utilizes a variety of alternatives to antidepressants to help you find the root causes of your symptoms and make improvements without having to rely on medication. Contact us today to consult with us about your situation and find out how our alternative approach could be right for you or your loved one. The sooner you reach out for support, the sooner you can begin to feel better.

1 (800) 301-3753 for Holistic Depression Treatment at ATMC

References:

1. Ge, L., Yap, C.W., Ong, R., Heng, B.H. (2017). Social isolation, loneliness and their relationships with depressive symptoms: A population-based study. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0182145. [cited 2024 April 9]

2. Fava, G. A. (2020). May antidepressant drugs worsen the conditions they are supposed to treat? The clinical foundations of the oppositional model of tolerance. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, 10 [cited 2024 April 9]

3. Ang, B., Horowitz, M., Moncrieff, J. (2022). Is the chemical imbalance an urban legend? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression in the scientific literature. SSM-Mental Health, 2, 100098. [cited 2024 April 9]

4. Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Monti, J. M., Burman, D., Karthikeyan, R., BaHammam, A. S., Spence, D. W., … & Narashimhan, M. (2020). Clarifying the role of sleep in depression: A narrative review. Psychiatry research, 291, 113239. [cited 2024 April 9]

5. Marques, A., Marconcin, P., Werneck, A. O., Ferrari, G., Gouveia, É. R., Kliegel, M., … & Ihle, A. (2021). Bidirectional association between physical activity and dopamine across adulthood—A systematic review. Brain sciences, 11(7), 829. [cited 2024 April 9]

6. Parker, G. B., Brotchie, H., & Graham, R. K. (2017). Vitamin D and depression. Journal of affective disorders, 208, 56-61. [cited 2024 April 9]

7. The Pharma Journal. (2023). Low glycemic index foods: A way to enhance healthy lifestyle and disease management. [cited 2024 April 9]

8. Yang NN, Lin LL, Li YJ, Li HP, Cao Y, Tan CX, Hao XW, Ma SM, Wang L, Liu CZ. Potential Mechanisms and Clinical Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Depression. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2022;20(4):738-750. doi: 10.2174/1570159X19666210609162809. PMID: 35168522; PMCID: PMC9878952. [cited 2024 April 9]

9. Hofmann, S. G., Andreoli, G., Carpenter, J. K., & Curtiss, J. (2016). Effect of Hatha Yoga on Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine, 9(3), 116–124. [cited 2024 April 9]

10. López-López JA, Davies SR, Caldwell DM, Churchill R, Peters TJ, Tallon D, Dawson S, Wu Q, Li J, Taylor A, Lewis G, Kessler DS, Wiles N, Welton NJ. The process and delivery of CBT for depression in adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Psychol Med. 2019 Sep;49(12):1937-1947. doi: 10.1017/S003329171900120X. Epub 2019 Jun 10. PMID: 31179960; PMCID: PMC6712954. [cited 2024 April 9]


This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.

Dr. Samuel Lee

Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente.  He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

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