What are the latest methods for treating depression?

When it comes to the topic of depression, many people have different opinions. Some people think that depression is not serious, while others think that depression is very serious. In fact, depression is indeed quite serious. During treatment, it can be improved through psychological therapy with reminders, which is also a common treatment method.

1. Electroconvulsive therapy

It is a fast and effective treatment method that uses a certain amount of electric current to pass through the brain, stimulating the central nervous system to discharge and causing rhythmic twitching of muscles throughout the body. When this method is performed by a professional doctor, you will hardly feel any pain. It can quickly relieve depression symptoms and mood, and the overall effective rate can reach 70%-90%.

Electroconvulsive therapy is usually followed by psychotherapy and medication.

2. Alternative therapies

For depression that cannot be treated by traditional Western medicine, alternative therapies can be used, including a range of methods from diet and exercise to social environment and lifestyle. These include acupuncture, guided imagery, yoga, hypnosis, herbal medicine, massage, relaxation therapy, aromatherapy, chiropractic, and biofeedback.

Alternative therapies used alone are only effective for mild depression and are not very effective for severe depression.

3. Experimental therapies

Experimental treatments are not usually given by doctors, and their safety and effectiveness have not been proven.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, or TMS, uses a metal coil to send powerful but short magnetic pulses directly to specific areas of the brain in a non-invasive, painless and safe way, since nerve conduction in the brain requires changes in electric current, thereby inducing tiny amounts of electric current in the brain's neural pathways. No side effects have been found in the treatment of depression and the prospects are bright.

4. Female hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

The proportion of women suffering from depression is higher than that of men. The hormones in women's bodies change before menstruation, after childbirth, and after menopause, leading to mood changes, often causing premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoria, and postpartum depression. This method can relieve menopausal symptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes. Hormone replacement therapy itself may also cause depression, so if you have ever suffered from depression, you should tell your doctor before considering this treatment.

5. Reflexology

Reflexology is a technique in which the practitioner applies pressure to fixed parts of the patient's hands and feet. Reflexologists believe that the human body has its own self-repair function and that the nerves in the hands and feet are connected to other parts of the body. By stimulating certain parts of the hands and feet, diseases can be treated through the principle of reflexology.