Alternative Methods for treating Depression and Anxiety
Alternatives methods are methods that are generally not involving psychotherapy or traditional Western Medication approaches. The use of Alternative methods of treatment for these conditions of Depression and Anxiety are not really new. Research and practice guidelines have been developed over the past 40 years and demonstrate the effectiveness of the techniques. They are not often practiced in the US as their sources are from Asian or Eastern Block countries that are not traditional resource areas for the US.
Hypnoanalysis
This technique, having nothing to do with Psychoanalysis, involves getting to the root cause of the problem through a series of interviews conducted with and without hypnosis; then reeducating the patient through Cognitive Behavioral methods, and finally rehabilitating the patient through positive interaction and therapeutic experience. This differs from traditional psychotherapy as the theory behind the techniques postulates that the experience of the individual combined with wrong thinking has lead to the mood or anxiety disorder through unconscious process and therefore needs to be treated through unconscious process--e.g., hypnosis.
Cranio-Electro Stimulation
This involves the use of an electronic device that one wears similar to a TNS unit that passes a low amplitude electric current through the brain stem. This is worn about 45 minutes twice a day for a month. This product is available on the Internet or in a doctors office only and may require a doctors prescription.
Biofeedback and Neuro-feedback
These techniques involve training your brain to alter the arousal level of the body and stimulate calmness and relaxation through visual, auditory, or kinesthetic feedback. Biofeedback usually involves feedback of temperature, heart rate, blood volume, skin conductance, or muscle tension and Neuro-feedback involves entrainment of brain states through specific feedback of the neurological electrical stimulation by auditory or visual means. The techniques require trained and experienced practitioners for the best outcomes. The costs are not covered by most insurers as the techniques are considered to be investigational.
Natural Pharmacological Methods
These include the use of a number of naturally available health food type substances known to improve the mood stabilization process and fight the anxiety process such as St John's Wort; L- Phenylalanine; and Inositol. The use of L-tryptophan and 5HT related substances are an off shoot of these types of techniques. Advantages include availability though health food stores and natural pharmacies. Disadvantages include the fact that proper dosages needed are rather high and not easily available to the public as the FDA prohibits the product companies from putting the effective dose on the labels.
Light Therapy
The use of 20,000 LUX lights to stimulate the biological light cycle used directly on the cornea for about 20 minutes twice a day has been demonstrated to be effective for seasonal affective disorders. Lights are available on the internet and can be a bit expensive. The key to treatment effectiveness involves the light exposure time and light dosage level.