According to a 2000 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, antidepressant drugs have proven ineffective in one-third of people suffering from mild to moderate depression, and have also failed to be effective among 50% of people with chronic depression.

A psychiatrist at UC San Diego in La Jolla, Daniel F. Kripke, who studies depression treatment, noted that “the benefits of prescription drugs aren’t as great as we all believed.”

And, some researchers are beginning to study alternative treatments for depression — including supplements, aerobic exercise, acupuncture, yoga, massage and relaxation techniques, and dietary changes.

 Acupuncture:34 women with major depression, who received eight weeks of Acupuncture treatment, reported an elevation in mood, similar to that provided by antidepressants. Exercise: 156 volunteers, over the age of 50, who were diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, were given a regimen of exercise, medication, or a combination treatment, for 16 weeks. While all groups experienced a relief of symptoms, after a 10-month follow-up, the exercise group reported a significantly lower relapse rate than the medication group; the more the participants exercised, the better they reported feeling.  

Gary Watkins, a 56-year-old man who participated in the study, had been on SSRItherapy, but reported the drugs stunted his emotions.

After enrolling in the study he began a regular exercise regimen, which he currently adheres to.

“It’s hard to get yourself moving when you’re depressed, but for me, exercise is the best way to control my depression,” Watkins said.  

Some 111 million prescriptions were written for antidepressant drugs in 2001 — a 14% increase from 2000. The most commonly prescribed antidepressants are SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), such as Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.

Antidepressants have a long list of side effects, including, loss of libido, insomnia, restlessness, weight gain, headaches, and anxiety, amongst others. And, the effects of long-term use is not known.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, www.latimes.com, July 1, 2002.