Depression can take a heavy toll on your life. For some people, a combination of traditional and alternative treatment options work to help control the symptoms of the disease. Here are some of the alternative treatments you can use to complement the traditional care you are receiving from your doctor or therapist. 

Sound Therapy 

Researchers have discovered that stimulation to neurons with sounds can help to alleviate the symptoms of depression and even boost your mood. In one study, participants reported relief from symptoms after undergoing 10 minutes of sound therapy. 

It is believed that the sounds help to increase the production and release of dopamine and serotonin. Both are substances that aid in decreasing negative thoughts and increasing feelings of happiness and ease. Your therapist might consider sound therapy, from a professional therapist like Mark Montgomery MD FACS, as a complement to your therapy that could result in a reduced need for medication. 

St. John's Wort

There are mixed results when it comes to the use of St. John's wort for depression. Some studies have noted that participants experience significant relief of their depression-related symptoms after taking St. John's wort on a regular basis. In those studies, it was noted that participants had less side effects than they had experienced with antidepressants. 

However, other studies did not show the same results. In those studies, the use of St. John's wort had no significant impact on the symptoms that participants experienced. If you do opt to experiment with using St. John's wort for your depression, you need to know that it can possibly weaken some of the other medications you are already taking, including your antidepressants.

Light Therapy

Even though there are few studies that support the use of light therapy for depression, it is considered to be a relatively harmless form of treatment. In light therapy, you would be exposed to periods of artificial light. This form of therapy has had the most success with people who are suffering from seasonal affective disorder. The thought is that the shorter periods of sunlight seen in the winter months can have an impact on your mood. By exposing you to more light, your mood is supposed to be elevated. 

Whether you opt for a more traditional approach to handling depression-related symptoms or you want to try non-traditional methods, it is important that you keep your doctor or therapist involved in your decision making. Some forms of treatment can negatively impact others, which could result in a decreased impact on your mood.