Why do some people prefer natural treatment for depression?

Since I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, several people have suggested bee stings as an alternative treatment to the interferon beta shot I do once a week. The first time a helpful soul suggested it, I was stupefied for a minute. I mean, honestly. How is being stung by bees preferable in any way to medication? Granted, my interferon medicine does have side effects, but what would make anyone think bee stings are free from side effects? I've had allergic reactions to stinging insects in the past, for one thing, and there's a reason that many people carry epi-pens to counteract bee stings. I'm wondering if somehow the potential throat-closing-up-lack-of-breathing is seen as inconsequential compared to medication side effects by the people who suggest the bee sting regimen.

For some inexplicable (at least, to me) reason, some people think that if a treatment is natural, it is always superior to one developed in a lab. For me, this is a head-scratcher. Natural is not even safe in every situation, let alone superior. Digitalis, which is derived from foxglove, is used to treat heart conditions, but do you know any cardiac patients who grow the plant and just clip some off when they're in distress? No, of course not, or at least I hope not. They use pills that are prescribed for the condition, as the level of digitalis in them is safe.

Several things concern me about natural treatment for depression. One is that with many people, it's a knee-jerk reaction to choose the natural treatment over the conventional, without doing any research or talking to their doctor. Here's why I think that's the case. If you're taking a supplement or herb instead of an antidepressant, you can keep telling yourself that you are not suffering from an illness, because you're not taking medication. It supports the illusion that depression isn't an illness. I'm sorry, but especially if you're talking about severe levels of depression, that just isn't the case.

The second thing that worries me about people with depression choosing the natural treatment route is that they often don't see a doctor at all. Clinical depression can be caused by medical conditions such as a malfunctioning thyroid. When you talk to your doctor about experiencing depression, as part of the diagnosis he or she will first rule out these medical conditions. If your depression is caused by an underlying medical condition and you choose to self-medicate instead of getting checked out by your doctor, it's likely that these conditions, which could be dangerous, will not be detected.

In addition, I have yet to hear of a natural treatment for clinical depression that has been proven to be both safe and effective. The only one that comes even close is St. John's wort, but not if you have major depression. According to the National Institutes of Health, while there is some scientific evidence that St. John's wort can be useful in treating mild to moderate depression, two major studies have show that it is no more effective than a placebo in treating major depression.