Can depression be treated without prescription drugs/medication

i am also seeking therapeutic ways to combat my depression,,besides using antidepressants.....exercise of anysort is beneficial..proper eating habits,,,lots of B vitamins..basically brain food....try to stay away from alcohol..it's a natural depressant....vitamin d from the sun is proven benificial...counselling ! therapy...everything helps a little bit (:

There are many ways to combat depression naturally. I have tried St Johns wort and found it effective. I found this for me to have the best results although it is a very dangerous one in the sense of it being an MAIO like antidepressant and you really have to watch what you are taking with it. Claritin-D sent me into seritonin overload a few times before the doc figured it out. 5-htp worked for me also with little to no side effects for me. Others have used SAM-E with success. 

I hope that you continue on the road of success. Pleas check with your doctor if about any meds you choose to take.

Pat

my son spends all day infront of the computer playing or watching TV, he doesn't whant to talk to no one or participate in fam. reunions.he drikns, and not shure if he is doing other drogs. How can I help him? I wouldn't like him to start taking medicine. Is there anything other that medicine that he can do to get out of his depression? Like natural medicine?

Thank You!

I read that going on without med may bring back depression. An Article in Oprah that inspires me to continue to do what I call the other drug to depression.  I was overweight for years...mainly eatting triggered by my feelings.  I hit rockbottom.  Staying in bed for a year to me is hitting rockbottom.  When You are desperate you find yourself having to do something about it...it was eatting...but if eating could cure depression it would have done so already....So I decided I walk.  At first it was 10 mins...then increase to 15 and 20...then it was to the park which was 30 mins away.  The walk was ok.  I noticed walking made me think.  Not good thoughts.  but certainly NOT ALL bad.   So I walk and I walk...years later I've become a runner.  What I did was  I decided to distract my mind and shift my focus onto my body.  I learned to put my concentration onto my muscles and my legs.  IT became a domino effect.  I decided to add more  things to focus on...weight lifting.  Ewww. I hated push up and seeing myself out of place within a gym but I have no choice and no where else to turn.   Restraining myself from doing what I am most comfortable doing (eatting) was the toughest one.  I'm still working on it but I don't care if I don't make it right away.  I'll take it a step at a time. Even Oprah admit eatting takes time to control. so i'm not going to put a timeline on controlling my eating.  I start off with 10 mins of walking outside. I give myself no timeline.  An article in Oprah, resemble my life.  The woman in the article lock herself for years.  She walked for a few mins and added more.  I am relief to know there is more people out there like me.  Many studies reflects postive lights upon walking...I watch beatiful people workout...I do the same only concentrating the fact that I can feel my muscle aches and Grateful I have legs I could walk and run...I study how to eat smart ...not stop eating.  I study working out smart... My focus has something to focus on and it is not the four corners of my bedroom.