Depression Treatments

Depression is a common experience among people with cancer. Two evidence-based treatments are medication and psychotherapy. In terms of psychotherapy, I highly recommend you find a therapist who is experienced in cognitive behavioral therapy. I also recommend this book which is aimed toward helping cancer patients overcome both depression and anxiety using behavior therapy. http://www.amazon.com/Cancer-Patients-Overcoming-Depression-Anxiety/dp/1572245042/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332588387&sr=8-1 I also recommend Kris Carr’s books on cancer. Check her out on Amazon.com. As a cancer survivor, she has an empowering and fun view of recovery and survival.

Homeopathy can be very effective at treating depression. As we are a holistic healing modality we work to understand the whole individual and provide an individual remedy that heals the underlying imbalance, rather than simply relieves the symptoms.

It is important to understand that homeopathic remedies are only prescribed on an individual basis, so each person will receive a remedy that reflects their unique emotional state. We will also carefully consider a full totality of symptoms, including physical and mental ones.

The best course of action for someone seeking homeopathic treatment for depression is the same as for any ailment. Consult with a professional, classically trained homeopath for an individual consultation. Expect your initial intake to last about 2 hours and be committed to regular follow ups. Follow-ups are generally 4 – 6 weeks apart but your homeopath should also make themselves available to you for any questions or concerns between appointments.

It is also important to understand that any long-term chronic condition can take some time to resolve entirely. I always like to manage expectations and be realistic about timeframes.

The answer here is yes there are, but the additional questions that are posed next should be "Are they effective?", "How will they interact with my other medical treatment?" and "How safe are they in general?"

To get the complete information you need, I would suggest working with a naturopathic physician in concert with your oncologist or other physicians. Just because something is deemed "natural" doesn't necessarily mean it's safe or that it is effective. Depending on the study, herbs and natural supplements can be shown to not be effective, to be effective and/or to be hazardous depending on dose and regimen.

If you are really concerned with natural approaches, consider a holistic approach by developing a healthcare team. Get a registered dietician, your medical doctors, a mental health professional and a naturopath involved in your care. Not everyone can afford to have such a group of professionals all in on one case, but wouldn't it be incredible if you found you could do much of what you need by simply changing your diet, engaging in moderate activity/exercise and modifying behavior and self-talk?