Alternatives Summary

There are many alternative remedies for depression and they are rarely harmful by themselves. The true harm is usually when they are used in place of truly effective treatments. Solomon has received hundreds of letters informing him of alternate treatments for depression. Many people believe they have received help from alternate treatments of their own invention and Solomon expresses his belief that if a patient truly believes a specific behavior will result in relief from symptoms, he or she will most likely achieve said relief by participating in the behavior. Depression is cyclical, however, going into remission temporarily even without treatment and it is possible that people who claim to have relieved their symptoms with alternative treatments are, in reality, simply experiencing temporary recovery typical of the illness. The most important treatment, however, is belief.

Exercise and diet play an important role in...