Complementary therapies

A complementary therapy is an approach to promoting health and healing that can be safely used alongside formal treatments that you would receive from your doctor.  Examples include:

• Aromatherapy
• Acupuncture
• Massage
• Reflexology
• Reiki
• Shiatsu

Some exercise regimes such as tai chi and yoga are sometimes included as complementary therapies.

Depression is not a straightforward illness.  It has psychological and social dimensions, and is made worse by stress and disrupted sleep.  Complementary therapies can address these in ways that conventional medicine is unable to do because:

• The therapist can spend time with you, providing a listening ear
• Therapies often involve 'hands-on' contact of a kind that can be lacking in modern life
• Most therapies result in a much deeper state of relaxation than could otherwise be achieved (particularly when used regularly)
• By learning to take time out for yourself to enjoy a therapy, you are building your sense of self-worth

Complementary therapies are unlikely to "cure" your depression (although there is growing evidence of the benefits of meditation and relaxation techniques in the treatment of depression), but they may be a part of what you need to do in order to recover.