E05 | Health Investigation | Depression: From Darkness to Light

Depression is an illness that will affect more than one in five people during their lifetime. To overcome it, more than 4 million French people take antidepressants, which are essential in certain cases. For many doctors, treating depression solely with medication has become routine, whether the depression is severe, moderate or mild. This practice is increasingly contested, as antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs cause numerous side effects and, in some cases, can lead to dependence. They are now viewed with suspicion and mistrust by many patients who are seeking alternative treatments. Over the past few years, alternative, non-pharmacological methods have emerged to treat depression. Some therapies have even found their way into hospitals. Studies have, for example, shown that therapies based on mindfulness meditation are just as effective as standard treatments with antidepressants in preventing relapses of depression. Another technique that is rapidly gaining ground is transcranial magnetic stimulation. The principle involves using electromagnetic waves to stimulate the transmission of nerve impulses between neurons. This method, now available in a growing number of French hospitals, has been shown to be as effective as medication in some patients. Nutrition, herbal medicine and physical activity also form part of an expanding range of therapeutic options for combating depression. Meditation, light therapy, targeted diets, sport, herbal remedies… How do these different approaches work? What evidence is there of their effectiveness? And in which cases is it possible to treat depression without medication?