Unconventional treatments for depression and anxiety

[Violette88]

Do you have any unconventional treatments for depression and anxiety? Eg light therapy, acupuncture or animal therapy etc?

 

[Mia]

Have used light therapy on a consistent basis for some time, it seems to help a great deal with S.A.D. in the winter months.

Exercise also helps, yoga for example, walking, spinning, pinwheels, dancing.

Also this fellow's treatment of himself and his writing about it helped me: http://www.adamking.me/depression-cure/

 

[Ronin82]

My therapist is a graduate of the Traditional Chinese Medicine college in China. He incorporates accupressure and energy healing in sessions. He also teaches Aikido, and I participate in his classes as part of my therapy. I also keep dogs.

 

[JonJoe]

Have you tried mindfulness? It's maybe not unconventional anymore as it seems pretty widely accepted by health professionals. Anyway I've recently started to try it so can't really comment on it's effectiveness but at least it's free and something you can do in your own home.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Yep, deep pressure therapy for anxiety and tics in the form of a pressure vest called a Squease.

 

[MsFemLa]

Pets, all the way! I did a mental health nursing degree to help myself. Didn't work too well in practice as I'm totally burnt out and thinking of not being a nurse but the knowledge and critical approach to research definitely helped develop a cognitive approach to my experiences!!

 

[NLD?]

I am really interested in trying neurofeedback for my anxiety, depression and other issues, but it's very time consuming and expensive so I've been slow to commit. It was recommended to me by 2 therapists. Has it worked for anyone here?

I am very interested in neuro/bio feedbacks and brain technology as aids and I think these machines may be the tools of the future for all kinds of things, not just our kinds of issues. They can probably be faster aids to meditative states than classic meditation IMO.

I use one at home that helps called the Photosonix Nova Pro which is a machine with many settings and goggles with flashing lights and headphones with synchronized binaural beats.

Today I used settings for waking up and helping with depression and both were helpful.

I also use a "sunlight" (light therapy) which helps for energy to some extent, but not as well as the wakeup setting on the Nova Pro. I usually do both when I'm really and they help.

I also want to learn auto-hypnosis and I tried to be hypnotized a few times but he wasn't really able to put me deep under, although he was the one who introduced me to the Nova Pro, and he did do a Tibetan Bowl Ritual which was very relaxing.