There are also related terms to "natural treatment", "natural medicine" or "natural remedies" out there, that I want to try to define better here.

Complimentary Medicine or Treatments

Complimentary treatment means usually using other, more "natural" options along with standard medical treatment, but it s not considered by itself to be standard treatment. One example is using acupuncture to help lessen some side effects of cancer treatment. Less research has been done for most types of complementary medicine.

Alternative Medicine or Treatments

Alternative medicine means usually using other options of treatment  instead of standard medical treatment. One example would be using a special diet to treat cancer instead of cancer drugs that are prescribed by an oncologist. Less research has been done for most types of alternative medicine. 

Integrative Medicine

What does integrative medicine mean? The Cleveland clinic defines integrative medicine as an approach to wellness that combines conventional (traditional Western) medicine, (which includes drugs, surgery and lifestyle changes.) with complementary medicine therapies that are not part of traditional Western medicine. This may include chiropractic therapy, yoga, meditation and more.

Functional Medicine

Functional Medicine means a systems biology–based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual’s illness.

Wikipedia classifies it as a form of alternative medicine that encompasses a number of unproven and disproven methods and treatments. Its proponents claim that it focuses on the "root causes" of diseases based on interactions between the environment and the gastrointestinal, endocrine, and immune systems to develop "individualized treatment plans


List of Therapies that Fall into the Category of "Natural Treatments"

 (this list is not complete)

Natural Treatments are often also called natural remedies. But - are there any natural remedies for depression?

Research shows that there are many. Here is a breakdown of the most common types:

1. Functional Psychiatry

This is a very new field of Psychiatry, also called Integrative Psychiatry. Dr. James Greenblatt MD, a pioneer in the field, defines it on his website "Psychiatry Redefined" as follows:

"While scientific research has brought our understanding as to the complex interplay of biologic, genetic, and environmental factors that together create the dynamic continuum of human thought and behavior to an unprecedented level, psychiatry’s application of this knowledge lags far behind that of other medical disciplines, and the treatment of mental illness remains a substantial challenge. Over the last few decades, the number of patients with psychiatric disorders and neurologic disease has skyrocketed, causing a surge of medical burden that psychiatry as a field seems increasingly ill-equipped to address.

The broadening gap between incidence and rates of treatment success mirrors that which separates scientific discovery and clinical practice. Mental illnesses are being treated according to etiologic and therapeutic models that have changed little over the last half-century.  Patients with unique symptomatic presentations are being tucked into diagnostic categories derived from consensus and statistical average, and offered treatment geared primarily towards symptom management that does not account for biologic individuality.

Over-reliance upon pharmaceutical interventions is rampant, driven by a multitude of factors including convenience and assumption – assumption that an intervention effective for one patient will most likely be effective for another. Epidemiologic data demonstrates in no uncertain terms that this model is not adequate. While medical disciplines proactively pursue methodologic refinement through ongoing scientific discovery, psychiatry seems held to a standstill by outdated approaches and incomplete therapeutic models."

I see great hope in this approach on combining the conventional medical model with complimentary approaches, whatever you want to call them.

Other pioneers in this field are

 Dr. Daniel Amen MD ("Change Your Brain, Change Your Life")

Peter R. Breggin, MD ("Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal")

Kelly Brogan MD ("A Mind of Your Own")

David J. Scheiderer, MD, 

and probably others.

2. Psychotherapy (different variations) - especially TEAM Therapy

There are many variations of psychotherapy. The most common and best researched treatment for depression is CBT  (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) .

My favorite is TEAM-CBT Therapy, an improvement of CBT initiated by Dr. David Burns MD, who wrote the excellent books: "Feeling Good" and "Feeling Great".  

Other psychotherapy forms that can help depression and anxiety are interpersonal therapy, exposure therapy, schema therapy, psychodynamic therapy, role play, and many more. Therapy can be individual, in groups, for families and for couples.

Psychotherapy can be called a natural treatment, since it otherwise fits in that category as well.

3. Naturopathic Medicine Treatment

Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, according to Wikipedia is a form of alternative medicine. (As we saw above, that does not have to be the case, as often it is use in addition to conventional medicine)

According to WebMD, Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself. It embraces many therapies, including herbs, massage, acupuncture, exercise, and nutritional counseling.

Naturopathy was brought to the United States from Germany in the 1800s, but some of its treatments are centuries old. Today, it combines traditional treatments with some aspects of modern science.

The goal of naturopathic medicine is to treat the whole person -- that means mind, body, and spirit. It also aims to heal the root causes of an illness -- not just stop the symptoms.

A naturopathic doctor may spend 1 to 2 hours examining you. They’ll ask questions about your health history, stress levels, and lifestyle habits. They may order lab tests.

Afterwards, they will typically discuss your personal health plan. Naturopathic medicine focuses on education and prevention, so your doctor may give you diet, exercise, or stress management tips. They might use complementary medicine -- like homeopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture -- in addition to naturopathic treatments. They may also use touch, such as massage and pressure, to create balance in your body. 

You can find people who support naturopathic medicine in hospitals, clinics, community centers, and private offices. They fall into three groups, and they all have different educations and backgrounds:

• Naturopathic physicians: These are also called naturopathic doctors (ND) or doctors of naturopathic medicine (NMD). They usually attend an accredited four-year, graduate-level school. There they study basic sciences similar to those studied in conventional medical school. They also study nutrition, psychology, and complementary therapies such as herbal medicine and homeopathy. Some states and territories require naturopathic doctors to become licensed. That means they have to pass an exam to practice and take continuing education classes.
• Traditional naturopaths: These practitioners don’t attend an accredited naturopathic medical school or receive a license. Their education varies widely.
• Healthcare providers: Some medical doctors, dentists, doctors of osteopathy, chiropractors, and nurses have training in naturopathic medicine. Many are either NDs or they studied naturopathy.
• Health Coaches who have additional training in natural medicine.  some may be retired ND's or MD's with considerable experience in their field.

4. Coaching (Health/Life/Specialized)

A Brain Health Coach or a Mental Health Coach is a coach that has additional, specialized training in how to help the brain and mind with coaching techniques and arts. One of the best Brain Health Coaching Programs has been established by Dr. Daniel Amen MD. 

5.  Spiritual Counseling

Spirituality has increased in recent years, as the adherence to traditional religions has decreased. Spirituality is typically defined as the search for transcendent meaning or as a belief in a greater existence outside of humankind.

It can be linked to religion, but the practice of spirituality is generally considered to go beyond religion and connect individuals with something larger, such as the universe itself.

Spiritual Counseling takes into account cognitive and philosophic areas of thought as well as aspects of emotions and behavior.

Some might describe spirituality as the attempt to understand one's nature or the meaning of one's existence, but spirituality is also linked to internal awareness and happiness.

Many cultures and belief systems hold that a spirit is the essence of one's existence. In these cases, spirituality may also describe a person’s connection to others and to themselves. 

Though some may describe themselves as spiritual without adhering to the principles of any religion or even having any religious thought, for others, religion is the manifestation of their spirituality.

This manifestation may involve the performance of rituals—in one tradition or in some combination of traditions—with varying degrees of commitment and involvement in that faith.

Spirituality may also describe the attention people pay to their own well-being and that of others. For many, the practice of dance, yoga, meditation, or volunteer work, among others, are outlets in which to express spirituality.


6. Energy Medicine,  Body Energy Therapies or Energy Healing

The term energy medicine was coined in the 1980s to describe a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). It’s also known as:

• energy healing
• subtle energy healing
• mind-body medicine
• vibrational medicine

It’s based on the belief that the body is permeated by an energy field that can affect our health and well-being, also called subtle energy, vibrational energy, or simply life force.

Body Energy Therapies involve some form of touch as well as energetic techniques. Some examples would include 

• Havening Techniques®, 
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), , 
• Bio-Feedback, 
• EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques, "Tapping") 

Energy Healing does not necessarily involve touch, though, as the body is said to have an energy field, called aura, 

One of the best known forms is Reiki, a Japanese form of energy healing. Reiki practitioners use a technique called palm healing or hands-on healing through which a "universal energy" is said to be transferred through the palms of the practitioner to the patient in order to encourage emotional or physical healing.

There are many other forms of energy healing that use similar techniques, some can be used at a distance.


Do-it-Yourself-Options

Online Programs and Courses

There are many programs that can be used to help depression and/or anxiety and related disorders. 

I will review the best of them soon on this site.

Books

There are millions of self-help books in the mental health field available. I will review the best ones on this site soon.

Nutrition

The use of food and the importance of healthy eating for better general health has been established and acknowledged, even by mainstream medicine for some time.

It is slowly also recognized that healthy eating is contributing to good mental health, too, and can assist rapid recovery from depression. 

The debate is more over what constitutes healthy eating.

The guidelines of the US department for Agriculture can be found here. A List of Diet Associations in the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia can be found here.

Here is what the WHO (World Health Organization) considers a healthy diet. Canadians are supposed to follow their own food guide.

The influence on food on mood and mental health is also being more and more studied. You can find a good article about nutritional psychiatry here.

These official guidelines are widely accepted in conventional medicine. But many consumers like you and me have doubts, since their funding often comes from large corporate organizations that produce packaged food or even pharmaceuticals.

A good synopsis of what to eat for vibrant health and better energy is found in my little book, that you can purchase on Amazon.

It can help you when you may or may not know what you should eat - but what if the ideal food choice is not affordable or not available? This book clearly spells out: what food is best, what is acceptable and what should better be avoided - and why.

I am currently writing a second book on foods and nutrition, "Foods that Help You to Sparkle - How to Eat for Better Mental Health, Brain Health and Vibrant Energy"

I am currently pre-releasing it part by part  to a beta-group of readers. Click Here to join our beta-group: (free until the book is published)

Nutritional Supplements 

There is increasing evindence that nutrition alone is not enough to help someone suffering with mental health issues.

There has been much research done on the benefits of nutritional supplements for mental health in recent years, and certain supplements, like fish oil, probiotics, Magnesium, Vitamin D, B-Vitamins, and others are more and more recognized as important addition to the healing plan - I call it, as part of the "nutrition orchestra".

Developments in agriculture and food processing in the last 100-150 years have led to a depletion of the soil as well of nutrients and micronutrients in fruits, vegetables and other foods we eat on a daily basis. More of that is explained in the book mentioned above.

What are nutritional / food / supplements?

Generally, they fall into these categories:

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Fats
• Amino Acids (Parts of Proteins)
• Enzymes
• Herbs and Phytochemicals (Plant chemicals)
• Spices
• Glandular Preparations
• Essential Oils
• Others

Here is a good article on how to choose the best supplements for mental health.

On my sister website: https://SupplementsforMentalHealth.com, I regularly talk about supplements for depression and also review good products that I personally recommend or actually take.

So What Is The Best Natural Treatment for Depression and Anxiety

By now, you may have guessed it:

No single strategy will work for everyone. The treatment for your mental health condition needs to be just as individual as you are.

In the experience of most practitioners (including my own), you will have the best chances to fully recover from depression and anxiety if you follow the 7-step strategy and process outlined here

A combination of all methods above, customized and tailored to your individual needs, either with the help of a professional or as a DIY project, will lead to eventual recovery. 

How long will it take to get well?

Here also, the best answer is: It depends. It truly depends on your genes, envionment, strategy and actions. Most often, it will take years to achieve full recovery, especially if you do not get the best natural treatment for depression and anxiety possible at the right time, whether with or without conventional treatments added.

Where do I Go From Here?

That is a very good question. I recommend first doing some research of your own. the links in this article as well as other articles on this website can help.

You can go from there to assemble your own strategy to recover from your issues or seek professional help from one of the practitioners in an area that appeals to you. For help with gaining clarity, this Life Strategy Session can help.

Always Note: If you suffer from any medical or health condition, take medication, supplements or use other drugs, ask your doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare practitioner for individual advice before changing your diet, lifestyle or adding any supplements. 

That said, you can absolutely achieve complete recovery from depression and anxiety with a good assessment, strategy and even better follow-through. It will take time, but many have done it before you, me included.

Don't give up and keep on seeking for your best solution. It is out there!