Moderate Depression Treatment

According to mental health advocacy group Mental Health America, moderate depression can be difficult to recognize and treat. Once a doctor has diagnosed you with moderate depression, she will probably recommend a combination of treatments.

Therapy

• Talk therapy that teaches the patient new, positive ways of thinking and behaving or that helps patients understand and deal with difficult relationships may be the most effective treatment for moderate depression.

Antidepressants

• Doctors often prescribe selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa. Patients who take them tend to have fewer side effects than those taking other antidepressants.

Herbal Supplements

• The extract from St. John's Wort, a wild-growing plant, is used extensively in Europe for treating moderate depression.

Diet

• The October 2009 issue of "Archives of General Psychiatry" reported evidence that a diet containing high amounts of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, whole grains, olive oil and fish may reduce the occurrence of depression.

Sleep

• Sleeping poorly can affect moods. Try to stick to a regular sleep schedule.