Journal List > J Korean Med Assoc > v.54(4) > 1042418

Park: Non-pharmacological treatment for depression

Abstract

In treatment of depression, non-pharmacological treatment is as important as pharmacological treatment. However, in clinical practice in Korea, non-pharmacological treatment is not provided sufficiently and patients are not satisfied with psychiatric interviews. Accordingly, patients ask for more information from clinicians. Clinicians should be aware of the characteristics of depression in Korean patients, because the manifestations of symptoms are influenced by cultural factors. In particular, depressed patients complain about somatic symptoms more frequently than they complain about depressed mood itself. In order to establish a therapeutic relationship with depressed patients, clinicians should be aware of these characteristics of depressed patients and clinicians should also address the needs of their patients. The author introduces evidence-based self-care methods for Korean patients with depression. St. John's wort, acupuncture, air ionization, light therapy, massage bibliotherapy, exercise, meditation, relaxation, and yoga can be helpful for overcoming depression. Among them, the Clinical Research Center for Depression, an organization supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, has recommended several non-pharmacological treatments for depression. First of all, exercise, such as walking more than 30 min. everyday, is strongly recommended. Other recommendations include bibliotherapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and short-term psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy. For the nationwide management of depression, social bias against the treatment of depression should be reduced and non-pharmacological treatment for depression should be encouraged.

References

1. Karp JF, Buysse DJ, Houck PR, Cherry C, Kupfer DJ, Frank E. Relationship of variability in residual symptoms with recurrence of major depressive disorder during maintenance treatment. Am J Psychiatry. 2004. 161:1877–1884.
crossref
2. Kim KI. Clinical study of primary depressive symptom. Part II: symptom pattern of Korean depressive. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1977. 16:46–52.
3. Cho MJ, Ha YS, Han KJ, Park SA, Song MS, Kim YI, Lee GH, Kim HK, Kim CY, Hong JP. Depressive symptoms in a Korean rural sample: risk factor and factor structure. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1999. 38:266–277.
4. Oh HS, Lee HW, Park YC. The current status and requirements for non-pharmacological treatment of depression in Korea. Korean J Biol Psychiatry. 2007. 14:21–27.
5. Roh S, Park YC. Characteristics of depression in Korea and non-pharmacological treatment. Korean J Biol Psychiatry. 2006. 13:226–233.
6. Kim KI. Problems of somatization in Korea. New Med J. 1972. 15:34–37.
7. Lee HW, Park YC, Choi JH. Public awareness about depression written in the notes on overcoming the depression. Ment Health Res. 2006. 25:33–39.
8. Jorm AF, Christensen H, Griffiths KM, Rodgers B. Effectiveness of complementary and self-help treatments for depression. Med J Aust. 2002. 176:Suppl. S84–S96.
crossref
9. Park YC, Kim KI. The psychiatric practices relevant to the Korean culture. Ment Health Res. 1998. 17:4–13.
10. Lee SH, Park YC. Self care in depression. Korean J Biol Psychiatry. 2007. 14:5–13.
11. Ministry of Health and Welfare. Clinical Research Center for Depression. Evidence based non pharmacological clinical guideline for depression in Korea. 2010. Seoul: ML Communication.
12. Mead GE, Morley W, Campbell P, Greig CA, McMurdo M, Lawlor DA. Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009. (3):CD004366.
crossref
13. Mead N, MacDonald W, Bower P, Lovell K, Richards D, Roberts C, Bucknall A. The clinical effectiveness of guided self-help versus waiting-list control in the management of anxiety and depression: a randomized controlled trial. Psychol Med. 2005. 35:1633–1643.
crossref
14. Parker GB, Crawford J, Hadzi-Pavlovic D. Quantified superiority of cognitive behaviour therapy to antidepressant drugs: a challenge to an earlier meta-analysis. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2008. 118:91–97.
crossref
15. Thase ME, Greenhouse JB, Frank E, Reynolds CF 3rd, Pilkonis PA, Hurley K, Grochocinski V, Kupfer DJ. Treatment of major depression with psychotherapy or psychotherapy-pharmacotherapy combinations. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997. 54:1009–1015.
crossref
16. de Jonghe F, Hendricksen M, van Aalst G, Kool S, Peen V, Van R, van den Eijnden E, Dekker J. Psychotherapy alone and combined with pharmacotherapy in the treatment of depression. Br J Psychiatry. 2004. 185:37–45.
crossref
17. Lee MS. Depression 119. 2005. Seoul: Galim Publication.
18. Park YC, Kim KI. Community leaders attitude toward mental illness. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1983. 22:218–223.
TOOLS
Similar articles