What are the best treatments for mild depression/dysthymia?

If i had mild depression/dysthymia (I'll speak to a doctor) what are the best treatments. I took Sertraline about 3 years ago for 6 months. Intially it made me a lot worse, really intense anxiety. And then when that died down I felt no different to when i started them.

Would St John's Wort be a better option?

After decades of on-and-off attempts with various medications, St John's wort turned out to be a wonder drug FOR ME.

Everyone's experiences are different, but after years of trying medications with all sorts of side effects (some making things worse, similar to your reaction), within 30 minutes of taking SJW, I finally understood what anti-depressants were supposed to do.

SSRIs cause a regrowth of brain cells in the limbic system:
http://www.realhelpfordepression.com/ana...
I've wondered if the effects I had with SJW would have been so immediate and dramatic if I had not taken SSRIs for a couple of years prior, but I haven't found a doctor who is willing to venture a guess on it.

Medication is only part of the equation though. Having someone to talk with is as, if not more, important. I also found help with a few CBT classes. (Mental exercises that could have just as easily come from a book.)

I wouldn't try St Johns Wort although it is a herb and natural it can still be dangerous. You should speak to your doctor as they can give you a mild antidepressant - these are much better and you probably won't even know your taking them compared to the stronger ones that probably made you intensley anxious. I would also recommend that you see a counsellor or try Cognitive Behavioural Therapy along with your medication. Taking antidepressants is like taking a paracetamol - it treats the symptoms but does not treat the actual cause. With the CBT this will help you focus on the stem of your depression and fight it also it will help you relapsing also because you will have the basics to combatting it rather than just the pill thats treating the symptoms. I hope this helps, and please get help from a medical professional if your feeling this way :)

I recovered from Dysthymia that affected me for several years. I did not even know what my problem was- I thought I had chronic fatigue syndrome or something. I shut down my life because of my symptoms and it just perpetuated. Recognition of my condition was the first big step- and you are already there. I will give general advice here because I dont know your specific situation. You are asking for a treatment, but before you can determine that, you need to make sure you know the cause of your depression. If you're not sure, get counseling. Usually it is one of two things- something is bothering you about your current life situation, or it is some trauma from the past. If it is something in your past, you need to deal with it, forgive the person, and get over it and not allow it to have continued power over you. You may also have distorted thinking- problem magnification, generalizations, etc. If it is a current life situation then action is in order. Address the problem head on with massive action. As you begin to feel in control of your life and start feeling like you are moving in the direction you want to go with your life, your mood will improve dramatically. That is what happenned with me. I would be wary of taking meds for a low grade depression. I took Wellbutrin once and it was a bad experience- it messed up my brain chemicals for a few weeks and was not good. Plus, in time, your brain adjusts to the meds and you will become addicted to it. If you stop or cut down, you will experience withdrawal symptoms that for some people are severe.

I suffer from Dysthymia. It took a long time for my doctors to really label my condition. And because of that it was hard to assign the right medication. So even though a medication might not work for you there are many out there that will. It takes time and money but eventually it is worth it. I started off taking lexapro (I think they start just about everyone with that). The lexapro helped, but it kept me from sleeping. So then I was put on Seroquel. Taking both medications helped a lot but then I realized that I was sleeping at night (good thing) and during the day! (not such a good thing). And then my doctor suggested that I try Lamictal to help me with my anxiety/moods. And eventually I realized I didn't need the Seroquel and weened myself off of it. So I learned that it takes time to know what medications really work for you. So I suggest that you don't give up. Speak to your doctor/psychiatrist and find out what exactly the condition is and you will hopefully find the right medication. Now, medication will not cure everything...it will just make it easier for you to cope with things. I wish you the best of luck, hang in there!

It's been shown by a number of studies that medication is not of much use in mild depression - it may demonstrate a slight placebo effect but not much. And with the side effects I don't know that it is worth it.

The best cures for mild depression are - talking therapies such as CBT or counselling, exercise (30mins vigourously everyday!) breathing exercises and some kind of calming practice such as say yoga or tai chi. If you want any kind of herbal medicine try St John's Wort or try adding a spoonful of pumpkin seeds to your breakfast or lunch (they are high in an amino-acid called 5HTP which is what serotonin in made from). Be aware that St John's Wort does have some interactions with other drugs and isn't suitable for everyone! Good luck, Hx

Fish Oil (Omega 3, EPA DHA) worked for me.

There is plenty of evidence that it can be effective if you look for it.

People criticise the studies that have been done into Fish Oil and depression as "too small scale", and say "we need further conformation from a larger study".

However, most research is funded by Pharmaceutical companies, and they do not fund research into natural alternatives as these substances cannot be patented, so there is no money in it for them.

Even the Psychiatric Times once published an enthusiastic article about Fish Oil:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2562582/Fish-O...

A recent study found fish oil to be about as effective as prozac:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2662489/Study-...

you can't make it better, but if you can find something to help it numb while you work on it too, just to keep you stable, but not that you a relying on it to make the depression go away...
i don't know any treatments, in fact i'm in the process myself, but i learnt that you can't rely on them solely, cause it won't work...

To be honest, all the medicine your doc is going to give you will hurt you more because that is how the pharma industrie makes their money. It can do a lot of damage to your body and mind.
I would start trying to figure out why you are depressed (get the root). Change or solve the reason.
Bergamot oil is an antidepressant too and all natural! Try it.

Mybe you dont need meds at all. Sometimes a simple change in your life can make all the difference in the world. My sis is a shrink and she thinks that drugs are the quickest way to solve a problem. Most of the time, it is better to work it out and fix a problem rather than medicating it.
Unless you have an actual chemical imbalance....Meds are really not the answer

Sunlight, walk, laugh, meditate, limit sugar intake, be social active, get involved with people.