Alternative therapies such as St. John's Wort and acupuncture may help relieve symptoms of more mild forms of depression, but studies reveal they may be ineffective for more serious types of depression, including MDD. A person should consult with a physician before relying on an alternative treatment as—especially in the case of St. John's Wort—they may have potentially dangerous interactions with certain types of medications.
Regular exercise has been found to be effective treatment for most types of depression and can be ?performed safely in conjunction with other therapies. It has the added benefit of helping to improve a person's physical as well as mental health.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has proven to be a very effective (and safe) treatment for those with the most severe cases of MDD, those who haven't responded well to other treatments and in those who experience psychotic symptoms.