Depression: Medical Treatment Vs. Alternative Therapies
             Richard* is age 19, a student at Fullerton Junior College, and is in support of medical attention when treating Depression. Isabel* is age 20, a student at California State University Fullerton, and is in support of Alternative therapies in the treatment of depression but against medicine when treating depression. These two students are having lunch one day when the topic of treating depression comes up. The conversation that occurred that day is noted below:
             Isabel: Depression is a major problem in society today and I feel that many forms of depression could be healed with the power of the mind, body, and various alternative therapies.
             Richard: Well Isabel, even though there are many so called "alternative therapies," the proper way to deal with depression would be to visit a psychiatrist and be properly evaluated so depression could be dealt with in a sufficient manner.
             Isabel: But medicine isn't always the answer. What if these people become dependent on these medications like Prozac.
             Richard: But what if these alternative therapies don't work? The issue that we face with alternative therapies is if they actually work. What if you where given a homeopathic treatment, like St. John's Wort, and your body has a horrible reaction to it? Many of these medications are unsafe and could be potentially fatal since many are not FDA regulated.
             Isabel: How will clinical Psychiatrist's ever know if any of these therapies even work if they never give them a chance? The largest clinical trial so far of St. John's Wort suggests that the herb may be a better choice than commonly used anti-depressant drugs. The study of more than 300 people, published in a September issue of the British Medical Journal found that St. John's Wort relieved mild to moderate depression just as effectively as the prescription drug imipramine and wa...