Treating depression without using prescribed medication

This booklet is for you if you think you may be depressed; or you have already been diagnosed with depression and are considering your treatment options.

Your family, friends and carers may also find this booklet useful.

This booklet is based on the recommendations from the SIGN national clinical guideline on non-pharmaceutical management of depression in adults.

Our guidelines are based on medical and scientific research, which involves carrying out trials of different treatments and methods of care.

The guideline development group are a group of people from across Scotland who wrote the clinical guideline on which this booklet is based. They include NHS staff, staff from areas such as social work, and patients and members of the public.

The group looked at the research evidence available on how well different treatments work, and we used this evidence to make recommendations for healthcare professionals on how best to treat patients with depression.

Our booklet aims to help you to make positive treatment choices based on the most up-to-date medical and scientific research.

If you would like to order copies of the patient booklet, please email sign@sign.ac.uk

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