Medication-free treatment for depression has been discovered by researchers

Researchers have discovered a promising treatment for depression and it is medication-free.

Depression is a mental health condition that affects millions of people around the world, to varying degrees.

There are medications and therapies which can help, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach to help combat it. So, new methods of treatment can only be a good thing.

Recent research has found that an alternative treatment, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), has worked well for some sufferers. It involves a device sending electrical impulses to the vagus nerve – the main nerve that controls digestion, heart rate and other vital functions.

Speaking to CNN about his journey, Nick Fournie, who has struggled with depression, explained he has previously tried around 10 different medications over the last decade, some of which came with “terrible reactions”.

“Some of [the drugs] really sent me way out of my mind,” Fournie said.

His situation changed when his sister, a nurse, suggested he try VNS as part of a trial by Dr. Charles Conway, professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for the Advancement of Research in Resistant Mood and Affective Disorders at Washington University.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “when the [VNS] device fires, it sends electrical impulses to areas of the brain. This changes brain activity to treat certain conditions”.

Fournie had the device, similar to a pace-marker, fitted under his collarbone around 20 years ago and has been having the treatment ever since, alongside two alternating antidepressant medications.

“It completely changed my life,” he explained. “I find joy every single day.”

Fournie’s wife, Mary, added: “If it was just only medication, I don’t know that he would be alive today.”

“I tell Dr. Conway all the time, this was a miracle for us. Not to say that you don’t also have to do some behavior modifications, and you have to learn coping techniques and all that. It isn’t this magic bullet. It’s work, [but] it has saved our lives together, and his life.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offer support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

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