Depression Through the Ages and Today's Evidence-Based Treatments Available at Boston's Dignity Brain Health

When you are experiencing depressive symptoms, it can often feel as if no one else understands what you are going through. However, humans have grappled with depression for millennia, and you are not alone in this struggle.

Historically, people exhibited signs of depression as early as ancient Greece, where it was referred to as “melancholia.” The symptoms then—loss of appetite, excessive sleeping, lack of motivation, constant weeping, chronic exhaustion, and a pervasive sense of helplessness—are strikingly similar to those diagnosed today.

Treatment methods have dramatically evolved from the past's unconventional practices. Ancient remedies ranged from special diets and strenuous physical labor to more extreme measures like blood-letting and dangerously prolonged water immersion. By the early 20th century, even lobotomies were performed in misguided attempts to treat mental distress.

Contrastingly, modern Boston hosts innovative treatments grounded in scientific research and clinical trials, ensuring safety and effectiveness. One such advancement is TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation), a non-invasive therapy offered at Dignity Brain Health, which has been clinically proven to alleviate depressive symptoms without the side effects associated with earlier interventions.