5 Alternatives to Antidepressant Medications

4. Lithium 

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Lithium is one of the good substitute for antidepressants and is effective for long-term treatment of depression and bipolar disorder, offering mood stabilization and anti-suicidal effects. It reduces relapse risk by about 40% in bipolar disorder and shows moderate benefits against depressive relapse. Adding lithium to standard antidepressant therapy benefits about one in five patients. Studies support its efficacy in treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder—lithium treatment costs for bipolar disorder range from $50 to $200 monthly without insurance.