“FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT” : A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON RECOVERY FROM DEPRESSION WITHOUT MEDICATION

Abstract

The majority of people with depression still use pharmaceutical therapies, but many find relief through more natural means. On the other hand, phenomenological studies of people who manage their recovery without medicine are few and few between. This study set out to investigate the subjective transformation and meaning-making processes of depressed people who were able to recover from their illness without the need for pharmaceutical intervention. With the use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a qualitative phenomenological investigation was carried out with twelve individuals who had overcome severe depression without medicinal intervention. We used systematic IPA processes to analyse semi-structured interviews with participants, which lasted 30–50 minutes, and we looked for patterns and themes in their experiences. Analysed were four main themes: (1) The Journey Inward, developing self-awareness and understanding; (2) Connection and Community, the healing power of connections; (3) Embodied Healing, integrating mind, body, and spirit; and (4) Meaning-making and post-traumatic growth. Through embodied activities, genuine relationship development, self-discovery, and the incorporation of their depression experience into a larger narrative of personal progress, participants portrayed recovery as an all-encompassing metamorphosis. Without medicine, overcoming depression is a difficult and multi-stage process that requires not just the alleviation of symptoms but also deep personal growth in areas such as relational skills, perspective taking, and finding purpose in life. A person's ability for self-awareness, genuine connection, embodied healing, and meaning-making should be supported by effective non-pharmaceutical techniques, according to the findings. Implications for creating more holistic, individualized treatments for depression that respect different routes to health are substantial in light of these findings.