In the old days some psychiatrists used to think depression could be cured by removing a patient's colon or teeth. In an attempt to cure the ancient malady of melancholia, doctors resorted to scads of strategies, some of them plainly stupid or cruel. But others, like Prozac, were actually effective.

Greek and Roman physicians treated their patients by recommending rest, refreshment, and the forging of new emotional connections. They recognized the soothing effects of the waters in the spas in Northern Italy, where they sent agitated or euphoric patients. Two thousand years later, these waters have been found to be rich in lithium salts.

Treatment in the Western world had been more inhumane, reflecting the fears that manic-depressives were possessed by the devil, so they were forcibly restrained and chained. Treatments included euthanasia, exotic potions, bloodletting, and electric eels applied to the skull. It was not until the 18th and 19th centuries, with the growth of science, that a more humane approach to the treatment of mental disorders was once again adopted in the west.

Treatment for manic-depressive illness depends upon the symptoms, the severity and duration of the illness, the possible precipitating stressors and previous responses to treatment. It can combine medication, electroconvulsive therapy and psychotherapy. Medications for the treatment of manic-depressive illness fall into three groups: anti-depressants, tranquilizers and lithium.

Electroconvulsive therapy works by using an electrical shock to cause a seizure in a short period of irregular brain activity. This seizure releases many chemicals in the brain. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, deliver messages from one brain cell to another. The release of these chemicals makes the brain cells work better. A person's mood will improve when his or her brain cells and chemical messengers work better.

Psychotherapy consists of a dialogue between patient and therapist in a supportive environment where there is respectful attention on the part of the therapist to the patient and his or her issues.

Apart from this there are many other methods of treating depression, like antidepressant medication, anticonvulsant medication, interpersonal psychotherapy, antianxiety medication, cognitive therapy, antipsychotic medication, stimulant medication, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, family therapy, group therapy and self-help groups.