Depression is a common condition, affecting more than one million Australians each year. When it takes hold, it can be a debilitating illness that robs people of their ability to experience joy, meaning or motivation. Instead, sadness and anxiety can take over. Rather than there being a specific cause, depression seems to be associated with a combination of life events, personal factors and changes in brain chemistry, particularly serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine. As every individual is affected by depression in a unique way, there is no single treatment that cures depression. Traditional treatments typically include a range of psychological therapies, medication or both, but have we been overlooking some potentially powerful options?In part 1 of this interview with Dr Jerome Sarris, we review some of the impressive research on the herbal medicines and nutraceuticals found to be effective in the treatment of depression.