Mental health disorder is a complex phenomenon with various components. Depression, being one of the components of mental health disorders, is developed from significant mood disorders. The experience of depression is expressed as the capacity to perceive the companionship of one’s thoughts and behaviours perceived as futile. The appropriate management of depression is critical, based on the impact of increasing or deteriorating the visual and non-visual complex dimensions of one’s desolation. This study aims to understand the experiences of alternative health-seeking for depression management among young people in Makhanda. The study uses a qualitative research approach through maintained correlation with the participants in their environment, to create rich and descriptive data. A purposive and snowballed approach was used to recruit the study participants, made up of 6 young people who are experienced or have experienced depression, as primary participants, and 12 confidants of the primary participants, two per participant, as secondary participants. Data generation was carried out through participant observation, unstructured interviews, and semi-structured interviews. The preliminary findings show that young people use alternative health-seeking for depression management in the various forms of faith-healing, exercise or yoga, psychotherapy, traditional medicines, medication, and/or amalgamation of all the mentioned management avenues. The key reasons for the choice of these health approaches include dissatisfaction with using only psychotherapy, but also due to fear of stigma. The findings show that there is a continual need to explore and understand the alternative health-seeking behaviours and treatments for depression management amongst young people.
