Final answer:
Psychotherapy and regular aerobic exercise have been shown to be as effective as SSRIs in treating depression. These treatments can increase mood-enhancing neurochemicals, offering relief similar to that provided by pharmacological interventions, whereas talking to friends and journaling, although helpful, are not established as equivalent treatments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The treatments that have demonstrated similar levels of effectiveness in treating depression as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are psychotherapy and regular exercise. This stems from the multitude of studies suggesting that psychotherapy can be just as effective as medications for some individuals.
Furthermore, studies also indicate that regular aerobic exercise can compare favorably with SSRIs, offering comparable relief for mild-to-moderate depression by increasing neurochemicals that act as natural euphoriants and promoting a well-known euphoric effect, commonly called "runner's high" or "rower's high." By contrast, talking to a friend and writing in a journal are helpful coping strategies but have not been shown to have the same level of effectiveness as a standalone treatment for depression as SSRIs.