It would depend on how serious the depression was, and if the incidences are severe or mild?  Many times, structuring the drug treatments to control these episodes is very tricky, and the drugs have serious side effects.  A person could experiment with nutritional supplements, like vitamins, herbs, lavender, or they could try yoga, acupuncture, and other exercises that give a person a naturally relaxed feeling of well being.  There is no medical study to support or deny that depression can be treated with natural supplements.  However, it might be a better approach, to have this person see  a psychologist  if their symptoms occur every few months, or even more often.  Many times depression can lead to psychotic episodes, and hallucinations.  No one knows what triggers depression in men or women.  To say that a few herbal supplements and some lavender, are an alternative, might be an oversimplification of the problem.