The invention concerns a method of treatment or prophylaxis of depression by administering a phenylethanolaminocyclohexylphenyl compound of a general formula (I) in which R.sub.1 represents hydrogen or halogen; R.sub.2 represents hydrogen, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkoxy substituted with one or two lower alkoxycarbonyl or carboxy groups, lower alkoxy substituted with lower alkylaminocarbonyl which may be substituted with lower alkoxy, lower alkoxy substituted with cyclic aminocarbonyl of 4 to 6 carbon atoms, lower alkoxycarbonyl or carboxy; R.sub.3 represents hydrogen, hydroxy, lower alkoxy or lower alkoxy substituted with one or two lower alkoxycarbonyl or carboxy groups; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 may be bonded to each other to form methylenedioxy substituted with carboxy or lower alkoxycarbonyl; and m and n are 0 or 1, and their pharmacologically acceptable metabolites or salts, which have selective stimulating activity and binding affinity for .beta..sub.3 adrenergic receptors.