Colton Plouzek

Nikki Mantyla
English 1010-096
December 2nd, 2014
Depression Is Real, and There Is Real Treatment
What is depression and why is it such a big deal for everyone to know about? What can
be done to help those people suffering from the effects of depression? What are the best practices
to follow when trying to handle depression? These are a few of the questions that I have asked
myself as I have gone through my life interacting with those that are close to me who suffer from
depression at times even myself. I have grown up in a home where we were taught to simply
just get over our problems and move on, but is that the right way to go about treating depression?
As I have watched those of my loved ones who are involved in the daily fight against depression,
each one of them has gone about it in a different way. Some have been successful and some have
failed to get a handle on the real problem. This is the reason that I am very interested in figuring
out what way is best or if there is good in all types of treatment for depression. Among those that
I am close with who suffer from depression, I have seen them try to battle it with: medications
and therapy, physical exercise and diet, and simply trying to ignore it. For my brother he tried for
the longest time to simply ignore it. This went on for four years before he finally went to seek
help; he is still fighting depression every day.
So which way is right or can they all work? Among all of these types of treatment there
are good and bad things that come with each. The hardest part that comes with trying to find the
proper treatment for each person suffering from depression, is that everyone in the world is
different and they react to life differently; this is true even when it comes to members of the

same family. In my case I have two siblings that suffer from depression and they have some
things that are the same with their depression, but then they are different at the same time. So
what can be done to help find the right treatment for each individual person suffering with
depression? And why do those suffering from depression not want to go through with the
treatment? I have come up with three reasons why I feel that those suffering from depression
have a hard time sticking to the treatment which is right for them. Although there are many
medications available for those suffering from depression, there are also many factors that should
be considered before a decision is made whether or not to take an antidepressant medication.
Medications affect people differently, the right medication is often found through a trial-anderror process, and others who suffer from depression feel they can handle it on their own through
lifestyle changes.
One of the biggest reasons that people suffering from depressions are not willing to take
medications is that the medications may affect them in a way that they do not like. This can be
noticed in many different ways. The thing that most people struggle with is that they expect the
medication to be a cure all, to work right off the bat, but what they dont realize is that
antidepressant medications usually take about six week to start having the intended effect. This
can be hard on those suffering from depression, and usually lead them to forget or choose to stop
taking them based on the fact that they are not as effective as they expected prior to starting the
medication. Another reason that people stop taking their medications is the side effects. In an
article by Toshiaki Kikuchi, (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of
Medicine), titled Patients attitudes toward side effect of antidepressants: an Internet survey, he
says, Good adherence to medications is a prerequisite to benefit. . . . (1) He goes one to say,
poor adherence to the antidepressant treatment is expected to be cause by the presence of side

effect caused by these medications. (2) This means that people with either forget or stop taking
their medications because of the side-effect which they may experience.
Other side-effects that people may experience when it comes to taking their
antidepressant medications are sexual side effects. According to Isaac Schweitzer from the
Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Sexual dysfunction is an exceedingly
common but under recognized side-effect of antidepressants. He goes on to say, It is one of the
most important reasons that patients stop taking these medications, with or without their treating
physicians knowledge. (1) I dont know about you, but these would be difficult side-effects to
face, and as Schweitzer has said, the issue with these side-effects is that those suffering from
them dont recognize that it is the antidepressant causing them. When someone is battling the
fight of depression they are usually facing many other challenges that come with depression and
so they may think that their sexual side-effect are a result of issues in their relationship rather
than it being the medication causing them. Schweitzer explains it this way, It is likely that
sexual side-effects occur quite early, probably within a few days of treatment but only come to a
patients attention later on. (2) For patients beginning a new treatment, they are not able to tell
right off the bat that the things they may be feeling are cause by their medications. This is why
side-effects such as sexual side-effects go undetected for a while.
There are many other side-effects that people may encounter as they begin to take
antidepressant medications, but what they need to consider is if the benefits outweigh the sideeffect which they may face. In my personal experience with some of my loved ones who have
taken antidepressant medications, they do not feel as if they are in control of their situation when
they are on the medications. For my fianc when she was taking medication for her depression,
she did not like how the medications made her think and feel. She felt that they made her mind

fogy and made it harder for her to focus on things. In my sisters situation, she never wanted to
take medications for her depression because she was afraid of the potential side-effects that
would follow. When she finally gained up the courage to talk with her doctor and begin taking
medication, she noticed a difference in her life for the better in the first few days. Going back to
what we all know, everyone is different and that is why medications will effect each person
differently.
So how do you find the right medication for you? When it comes to finding the right
medications for each individual person suffering from depression, it is important to know that
there are many factors that doctors and physicians need to consider. Some of these factors are
things like, do the side effects outweigh the risks, and is the medication doing what is expected
for the patient? But the hard part that the doctors run into is that there is not a magic book that
tells then which medication is right. This is why antidepressant medications are usually chosen
on a trial-and-error basis. This means that the doctors will start a patient on one medication and
depending on how the patient reacts to it, the doctor will either stick with it or move on to the
next option. There are some go to medications that doctors will try first, but since everyone is
different they may have different outcomes. According to Paul Walters a professor at the
Institute of Psychiatry in London and author of Tailoring depression treatment to patient needs,
Once treatment has been initiated, regular follow up appointments should be arranged to ensure
the patient is complying with therapy and that it is having the desired effect. He goes on to say
that Treatment should continue for at least four to six weeks before any decisions are taken to
increase the dose or switch medications. (9) The reason that patients need to wait anywhere
from four to six week to adjust their medications is it can take that long for the medication itself
to start working the way it is intended to work.

For someone suffering from depression, this can be a hard thing to handle. I dont know
about you, but when I am not doing well physically, I want medication and I expect the doctors
to know what to give and how to help me. This is why some people feel that doctors dont really
care about them and that they are just in it for the money. According to Brad Partridge a
psychiatrist from Bio Med Central and author of an article focusing on the over-diagnosis and
over-treatment of mental disorders, he tells us that there are many factors that lead to the
prescribing of psychotropic medication (medications for mental disorders). Because of these
factors some may view the prescribing of medications as the result of over-diagnosis and overtreatment of mental disorders. (5) For me, this is something that many people do not
understand. In my experience, working in a pharmacy, we get calls from doctors all the time
asking us what our thoughts are when it comes to prescribing the right medication for each
patient. Now I know that the system is not perfect, but I would like to hope that when someone is
suffering from depression and they make the decision to ask their doctor for help, that the doctor
would take the time to help them understand that it will take time; that the proper treatment can
be found for them if they are willing to be patient.
Being patient can be hard especially for those with depression. This is one of the
biggest reasons that the trial-and-error method for treating depression may cause patients to
simply give up and stop taking their medications. Jos Salazar-Fraile, (a psychiatrist who
practiced in Spain), says that when patients finally go into the doctor for help with their
depression they have expectations that they will receive medication. (5) And with that
expectation they forget that they have to be patient and be willing to work with their doctor. In
my fiancs experience, none of the medications which she tried were right until one day they
finally four the right one. This caused her to not want to bother with medication and to feel that

she could handle her depression on her own. This being one of the reasons that she has stopped
taking medications for her depression. For a time she felt like an experiment.
There are many people who feel the same way as my fianc. They feel that for them the
benefits do not outweigh the risks involved with antidepressants. This is why there are many who
feel that they can handle their depression on their own. Some of the ways that people may go
about attempting to treat depression on their own are through diet and exercise as well as simply
trying to ignore it and more one. In an article by Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D. she quotes Susan
Kleiner (a pharmacist) as she says, "The links between what we don't eat and what we do eat are
very strong for depression: nurturing your body with the right fuel can help to heal it. People
who never eat well think that's as good as they can feel, until they make the necessary dietary
changes and realize how good they can feel. (10) I do agree with this, we have all heard of
stress eating and I feel that the same thing applies when it comes to depression. Those with
depression are always looking for a way out and they tend to find it through food. But what they
dont realize is that the better they eat the better they will feel.
In my experience, it is not always best to try to handle your depression on your own. For
my brother, he suffered with depression for quite a few years before he finally went to see a
doctor. He always thought that it was something that he could just get over and move past but
what he didnt realize was that his lack of treatment had a bigger impact on the family. There
were many days that he would simply sleep trying to just forget about it. I remember day after
day coming home to him asleep. The annoyed me more than anything because both my father
and I were expected to go out and work each day, but because he wouldnt do anything for his
depression he was somehow exempt. For my sister she didnt realize at first that she even had
depression, but when she finally did it took her about five months to gain up the courage to go

see a doctor. She was always worried about the labels that others would place on her because she
had depression. And when it comes to my fianc, she has found that physical activity has been
the best way for her to handle her depression, but the hard thing is that when she doesnt get the
chance to as physically active as she would like, she has a very difficult time with it. I am not
saying that medications are the only way to treat depression, but what I am saying is that for
people who have the mindset that medications are bad and that they can handle things on their
own, there are treatments out there for them, they just have to be willing to try.
One of the reasons that people are not willing to try medications and think they can
handle their depression on their own is that they are afraid of what others might think. In an
article written by Jeffrey R. Holland, a major ecclesiastical leader, he talk about how he
understands that suffering from depression is indeed that, but he goes on to say however
bewildering this all may be, these afflictions are some of the realities of mortal life, and there
should be no more shame in acknowledging them than in acknowledging a battle with high blood
pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor. (1) To me, this is why I feel that
many people never go to see a doctor when it comes to their depressions. They may be unable to
realize that depression is just like any other disease. With that, they feel that they should be
strong enough to do it on their own, but they dont realize that there is an easier way and that
there is help out there for them. Yes, proper diet and exercise is very important in the fight with
depression, but it also needs to be balanced with the proper medication and assistance from a
doctor.
In conclusion there are many factor that need to be considered when it comes to deciding
which antidepressant medication is right for someone suffering from depression. Some of these
factors are but are not limited to the fact that: medications affect people differently, the proper

medication is often found through a trial-and-error process, and some suffering from depression
feel they can find other means to help them battle their depression. The proper way to treat
depression is not a decision that should be taken lightly, or that should be simply over looked.
Medications are not there to cover up an issue but rather to provide a way for those suffering to
find relief for something they cannot control on their own. There are many different types of
treatments in the fight with depression, but the most important thing to remember, and keep in
mind, is that you have to be patient and willing to try something new.

Works Cited
1. Kikuchi, Toshiaki, et al. "Patients' Attitudes Toward Side Effects Of Antidepressants: An
Internet Survey." European Archives Of Psychiatry & Clinical Neuroscience 261.2
(2011): 103-109. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
2. Schweitzer, Isaac, Kay Maguire, and Ng Chee. "Sexual Side-Effects Of Contemporary
Antidepressants: Review."Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Psychiatry 43.9 (2009):
795-808. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2014.
3. Walters, Paul, and Andre Tylee. "Tailoring Depression Treatment To Patient
Needs." Primary Health Care 13.5 (2003): 27. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov.
2014.
4. Partridge, Brad, Jayne Lucke, and Wayne Hall. "Over-Diagnosed And Over-Treated: A
Survey Of Australian Public Attitudes Towards The Acceptability Of Drug Treatment
For Depression And ADHD." BMC Psychiatry 14.1 (2014): 1-9. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 11 Nov. 2014
5. SALAZAR-FRAILE, JOS, et al. "Doctor, I Just Can't Go On": Cultural Constructions
Of Depression And The Prescription Of Antidepressants To Users Who Are Not
Clinically Depressed." International Journal Of Mental Health 39.1 (2010): 2967. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2014.
6. Salomon, Sharon. "Boost Mood With Whole Foods." Environmental Nutrition 35.3
(2012): 1-6. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2014.
7. Holland, Jeffrey R. "Like a Broken Vessel - Jeffrey R. Holland." Like a Broken Vessel Jeffrey R. Holland. 5 Oct. 2013. Web. 25 Nov. 2014.