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SolvingtheProblemofDepression

By:TayaKennedyRobbins
Hereisthetragedy:whenyouarethevictimofdepression,notonlydoyoufeelutterly
helplessandabandonedbytheworld,youalsoknowthatveryfewpeoplecanunderstand,or
evenbegintobelieve,thatlifecanbethispainful.GilesAndreae1in4teenagersand1in10
adultssufferfromdepression.Itisanepidemicthatisquicklygrowingduetotheincreasing
amountofpressuresocietyputsonteensandyoungadultstosucceed.Onlyabout50%ofpeople
withdepressionreceivetreatment.Inorderforthosenumbertochangepeopleneedtobe
educatedonthehelpthatisavailable.Thehelpthatisoutthereandmostbeneficialare
antidepressants,lifestylechanges,andpsychotherapy,withmoreknowledgeonthesetreatments
peopleslivescanbegintochange.
The

waydepressionistreatedhaschanged,expanded,andevolvedoverthelastfew
years.Thereisstillroomforimprovement,andthemedicalfieldiscontinuallyworkingtofind
moreeffectivewaystotreatdepressioninadolescents,teens,andadults.Duetopeoplehaving
differenttypesofdepression,treatmentsarenotalwayssuccessfulduetowhatkindof
depressionapersonhas.Therearesomanywaysforpeopletogethelpfortheirdepression.Here
aresomeofthemostbeneficialforms.
ThereareninediagnosablekindsofdepressionoutlinedintheDSMIV:Major
Depression,PersistentDepressiveDisorder,BipolarDisorder,SeasonalAffectiveDisorder
(SAD),PsychoticDepression,PostpartumDepression,PremenstrualDysphoricDisorder
(PMDD),SituationalDepression,andAtypicalDepression.Eachofthesedisorderscanbe
medicallydiagnosed,eachhavingtheirownvaryingsymptomsandformsoftreatment.

Thefirststeptoreceivingtreatmentisgettingdiagnosed.Somemooddisorderscanhave
similarsymptomsbutaretreateddifferently.Gettingthewrongmedicationforyourmood
disordercanresultinworseninganindividualscurrentdisorder,sothecorrectdiagnosismustbe
madeinordertogetthecorrecttreatment.Thisisdonethroughaseriesofstepsevaluatedbya
doctorormentalhealthspecialists.
Theseriesofquestionsaskedtogetonesdiagnosisarealongthelinesof,whenyour
symptomsstarted,howlongtheyhavelasted,howseveretheyare,andwhethertheyhave
occurredbeforeandifso,howtheyweretreated.Thementalhealthprofessionalmayalsoaskif
youareusingalcoholordrugs,andifyouarehavingthoughtsaboutdeathorsuicide.These
questionshelpclarifywhatkindofdepressiononehas,andfromtherehowitcanbetreated.
Scientistsbelievethereasonfordepressivedisordersisduetoanimbalanceof
chemicalsinthebrain.Themajorityoftreatmentsworktorestorethischemicalimbalance.Two
ofthemostcommonformsoftreatmentareantidepressantsandpsychotherapy.
Antidepressantsarethemostcommonformoftreatmentfordepression.Therearemany
kindsofantidepressantstomatchdifferentpatientsneeds.
Selectiveserotoninreuptakeinhibitors
(SSRIs)ismostcommonlyprescribedwhenfirstdiagnosed.Ithastheleastsideeffectsandis
saferthanothermedications.Itworksbybalancingneurotransmittersinthebrain,especially
serotonin,norepinephrine,anddopamine.Thesearethechemicalsinvolvedinmood,though
scientistsarestillunclearastohowtheywork.
Thoughantidepressantscanhelpdecreasesymptomsofdepressiontheyarenotthebest
longtermtreatment.Depressioncanoftenreoccurifmedicationisstopped.Therearealsoquite
afewsideeffects,including:nausea,weightgain,tremors,sweating,sleepinessorfatigue,and

headaches.Someofthesesymptomsgoawayafterthefirstfewweeksofbeingonthe
medication,butsomecancontinueandoftenworsen.Thereasonforpeopletaking
antidepressantsratherthanseekinglifestylechangesortherapyisduetolackofmotivationand
lossofenergythatdepressionoftentriggers.
Ahealthierandlongertermifnotpermanenttreatmentisseekinglifestylechanges.
Goodhumorisatonicformindandbody.Itisthebestantidoteforanxietyanddepression.Itis
abusinessasset.Itattractsandkeepsfriends.Itlightenshumanburdens.Itisthedirectrouteto
serenityandcontentment.(GrenvilleKleiser)

Someofthesechangescanincludeexercise
whichboostsserotoninandendorphinswhicharechemicalsthatareconnectedtomakingone
feelhappy.Exercisealsotriggersthegrowthofnewbraincellsandconnections.Nutritionis
anotherimportantlifestylechangethatsupportsbothmentalandphysicalhealth.Eatingwell
balancedmealscankeepyourenergylevelsupandminimizemoodswings.Sleepisalso
extremelyimportant,lackofsleepcanmakeanyonegrumpybutthesemoodsareboostedif
sufferingfromdepression.Itisimportanttosleepatleastsevenhourspernight.Socialsupport
canalsoimprovedepressionssymptoms.Reachingouttoclosefriendsandfamilycanoftenbe
extremelyhelpfulinrelievingstressnomatterhowdifficultattimes.
Oftentimesthehardestpartofseekinghelpisfearofjudgment,

Thedeepestfearwe
have,'thefearbeneathallfears,'isthefearofnotmeasuringup,thefearofjudgment.It'sthis
fearthatcreatesthestressanddepressionofeverydaylife.(TullianTchividjian)Psychotherapy
ortalktherapycanhelpwiththesefeelings,findingtheunderlyingreasonsforonesdepression
canhelpitfromrecurringaswellasunderstandingthepersonalaspectofitsuchashowfamily,
work,andschooltieintothedepressionratherthanjustfocusingonthechemicalimbalance.It

canalsohelpthosewithmilddepressionpreventitfromgettingworse.Thereareseveral
approachestopsychotherapyincludingcognitivebehavioral,interpersonal,andgrouptherapy.
Cognitivebehavioraltherapy(CBT)focusesontherelationshipbetweenthoughts,
feelings,andbehaviors.Focusingonalltheseaspectscanhelponemodifythinkingpatterns.
CBTisveryproblemfocusedandgoaldirected.Partofthisincludeshavinghomeworksothat
whatistalkedaboutinasessioncanbeimplementedinthepatientseverydaylife.Ithasbeen
shownthatCBTchangesbrainactivity,whichsuggeststhatthebrainischangingandbalancing
thechemicalsthatcausehappinessorsadness.Thisisthoughttobeduetohowengagingthis
formoftherapyis.PatientswithdepressionwhoparticipateinCBTrestructurenegativethought
patternsinordertoviewtheirlivesinalessnegativeway.Itisproventobejustas,ifnotmore
effectivethanantidepressants.
Interpersonaltherapy(IPT)unlikeCBT,isverytimebased.Itfocusesoninterpersonal
issuesandisusuallysplitinto620sessionsdependingonthepatient.IPTisbasedona
frameworkthatissplitupintofourdifferentcategories:theory,targets,tactics,andtechniques.
Theoryfocusesonhowattachmenttomaterialobjectsandcommunicationwithpeersandfamily
mightbeaffectingthepatientsdepression.Thetherapistthentargets
psychiatricsymptoms,
interpersonalrelationships,andsocialsupport.Followingtargetsistacticsondifferentwaysto
createanenvironmentthatishelpfultohavingadepressedfreelifesuchasthelifestylechanges
mentionedpreviously.ThelastpartofIPTistechniquestoimplementthetacticssuchascreating
listsofwhatneedstobeworkedoninthespecificpatient'slife.IPTisoftenusedalongwith
antidepressants,helpingthepatientgetbetteraseffectivelyandquicklyaspossible.
Therearesomanywaystoreceivehelpfordepressionitisjusttakingthefirststepof

wantingit.Themorepeopleknowthebettertheycanacceptthathelpisoutthereinmultiple
formsforeveryuniquepersonsneeds.Getawayfromtheplacethatmakesyoufeelcomfortable
withyourdepression.Therealityisit'sneverasbadastheinsanityyou'vecreatedinyourhead.
(BenHuh)Itisimportanttoreachout,therearemultipleresourcestostoptheinsanitygoingon
inoneshead.

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"Treatments&Services."
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