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Treatment for Depression and Associated Disorders

By Jared Wright

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Published: 22Feb2010
Word count: 552
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Treatment for depression and associated disorders is prescribed for over fifteen percent of the world's population. All people at sometime in their life will suffer from the symptoms of depression. It can be brought on by any negative event and can last for a day or two, or last a life time.

If depression symptoms last for longer than two weeks, it is then deemed to be clinical in nature.

What is depression?

Depression is characterized by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and feeling unworthy. You may feel fatigued, moody, and irritable as well.

Symptoms of depression can be as varied and different from one person to the next. Not all symptoms will manifest themselves in all people. Depression can also look like other conditions, which make it difficult to diagnose.

Symptoms:

- Easily agitated.

- Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss.

- Concentration difficulties.

- Flat affect - no facial expressions.

- Extreme fatigue.

- Feeling hopeless and helpless.

- Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt.

- Withdrawal from life's daily activities that were previously enjoyed.

- Thoughts of death or suicide.

- Insomnia

- Sleeping too much

Depression can even present as feelings of anger and discouragement with hallucinations and delusions. A person who is depressed may also entertain thoughts of suicide as a way to get away from it all and end the emotional and physical pain.

It is important to be able to recognize signs and symptoms of this aspect of depression. Usually there are warning signs that can be pleas for help. When a person is deeply depressed, suicide is always a consideration and the signals must be acted upon when first noticed before it is too late.

Treatment:

Antidepressant and antipsychotic medications are the usual treatment. Additionally, psychotherapeutic sessions with a licensed professional are also advised, to help the person cope with their feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.

The greatest benefit to the patient is derived when medications are combined with sessions with a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, or psychologist.

Not all medications work for all people. Antidepressants have a high risk of suicidal behavior in people between the ages of 18 and 24 years of age. Therefore, caution must be exercised when prescribing these medications.

Medications include:

Tricyclic antidepressants, Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Lithium and thyroid medications may be necessary to supplement antidepressants, as they increase the actions of antidepressants. Psychological symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations are treated with antipsychotic medication, such as quetiapine, which has been approved for depression and bipolar disorder.

Electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, administers electrical current to uplift the mood of those suffering from severe depression. ECT is used when the patient does not respond well to other treatments.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), acts to modify brain function. It resembles ECT, but without the side effects. Light therapy administered during winter month when there is less sunlight can help to alleviate symptoms of depression.

If you are having symptoms of depression and have not notified your doctor, or if you have been diagnosed and your medication does not appear to be working, contact your health care provider.

It may be that you need a dosage adjustment to your medication. It could take several dosage adjustments to get the dosage amount that is just right for you.

Jared Wright is the webmaster of Clivir.com - the free learning community site. You can find more depression related articles such as manic depression symptoms and printable beck depression inventory by following the links.

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