The Many Available Depression Treatments

Everyone experiences periods of time when they are sadder than usual, but if those feelings do not seem to go away, there may be something else going on, such as depression. The most common symptoms of depression include thoughts of suicide, trouble falling and staying asleep and feelings of anxious hopelessness. If someone thinks their sadness may actually be depression, they should not waste any time discussing depression treatments with their physician.

In the most common cases of depression, a health care professional will suggest that the patient start taking anti-depressants. A person’s mood is not only impacted by life circumstances but by particular brain chemicals and the job of an anti-depressant is to regulate those chemicals. The chemical that they usually boost the production of is serotonin. A patient who takes anti-depressants must be careful of what they eat and drink since some things can have a negative reaction with their medication.

Psychotherapy is an option in which the patient talks over their issues with a therapist. During their talks, the therapist will help the patient develop coping strategies to make their everyday life less stressful. In many instances, they feel better just from talking over their problems with a professional. There are various forms of psychotherapy , including individual, family and group therapy sessions. Most patients take medication in addition to psychotherapy sessions.

For cases of depression that are the most extreme, there is the possibility of ECT, or Electroconvulsive Therapy. Most people who are familiar with the method of treatment have heard it referred to as electroshock therapy. ECT sends a small current of electricity into the brain, bringing on a minor seizure. In most cases, this treatment has been very effective, but it is only taken advantage of when other forms of treatment have not eased the symptoms or if the doctor fears that the patient may cause harm to themselves if immediate action is not taken.

Another option patients may take advantage of is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, commonly known as TMS. This treatment works in a way that is similar to ECT but it uses a magnetic field to create the electric current, which is far less powerful than the current used in ECT. TMS is used for mild cases of depression that have been unresponsive to other treatments and it is done without causing seizure or unconsciousness. Patients are not sedated for the procedure and they do not need to spend the night in the hospital.

Some patients are not comfortable with the idea of prescription medication or extreme therapies when it comes to treating their depression. If this is the case, there are some options for natural treatments that can effectively manage depression. A popular over the counter choice is the herbal remedy St. John’s Wort. Before taking this herbal medication, it is important to bear in mind that it may conflict with other medications, so it is necessary to discuss it with a doctor first. Patients should also remember that this is not an effective way to treat severe depression.

When someone notices the symptoms of depression, they may mistake it for typical feelings of sadness. However, the feelings may not be the result of life events but the result of a chemical imbalance in the patient’s brain. If this seems to be the situation, they have many options for depression treatments. If you think you may be suffering from depression, contact your doctor today and begin going over your options.