UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION Depression :caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals, along with other factors.
Like any serious medical condition, depression needs to be treated.
The fact is that any one can get dression.
How depression affect the brain: Many things can trigger debilitating depression.
Feelings of depression are caused by a chemical change that affects how the brain functions.
A normally functioning brain is a giant messaging system that controls everything from your heartbeat, to walking, to your emotions.
The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called neurons.
These neurons send and receive messages from the rest of your body, using brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.
These brain chemicals--in varying amounts--are responsible for our emotional state.
Depression happens when these chemical messages aren't delivered correctly between brain cells, disrupting communication.
The good news is that there are many forms of treatment that can help you cope with depression, including medications that can strengthen weak signals by raising the levels of certain neurotransmitters, or by improving the neurons' ability to process signals.
This ensures that the brain's vital messages are delivered--loud and clear.
Treating Depression: medication and psychotherapy, or "talk therapy", the standard treatments for depression.
Antidepressant Medications: Depression is not a normal part of life, regardless of your age, sex, or health status.
The good news is that depression is very treatable.
Most patients, even those with severe depression, show improvement after they seek treatment.
Your doctor will prescribe treatment based on the pattern of your depression, its severity, persistence of symptoms, and history.
Most effective antidepressant medications are WELLBUTRIN XL ® and PAXIL CR (TM).
If your doctor prescribes antidepressant therapy, give it time.
It may take four weeks or more before you notice a change in your mood, and possibly longer before you feel the full benefits of medication.
Your doctor will decide how long you need to stay on antidepressants.
Following your doctor's directions is critical to your treatment success.
Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy, or "talk therapy", is one of the most effective ways to treat depression.
Studies have proven that talking to an expert about your condition can help resolve it.
While the results are not immediate, you may find that just expressing what you're feeling can bring some relief.
Short-term therapy has become more common and may occur over a period of 10 to 20 weeks.
Types of Psycho therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): can help you identify and change the thought and behavior patterns that contribute to depression.
People who are depressed tend to think negatively, and cognitive behavioral therapy teaches you how to identify and challenge the negative thoughts.
This approach is usually done in short-term therapy, and has been found to be particularly helpful for depression.
Interpersonal therapy: looks at how depression can be connected to troubled emotional relationships.
Like cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy tends to be a short-term therapy, and has been proven to work well with depression.
Psychodynamic therapy: links depression to traumas and conflicts that happened earlier in your life, especially during childhood.
It can be a short-term treatment, although it is often a longer process.
Group therapy: allows you and other people with depression--or people with the same issues that contributed to your depression--to meet together with a therapist and share experiences.
The approach of the group may be any of the ones listed above.