Depression Treatment

Is there an option to relax from depression? Yes, there are too many different treatments to get yourself relaxed from depression.

Depression is reduced by good treatment. First of all, you have to recognize the symptoms of depression and then after successful treatment, you will return to your normal life. In the early stage of depression, if you get the treatment in time, then you can feel better. But if it is taking long for the treatment, then it will take too much time to get over of this. Or even it may prove risky.

Those people, who are in depression, feel good when they return to their normal life after treatment. This treatment takes several weeks. Number of weeks depends on the type of treatment you have opted for. But it is important that the treatment should be done in the early stage otherwise it gets worsen.

Who Treats Depression

Following General Health Care Provider who has some training in treating mental or psychiatric disorders can treat depression.

• Physician Assistant
• Nurse Practitioner

Following Mental Health Specialists who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental or psychiatric disorders can treat depression.

• Psychiatrist
• Psychologist
• Social Worker
• Psychiatric Nurse Specialist

How Treatment Works

Depression treatment takes several weeks. With antidepressants, most of the people feel good within 3 or 4 weeks. While psychotherapy treatment takes longer time than that. If the first treatment is effective for you, then there is chance to cover as early as possible. After some time, if the depression treatment is not that much effective as expected, then it will be changed or adjusted. There are too many treatments for a try. We will see one by one.

Treating Depression:

There are two steps for treating depression. First step is called as acute treatment and second one is continuation treatment. In the first step, symptoms are removed until you feel better. In continuation treatment, treatment is continued till you feel better.

There is also a third stage for treatment, which is required in some cases. Third treatment is called as maintenance treatment. In this treatment, you stay on treatment for longer period of time. Purpose of maintenance treatment is that it prevents recurrence of depression.

Types of Treatment

Major types of depression are as follows.

• Antidepressant medicine
• Psychotherapy
• Antidepressant medicine combined with psychotherapy
• Other treatment

Antidepressant Medicine

There are different types of antidepressant medicine. Each of these types works according to symptoms, medical history and family history. It takes time to find which treatment is best for you. Together with your health care provider you can find exact type of treatment and medicine that you need.

Types of Antidepressant Medicine

• Tricyclic Drug
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)

After 6 weeks, more people who are treated under antidepressant, feel better. At the beginning of treatment you have to go to the health care provider every week. Health care provider keeps a check about the quantity of the medicine, its effectiveness and side effects and the type of treatment that will work on depression. This is done in your acute treatment. In continuing treatment, you have to visit your health care provider after one month or two months where as in maintenance treatment, visit should be after 2 or 3 months.

After beginning of treatment if you start feeling better, then you and your health care provider decides to stop with the treatment. But you should continue antidepressant medicine for several months. After continuation treatment if you still feel better, means you are recovering from depression. Continuation treatment takes up to 4 to 9 months. Most of the persons work normal after continuation treatment.

Some people need maintenance treatment for example those people who suffer from bipolar depression need maintenance treatment. Some patients use maintenance medicines more than thirty years without any side effects.

Following are Side Effects of Antidepressant Treatment.

• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Constipation
• Skin rash
• Sleepiness
• Trouble sleeping
• Weight gain/loss
• Restlessness

It you have any of the above side effects go to your health care provider without waiting for appointment.

Psychotherapy Treatment

Psychotherapy with acute treatment is used to remove all symptoms of depression and the patient returns to his or her normal life. This treatment takes less time that is up to 8 to 20 visits to your health care provider.

Types of Psychotherapy Treatment

• Behavioral Therapy - treatment on current behavior
• Cognitive Therapy - treatment on thoughts and thinking pattern
• Interpersonal Therapy - treatment through current relationship

If you will not feel better or any new change after 6 months then you have to go to continuation treatment, which takes up to 12 months. Even after continuation treatment you still feel depression maintenance treatment will be given to you.

In antidepressant medicine there are some side effects where as in psychotherapy no side effects. Some people feel better after this treatment.

Combined Medicine and Psychotherapy

In combined treatment, medicines are given in the beginning stage to remove depression symptoms and latter psychotherapy is given. More than half of the people feel better after 6 to 8 week in combined medicine and psychotherapy.

Combined treatment is good option for those who do not respond to medicine or psychotherapy alone.

Other Treatments

• Electroconvolsive Therapy This treatment is used to remove symptoms of depression. Electroconvolsive therapy is used when medicine or psychotherapy do not give any respond. This treatment is much safer than other treatment. General anesthesia and muscle relaxing medicines are used in this therapy.
• Light Therapy A special type of light called as broad-spectrum light is used in this treatment. Specially made light boxes or light visitors provide this broad-spectrum light. Who have seasonal depression light therapy is good option for that option.
• Self-Help Method Do not expect that all of the things that you have done in the past and now you are not able to do all that. Negative thinking, feeling hopeless, expecting failure, everything is part of the depression. During depression, one avoids taking major decision of his life. Avoid alcohol and drugs.

• Color Therapy
• Biofeedback
• Homeopathy
• Ayurveda
• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy

• Exercises or Yoga After starting exercise, the patient will feel good after just 10 minutes. Mood continues to get better within 20 minute. If you are doing exercise for 30 minutes, three times in a week, then you will find better effect.
• Diet and Depression Yes, there is relationship between diet and depression. Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for mental function. Essential fatty acids are also important for human, which are taken through foods. For instance, alcohol is used to relax from depression but in reality it leads to vitamin deficiencies. Sugar and caffeine gives depressed person quick left. But its effect is temporary. Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C are most important. So try to eat vegetables, which contain these vitamins. Bitter greens and endives help to cleanse the liver and improve digestion.
• Massage Therapy
• Relaxations or Deep Breathing
• Meditation or Prayer
• Clarocet NRI

• Self Help for Depression
• End Depression Now
• Conquer Stress, Depression & Anxiety