I have found a couple of very interesting e-books that discuss depression and ways to get relief.
This first e-book is actually written by a retired clinical counselor and discusses ways to deal with depression.
Stop Your Depression Now
This e-book discusses ways to get rid of anxiety, stress and depression via natural means. A lot of people are against using antidepressants or other medications for their disorders and would prefer to try natural methods to get relief.
Conquer Stress, Depression and Anxiety Naturally in Just 90 Days
Friday, July 1, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Depression/Eating disorders - Blog/Website
As mentioned in previous posts, I have suffered from depression, anxiety as well as bulimia/anorexia nervosa. I am working on a blog and website about eating disorders to provide knowledge regarding these disorders, as well as how to deal/cope with them. I will provide more information once these sites are launched so please check back soon.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Depression and Eating Disorders
As a life-long sufferer of depression and anxiety, as a teen, I also suffered from an eating disorder. I suffered from anorexia and bulimia which nearly destroyed my life as well as my family's life. Also, my teenage daughter suffered from anorexia a few years back but is doing better now. Back 30 years ago there were not near the resources and help available as there are today.
I found this interesting article on WebMD (which I have copied) regarding how depression and eating disorders are related.
Eating disorders often begin with the best of intentions -- a desire to lose weight and control eating. But in some people, those good intentions go badly wrong, resulting in anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating, or other disorders.
Why some people are at risk for eating disorders isn’t clear. But surveys show that depression is often a factor. In a 2008 study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, for example, 24% of bipolar patients met the criteria for eating disorders. An estimated 44% had trouble controlling their eating.
As many as half of all patients diagnosed with binge eating disorder have a history of depression, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Binge eating afflicts 3% of adults in the U.S., making it the most common eating disorder.
Depression also plagues many people with anorexia, another common eating disorder. People with anorexia fail to eat enough food to maintain a healthy weight. The results can be tragic. Studies show that anorexics are 50 times more likely than the general population to die as a result of suicide.
The Link Between Depression and Eating Disorders
Depression may lead to eating disorders, but there’s also evidence that eating disorders can result in depression. “Being severely underweight and malnourished, which is common in anorexia, can cause physiological changes that are known to negatively affect mood states,” says Lisa Lilenfeld, PhD, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University in Arlington, Va., who specializes in eating disorders.
Depression in people with eating disorders typically has its own unique features, according to Ira M. Sacker, MD, an eating disorders specialist at Langone Medical Center at New York University and author of Regaining Your Self: Understanding and Conquering the Eating Disorder Identity.
“People who develop eating disorders feel as people that they’re not good enough,” Sacker says. “They become obsessed with perfectionism. That perfectionism begins to focus on what they eat. But underlying it is depression and anxiety. Often, these patients have suffered a lot of emotional trauma.”
People with binge eating disorder are frequently overweight or obese, for instance. This can lead them to feel chronically depressed about the way they look. After succumbing to an episode of binge eating, they may feel disgusted with themselves, worsening their depression.
To determine if depression is part of an eating disorder, doctors use a well-tested battery of questions that tease out the most common symptoms of depression. These include:
Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
Loss of interest in activities that once were pleasurable
Loss of libido
Irritability or anger
Sleep problems
Loss of appetite
Diagnosing serious depression is relatively easy, experts say. But finding an effective treatment for combined depression and eating disorders can be a challenge.
I have found a couple of e-books related to eating disorders that are worth checking out. There is so much help available now to help families/patients deal with eating disorders.
Anorexia Bulimia Recovery
Anorexia-Bulimia
Eating Disorders - Parent's Guide
These are no substitute for medical care, however, these books give a lot of good advice on ways to deal with eating disorders. If you, or someone you know has an eating disorder, please visit your physician who can be available to help or refer you to someone who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders.
I found this interesting article on WebMD (which I have copied) regarding how depression and eating disorders are related.
Eating disorders often begin with the best of intentions -- a desire to lose weight and control eating. But in some people, those good intentions go badly wrong, resulting in anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating, or other disorders.
Why some people are at risk for eating disorders isn’t clear. But surveys show that depression is often a factor. In a 2008 study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, for example, 24% of bipolar patients met the criteria for eating disorders. An estimated 44% had trouble controlling their eating.
As many as half of all patients diagnosed with binge eating disorder have a history of depression, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Binge eating afflicts 3% of adults in the U.S., making it the most common eating disorder.
Depression also plagues many people with anorexia, another common eating disorder. People with anorexia fail to eat enough food to maintain a healthy weight. The results can be tragic. Studies show that anorexics are 50 times more likely than the general population to die as a result of suicide.
The Link Between Depression and Eating Disorders
Depression may lead to eating disorders, but there’s also evidence that eating disorders can result in depression. “Being severely underweight and malnourished, which is common in anorexia, can cause physiological changes that are known to negatively affect mood states,” says Lisa Lilenfeld, PhD, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University in Arlington, Va., who specializes in eating disorders.
Depression in people with eating disorders typically has its own unique features, according to Ira M. Sacker, MD, an eating disorders specialist at Langone Medical Center at New York University and author of Regaining Your Self: Understanding and Conquering the Eating Disorder Identity.
“People who develop eating disorders feel as people that they’re not good enough,” Sacker says. “They become obsessed with perfectionism. That perfectionism begins to focus on what they eat. But underlying it is depression and anxiety. Often, these patients have suffered a lot of emotional trauma.”
People with binge eating disorder are frequently overweight or obese, for instance. This can lead them to feel chronically depressed about the way they look. After succumbing to an episode of binge eating, they may feel disgusted with themselves, worsening their depression.
To determine if depression is part of an eating disorder, doctors use a well-tested battery of questions that tease out the most common symptoms of depression. These include:
Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
Loss of interest in activities that once were pleasurable
Loss of libido
Irritability or anger
Sleep problems
Loss of appetite
Diagnosing serious depression is relatively easy, experts say. But finding an effective treatment for combined depression and eating disorders can be a challenge.
I have found a couple of e-books related to eating disorders that are worth checking out. There is so much help available now to help families/patients deal with eating disorders.
Anorexia Bulimia Recovery
Anorexia-Bulimia
Eating Disorders - Parent's Guide
These are no substitute for medical care, however, these books give a lot of good advice on ways to deal with eating disorders. If you, or someone you know has an eating disorder, please visit your physician who can be available to help or refer you to someone who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Depression E-books
I have found a couple of very interesting e-books that discuss depression and ways to get relief.
This first e-book is actually written by a retired clinical counselor and discusses ways to deal with depression.
Stop Your Depression Now
This e-book discusses ways to get rid of anxiety, stress and depression via natural means. A lot of people are against using antidepressants or other medications for their disorders and would prefer to try natural methods to get relief.
Conquer Stress, Depression and Anxiety Naturally in Just 90 Days
Other E-books:
End Your Depression
Step out of Depression 5-week E-Course
This first e-book is actually written by a retired clinical counselor and discusses ways to deal with depression.
Stop Your Depression Now
This e-book discusses ways to get rid of anxiety, stress and depression via natural means. A lot of people are against using antidepressants or other medications for their disorders and would prefer to try natural methods to get relief.
Conquer Stress, Depression and Anxiety Naturally in Just 90 Days
Other E-books:
End Your Depression
Step out of Depression 5-week E-Course
Friday, April 29, 2011
Light therapy to help depression
Information from the Mayo Clinic on Light Therapy
Treatment with light therapy:
Light therapy is a standard treatment for seasonal affective disorder. Consult your doctor to make sure you are using it effectively and that you understand the potential benefits and drawbacks.
In the dark days of fall and winter, you may turn your face to the afternoon sun, seeking out what little light filters through fading gray skies. You may throw open the blinds, leave lights on throughout your home or even head south for a vacation — anything for a little more light. Or you may even be unable to crawl out of bed in the morning.
For people with a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), this need for light takes on greater significance. Treatment with light therapy may offer a chance to regain the happier mood and brighter outlook that you lose to seasonal affective disorder. Learn how light therapy works and understand its pros and cons.
Understanding light therapy:
In light therapy, you sit with your eyes open in front of a light box — a small, portable device that contains fluorescent bulbs or tubes. The light box emits a type and intensity of light that isn't found in normal household lighting, so simply sitting in front of a lamp in your living room won't relieve the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Light therapy mimics outdoor light and causes a biochemical change in your brain that lifts your mood, relieving symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
Light therapy, also called bright light therapy or phototherapy, has been used to treat seasonal affective disorder since the early 1980s. Many mental health professionals now consider light therapy to be standard treatment for seasonal affective disorder.
However, light therapy hasn't been officially approved as a treatment by the Food and Drug Administration because of a lack of definitive evidence about its effectiveness in clinical trials. Results of some clinical trials have shown light therapy to be effective — and in some cases even more effective than antidepressants — while other research has shown that it's not effective. In addition, most studies have lasted less than six weeks.
You can purchase a light therapy box over-the-counter, which means you don't need a prescription. However, check with your doctor before trying light therapy to make sure it's appropriate for your situation.
The link between light and seasonal affective disorder:
The precise cause of seasonal affective disorder isn't known, but genetics and your age may be factors. Most evidence, though, suggests that it arises from abnormalities in how your body manages its internal (circadian) biological rhythms or matches those rhythms to the 24-hour day. In particular, the hormone melatonin is thought to play a major role in seasonal affective disorder. Melatonin helps control body temperature, hormone secretion and sleep. It's produced in a specific area of your brain during the hours of darkness.
During the low-light months of fall and winter, people with seasonal affective disorder produce more melatonin than normal — enough to cause potentially debilitating symptoms of depression. But exposure to bright light, such as that from a light box, can suppress the brain's production of melatonin, helping regulate your body's internal clock and reducing symptoms.
The benefits of light therapy:
Light therapy offers many potential benefits for people with seasonal affective disorder. It may be helpful for you if:
You don't want to take medications such as antidepressants
You can't tolerate the side effects of antidepressants
You've tried antidepressants but they haven't been effective
You want an alternative to psychotherapy
You're pregnant and concerned about the effects of antidepressants on your developing fetus
You lack insurance coverage for mental health services
Treating other disorders
Light therapy may be helpful in treating conditions other than seasonal affective disorder. However, it shouldn't be a substitute for standard treatment. And keep in mind that little research has been done using light therapy for other disorders. These other disorders may include:
Depression other than seasonal affective disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Postpartum depression
Some forms of insomnia
Drawbacks and side effects of light therapy
Light therapy isn't for everyone, nor is it always completely effective in reducing all of your symptoms.
Cautions
Light therapy may trigger episodes of mania in people with bipolar disorder. In addition, although rare, some people, particularly those with severe forms of depression, have reported thoughts of suicide after treatment with light therapy. Light therapy alone may not be fully effective. You still may need treatment with medications or psychotherapy.
Side effects:
Side effects from light therapy are uncommon but can happen. They include:
Eyestrain
Headache
Agitation
Nausea
Insomnia
Irritability
Fatigue
Dry mouth
Sleep disruptions
You may be able to manage these problems by reducing treatment time, moving farther from the light box, taking breaks during long sessions or changing the time of day you use light therapy. Talk to your doctor for additional help and advice.
Who shouldn't use light therapy:
Don't use light therapy without consulting your doctor first if:
Your skin is sensitive to light
You take medications that react with sunlight, such as certain antibiotics or anti-inflammatories
You have an eye condition that makes your eyes vulnerable to light damage
How to use light therapy
Although you can buy light therapy boxes over-the-counter, it's important to consult your doctor when you use one. Done improperly, light therapy won't be effective, and it could even be harmful.
Averting your eyes
In order for light therapy to work, the light from the light box must enter your eyes indirectly. You can't get the same effect by exposing your skin to the light. But don't look directly at the light box because the light can damage your eyes. The bulbs in the light box are covered with a plastic screen that helps block out potentially harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause cataracts and skin problems.
Three key elements
Light therapy is most effective when you have the proper combination of intensity, duration and timing:
Intensity. The intensity of the light box is recorded in lux, which is a measure of the amount of light you receive at a specific distance from a light source. Light boxes for light therapy usually produce between 2,500 lux and 10,000 lux, with 10,000 lux being typical. In contrast, the lighting in an average living room in the evening is less than 400 lux, while a bright sunny day may register 100,000 lux. The intensity of your light box may also determine how far you sit from it and the length of time you need to use it. The 10,000 lux light boxes usually require only 30 minutes per session, while the 2,500 lux light boxes may require up to two hours per session.
Duration. Light therapy typically involves daily sessions ranging from 30 minutes to two hours. When you first start light therapy, your doctor may recommend treatment for shorter blocks of time, such as 15 minutes. You gradually working up to longer periods.
Timing. For most people, light therapy is most effective if used in the morning, after you first wake up, rather than during the evening. Doing light therapy at night can disrupt your sleep.
Finding time:
Light therapy requires time and consistency. Some people quit because they don't want to spend a lot of time sitting by a light box. But light therapy doesn't have to be boring. You can set your light box on a table or desk in your home or in your office. You can read, use a computer, write, watch television, talk on the phone or eat while undergoing light therapy. Some light boxes are even available as visors that you can wear. Because light therapy seems to work best in the early morning, you may need to wake up earlier than you normally would to match treatment with biological rhythms. You may find that difficult to do, especially if depression leaves you feeling lethargic. Your doctor can help you find a schedule that works for you.
What to expect from light therapy:
The general recommendation for most people with seasonal affective disorder is to begin treatment with light therapy in the early fall, as soon as the earliest symptoms start. Be on the alert for such symptoms as difficulty waking, daytime sleepiness and carbohydrate cravings. Treatment generally continues until spring, when outdoor light alone is sufficient to sustain a good mood and higher energy.
Some people experience seasonal affective disorder in the summer. And others who typically have winter depression may notice symptoms during prolonged periods of cloudy or rainy weather during other seasons. You and your doctor can adjust your light box treatment based on the timing and duration of your symptoms.
Sticking with it:
With appropriate light therapy, you may start to feel better within several days. In some cases, though, it can take two or more weeks. Sticking to a consistent daily routine of light therapy sessions can help ensure that you maintain those benefits over time. If you interrupt light therapy during the winter months or stop too soon in the spring when you think you're improving, your symptoms could return.
Apollo Health GoLite P1 Blue Spectrum Light Therapy Device
NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp
Treatment with light therapy:
Light therapy is a standard treatment for seasonal affective disorder. Consult your doctor to make sure you are using it effectively and that you understand the potential benefits and drawbacks.
In the dark days of fall and winter, you may turn your face to the afternoon sun, seeking out what little light filters through fading gray skies. You may throw open the blinds, leave lights on throughout your home or even head south for a vacation — anything for a little more light. Or you may even be unable to crawl out of bed in the morning.
For people with a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), this need for light takes on greater significance. Treatment with light therapy may offer a chance to regain the happier mood and brighter outlook that you lose to seasonal affective disorder. Learn how light therapy works and understand its pros and cons.
Understanding light therapy:
In light therapy, you sit with your eyes open in front of a light box — a small, portable device that contains fluorescent bulbs or tubes. The light box emits a type and intensity of light that isn't found in normal household lighting, so simply sitting in front of a lamp in your living room won't relieve the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Light therapy mimics outdoor light and causes a biochemical change in your brain that lifts your mood, relieving symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
Light therapy, also called bright light therapy or phototherapy, has been used to treat seasonal affective disorder since the early 1980s. Many mental health professionals now consider light therapy to be standard treatment for seasonal affective disorder.
However, light therapy hasn't been officially approved as a treatment by the Food and Drug Administration because of a lack of definitive evidence about its effectiveness in clinical trials. Results of some clinical trials have shown light therapy to be effective — and in some cases even more effective than antidepressants — while other research has shown that it's not effective. In addition, most studies have lasted less than six weeks.
You can purchase a light therapy box over-the-counter, which means you don't need a prescription. However, check with your doctor before trying light therapy to make sure it's appropriate for your situation.
The link between light and seasonal affective disorder:
The precise cause of seasonal affective disorder isn't known, but genetics and your age may be factors. Most evidence, though, suggests that it arises from abnormalities in how your body manages its internal (circadian) biological rhythms or matches those rhythms to the 24-hour day. In particular, the hormone melatonin is thought to play a major role in seasonal affective disorder. Melatonin helps control body temperature, hormone secretion and sleep. It's produced in a specific area of your brain during the hours of darkness.
During the low-light months of fall and winter, people with seasonal affective disorder produce more melatonin than normal — enough to cause potentially debilitating symptoms of depression. But exposure to bright light, such as that from a light box, can suppress the brain's production of melatonin, helping regulate your body's internal clock and reducing symptoms.
The benefits of light therapy:
Light therapy offers many potential benefits for people with seasonal affective disorder. It may be helpful for you if:
You don't want to take medications such as antidepressants
You can't tolerate the side effects of antidepressants
You've tried antidepressants but they haven't been effective
You want an alternative to psychotherapy
You're pregnant and concerned about the effects of antidepressants on your developing fetus
You lack insurance coverage for mental health services
Treating other disorders
Light therapy may be helpful in treating conditions other than seasonal affective disorder. However, it shouldn't be a substitute for standard treatment. And keep in mind that little research has been done using light therapy for other disorders. These other disorders may include:
Depression other than seasonal affective disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Postpartum depression
Some forms of insomnia
Drawbacks and side effects of light therapy
Light therapy isn't for everyone, nor is it always completely effective in reducing all of your symptoms.
Cautions
Light therapy may trigger episodes of mania in people with bipolar disorder. In addition, although rare, some people, particularly those with severe forms of depression, have reported thoughts of suicide after treatment with light therapy. Light therapy alone may not be fully effective. You still may need treatment with medications or psychotherapy.
Side effects:
Side effects from light therapy are uncommon but can happen. They include:
Eyestrain
Headache
Agitation
Nausea
Insomnia
Irritability
Fatigue
Dry mouth
Sleep disruptions
You may be able to manage these problems by reducing treatment time, moving farther from the light box, taking breaks during long sessions or changing the time of day you use light therapy. Talk to your doctor for additional help and advice.
Who shouldn't use light therapy:
Don't use light therapy without consulting your doctor first if:
Your skin is sensitive to light
You take medications that react with sunlight, such as certain antibiotics or anti-inflammatories
You have an eye condition that makes your eyes vulnerable to light damage
How to use light therapy
Although you can buy light therapy boxes over-the-counter, it's important to consult your doctor when you use one. Done improperly, light therapy won't be effective, and it could even be harmful.
Averting your eyes
In order for light therapy to work, the light from the light box must enter your eyes indirectly. You can't get the same effect by exposing your skin to the light. But don't look directly at the light box because the light can damage your eyes. The bulbs in the light box are covered with a plastic screen that helps block out potentially harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause cataracts and skin problems.
Three key elements
Light therapy is most effective when you have the proper combination of intensity, duration and timing:
Intensity. The intensity of the light box is recorded in lux, which is a measure of the amount of light you receive at a specific distance from a light source. Light boxes for light therapy usually produce between 2,500 lux and 10,000 lux, with 10,000 lux being typical. In contrast, the lighting in an average living room in the evening is less than 400 lux, while a bright sunny day may register 100,000 lux. The intensity of your light box may also determine how far you sit from it and the length of time you need to use it. The 10,000 lux light boxes usually require only 30 minutes per session, while the 2,500 lux light boxes may require up to two hours per session.
Duration. Light therapy typically involves daily sessions ranging from 30 minutes to two hours. When you first start light therapy, your doctor may recommend treatment for shorter blocks of time, such as 15 minutes. You gradually working up to longer periods.
Timing. For most people, light therapy is most effective if used in the morning, after you first wake up, rather than during the evening. Doing light therapy at night can disrupt your sleep.
Finding time:
Light therapy requires time and consistency. Some people quit because they don't want to spend a lot of time sitting by a light box. But light therapy doesn't have to be boring. You can set your light box on a table or desk in your home or in your office. You can read, use a computer, write, watch television, talk on the phone or eat while undergoing light therapy. Some light boxes are even available as visors that you can wear. Because light therapy seems to work best in the early morning, you may need to wake up earlier than you normally would to match treatment with biological rhythms. You may find that difficult to do, especially if depression leaves you feeling lethargic. Your doctor can help you find a schedule that works for you.
What to expect from light therapy:
The general recommendation for most people with seasonal affective disorder is to begin treatment with light therapy in the early fall, as soon as the earliest symptoms start. Be on the alert for such symptoms as difficulty waking, daytime sleepiness and carbohydrate cravings. Treatment generally continues until spring, when outdoor light alone is sufficient to sustain a good mood and higher energy.
Some people experience seasonal affective disorder in the summer. And others who typically have winter depression may notice symptoms during prolonged periods of cloudy or rainy weather during other seasons. You and your doctor can adjust your light box treatment based on the timing and duration of your symptoms.
Sticking with it:
With appropriate light therapy, you may start to feel better within several days. In some cases, though, it can take two or more weeks. Sticking to a consistent daily routine of light therapy sessions can help ensure that you maintain those benefits over time. If you interrupt light therapy during the winter months or stop too soon in the spring when you think you're improving, your symptoms could return.
Apollo Health GoLite P1 Blue Spectrum Light Therapy Device
NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp
Friday, April 22, 2011
Treating Depression
Mild depression can be treated effective through psychotherapy. Even short-term therapy can help you understand your natural inclination towards more negative and low moods. Also, you can learn to cope better with life's disappointments and triumphs. When depression is triggered by a seasonal change, light therapy, which extends exposure to bright light for measurable periods of time, may work to relieve symptoms.
In cases of more severe depression, medication will provide the main avenue for treatment. At the same time, psychotherapy is usually an important complement to medication. By restoring chemical balances within the brain, psychotropic medications will help lift the "veil of sorrow." The most commonly used anti-depressant medications are SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which include fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine and fluvoxamine, and TCAs (tricyclic anti-depressants), which include imipramine, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, and desipramine. Although general practitioners can usually prescribe these types of medications, it is usually best to consult with a psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist, who is specially trained to evaluate and monitor the need for and use of anti-depressant medicines.
For lots of different reasons, treatment with anti-depressants takes time to work. Because every person and his depression differ, finding the most effective medication is often a process of trial and error. While the process may be frustrating, you and your doctor will eventually find the right treatment.
During a severe episode of depression, there may be severe paranoid persecutory delusions or even hallucinations. There may even be suicidal behavior. When these occur, hospitalization, antipsychotic medication or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be necessary. After the acute phase has subsided, psychopharmacologic treatment should be continued to decrease the likelihood of relapse or future recurrence.
Unlike medications for physical illness, psychotropic medicines do not work to cure the depressive illness; rather, they work to relieve acute episodes and prevent recurrences. For many people, medications work most effective in conjunction with psychotherapy. Insight-oriented therapy can allow you to consider how such contributing factors as early experiences of loss and cumulative negative life circumstances and disappointments have colored your disposition. Cognitive techniques can also provide significant relief insofar as they address the negative and distorted thinking that typically characterizes depression.
I realize that a lot of people are hesitant to take medications for depression due to side effects or just being against taking them. I have found several e-books that help with treating depression using more natural methods and/or other techniques to help someone deal with or overcome their depression.
Stop Your Depression Now
Conquer Stress, Depression and Anxiety Naturally in Just 90 Days
End Your Depression
Step out of Depression 5-week E-Course
In cases of more severe depression, medication will provide the main avenue for treatment. At the same time, psychotherapy is usually an important complement to medication. By restoring chemical balances within the brain, psychotropic medications will help lift the "veil of sorrow." The most commonly used anti-depressant medications are SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which include fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine and fluvoxamine, and TCAs (tricyclic anti-depressants), which include imipramine, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, and desipramine. Although general practitioners can usually prescribe these types of medications, it is usually best to consult with a psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist, who is specially trained to evaluate and monitor the need for and use of anti-depressant medicines.
For lots of different reasons, treatment with anti-depressants takes time to work. Because every person and his depression differ, finding the most effective medication is often a process of trial and error. While the process may be frustrating, you and your doctor will eventually find the right treatment.
During a severe episode of depression, there may be severe paranoid persecutory delusions or even hallucinations. There may even be suicidal behavior. When these occur, hospitalization, antipsychotic medication or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be necessary. After the acute phase has subsided, psychopharmacologic treatment should be continued to decrease the likelihood of relapse or future recurrence.
Unlike medications for physical illness, psychotropic medicines do not work to cure the depressive illness; rather, they work to relieve acute episodes and prevent recurrences. For many people, medications work most effective in conjunction with psychotherapy. Insight-oriented therapy can allow you to consider how such contributing factors as early experiences of loss and cumulative negative life circumstances and disappointments have colored your disposition. Cognitive techniques can also provide significant relief insofar as they address the negative and distorted thinking that typically characterizes depression.
I realize that a lot of people are hesitant to take medications for depression due to side effects or just being against taking them. I have found several e-books that help with treating depression using more natural methods and/or other techniques to help someone deal with or overcome their depression.
Stop Your Depression Now
Conquer Stress, Depression and Anxiety Naturally in Just 90 Days
End Your Depression
Step out of Depression 5-week E-Course
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