Depression, also referred to as clinical depression, has been portrayed in literature and the arts for hundreds of years, but what do we mean today when we refer to a depressive disorder? In the 19th century, depression was seen as an inherited weakness of temperament.

Risk Factors

People who suffer from depression are much more likely to suffer from other life threatening diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Much focus has been put on discovering why depressed patients are about four times as likely as their peers to suffer a heart attack within 14 years of their first depressive episode.

Causes of Depression

Depression can be caused by any number of circumstances. For some, genetics may play a role (this is especially true for bipolar disorder, or manic depression, which is not covered in this article). For others, it could be the result of their life situation, such as an overly stressful stretch of time or a disease.
Stress hormones can also cause the nervous system to become overworked in trying to maintain balance, eventually causing it to shut down due to exhaustion.

Depression Treatment Options

Anti-Depressants

One of the great advances in pharmaceutical medicine was the advent of the SSRI class of anti-depressants. Depression can cause an imbalance in the brain chemical called serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps us feel calm and relaxed with a sense of wellbeing.

Counseling

In addition to medication, patients are usually also referred to a counselor for what is often referred to as “talk therapy”, or more formally as cognitive behavior therapy. With this type of counseling, the depressed person learns to notice their negative thinking patterns and challenge them. Over time, patients are able to prevent negative moods by intervening in their own to reflect a more positive outlook.

Exercise

Research has shown that consistent aerobic exercise in a specific heart rate zone has very beneficial effects in fighting depression in both the short- and long-term.

Herbal Therapies

Interest in herbal therapies for depression has always been high, and in some countries, such as Germany, herbal therapies are preferred over medicinal therapies, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Many people prefer herbal therapies in general, because they believe the side effects of anti-depressants may affect them negatively.

http://rickiewright.blogdrive.com/
http://rickiewright.over-blog.com/#
http://rickiewright.blogs.experienceproject.com/
http://rickiewright.busythumbs.com/
http://rickiewright.insanejournal.com/
http://rickiewright.blog.com/

To add a comment please login by clicking here