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Cures for Clinical Depression

Depression comes in many variations, from temporary to long-term, mild to severe. Likewise, depression treatments are varied. Between 6 percent and 19 percent of people will have major depression at one stage of their life or another, according to Northern County Psychiatric Associates in Maryland. It's considered an illness and has a genetic component. Some people become depressed even with no apparent precipitating event. Finding the right treatment involves your doctor determining the severity and type of your depression and, sometimes, a bit of trial and error.

  1. Psychotherapy

    • Psychotherapy is sometimes referred to as talk therapy. You sit with a mental health care provider and discuss problems and solutions. Psychotherapy may be pursued alone or in combination with other treatments. Several types of psychotherapy exist. The cognitive approach looks at the faulty assumptions--the negative thinking patterns--that people may hold and which may be sabotaging their lives. Interpersonal therapy looks more at how relationships play into your life. For example, you may examine your functioning with regard to your boss or spouse. Psychodynamic therapy is the classical approach that many people think of when they hear the word psychotherapy--looking at how your childhood plays out in your adult life. Psychotherapy is commonly provided by psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health counselors.

    Medications

    • While the popular media and some doctors commonly state that antidepressants correct chemical imbalances in the brain, it's not necessarily that simple, according to HelpGuide.org. In fact, researchers don't fully understand how and why antidepressants work. The most popular medications for depression in the last few years have been selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Among the best-known are Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Effexor. Doctors often see them as first-line treatments because their side effects are less severe than those of older antidepressant drug classes such as trycyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The first SSRI drug, Prozac, can take up to six weeks to take full effect. More recently introduced SSRIs sometimes kick in sooner. Some people experience side effects such as sexual dysfunction, anxiety, headache and nausea when taking SSRIs.

    Electroconvulsive Therapy

    • Electroconvulsive therapy involves passing a current through the patient's brain via electrodes attached to the scalp. The patient is placed under anesthetic briefly. Treatment is generally done two or three times a week until the patient has recovered from the depression or until improvement stops. Side effects can include memory lapses and headaches. As many as 80 percent of patients with major depression improve with electroconvulsive therapy, according to Northern County Psychiatric Associates.

    Lifestyle Changes

    • Lifestyle changes can be a big help in treating depression, whether on their own or alongside other treatment. Getting enough sleep, pursuing regular exercise, eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, talking with friends and family, and managing your stress load are all important to maintaining a positive mood. A few simple changes can provide a major boost to your perspective.

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