Depression is more than sadness or feeling depressed for a few days. Depression can last for years, it’s a serious illness. Studies have show that around 15 million Americans are affected by this illness each and every year. The sad fact is that only a third of those Americans will ever seek help for their affliction. All too often people avoid recognizing or admitting that they suffer from depression because of the negative archetypes associated with mental illnesses. Depression gets worse with time. Without treatment it will take over your life. Ignorance in this case isn’t bliss.
There are many types of depression and it is caused by a variety of factors. It can by biological, genetic, physical and emotional. It can be given birth by the very environment that the victim lives in. Detrimental factors such as stress can lead to it. Complicated diseases like depression aren’t easy to crack. The human mind is very complicated as well. To learn how the mind works, doctors and researches are studying it each day. We know that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. We are learning more every day about how the whole process works. The more we learn about depression the better we can treat it.
Depression treatment comes from a variety of medications on the market. Miracle treatments also exist, but many times these are empty claims. Make sure the treatment has been studied and scientifically proven to address depression. Not too long ago people who were considered mentally ill were thrown into asylums, never again to be seen or heard. It’s good to know that’s no longer the case. It was 1988 when Prozac, an anti-depressant, first came into wide use in America. It has bee proven effective and is still in use today although it does come with side effects.
Since then a new class of anti-depressants has become popular as well. The SSRI or (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) like Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Luvox are all being used to treat depression today. All have been proven effective but come with varied side effects. Herbal medications also have a place in this market. The ingredient in St. John’s Wort extract, heperforin, is present in those that prove every bit as effective as anti-depressant drugs. If this ingredient is used in the proper strength it is effective. Be careful, do your research and you will find effective depression medications to treat your depression.
