Just because you feel sad and depressed for a few days does not mean that you have depression. Depression is a very serious disease that can last for years. 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. The age- old stereotype associated with mental illness influences many to still avoid admitting they suffer from depression. Depression is a progressive illness. Without treatment it will take over your life. Ignorance in this case isn’t bliss.
A variety of factors, and even combinations of these factors, lead to the many types of depression. Physical and emotional problems, chemical issues, even DNA all play a part. It can be given birth by the very environment that the victim lives in. Stress and other negative influences have been known to contribute. 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. A chemical imbalance in the brain causes depression, that’s known. More about the way this process works is learned each day. Better treatments come from more knowledge.
There are a variety of medications available to treat depression. Of course the market is full of ‘quick fix’ antidotes. Clinical tests to prove something really works in treating depression are required. At one time asylums and mental institutions were filled to the brim with mentally ill people. It’s good to know that’s no longer the case. The anti-depressant Prozac first came into use in the USA in 1988. Although it has side effects it is widely used and it is effective.
Since that time more and more use has been made of a new class of anti-depressants. Currently depression is being treated with SSRI or (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) such as Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Luvox. These work even though they too show some side effects. There are also numerous natural herbal medications available on the market. Hyperforin, an ingredient in the St. John Wort extract, is common in those that seem to work as well as anti-depressants. Some herbal remedies don’t contain this ingredient in the proper strength so they don’t work. Be careful, do your research and you will find effective depression medications to treat your depression.
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