Best Treatment For Depression
The best treatment for depression is based on the nature and severity of the symptoms. It is often a combination of treatments that helps people feel better, including psychotherapy and medication.
Couple or family therapy are some types of therapy. Other options include light therapy, ketamine injections, or adding another medication to an antidepressant. It may take between 4 and 6 weeks for certain medicines to begin working.
1. Medication
If you're depressed, taking medication that changes how your brain uses chemicals can boost your mood. Antidepressants like bupropion (Wellbutrin), the citalopram (Celexa) or the fluoxetine (Prozac), or venlafaxine (Effexor) can be helpful. Some people may have to test a variety of antidepressants until they find one that works. It may take up to 8 weeks or more before you see results.
You may also be prescribed psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavior treatment to help you transform your negative thoughts and actions. Talk therapy can assist with issues in life and stress that cause depression. These include relationship issues as well as family or work issues or other stressors. If your counselor suggests it, you may undergo interpersonal psychotherapy or a type psychotherapy called rTMS. This involves placing an insulated coil on the scalp to create brief magnetic waves that affect brain activity. Ketamine is an anesthetic which can provide relief to some patients suffering from severe depression.
Inform your doctor if are taking any other medication, including herbal supplements and prescription medications. Certain medications may hinder your antidepressant's effectiveness or cause it to be more effective. Your doctor will also review any physical health issues like thyroid disease or chronic pain that can cause or exacerbate depression.
If you're thinking of suicide, your doctor will need to talk about suicide prevention. Depression treatment can also include other approaches like the acupuncture method, which is a particular kind of light therapy referred to as photobiomodulation, and certain nutritional supplements (such as St. John's wort). Talk with your doctor about which of these could aid you.
2. Therapy
The best treatment for depression is a combination of medications and therapy. Talk therapy is known as counseling or psychotherapy, and is a type of treatment that helps you understand your thoughts and feelings and learn how to alter them. It will also help you develop better relationships and deal with issues in your life. You may feel uncomfortable sharing your emotions with a therapist but it's an essential part of the therapy process.
Research shows that talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychotherapy with interpersonal partners, can improve depression symptoms just as like antidepressant medication. Interpersonal psychotherapy focuses on resolving relationship issues which can trigger depression. Make sure you attend all sessions and adhere to your treatment plan. If side effects or drug costs are a problem, let your therapist know so that she can come up with alternatives.
Doctors may also recommend other treatments that can be incorporated with antidepressants, or talk therapy. These include lithium deep brain stimulation (DBS), and repetitive transcranial magnet stimulation (rTMS). rTMS is non-invasive and utilizes magnetic coils to influence brain activity in specific areas that influence mood. DBS involves putting a tiny device in your brain to send electrical impulses. Lithium is used to treat depression that has not responded to treatment. It works by balancing the chemicals in the brain.
It takes time to recover from depression, and you may be prone to ups and downs in the recovery process. Don't make any major changes in your life before you feel better. For instance, don't relocate to a different city or change jobs until you're ready. It is also essential to create an alliance of family and friends, as well as join a
depression and treatment support group.
3. Exercise
Depressive episodes can drain your energy and make it difficult to get up and move around. However, exercise is among the most effective tools for treating depression, and just an hour of exercise can boost mood. Research shows that specific types of exercise--including aerobics, yoga and strength training--significantly ease depression symptoms by releasing feel-good hormones in the brain.
For treatment for depression, moderate intensity exercise is best, meaning an exercise that gets your heart rate up, but does not leave you exhausted. Walking, swimming and cycling are great examples. Even a brisk walk can boost your mood, but you should consult your physician prior to starting any new physical activity.
In addition to exercising, get plenty of sleep that can boost your mood and boost your resistance to stress. You should sleep for between 7 and 9 hours each night. Sleeping habits can make depression more severe. A good night's sleep can help fight blues, by reducing fatigue and irritability and also feelings of hopelessness, sadness and fatigue.
Depression can be a lonely experience and can cause feelings of loneliness. Try to socialize when you can and spend time with friends and family who can be there for you. It's also important to cultivate an environment of support at workplace or in the community and join an organization that can help you cope with depression.
Antidepressants are a fantastic option to treat depression. They're not the only option to relieve symptoms. Some studies have demonstrated that regular exercise can increase the effectiveness of these medications. Together, these two treatments are a double whammy against depression symptoms. Yoga and other methods of self-care like stress-reduction techniques and healthy eating, can also strengthen your recovery efforts.
4. Healthy Lifestyle Changes
Depression can take its toll on one's body and incorporating healthy lifestyle changes into treatment helps in reducing or easing the symptoms of depression. It can include things like yoga, acupuncture and mindfulness meditation. Additionally, it is important to get enough sleep and reduce stress, as both can contribute to depression.
Dietary changes can also help to combat depression. Eating a healthy and balanced diet is crucial. It should include vegetables and fruits, whole grain (in their unprocessed form), seeds, nuts and lean protein. Avoid processed foods, sugars, and animal fats. However, a little indulgence here and there is acceptable.
Exercise can be a great mood booster. It is essential to discuss the amount of physical activity a patient is currently engaged in and ways to increase it. For instance, you could suggest the NHS "Couch to 5K" app or providing details on local community activities. Exercise can also aid in improving sleep and reduce stress levels, all of which are beneficial factors in alleviating
depression treatment exercise.
Alternative and complementary treatments for depression include vitamin and herbal supplements, such as St. John's wort and SAMe, but these should only be taken with the advice of a medical professional. There is also a type of cognitive behavioral therapy called dialectical behavior therapy. This is beneficial for those with depression resistant to treatment as well as those who are contemplating self-injury or suicide.
While it's tempting to skip or delay seeking
Electric Treatment For Depression for depression, it's 100% treatable. Talk to your doctor about all of your options including therapy, medication to healthy lifestyle changes and self-help tips for coping. When you use these treatments in conjunction you can be more comfortable and gain strategies to prevent depression from coming back in the future.
5. Self-Help Coping Tips
Depression can trigger a variety of problems - it may make you angry or unruly, make you feel hopeless and worthless, and even increase the feeling of physical pain. It is possible to improve your symptoms and there are effective treatments available for depression.
Some of the best treatment for depression include talk therapy (psychotherapy) and medication, healthy lifestyle changes and self-help coping strategies. Positive coping skills are important in identifying negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. Practicing relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or mindfulness meditation, may also help ease the negative effects of depression.
If you are considering treatment for depression, speak to your general practitioner
first line treatment for anxiety and depression or request an appointment. The therapist or doctor will ask you about your symptoms and how long they've been there and how they impact your daily routine. They'll then do a physical exam and run a few tests in the lab to ensure that your depression isn't the result of an underlying medical issue such as thyroid disease.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a possible treatment for depression. This procedure involves passing electrical currents through your brain in order to alter your mood. ECT is usually used for people who don't improve with antidepressants or are at risk of taking their own life. Another
alternative ways to treat depression is transcranial magnet stimulation, in which a treatment coil placed on the scalp sends short magnetic pulses to the nerve cells in your brain that are affected by depression. They're not as effective as antidepressants, but they do offer some relief for people who aren't responding to medication. You may be offered counselling. This is a type of psychotherapy which can be done over the phone, via the internet or in person. Counselling for depression is accessible from the NHS and you're likely to have 8 to 16 sessions over a span of months.
