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Two of the short-term psychotherapies that research has shown helpful for some forms of depression are interpersonal and cognitive/behavioral therapies.
If a physical cause for the depression is ruled out, a psychological evaluation should be done, by the physician or by referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist.
Most do best with combined treatment: medication to gain relatively quick symptom relief and psychotherapy to learn more effective ways to deal with life's problems, including depression.
Depending on the patient's diagnosis and severity of symptoms, the therapist may prescribe medication and/or one of the several forms of psychotherapy that have proven effective for depression.
This brochure is a new version of the 1994 edition of Plain Talk About Depression and was written by Margaret Strock, Public Information and Communications Branch, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Parents should not be afraid to ask questions: What are the therapist's qualifications? What kind of therapy will the child have? Will the family as a whole participate in therapy? Will my child's therapy include an antidepressant? If so, what might the side effects be?
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has identified the use of medications for depression in children as an important area for research.
A less severe type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable, but keep one from functioning well or from feeling good.
Depression in Children
Only in the past two decades has depression in children been taken very seriously.
Interpersonal therapists focus on the patient's disturbed personal relationships that both cause and exacerbate (or increase) the depression.
8 DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION AND TREATMENT
The first step to getting appropriate treatment for depression is a physical examination by a physician.
It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and typically do not accurately reflect the actual circumstances.
Cognitive/behavioral therapists help patients change the negative styles of thinking and behaving often associated with depression.
bipolar disorder, manic depression, publications, NIMH, National Institute of Mental Health, dysthymia, depression, health information, mental disorders, depressionhealth information, major depression
Not nearly as prevalent as other forms of depressive disorders, bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes: severe highs (mania) and lows (depression).
Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms (see symptom list) that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities.
Once the individual is feeling better, it is important to continue the medication for at least 4 to 9 months to prevent a recurrence of the depression.
If a diagnosis of depression is made, treatment with medication and/or psychotherapy will help the depressed person return to a happier, more fulfilling life.
SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND MANIA
Not everyone who is depressed or manic experiences every symptom.
Today in Germany, Hypericum is used in the treatment of depression more than any other antidepressant.
Most people who have bipolar disorder take more than one medication including, along with lithium and/or an anticonvulsant, a medication for accompanying agitation, anxiety, depression, or insomnia.
The study was designed to include 336 patients with major depression of moderate severity, randomly assigned to an 8-week trial with one-third of patients receiving a uniform dose of St.
"Behavioral" therapists help patients learn how to obtain more satisfaction and rewards through their own actions and how to unlearn the behavioral patterns that contribute to or result from their depression.
John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), an herb used extensively in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in Europe, has recently aroused interest in the United States.
1 Many hormonal factors may contribute to the increased rate of depression in women particularly such factors as menstrual cycle changes, pregnancy, miscarriage, postpartum period, pre-menopause, and menopause.
John's wort, another third sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) commonly prescribed for depression, and the final third a placebo (a pill that looks exactly like the SSRI and the St.
For More Information
Depression Information and Organizations from NLM's MedlinePlus (en Español ).
John's wort in the treatment of major depression, ongoing NIH-supported research is examining a possible role for St.
Such a disabling episode of depression may occur only once but more commonly occurs several times in a lifetime.
Depression typically shows up in men not as feeling hopeless and helpless, but as being irritable, angry, and discouraged; hence, depression may be difficult to recognize as such in men.
Recognizing how depressive symptoms in older people are often missed, many health care professionals are learning to identify and treat the underlying depression.
Because normal behaviors vary from one childhood stage to another, it can be difficult to tell whether a child is just going through a temporary "phase" or is suffering from depression.
Depression A detailed booklet that describes symptoms, causes, and treatments, with information on getting help and coping.
In the meantime:
Set realistic goals in light of the depression and assume a reasonable amount of responsibility.
Depression in Men
Although men are less likely to suffer from depression than women, 6 million men in the United States are affected by the illness.
The hormonal and physical changes, as well as the added responsibility of a new life, can be factors that lead to postpartum depression in some women.
For individuals with bipolar disorder or chronic major depression, medication may have to be maintained indefinitely.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is useful, particularly for individuals whose depression is severe or life threatening or who cannot take antidepressant medication.
CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
Some types of depression run in families, suggesting that a biological vulnerability can be inherited.
Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment, although the great majority even those whose depression is extremely severe can be helped.
At the end of the first phase of the study, participants were measured on two scales, one for depression and one for overall functioning.
Herbal Therapy
In the past few years, much interest has risen in the use of herbs in the treatment of both depression and anxiety.
2 Men's depression is often masked by alcohol or drugs, or by the socially acceptable habit of working excessively long hours.
Certain medications as well as some medical conditions such as a viral infection can cause the same symptoms as depression, and the physician should rule out these possibilities through examination, interview, and lab tests.
People who have low self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism or who are readily overwhelmed by stress, are prone to depression.
Thanks to years of fruitful research, there are now medications and psychosocial therapies such as cognitive/behavioral, "talk" or interpersonal that ease the pain of depression.
NIMH: Depression
4 Improved recognition and treatment of depression in late life will make those years more enjoyable and fulfilling for the depressed elderly person, the family, and caretakers.
There was no significant difference in rate of response for depression, but the scale for overall functioning was better for the antidepressant than for either St.
In the workplace, employee assistance professionals or worksite mental health programs can be of assistance in helping men understand and accept depression as a real illness that needs treatment.
Among the medications being studied are antidepressants, some of which have been found to be effective in treating children with depression, if properly monitored by the child's physician.
Remember, positive thinking will replace the negative thinking that is part of the depression and will disappear as your depression responds to treatment.
A new study shows that, although depression is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease in both men and women, only men suffer a high death rate.
Depression in the Elderly
Some people have the mistaken idea that it is normal for the elderly to feel depressed.
Recent research suggests that brief psychotherapy (talk therapies that help a person in day-to-day relationships or in learning to counter the distorted negative thinking that commonly accompanies depression) is effective in reducing symptoms in short-term depression in older persons who are medically ill.
Depression in the elderly, undiagnosed and untreated, causes needless suffering for the family and for the individual who could otherwise live a fruitful life.
John's wort appears to affect an important metabolic pathway that is used by many drugs prescribed to treat conditions such as AIDS, heart disease, depression, seizures, certain cancers, and rejection of transplants.
TYPES OF DEPRESSION
Depressive disorders come in different forms, just as is the case with other illnesses such as heart disease.
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