Overview of Depression Treatment Options - Term Paper Example

The causes of depression remain multiple, but the most commonly known causes are alcohol or drugs, treatments for illnesses like cancer, and problems with sleep. Depression is also a sign of stress, if a person experiences a stressful life event then the result might be depression. Such events include divorces, parents splitting up, losing a close one, going through a fatal illness, being neglected, failing, etc. There are many kinds of depression, but here we will just discuss depression in general and what are the treatments, and the ways of dealing with it.

To be diagnosed with depression, you will have to recognize some common symptoms: mood swings; mostly unhappiness, trouble in sleeping routines; sleeping too much or not at all; alterations in the diet; weight loss, the feeling of guilt, overwhelming grief, crying, feeling the need to commit suicide, etc. If a person has five or more of these symptoms, they are said to have “Major Depression” a type that lasts for two weeks or more if not treated. Another general type of depression is “Minor Depression” which has less than five symptoms from the given list and it lasts for less than two weeks. (Health Guide, 2013)

Depression is a curable condition, but it needs attention. If it’s helped it will cure, but if it is carried on, it can become chronic and life-threatening. The most common way to cure depression is by prescribing antidepressants. These are medications that are made particularly for this purpose and they don’t just provide relief from the anxiety, but they work on curing it as a whole. When treating depression, the patient should be very open with the doctor and inform him or her about the conditions before and after taking the drugs. This way the doctor can analyze the condition of the patient and adjust the dosage accordingly or alter it completely in some scenarios. In some chronic cases, psychotherapies are also used to help a patient with this condition. These therapies are equally effective on patients with mild episodes because these sessions focus on interactions with the patients that are most likely the cause of their depression. Counseling is another treatment for depression where therapists have sessions with their patients. The patients are encouraged to talk about their disturbances and relieve themselves of all the troubling feelings that they experience. (Psych Central - An Overview of Depression Treatment Options, 2013)

Depression however is not only cured by medicines and medical help. It requires a lot of personal persistence and one needs to fight with the anxieties to come out of that state. It’s an exhausting process because trying to go against the tide always tires you. According to Melinda Smith: “It’s the Catch-22 of depression recovery: The things that help the most are the things that are the most difficult to do. There’s a difference, however, between something difficult and something impossible.” The first step to managing depression is by building up relationships: trust your family and friends; socialize, and interact with people. Avoid the negative thoughts, depression leads to negativity, hence shun all negative thoughts and think positively, slowly you will feel positive too. Another tip for fighting depression is caring for yourself; sleep well, eat well, and exercise. Give your body what it needs. Keep it healthy, positive, surrounded by loved ones, and a good environment at all times. (Dealing with Depression, 2013)
For people who have major depression and are on antidepressants for life have a life-changing experience. Staying on medications for the rest of your life is a tough job, and if you’re a chronic patient, it means that you happen to have depression episodes once in a while. This reality is something that takes time to accept. But the best way to do this is to stay positive, no matter how hard it is, and stay close to your loved ones. They will most likely talk you into how beneficial the medicines are for you. Keep yourself busy and don’t stress out too much thinking about it. The less you think about it the better it is. The sooner you accept the reality, the better it is. Anti-depressants will soon become part of your routine and they won’t feel alien anymore in your life.

Another part of dealing with depression is stigma. Stigma is a condition or a feeling of being left out, unwanted, etc. “It is a feeling of disgrace that sets a person apart.” (What is stigma? 2013) It is most likely to rise in a person who has recently been “labeled” with an illness or a medical condition. People say that they feel ashamed, hopeless, and distressed. It is mostly caused by people’s negative behavior towards a person’s condition causing them to do something extreme or even fall into deeper depression. Instead of viewing them with disgrace, such patients require sympathy, love, care, and support. They have enough problems to deal with already that they deal with society’s rejection too. (What is stigma? 2013)
Depression, nowadays is becoming highly common. Its preventions and cures exist only if attention is paid at the right time. It is also necessary to try and accept people with such conditions to avoid the influence of stigma in their lives. It is a precaution that everyone needs to take.