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Dealing With Depression
Depression one of the most common, yet also one of the most untreated mental illness. It is normal to have bad days, even bad weeks, as our mood is generally correlated with our life events. Bad things happen to the best of people, so of course everybody is going to feel down every now and then. This is normal and healthy.
However, there are some people who consistently feel depressed. Some symptoms may include lack of energy, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, anxiety, lack of sex drive, and even suicidal thoughts. For people experiencing symptoms of depression on a regular basis, depression is a very real and very scary disease, and will most likely get worse, not better, with time.
The good news is that depression is treatable. Science has proven that depression is caused by an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine, seratonin, and norepenephrine. As a result, science has developed drugs that can help balance out these chemicals.
Many of these drugs are SSRI’s, or selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors. Some examples include Proxac, Paxil, and Zoloft. A newer breed of antidepressants are SDRI’s, or selective duen four and six weeks before you notice positive results. Also keep in mind that different people respond to different medications, so you might have to test a few medications before you find one that works for you.
In addition to antidepressants, there are augmenters such as Abilify that when taken in conjunction with an antidepressant, boost the effect. This may be something to consider if you have tried several antidepressants and are not feeling much benefit.
Although pharmaceuticals are an important component to many people’s recovery from depression, keep in mind that they are not a cure all. It is important to life a healthy lifestyle in conjunction with taking antidepressants. This means exercising, especially cardiovascular workouts, eating a healthy diet, and getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night. It is also important to connect with people and not isolate.
I hope this article was helpful. Please feel free to leave a post with questions or comments. I will respond to them as soon as I can.
All the best,
David S.