I Survived Depression - so can YOU!

In my last post I talked about a treatment for illnesses including depression that dealt with changing one’s environment to change one’s inner self.  In this post I’m going to talk about changing one’s physical being or inner self to heal their depression.  Over the last several years I have been on several anti-depressive medications that for the most part have all worked well in elevating and stabilizing my mood.  Without these medications I probably would not be in the recovery phase that I’m currently in.

However, regardless of the fact that I find medication extremely helpful there is a growing sentiment that is very much against the use of anti depressant medications and in most cases rightly so.  Even as someone who believes in medication it was not an easy thing to agree to.  I don’t even like to take an aspirin, but my use of medication had a lot to do with finally giving up control and accepting my depression.  But, the reasons for not taking medication are very valid and range from physical reasons to side effects.

You see, I consider myself lucky, anti depressant medications don’t work for everyone.  If you are someone who suffers from depression and for whatever reason does not want to follow the usual course of action, which at least in western civilization is medication and talk therapy, there are alternatives.  Just understand that from my experience the more severe your depression is, the greater the chance that you will need anti depressant medications to find relief.  However, if your depression is not that severe here is a look at some of the other alternatives you can choose to try. 

St. John’s Wort whose actual name is Hypericum Perforatum is a plant with yellow flowers. It’s these flowers that get crushed up and made into pill or capsule form that contain the active ingredient.  It usually takes about four to six weeks to feel the full effect of the St. John’s wort. Side effects may include dizziness, dry mouth, indigestion, and fatigue.  Studies have confirmed that St. John’s wort is effective in treating mild to moderate depression.

Several years ago, before I accepted the fact that I have depression, I used to go on and off medication.  It was during this time that I tried St. John’s wort.  After using it for several weeks, I did feel a difference, but not as much so as the medications I had previously been on.

SAM-e which is short for S-adenosylmethionine has been widely used in Europe for many years, but only available in the US since about 1996.  Just like St. John’s wort  SAM-e  is used to relieve depression and elevate mood except SAM-e is considered more effective than St. John’s wort.  SAMe comes in tablet form and is a synthetic form of a compound formed naturally in the body.   SAM-e usually takes three to five hours to reach full effectiveness after ingestion.  Also, it usually takes about a month before  SAM-e becomes fully effective.  Like St. John’s wort one of the main benefits of SAM-e is the relatively few side effects associated with anti depressants. SAM-e is also used for joint pain and fibromyalgia.

Omega-3 fatty acid which is contained in fish oil has been shown beneficial in the treatment of many illnesses including depression especially bipolar disorder.  However, not that much research has been done and much more is needed to confirm these results.  In one high profile study which involved 20 participants, 10 were given omega-3 fatty acid and 10 placebos.   Of the 10 who received the omega-3 fatty acid, 6 claimed to have significantly reduced depression.  The idea to treat depression with omega-3 fatty acid originated when it was realized that countries that consume large amounts of fish have reported many less cases of depression.  Omega-3 fatty acid can be consumed either by a nutritional supplement or simply by eating fish several times a week.  The best fish include salmon, sardines, tuna and trout.

As one who really does not like the use of medications, I really prefer any alternative.  As for anti depressants so many people have experienced side effects that almost anything would be better.  The three alternatives that I have mentioned have had very good results.  The problem exists that although these alternatives are good in treating mild depression, they have not had good results in treating depression that is moderate to severe. 

When it comes to depression there are only two therapies that receive any recognition.  They are talk therapy and medication.  Unfortunately with medication it can be very difficult to find the correct one, there may be side effects and many of the latest medications only work for a limited amount of time before they stop working.  Talk therapy is useful, but takes a long to show progress.

Here is one strategy in the battle against depression that you may have overlooked. 

Although not yet mainstream, Music Therapy has shown some very impressive results.  Research is still limited, but a review by the Cochrane Collaboration, a not-for-profit group that reviews health care issues has given great hope to the treatment.

The current studies indicate that music therapy may be able to improve mood and has low drop-out rates,” said lead author Anna Maratos, an arts therapist for the National Health Service in London. “While the evidence came from a few small studies, it suggests that this is an area that is well worth further investigation….We need to find out which forms have greatest effect.”

For centuries people have been inspired by music. Music has always been a great healer.  Even the Bible mentions how David played the harp to relieve King Saul’s depression. 

It works on the principle that music is capable of controlling the processes and chemical balances within the human brain.  Experts agree that it’s the rhythm or the beat of the music, that although we are not conscious of it, has a calming effect on the human mind.  They point out that this calming affect many have originated way back in our mother’s womb.  It was our mother’s heartbeat that we associate with as a safe protective place.

Even though music has been used therapeutically for many years, music therapy did not appear as a profession until 1950 when the National Association for Music Therapy and the American Association For Music Therapy came into being.  In 1998 to two associations merged and became The American Music Therapy Association or AMTA. 

A music therapist usually holds a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree in music therapy.  They also receive specialized training in behavioral science and basic medicine as well as music.  A music therapist has to be certified by the Certification Board for Music Therapists.  Then once they pass the national music therapy certification examination are considered Music Therapist - Board certified, (MT-BC).
 
Once the therapist accesses the individual client’s situation, the therapist provides treatment which includes creating, singing, moving to, and listening to music.  In cases of depression music therapy also includes spoken words to provide inspiration. 

Even though the results have been mostly positive there are some drawbacks with music therapy.  There have been some cases where by resurfacing old feelings music therapy has increased depression instead of alleviating it.
 
There is also another drawback in the fact that music therapy is very expensive due to the lack of general awareness. 

With all the side effects of anti depressants and the drawbacks associated with talk therapy, alternative treatments may be the way of the future.  Although much more research is needed, the use of alternative therapies such as art therapy, aroma therapy and music therapy may be very helpful in treating a wide range of illnesses including depression.

Manic depression which is now known as bipolar disorder can be divided into three categories. Then within those three categories there can be many variations. You can be mildly manic-depressive or your cycles could be more severe. You may just need a little counseling and maybe some mild medications or you may require stronger medications or even ECT in order to be able to function and lead a normal life. Fortunately when it comes to treatment options there are many available.

Medication is vital in treating manic depression. In fact many patients need to combine several medications to receive the best effects. One thing to understand with manic depression treatment is that the first medication that you are prescribed may not be the right one. Finding the right treatment can be a very long process of trial and error. If your first medication is not helping don’t be alarmed there are many types of medication available. The downside to medication though is that although rare there are possible side effects and that medications actually alter brain chemistry.

Here is a look at some of the most widely used types of medication: (more…)

Do you suffer from chronic depression? Are you being treated with anti depressant medication and talk therapy? Are these treatments working for you? These treatments seem to work for many people. I have been on Zoloft for over two years and am feeling probably the best that I ever have been in my entire life. Medication has come a long way.

Unfortunately there are others who cannot seem to get the same effects. Is this you? No matter which meds they try and regardless of who they talk to they can’t seem to find relief. What’s so disturbing is that this is not uncommon. Depression is a complex disease that affects as many as 20 million people and we are all different.

It’s not easy for a therapist or doctor when it comes to figuring out just the right combination of medication and talk therapy considering just how different we all are and how differently we respond to treatment. Wouldn’t it be helpful if we could put ourselves in a position where we had a much better chance of getting these treatments to work?

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As our population ages and the numbers of elderly increases so will the amount of people affected with depression. Depression is bad with any age group, but it is extremely alarming- in the elderly considering that they are much more subject to suicide and death. In people between the ages of 80 to 84 the risk of suicide nearly doubles. Depression also increases their risk of heart disease and other diseases.

But there is hope, recently Insight Journal published an article on one way to reduce depression with this group.

But there is a ray of hope for those treating depression in the elderly. One possible contributing factor for increased risk of depression in the elderly is the loss of social support, and a recent study showed that providing depressed, elderly patients with social support programs may decrease the incidence of depression.

Researchers at the Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, Weil Cornell Medical College, investigated whether social service interventions and social support could have an effect on depressive symptoms. Fifty-six homebound clients averaging 82 years of age were used in the study and assessed for depression, quality of life, and functional autonomy.

At the beginning of the study, 33 percent of the patients displayed depressive symptoms. At six-month follow-up, the number displaying depressive symptoms decreased. Eleven percent improved on the Functional Autonomy Scale, and an amazing 63 percent showed an improvement of quality of life. The researchers concluded that depressive symptoms had an effect on quality of life and functional autonomy, but the patients with more social support showed improvement across the board.

So many times seniors are neglected. People go about their daily routines and don’t seem to find the time. Small steps like just checking in on or even just calling an elderly next door neighbor can make such a difference in their lives.

Tags: depression, depression+in+the+elderly, elderly+depression

Do you experience mood swings, sometimes very severe? So severe that sometimes you can barely get out of bed yet other times your feeling like life is one big party and you are capable of doing anything.

Do you sometimes feel like your emotions are out of control? Like you are guided by an outside force that tells you how to feel which in turn guides the way you act in situations. Have you been impulsive, maybe very impulsive? Have you ever gotten up one morning and just decided to quit your job or end a relationship or do something that drastically changed your life.

If your mood swings are this severe what you may be suffering from is manic depression. Manic depression affects 22 million people and those are only the ones that have been diagnosed.

Now if you have either just been diagnosed with manic depression, think that you may have it or are still trying to get your manic depression under control there are many things that you can do to help stabilize your life. (more…)

Recently I have written on teenage depression. My last post was on the signs of teenage depression and before that I wrote about how the anti depressant Lexapro was found safe for use by teens. I find teenage depression to be the most tragic forms of depression being that it usually will affect a person’s entire life as opposed to depression that comes on later in life after the individual is established. I was in the process researching a new post when I came across this article in Psych Central.

What I found so interesting about it was that it says that the longer someone stays home after graduation the more their chances of getting depressed. Now as someone who has seen this first hand, I can say from experience that getting through school is almost impossible when suffering from depression and moving out and surviving was even more difficult.

May 13, 2008 - Edmonton- The post-university years can start out tough. The good news: it gets better. (more…)

Depression affects every aspect of a person’s life and nothing could be truer when it comes to teenagers. Originally research showed that up to 8 percents of teens are affected by depression, but just yesterday the government came out and reported that more than 2 million U.S. teenagers have suffered a serious bout of depression in the past year, including nearly 13 percent of girls.

Of course lower numbers are always better, but in one way this is good. Now that these numbers have been released maybe more emphasis will be placed on teenage depression. The teenage years are so important because it is then that a person’s life begins to take shape. And until now most teenage depression went untreated and most never even diagnosed.

Reasons for Teen Depression

There are many reasons that can lead to teen depression including stress from school or athletics, peer pressure, the influence of sex hormones, a disturbing event, conflicts with parents and even just the normal maturation process. Although the teenage years can be the best in a person’s life, the teenage years can bring on new situations such as the death of a friend or relative, a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or failure at school.

Adolescents with low self-esteem, that are highly self-critical, and who feel little sense of control over negative events are particularly at risk to become depressed when they experience stressful events.

So how do you tell if your teen is depressed? (more…)

A new study just released by Forest Laboratories has shown that Lexapro, one medication in a group of depression drugs classified an SSRI’s is having very good results with teens ages 12 to 17. What makes this such an important step in the battle to relieve teen depression is that back in June of 2003, the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) issued a recommendation that paroxetine which is the generic name for Paxil not be used to treat children or adolescents with depression.

The recommendation by the FDA was a really big blow in the fight against depression because the major symptoms of depression which are sadness and loss of interest in usual activities can affect a teens entire life. What happens is that most teens who suffer from depression never get treated which eventually leads to problems at home and at school. (more…)

On April 19, 2008, during the 76th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons in Chicago, researchers from the Cleveland Clinic, Brown University and Massachusetts General Hospital presented results of a study claiming that deep brain stimulation may be an effective way to treat depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The research which has been ongoing for several years evolved out of the success of DBS in treating the tremors associated with Parkinson’s, dystonia and epilepsy.

Depression is considered to be the highest cause of disability worldwide by The World Health Organization, but most people who suffer from major depression do respond to therapy and medication to some degree. There is however a group of patients that are considered to have treatment resistant depression that do not respond at all. The procedure, intended for these patients will hopefully raise their quality of life and reduce their high suicide rates.

According to Psychiatric Secrets, 2nd ed., treatment resistance is frequently defined as failure to respond to an adequate trial of at least two standard antidepressants. Treatment resistant patients may also initially respond to an antidepressant, but quickly develop a tolerance to it.

Originally it was thought that it was a chemical imbalance that caused depression, now even though the chemical imbalance is still considered part of the problem researchers are looking at electrical activity in the brain as well. “Depression is a physiological disorder, and basically we are regulating the abnormal signals to brain causing the depression,” says Dr. Ali Rezai director of the Center for Neurological Restoration at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. (more…)