What Are the Treatments of Depression?

Question by kristilovestar: What are the treatments of depression?
I need a model for a depression project inside of science. My project is on dysthymic, bipolar, chronic, and long term depression. Can you help?

I’d like treatments of it, sources, and a picture of the brain’s area that is affected. Do you know where I can find it, or have answers?
Can anyone show me a picture of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that controls memory and emotions, before and after depression strikes?

Best answer:

Answer by dreeamer86
first of real depression u never get rid of because it is a chemical imbalance in the brain go to this site beyond blue its an aussie site for depression and has heaps of info on it.
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=7.246

this site has a picture of the patterns of a brain during depression you’ll prolly find some more info on there aswell

http://www.brainviews.com/abFiles/ImgPet.htm

good luck with ur project hope you find everything u need and get some great grades!!

Answer by [email protected]
While therapy and antidepressant medication are the most effective treatments for depression, home treatment is also important. There are many steps you can take to help yourself during a depressive episode and to prevent future episodes:

Set realistic goals for yourself, and take on a reasonable amount of responsibility.
Break large tasks into small ones, and set priorities. Do what you can when you are able.
Postpone major life decisions (such as changing jobs, moving, or getting married or divorced) when you are depressed.
Try to share your feelings with someone. It is usually better than being alone and secretive.
Let your family and friends help you.
Even if you don’t feel motivated, try to participate in religious, social, or other activities.
Get regular exercise.
Eat a balanced diet. If you lack an appetite, eat small snacks rather than large meals.
Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs or medications that have not been prescribed to you. They may interfere with your medications or worsen your depression.
Get adequate sleep. If you have problems sleeping:
Go to bed at the same time every night and, more importantly, get up at the same time every morning.
Keep your bedroom dark and free of noise.
Don’t exercise after 5:00 p.m.
Avoid caffeinated beverages after 5:00 p.m.
Avoid the use of nonprescription sleeping pills or alcohol, because they can make your sleep restless and may interact with your depression medications.
Be patient and kind to yourself. Remember that depression is not your fault and is not something you can overcome with willpower alone. Treatment is necessary for depression, just like for any other illness.
Try to maintain a positive attitude—remember that feeling better takes time, and your mood will improve little by little.

Other Treatment
Professional counseling is an important part of treatment for depression. Complementary therapies such as massage therapy and yoga may also help you recover more quickly and improve your quality of life. For information about relaxation techniques you can do at home, see relaxation exercises.

Family therapy may help you and those who care about you deal with depression.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be used for those who cannot take antidepressant medications, who have not responded to other treatments, or whose depression is severe and includes symptoms of psychosis, suicidal behavior, or an inability to eat. 10

Other Treatment Choices
Counseling is an important part of the treatment for depression. The types of counseling most often used for effective treatment of depression include:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, a type of counseling that teaches a person how to become healthier by modifying certain thought and behavior patterns. This type of therapy can be provided individually or in a group setting.
Interpersonal therapy, which focuses on social and personal relationships and related problems.
Problem-solving therapy, which focuses on the problems you are currently facing and on helping you find solutions to those problems.
Family therapy, a type of counseling involving the entire family.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be used to treat severe depression or depression that has not responded well to medications and counseling. ECT also may be a treatment choice for someone who cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressant medications. Modern ECT treatments consist of mild electric brain stimulation while you are unconscious (under general anesthetic) and are an effective treatment for depression. Side effects of ECT include memory loss and confusion.

Complementary therapies

The herb St. John’s wort has been shown to work for mild to moderate depression, but it can interact with other medications.
Fish oil containing omega-3 fatty acids is currently being studied for possible antidepressant effects.
SAM-e ( S-adenosylmethionine), a substance that occurs naturally in plant and animal cells, is sometimes used to treat depression. Some studies show SAM-e may help with symptoms of depression, but more studies are needed to determine its safety and effectiveness.
What To Think About
ECT
Deciding whether to try electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be difficult. Although ECT can be a very effective treatment for depression, you may experience short-term memory loss, confusion, nausea, headaches, and jaw pain for several hours—and sometimes even several days—after the procedure. For some people, ECT may cause long-term memory loss. For more information, see electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

St. John’s wort

St. John’s wort is being tested in the United States to determine its safety and effectiveness. So far, the results have been mixed. High-quality St. John’s wort has been shown to work for mild to moderate depression as effectively as other antidepressants and with fewer side effects. However, some negative and dangerous interactions between St. John’s wort and certain medications have been discovered, especially between St. John’s wort and medications used to treat AIDS. 11

Let your health professional know if you are using St. John’s wort, especially if you are taking other medications.
Avoid taking St. John’s wort along with other antidepressants, because you could overmedicate yourself and have serious side effects.
Because St. John’s wort is not currently regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), its quality—and effectiveness—may vary.

Omega-3 fatty acids

There is limited evidence that a small daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial either alone or when combined with an antidepressant. 14, 15 While benefits for depression are still inconclusive, research does show that taking omega-3 fatty acids can help fight other health problems, including arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating fish at least twice per week, plus other omega-3 rich foods. For people with heart disease, the AHA suggests additional fish oil supplements if your health professional thinks it is a good idea. 16

Brain ‘Pacemaker’ For Depression Sufferers
For the first time, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been shown to treat people suffering from major depression. DBS has been used to successfully treat epilepsy and Parkinson’s. About twenty percent of depression sufferers fail to respond to standard treatment; medication plus electroconvulsive therapy may work for some of them. Dr. Andres Lozano, professor of neurosurgery at the University of Toronto, explains why DBS is a more refined choice.

“Electroconvulsive therapy is analogous to rebooting your computer,” he explained. “This [deep brain stimulation] is very pinpointed, precise therapy, involving a very precise area of brain that plays a key role in depression.”
When people are acutely sad, the subgenual cingulate region, or Cg25 region, of the brain, becomes active. Antidepressants can reduce activity in this area somewhat.

“It was as if the thermostat was set for 120 degrees and you want it to be 70 degrees,” Lozano explained. “This area of the brain is running in overdrive, and it is causing depression and also interfering with the function of areas of the brain that are involved in cognitive function.”

(From Scientists stimulate sadness center)
Since this study only involves six patients, it can offer only the most preliminary results. But after a hear and a half, a “striking benefit” has been seen in 4 of the 6 patients in the study.

Science fiction readers may recall the wireheads of Larry Niven’s stories; a wirehead is a person who installs a droud to deliver a minute electrical current to the pleasure center of the brain. Niven creates a realistic picture of the social consequences of this technology in Ringworld.

Read more at Brain Pacemaker may help worse cases of depression; thanks to Jeff Schwenneker for providing the tip on this story.

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