Lets Fight Depression

Standard treatments for depression are the ones that a psychiatrist would traditionally recommend to their depression patients.  This is not an exhaustive list, but rather some of the most commonly prescribed treatments.

Kris has tried most of the treatments described on this page and has found that most of them are quite helpful when combating depression.

Antidepressants

Psychiatrists love prescribing drugs and antidepressants are the ones that are almost always used when it comes to depression.  Antidepressants are typically prescribed to increase the levels of Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine in the brain which are the chemicals that together regulate happiness.  All three of these have different purposes as can be seen under the causes of depression section.  For those diagnosed with mild levels of depression, Serotonin Inhibitors are generally prescribed.  For those with major depression, they may move up the antidepressant ladder to eventually reach MAOIs which are the most powerful and strongest antidepressants.  However, they also come at a cost as they may have adverse reactions and have very dangerous side effects including death if the patient does not follow the exact instructions.  Because anti-depressants have such a wide range of different impacts on the body, these antidepressant categories need to be broken up into multiple web pages.  Please see each category of antidepressant individually for more information on the various types.

Kris is currently on an antidepressant called Celexa which is designed to increase the level of Serotonin in his brain.  He has had major success with this drug when combined with other drugs such as Lamictal which also helps to prevent depression.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is sometimes called talk therapy and helps a person with depression discuss their experiences with a psychiatrist, therapist, or counselor.  This therapy when combined with prescription drugs can help a person learn strategies to cope with depression.  For example, this may teach a person with depression how to recognize the symptoms so that they can willingly combat the feelings of depression when they start to arise.  Psychaitrists and therapists have certain methods that they use to help people stop feeling depressed such as exercise, spending time with family and friends, or just getting out of the house.  They are trained in various techniques that you can try so its certainly worth asking your doctor about this type of therapy.  Certain talk therapies work better depending on your particular grade and type of depression as well as other specifics relating to your case.

Psychotherapy has only been moderately helpful for Kris.  He finds that talking to other people with mood disorders helps significantly more than talking to a doctor or counselor who may or may not understand exactly what he is going through.

Support Groups

Sometimes talking to people who are going through the same problems that you are can help you understand that you are not alone in the fight against depression.  In addition, they may have advice that has worked for them that could be very beneficial for you to try.  They are also there to help you make sure that you continue with your treatment even in situations where a new drug is having severe side effects or in situations where you just need a shoulder to lean on.  People in support groups will be much more attentive to your needs and will have much better advice than just an average person.  People always think that they know more than they do and will try to tell you how to live your life, but people in depression support groups have actually tried these different treatments and will be able to tell you what you should expect.

Kris is a member of various support groups including the DBS Alliance online.  These groups have been instrumental in his therapy and he highly recommends giving them a shot.  People tend to be very nice since they know exactly what you are going through.

Hospitalization

In the most severe cases when a person with depression may be harmful to themselves or others, they may require hospitalization to combat depression.  This is not nearly as bad as it seems.  At the hospital you will be part of various support groups and they will help you keep yourself stable until your depression medication start taking effect.  They offer support groups and will help you learn how to control your depression symptoms so that you can go back out into the world feeling much better than you ever have before.  It is important to understand that people who abruptly stop taking their medication or people who have been just diagnosed with depression may need this type of stay to prevent their depression from getting out of hand.

If your depression is becoming overwhelming, talk to your doctor and/or call 911 to see if hospitalization is the right option for you.

Avoiding Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco, and Certain Foods

Part of a standard treatment plan as issued by your doctor will normally include avoiding other drugs that may cause an adverse reaction to the medication that you are taking or are known to cause a person to become more prone to depression.  This is especially true of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, but it can be triggered by certain foods as well depending upon which type of prescription medication that you are taking.

Kris has avoided using illegal drugs while taking prescription medication as some of his friends have tried this approach and it has failed miserably.  He also avoids tobacco, and tries to keep alcohol consumption to a reasonable level.

Exercise and Sleep

Another part of your treatment plan is likely to be getting enough sleep as this is a known cause of depression.  Insomnia or not giving yourself ample time to rest can cause depression as the body will be tired and worn down.  This is also true of exercise.  Your doctor will most likely recommend plenty of exercise to get those endorphins flowing properly again.  Both of these should be used in conjunction with prescription medication to keep your life happy and healthy.

Kris tries to get at least 7 hours of sleep per day.  Although this is often not possible with children and a work schedule that has a rotating on-call, he tries his best.