General Depression Information: Understanding Depression Symptoms and Treatments
By Craig Wilcox
Depression is, in fact, a whole body disease that affects multiple systems. Anxiety, which is commonly understood to consist of fear without any direct cause, is highly correlated with depression. Only a doctor can diagnose depression, and if you are suffering from what you believe to be depression, you should make an appointment immediately. (If you need help sooner, please dial 9-1-1.) Depression is serious enough that it can cause a person to miss work and be unable to fulfill family obligations.
Risk Factors
People who suffer from depression are much more likely to suffer from other life threatening diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
Underscoring the whole body effect of depression is the research finding that depressed patients have lower heart rate variability (HRV) than normal.
The malfunctioning of the parasympathetic branch may be a key in understanding how mental perceptions of events that lead to depression affect the entire body.
Causes of Depression
Depression can be caused by any number of circumstances. Many times, depression can be caused by “uncontrollable stress”. With the advent of disease such as Alzheimer’s, a patient may need constant attention from a family member for years, causing great disruption in the caregiver’s life.
Stress can cause the secretion of excess cortisol, which in turn can damage tissues in the brain and body.
Depression Treatment Options
Anti-Depressants
Depression can cause an imbalance in the brain chemical called serotonin. In people who are depressed, serotonin production may be lowered, or it may not be utilized most effectively in the brain.
Neurotransmitters are secreted into the spaces between the brain cells. Examples of SSRI class anti-depressant drugs include Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil.
Counseling
Over time, patients are able to prevent negative moods by intervening in their own to reflect a more positive outlook.
Exercise
Research has shown that consistent aerobic exercise in a specific heart rate zone has very beneficial effects in fighting depression in both the short- and long-term.
While it may be difficult for someone experiencing a major depressive episode to rally the energy necessary to exercise, most people who do experience at least some relief from depression within just 10 minutes of starting.
For more information on an exercise program that may help alleviate depression symptoms, please go to www.hrh-for-depression.com.
Herbal Therapies
Interest in herbal therapies for depression has always been high, and in some countries, such as Germany, herbal therapies are preferred over medicinal therapies, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Many people prefer herbal therapies in general, because they believe the side effects of anti-depressants may affect them negatively.
Researchers warned, however, that St. John’s wort may utilize the same metabolic pathways as other drugs for depression, heart disease, seizures, and some cancers.
Getting Help
If you feel you are in the throes of depression, please understand that there are very effective treatments available to you.
If you would like more information on depression, you can go to the National Institute of Mental Health web site at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm. There you can download information about depression and search for topics related to depression and depression treatment.
Other Post:
By Craig Wilcox
Depression is, in fact, a whole body disease that affects multiple systems. Anxiety, which is commonly understood to consist of fear without any direct cause, is highly correlated with depression. Only a doctor can diagnose depression, and if you are suffering from what you believe to be depression, you should make an appointment immediately. (If you need help sooner, please dial 9-1-1.) Depression is serious enough that it can cause a person to miss work and be unable to fulfill family obligations.
Risk Factors
People who suffer from depression are much more likely to suffer from other life threatening diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
Underscoring the whole body effect of depression is the research finding that depressed patients have lower heart rate variability (HRV) than normal.
The malfunctioning of the parasympathetic branch may be a key in understanding how mental perceptions of events that lead to depression affect the entire body.
Causes of Depression
Depression can be caused by any number of circumstances. Many times, depression can be caused by “uncontrollable stress”. With the advent of disease such as Alzheimer’s, a patient may need constant attention from a family member for years, causing great disruption in the caregiver’s life.
Stress can cause the secretion of excess cortisol, which in turn can damage tissues in the brain and body.
Depression Treatment Options
Anti-Depressants
Depression can cause an imbalance in the brain chemical called serotonin. In people who are depressed, serotonin production may be lowered, or it may not be utilized most effectively in the brain.
Neurotransmitters are secreted into the spaces between the brain cells. Examples of SSRI class anti-depressant drugs include Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil.
Counseling
Over time, patients are able to prevent negative moods by intervening in their own to reflect a more positive outlook.
Exercise
Research has shown that consistent aerobic exercise in a specific heart rate zone has very beneficial effects in fighting depression in both the short- and long-term.
While it may be difficult for someone experiencing a major depressive episode to rally the energy necessary to exercise, most people who do experience at least some relief from depression within just 10 minutes of starting.
For more information on an exercise program that may help alleviate depression symptoms, please go to www.hrh-for-depression.com.
Herbal Therapies
Interest in herbal therapies for depression has always been high, and in some countries, such as Germany, herbal therapies are preferred over medicinal therapies, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Many people prefer herbal therapies in general, because they believe the side effects of anti-depressants may affect them negatively.
Researchers warned, however, that St. John’s wort may utilize the same metabolic pathways as other drugs for depression, heart disease, seizures, and some cancers.
Getting Help
If you feel you are in the throes of depression, please understand that there are very effective treatments available to you.
If you would like more information on depression, you can go to the National Institute of Mental Health web site at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm. There you can download information about depression and search for topics related to depression and depression treatment.
Other Post:
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