Defeated

Depression is spreading like wildfire. People across the globe are becoming engulfed by this mood disorder. Successfully battling depression requires understanding its causes. Once the causes have been identified, we can then take steps to eliminate them which will enable us to conquer depression.

Depression is termed a mood disorder because it affects a persons mood. Our mood is controlled by certain chemicals in our brain. These chemicals are termed neurotransmitters. Fluctuation in these neurotransmitters is the cause for alteration in mood. A decrease in the levels of neurotransmitters causes depression whereas an increase leads to mania a state characterized by intense feelings of euphoria. Achieving a balance between the two extremes is the key to defeating depression.

Anti depressant drugs make use of this principle. These drugs alleviate symptoms of depression by restoring the normal balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Since depression results from a lack of neurotransmitters, namely serotonin and nonepinephrine, anti depressant drugs increase the levels of these chemicals to eliminate depression.

However, it takes approximately two weeks for results. Unfortunately, with time the affect of these drugs wears off and patients of depression once again become victim to this mood disorder. Psychiatrists then increase the dosage of the prescribed drug only to see the patient of depression return with his or her illness. In the end, the psychiatrist is left with no choice but to prescribe electroconvulsive shock therapy to the patient. Electroconvulsive shock therapy also known as ECT makes use of the same principle as anti depressant drugs which is to increase levels of neurotransmitters.

The technique achieves this goal by passing a current throughout the brain of the depressed patient. This results in the stimulation of the receptors responsible for the production of neurotransmitters. With time, however, the patient faces the same problem as with anti depressant drugs. Depression returns.

This clearly shows that depression cannot be cured by drugs or ECT. So what is the solution? This depends on the patient of depression. At times, a patient is suffering from depression as a result of a problem which requires a solution. Since the patient cannot find the solution, he or she becomes victim to depression. At other times the patient views his or her surroundings in a manner which promotes negative feelings. In such a situation he or she must be taught how to view the world differently in order to eliminate the negative feelings causing depression. The technique applied in the first instance is an example of solution therapy whereas the latter approach is termed as cognitive therapy.

All in all, helping a patient of depression depends on his or her situation and personality. Which technique needs to applied can only be determined after assessing the patients position. Nevertheless, counseling offers the only real cure for depression. Anti depressant drugs and ECT have both failed to provide long term solutions to this mood disorder.

Depression Rectified (http://www.depressr.com/) provides free online counseling aimed at helping patients defeat depression.

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