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Tyler's Research on
Depression
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I. Introduction: Depression is a serious but treatable illness that affects millions
of people every year. It has a number of causes that all lead to a chemical
imbalance occurring in the brain and nervous system, and it is often
treated with prescription medications. Depression can have a devastating
effect on people's lives if it goes untreated. The purpose of this research is to define some key concepts associated
with the illness and examine the different methods currently being used
to treat it. During the course of the project, the following questions
will be answered: What is depression? What are the medications currently
on the market, and are they safe? What are some alternative methods
of treatment? This research will be helpful to those who think they may be suffering from depression or who are searching for the best way to treat it. It is by no means comprehensive and will require follow-up on an individual basis, but it should provide a good starting point. II. The Essay: Nobody Likes Living
in the Dumps! Depression involves more than just feeling down in the dumps. It is
an illness that has the power to profoundly diminish the enjoyment of
pleasurable activities and has a crippling effect on the way people
live their lives. This short essay explores the illness, its causes
and its treatments. Depression attacks more than 17 million people every year in the United
States alone. Women are almost twice as likely to be plagued with the
illness than men (for reasons that are still undiscovered). The good
news is 80 to 90 percent of cases can be successfully combated by a
wide range of treatments. (1) Depression is caused by sudden changes in levels or imbalances of neurotransmitters
in the brain (chemicals that carry signals from the nervous system to
the brain). This can be caused by a number of things ranging from genetics
to stress. What ever the cause, the outcome is always the same; There
is an unusually high level of cortisol (the chemical produced by increased
levels of stress) maintained in the brain for a long period of time.
(2) This imbalance results in a mood change that is usually directly
related to a combination of four or more of the following symptoms occurring
for a period exceeding two weeks: fatigue, insomnia (or the opposite),
inability to make decisions, loss of sex drive, changes in eating behavior
(this can go both ways), anxiety, phobias, unjustified guilt, hopelessness,
lack of interest in once-pleasurable or important activities, irritability,
social withdrawal, physical symptoms (nausea, chest pains, constipation,
stomach cramps, rapid breathing, etc.), suicidal thoughts, and even
delusions or hallucinations. (3) A combination of any four of these
makes for a miserable experience that could last indefinitely without
treatment. So how do you get rid of depression? There are several effective methods.
The most popular and most proven is the use of a prescription antidepressant
drug like Prozac or Zoloft in conjunction with psychotherapy. The drugs
serve to alleviate the symptoms while the psychotherapy helps to identify
and snuff out the underlying causes of the symptoms. The most popular
drugs currently on the market are know as SSRIs (selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors) which counteract high cortisol levels in the brain
by keeping a sufficient amount of serotonin (a neurotransmitter) in
the system. SSRIs, which include the popular brands Prozac, Paxil, and
Zoloft, are hot because the have fewer side effects than comparable
drugs and are safe in overdose. Other antidepressants like trycyclics
and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) should be avoided if possible
because they react dangerously with other drugs (including some over-the-counter
drugs) and can have serious cardiovascular side effects like severe
and sudden high blood pressure. (1) Antidepressants are not habit forming, but do have some side effects
including nausea, headache, nervousness, insomnia, fatigue and sexual
dysfunction. None or any combination of these may occur depending on
body chemistry. (4) Studies have shown that many doctors are reluctant
to sufficiently discuss side effects with their patients for fear of
scaring them away from the treatment. There are several options for
medication. Be prepared to talk with your doctor for more than 10 minutes,
ask questions and take notes. Also, keep in touch with your doctor and
work with him or her to determine which medication best suits you. (5) There are also several non-prescription alternatives to antidepressant
medication. These methods are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration,
so caution should be exercised when exploring them. There is little
good information on these methods pertaining to possible drug-to-drug
reactions and side effects. (1) Another remedy heavily used in Europe is SAM-e. This naturally occurring drug is believed by many to have fast results similar to those achieved with tricyclics. The most common side effect is upset stomach. (1) Taking Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, fish oils (omega 3 fatty acids) and a multivitamin supplement has also been known to have a positive impact on depression symptoms since it is sometimes a lack of "raw materials" that leads to an abnormally low number of neurotransmitters in the body. (3) NOTES: 1. Title: Depression 2. Title: Medication for Depression 3. Title: Psychotherapy Versus Medication for Depression: Challenging
the 4. Title: Depression 5. Title: Treatment Strategies for Depression 1. Author Unknown. Depression, Effective Treatments are Available.
Rockville, 2. Glenmullen, Joseph. Prozac Backlash: Overcoming the Dangers of Prozac,
Zoloft, Optimizing Outcomes, [video recording]. Clifton, New Jersey: Network for Continuing Medical Education, 1998. NCME #735 (HSL Educational Media-Basement) |