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Depression is a very debilitating medical condition. Depression and its associated symmptoms constitute 5 out of the top 10 most commons reasons of work absences. Needless to say, to the person suffering the problem, it's far worse than just financial loss. There are several common symptoms of depression, sleep disturbances, loss of interest, feelings of guilt, loss of energy and fatigue, difficulty concentrating, appetite changes, suicidal ideation, and psychomotor retardation. However, in order to be clinically depressed, one has to have several of these symptoms for a period of at least 2 weeks straight. Needless to say, not all would fit into this category, and not all seriously depressed people actually have some or all of these symptoms. Like all screeing tests, this test also has it's limitations.
Depression has been a rather taboo subject in the past. People attributed it to being weak-minded, and thought of it more as a character flaw. However, we now know much more about the physiology of the underlying disorder. ALthough the precise mechanism is still unknown, most experts think it has to do with the neurotransmitter dysfunction in the brain, a chemical imbalance. That's is why most drug therapies taget neurotransmitters such as seretonin, dopamine, and modulate their levels. However, although these medications are very effective and have rather well tolerated side effects, they are not for everybody, nor do they work on everyone. In refractory cases, other therapies and options are available. However, one much first get an accurate diagnosis of their problem. Most psychiatrists are capable of coming up with tentative diagnosis and plans. For all of you who have tried numerous different classes of medications without avail, here are some thing to consider. Most antidepressents don't work immediately, and usually take 3-6 weeks to begin working. You don't feel instant releif as you do with other medications, thus many people believe their medications don't work. In this case the most important thing is to be patient as the newer antidepressents are very effective. However, if you have tried numerous medications of different classes, being compliant with dosing and still feel depressed, I would suggest going further. Cognitive behavioral therapy is highly effective, specially when used in conjuction with antidepressents. Other options include support groups. In severe cases of depression, one can also be treated with Electro convulsive therapy. This may seem rather brutal, but it works very well in refractory cases. However, before you are convinced about being depressed, go see an interneist, and make sure that you do not have some other underlying medical condition. Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism can result in severe depression, and can be easily treated with thyroid hormone supplements. Best of luck to everybody.
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liz
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