What is the Treatment for Major Depression?

What is the Treatment for Major Depression?

Basic types of treatment for depression include antidepressant medications, psychotherapy.

•antidepressant medications- Antidepressant medicines are almost always prescribed, effective especially when combined with psychotherapy

•psychotherapy- most often cognitive-behavioral and/or interpersonal therapy) for the individual. Cognitive-behavioral focused on the negative thinking and behavioral patterns associated with depression, and teaches the individual to recognize and target the self-defeating behavioral patterns that contribute to their depression.

Severe major depression is usually quite easy for a medical practitioner or clinical psychologist to

recognise. Approaching your psychiatrist or clinical psychologist is what we suggest for the cure of

major depression.

You do not need to feel suicidal, and you do not need to have a history of hospitalizations either, although both of these factors are present in some people with major depression.

Interpersonal therapy working through difficult relationships; identifying stressors in the individual and learning how to avoid them.

About the Depression(2)

What are the Causes of Major Depression?

Depression is a combination of biological, genetic and psychological factors. Major depression is caused by imbalance of certain neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in the brain. The following are the most common causes for major depression:

•unemployment

•family history of depression

•death of loved one

•financial difficulties

•poor self-esteem,

•a pessimistic view of oneself and the world.

•other chronic illnesses

•loss of relationship

About the Depression

What are the Symptoms of Major Depression?

In a major depression, more of the symptoms of depression are present, and they are usually more intense or severe. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

•recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

•loss of interest or pleasure in things that used to be fun

•diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day

•irritability, hostility, aggression

•a decrease in the ability to make decisions

•feeling hopeless or helpless;

•Feeling restless or unable to sit still.

•loss of energy

•Withdrawal from family members/peers/co-workers.

•changes in appetite or weight

•drug or alcohol abuse

•trouble sleep or sleeping too much

•Blaming yourself for things going wrong.

•Crying a lot.

Some people appear to develop the symptoms of a major depression without any obvious life crisis causing it. Other individuals have had less severe symptoms of depression for a long time (such as Dysthymic disorder), and a life crisis results in increased symptom intensity.

うつ病について

見逃されやすいうつ病の症状　

体の不調の背後にうつ病が隠れている場合があります

うつ病は誰でも罹る可能性がある、ごくありふれた病気という意味で「心の風邪」と呼ばれています。しかし、うつが重症になればなるほど、元気を取り戻すまでに余計な時間や費用がかかってしまいます。うつはこじらせてしまう前に精神科を受診してケアを受けるのがベストです。

しかし現実には、うつ病の過半数の方は精神科を受診していません。その理由としては、精神科は敷居が高く感じてしまうことに加え、うつの始まりは日常のありふれた症状の場合が多く、うつ病と気づきにくいことが挙げられます。

仮面うつ病について

仮面うつ病も一般のうつ病と同様に抗うつ薬で治療されます

会社などで、多くのストレスを感じていた。最近になって、頭痛、肩凝り、胃部不快感が出現し、突然、動悸を覚えることがある。次第に、それらの症状は増悪し、「夜、眠れない」「記憶力が落ちた」「仕事に集中できない」ようになった。

病院で検査したものの異常は見つからず、「問題ない」と言われた。他の病院も幾つか受診したものの、結果はみな「問題なし」であった。最終的に心因性ではないかということで、精神科を受診し、うつ病と診断された。

この例でも気分の落ち込みはあまりはっきりせず、頭痛、肩凝り、胃部不快感といった身体症状が主体となっています。うつ病的な症状としては「仕事に集中できない」、「記憶力の低下」ぐらいでしょうか。

治療としては一般のうつ病と同様に抗うつ薬で症状はよくなります。「病は気から」という格言通り、体の不調の原因は心という場合もありますので仮面うつ病にはご注意ください。