The Effects Of Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness. In contrast to the normal emotional experiences of sadness, loss, or passing mood states, clinical depression is persistent and can interfere significantly with an individual's ability to function.

The impact of depression, a common illness that can occur in any family, is enormous in terms of human suffering and costs to the Nation. Symptoms of major depression, which affects nearly 10 million American adults each year, include:

  • a sad or empty mood
  • reduced or lost interest in usual activities
  • memory disturbances
  • difficulty concentrating or making decisions
  • changes in sleep and appetite (increased or decreased)
  • irritability
  • fatigue
  • feelings of guilt or worthlessness
  • frequent crying

Some people have a chronic but less severe form of depression, called dysthymia (or dysthymic disorder), that is diagnosed when depressed mood persists for at least two years and is accompanied by at least two other symptoms of depression. Many people with dysthymia also have major depressive episodes. While unipolar major depression and dysthymia are the primary forms of depression, a variety of other subtypes exist.

Depression can be devastating to all areas of a person's everyday life, including family relationships, friendships, and the ability to work or go to school. Many people still believe that the emotional symptoms caused by depression are "not real," and that a person should be able to shake off the symptoms if only he or she were trying hard enough. Because of these inaccurate beliefs, people with depression either may not recognize that they have a treatable disorder or may be discouraged from seeking or staying on treatment because of feelings of shame and stigma. Too often, untreated or inadequately treated depression leads to suicide.

Antidepressant medications are widely used, effective treatments for depression. Existing antidepressant drugs are known to influence the functioning of certain neurotransmitters (chemicals used by brain cells to communicate), primarily serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, known as monoamines.

Psychotherapy is also effective for treating depression. Certain types of psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT), have been shown to be particularly useful. More than 80 percent of people with depression improve when they receive appropriate treatment with medication, psychotherapy, or the combination.

Hypericum (St. John's Wort) has become increasingly popular in Germany where physicians routinely prescribe herbal medicines to treat depression and other health conditions such as anxiety and sleep disorders.

Adverse interactions have been reported between hypericum and two drugs: indinavir, a protease inhibitor used to treat HIV and cyclosporine, a drug used to reduce the risk of organ transplant rejection. Potentially dangerous changes in drug effects can occur when medications such as cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps) and warfarin (Coumadin) are taken with hypericum extracts. Hypericum extracts can decrease the blood levels of antiretroviral medications that are used in the treatment of HIV infection, thus making these drugs less effective. Recent data show that the plasma levels of the protease inhibitor indinavir (Crixivan) were reduced by more than 50% by hypericum products. NIMH and the NCCAM are conducting a clinical trial of the safety and efficacy of St. John?s wort.

The following combinations are those recommended for depression:-

Vitamins :- B Complex, B1, B3, B6, C, E
Minerals :- Potassium, Zinc
Amino Acids :- L-tryptophan, L-tyosine, Phenylalanine
Food Supplements :- Lecithin
Herbs :- Gotu Kola, Ginseng, Fo-ti-tieng, Valerian

The nutrients mentioned above reflect the major nutritional supplements that may help the condition. Please do remember however that nutritional supplementation is an adjunct to medical treatment and in no way replaces medical treatment.

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