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Posts Tagged ‘Anti Depressants’

Feeling depressed?  Here’s an easy way to get rid of depression without anti-depressants.

By  Dennis Fisher

 Depression is a mental condition that is becoming increasingly common.  More and more people suffer today from depressed feelings of despondency, apathy and disinterest.   Symptoms of depression often include a mood of hopelessness. Everything seems futile.   Nothing seems worthwhile.

 It’s a mental state that affects people of all ages – from young students to the elderly – in every walk of life.

Many people, who feel constantly depressed, use anti-depressant drugs to help them get rid of depression.

One of the most popular anti-depressants prescribed by doctors is the Fluoxetine drug known as Prozac.   Prozac has proved helpful in treating symptoms of depression.  But, like all drugs, there is always the danger of side effects.

Side effects reported include nausea, digestive problems, insomnia and extreme fatigue.  In a number of cases there have been reports of undesirable sexual side effects.

If you are one of the many unfortunate individuals, who suffers from depression and you don’t want to use anti-depressants because of the danger of side-effects, you’ll be pleased to know there is another way to get rid of depression – a very easy way. 

It doesn’t require the use of any type of medication whatsoever.

 No doubt you’ve heard the following expression many times: 
“You’ve got to have a reason to get up in the morning”.

Why are some people able to wake up in the morning bright and cheerful, ready to start the day with optimism and enthusiasm while others find this so difficult to do?  

Chances are either you or someone you know has been prescribed anti-depressants. Sadly, they have become the default drug of choice. It’s so much easier for a doctor to prescribe a pill that promises to help you feel better than to take the time to figure out what the real issues are that may be causing your depression. When “feeling low’ and fatigued, there may be other underlying physical and emotional issues that need attention and in reality, few of us suffer from major depression, the one diagnosis that clearly justifies the use of anti-depressants.

The depressing truth about antidepressants is that studies have shown that they are no more effective than a placebo in treating mild to moderate depression. Furthermore, in clinical trials, it has been shown that as many as half of those who receive no such treatment improve anyway. In fact, anti-depressants are contraindicated for short-term treatment of minor depression – something the drug companies don’t want publicized. Clinical practice guidelines indicate that the most popularly prescribed type of anti-depressants called SSRI’s (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor drugs that boost the presence in the brain of serotonin, a chemical believed to help regulate mood) need to be taken for at least six months for minimal treatment of major depression, far longer than most episodes of minor or moderate depression last. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider whether anti-depressants are the best option for you.

If you’re feeling low and lacking in energy, it’s time to get a complete medical check-up to determine if there are underlying physical reasons for how you’re feeling including a complete battery of thyroid and glucose tolerance tests. Possible medical causes can include allergies, endocrine system imbalances, poor nutrition, PMS, medication interactions, and stress.

Depression is the most commonly reported psychological disorder in most countries. The person suffering from depression is likely to experience physical symptoms like insomnia, loss of appetite, or increased craving for certain kinds of food, fatigue, back aches and in some cases, slow speech and movements. Depression makes the person pessimistic and irritable, decreases interest or pleasure in usual activities or hobbies. Feelings of guilt and hopelessness are common among individuals suffering from clinical depression. Prozac (anti-depressant drug) has almost become a household name in countries like America, where millions of people are prescribed the drug among other anti-depressants. Depression can have a number of contributing factors that are involved – genes, environment, diet, lifestyle, brain chemicals, psychology, and personality. Some of the different types of depression apart from unipolar depression are manic depression (bipolar disorder), major depression, atypical depression, psychotic depression, and dysthymia. A short description of these types of depression is given below. Different Types Of Depression Major Depression Major depressive disorder also known as clinical depression is one of the most commonly observed, types of depression. The person who suffers from this particular disorder will seem distant and walk with drooping shoulders and stops being interested in regular activities and experiences a loss of libido. Loss of appetite and thoughts of death and suicide are also very common. If a person experiences all of these symptoms for more than two weeks, he/she could be diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Bipolar Depression This disorder normally starts during adolescence and continues throughout out the patient’s life. People suffering from it, may suffer from it for years, and not know of it. Chronic episodic mood swings is a major symptom of this disorder. Failed marriages, job loss, drug and alcohol abuse and suicidal tendencies could all result due to the manic episodes. Cyclothymic Disorder This disorder is characterized by mild and alternating mood swings of elation and depression over a long period of time. Because the mood swings involve feelings of elation, people suffering from this disorder rarely seek medical help. Patients with this disorder could develop bipolar disorder, if not treated on time.

IT’S AN EASY MISTAKE TO MAKE

If you experience depression then you know you can’t just snap out of it.  Especially if you’ve tried different techniques or been on anti-depressants or in counselling for a long time it’s easy to think that you’ve tried everything or that nothing will help.

If you experience depression or know someone who does, don’t give up hope before you’ve read this article and contacted me.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

You feel sad or cry a lot, get irritated often and overreact, or you feel ‘nothing’ a lot of the time.
You feel guilty for no real reason; you feel like you’re no good; you’ve lost your confidence.
Life seems meaningless or like nothing good is ever going to happen again.
You don’t feel like doing a lot of the things you used to like and you mostly want to be left alone.
It’s hard to make up your mind. You forget lots of things, and it’s hard to concentrate.
You sleep a lot more, have trouble falling asleep or wake up really early in the morning.
Your eating habits change; you’ve lost your appetite or you eat a lot more.
You feel restless and tired most of the time.
You think about death, or feel like you’re dying, or have thought about committing suicide.

THE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

Although there are some common causes of depression (listed below), we are all different:     

Excessive and prolonged stress and anxiety 
Unresolved emotional issues  
Deep seated beliefs and feelings of unworthiness 
Genetic / hereditary causes
Unfulfilled dreams and a lack of purpose
Chemical imbalances or a lack of vital nutrients in our bodies