Light therapy—originally used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD— is now showing year-round benefits for general depression. It may be effective for major depressive disorder, even if it's not seasonally related. The light boxes studied in research provide 10,000 lux of bright light. You sit in front of the light (it's angled above eye level) for about 20 to 30 minutes each day, in the morning.
Depression Treatment
Because it is a multi-faceted condition, treatment for depression is multi-faceted as well. Minor depression can often be treated with therapy and a few simple lifestyle changes, while chronic or major depression treatment can require medication in addition to therapy. In some severe cases, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be used. It's important to work with your mental health professional to determine which course of treatment for your type of depression is most appropriate.
Recently Answered
-
3 AnswersA
-
4 AnswersA
Challenge America answeredSee All 4 AnswersTalk therapy, or psychotherapy, helps veterans treat their depression by talking to a trained mental health provider about their condition and how to solve their problems. Veterans in therapy learn how to recognize unhealthy thought and behavior patterns, understand their relationships and experiences, and gain more of a sense of control in their lives. Therapists can help depressed patients set positive and realistic goals, and deal with new crises and obstacles in the return to civilian life. Talk therapy has been shown to promote positive changes in the chemical balance of the brain. Even if certain distressing situations cannot be changed, talk therapy can help the veteran adjust his/her response to the situation to diminish distress associated with depression.
-
1 AnswerA
Masked depression is a complex emotional response that can be difficult, if not impossible, to prevent. Because it takes the form of indirect behaviors, the true source of the problem is obscured. It usually takes the appearance of symptoms for a person to even be remotely aware of the presence of masked depression.
The treatment options for masked depression are similar to those used for major depression. Depression is usually treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy. Because masked depression may involve another medical condition such as substance abuse or alcohol abuse, those conditions may be treated as well.
Antidepressants are often used to treat masked depression. These medications affect the levels of certain types of chemicals in the brain. Different types of antidepressants may be tried, sometimes in combination, to find a drug regimen that works best with a particular person.
An alternative treatment for masked depression is the use of certain herbal remedies, most commonly St. John's wort. There is no clinical evidence that St. John's wort is an effective treatment, however. People who take St. John's wort or any other herbal remedy should make their doctor aware in order to consider possible drug interaction problems.
-
1 AnswerA
Dr. Kent A. Holtorf, MD , Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism, answeredDepression is a common complaint among those on standard thyroid replacement for hypothyroidism, which is usually done by giving an inactive thyroid hormone called T4. But because depressed patients are shown to have a reduced capacity to convert the inactive T4 into the active T3 inside the cell, the T4 replacement is often ineffective. It is also shown that depressed patients have a reduced ability to transport the T4 across the blood brain barrier into the brain due to a defective transport protein called transthyretin. This results in significantly reduced thyroid levels in the brains of depressed patients despite seemingly "normal" serum levels on standard thyroid tests. -
1 AnswerA
HealthyWomen answeredThere are a few things women need to bear in mind when being treated for depression:
- Every antidepressant works differently in different people. Just because one drug worked well for your best friend doesn't mean it will work for you. If the medication doesn't seem to be helping, talk to your healthcare professional about changing the dosage or type of medicine.
- Medication takes time to work. On average, it may take 10 days to two weeks before you see an improvement in your mood.
- There is some evidence that using some forms of estrogen therapy with antidepressants may help the medication work better (estrogen therapy alone cannot treat major depression).
- Therapy is an important part of any treatment for depression. The two most-studied forms of therapy for depression are interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), which is a less intensive form of traditional psychotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), in which you learn to alter your perception of the world. Some studies find therapy is as effective as medicine for some mild or moderate depression.
-
4 AnswersA
Piedmont Heart Institute answeredSee All 4 AnswersBelow are some people and places that can help you get treatment.- Family doctor
- Counselors or social workers
- Family service, social service agencies, or clergy person
- Employee assistance programs (EAP)
- Psychologists and psychiatrists
This answer is based on source information from National Women's Health Information Center. -
4 AnswersA
Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredSee All 4 AnswersI know that many moms-to-be like to avoid medications altogether for fear of dousing their babies with pharmaceuticals. While there's been conflicting data on antidepressant medications and adverse effects, it does appear that a class of antidepressants called SSRIs have fewer side effects than the disease itself. In fact, most human studies show that SSRIs have not led to an increase in birth defects.
Most experts believe that the SSRIs need to be taken with a side dose of professional therapy to be most effective. And remember that when medications are "medically necessary," avoiding them only prolongs the agony. Ultimately effects on pregnancy seem to be the same for those who treat depression with medication and those who don't. There's no reason to suffer when you don't have to.
-
2 AnswersA
UCLA Health answeredSee All 2 AnswersAnyone experiencing symptoms of depression should be evaluated by a doctor. Many elderly people with depression often feel helpless, but effective treatments are available. Treating depression is very similar to treating other chronic illnesses, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and treatment may significantly improve quality of life.
-
4 AnswersA
Dr. Tarique D. Perera, MD , Psychiatry, answeredSee All 4 Answers
Treatment-resistant depression is defined by failing to achieve full remission after three full trials of antidepressants, says Tarique Perera, MD, a psychiatrist with Contemporary Care of Connecticut. In this video, he explains.