Depression

Posted on 10. Oct, 2008 by in Health Articles

Depression and anxiety can be as serious and life-threatening as a physical illness yet less than half of the people who experience depression look for help.   Around one million adults and 100,000 young people live with depression each year, and depression is currently the leading cause of non-fatal disability in Australia.(1)
Whilst all of us may suffer from depression at one time or another, if they interfere with our being able to cope most of the day, or with our ability to sleep, or causes us anger, irritability or anxiety, and this lasts for over two weeks, it is suggested that we get a check-up by a skilled professional.  There could also be a medical reason that may cause these symptoms. (2)
Depression is related to chemical imbalances in the brain, and it is claimed that a shortage of the brain chemical serotonin is the cause.  Since then, SSRIs that are based on the principle of boosting serotonin became the treatment of choice for everything from mild anxiety to suicidal depression, which is supported by the issue of 19 million prescriptions a year for 3.5 million patients in the UK. (8)
There are different types of depression.  Some of these go unrecognised and/or undiagnosed and can lead to compounding the symptoms of a person’s depressive problem. (8)   About 16 % of women after having babies suffer from Post Natal depression.(1)    Melancholic depression, is said to be the most common of all depressions, and is related to events in a person life.  Results show that siblings, parents or children of people diagnosed with chronic major depression before the age of 31 have a greater chance of having it.  The researchers caution that the results also could point to environmental factors, such as loss of a parent at an early age or physical and sexual abuse. (6)
Higher levels of depression, anxiety and suicidality, were found in patients that had preoccupations with weight and eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia.  These people showed higher levels of dissociation which also suggested that such concerns may be related to the experience of past physical or sexual abuse. (7)
Chemicals, which determine mood -adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine, are produced during exercise and this has shown exercise to be amongst the best-proven alternative treatments. St John’s Wort was found to be significantly superior to its synthetic competitors and caused no more side effects than a placebo. (11)    Whilst research studies showed the herbal medicine St John’s Wort as the best alternative medical treatment for depression, one research did show that it reacted badly with several prescription drugs, such as anti-coagulants. <    ARTICLE – Depression>
Depression and anxiety can be as serious and life-threatening as a physical illness yet less than half of the people who experience depression look for help.   Around one million adults and 100,000 young people live with depression each year, and depression is currently the leading cause of non-fatal disability in Australia.(1)
Whilst all of us may suffer from depression at one time or another, if they interfere with our being able to cope most of the day, or with our ability to sleep, or causes us anger, irritability or anxiety, and this lasts for over two weeks, it is suggested that we get a check-up by a skilled professional.  There could also be a medical reason that may cause these symptoms. (2)
Depression is related to chemical imbalances in the brain, and it is claimed that a shortage of the brain chemical serotonin is the cause.  Since then, SSRIs that are based on the principle of boosting serotonin became the treatment of choice for everything from mild anxiety to suicidal depression, which is supported by the issue of 19 million prescriptions a year for 3.5 million patients in the UK. (8)
There are different types of depression.  Some of these go unrecognised and/or undiagnosed and can lead to compounding the symptoms of a person’s depressive problem. (8)   About 16 % of women after having babies suffer from Post Natal depression.(1)    Melancholic depression, is said to be the most common of all depressions, and is related to events in a person life.  Results show that siblings, parents or children of people diagnosed with chronic major depression before the age of 31 have a greater chance of having it.  The researchers caution that the results also could point to environmental factors, such as loss of a parent at an early age or physical and sexual abuse. (6)
Higher levels of depression, anxiety and suicidality, were found in patients that had preoccupations with weight and eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia.  These people showed higher levels of dissociation which also suggested that such concerns may be related to the experience of past physical or sexual abuse. (7)
Chemicals, which determine mood -adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine, are produced during exercise and this has shown exercise to be amongst the best-proven alternative treatments. St John’s Wort was found to be significantly superior to its synthetic competitors and caused no more side effects than a placebo. (11)    Whilst research studies showed the herbal medicine St John’s Wort as the best alternative medical treatment for depression, one research did show that it reacted badly with several prescription drugs, such as anti-coagulants.

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