Surviving John

A few days of feeling sad or depressed does not mean depression. A serious condition that can last months or even years, that’s depression. According to various reports as many as fifteen million Americans suffer from this disease. The sad fact is that only a third of those Americans will ever seek help for their affliction. All too often people avoid recognizing or admitting that they suffer from depression because of the negative archetypes associated with mental illnesses. Depression gets worse with time. It will get worse without treatment. Ignorance in this case isn’t bliss.

There are many types of depression and it is caused by a variety of factors. It can by biological, genetic, physical and emotional. Simple daily life and surroundings are important. Stress and other negative influences have been known to contribute. Depression is a very complicated disease. As well, the human brain and its workings are quite complex. Work continues into the mind and brain and how they work, what makes them tick. A chemical imbalance in the brain causes depression, that’s known. More about the way this process works is learned each day. The more we learn about depression the better we can treat it.

There are a variety of medications available to treat depression. Of course the market is full of ‘quick fix’ antidotes. Clinical tests to prove something really works in treating depression are required. At one time asylums and mental institutions were filled to the brim with mentally ill people. It’s good to know that’s no longer the case. In 1988 the anti-depressant ‘Prozac’ first hit the market in the United States. Although it has side effects it is widely used and it is effective.

Since then a new class of anti-depressants has become popular as well. Currently depression is being treated with SSRI or (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) such as Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Luvox. These work even though they too show some side effects. Herbal medications also have a place in this market. The ingredient in St. John’s Wort extract, heperforin, is present in those that prove every bit as effective as anti-depressant drugs. If this ingredient is used in the proper strength it is effective. Be careful, do your research and you will find effective depression medications to treat your depression.