depression treatment
Information for depression medication? Find relief today!
Q: Depression treatment?
Is there a way of getting treatment for depression if u don’t have enough money or the right medical insurance which covers it?
A: Sometimes, if you go to a hospital or a nurse and explain the situation they can help you out. My mother was a nurse and helped a few friends out when they did not have a money. If you know anyone in the medical field, talk to them.
Q: Depression Treatment?
Anyone here who is or has been depressed, dissatisfied with drugs given for treatment and overcome depression without drugs or therapy? I am fairly smart and definitely a person who doesn’t like to sit and share with a stranger who’s values or don’t know or trust as you have to with therapy. I have taken many antidepressants, but I find they all have some uncomfortable side effect beside alleviating depression (too wired, too exhausted, too sweaty, too emotionally dead). I stopped searching for a solution for a while, but now depression is ruining my relationships, work and causing me to become alcoholic. I don’t want a group or drugs. I am just wondering if someone has tried to deal with this on their own and how successful they have been.
A: I was first diagnosed with depression back in 1973. I tried various anti-depressants with little or no success and ended up with a severe drinking problem.
Therapists helped a little for a little while, when I could afford it. I finally quit drinking in 2001, but the depression hung on until two years ago when I quit taking medications and switched to an over-the-counter supplement, St. John’s wort.
It’s given me a whole new lease on life, but I’m upset that none of the professionals I’ ve seen through the years ever suggested it. It’s consider the first line of defense in Europe.
Q: depression treatment?
i tryed psychotherapy and medications and nothing seemd to work
A: No one medicine works for everyone, and no one therapist helps everyone. Keep changing meds until you find one that’s more effective. Same with the therapists.
Did you notice that one treatment was a LITTLE better than the rest? If so, you know what direction to go in, when seeking further help.
Maybe, too, you’ve been misdiagnosed. Did you have a thorough physical, to rule out thyroid problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, PTSD, or other causes of depressed behavior??
Q: Depression treatments. Which treatment has worked for you?
I’ve been having symptoms of depression for years and there are times that it is beyond the threshold I can deal with. What has worked for you? At what level would you classify your depression. Mild, moderate, or severe?
What has helped?
Which medication(s)?
Have there been any other treatment(s) that you had tried?
I’m looking for some advice on dealing with my depression that hasn’t responded to treatments. I’ve stopped a couple times because nothing seem to have worked. ECT had been offered, but I’m still thinking about it.
Thanks for your input.
A: I have Major Depression — Moderate and Recurring as well as PTSD wth Dissociative symptoms. I have found a combination of medications and talk therapy work best for me. I have been in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (in the past) and although I hated it at the time (I had a horrible group leader.) with the right person leading me through some of the material, I have found it very beneficial. It isn’t only for people with Borderline Personality Disorder, but anyone who has boundary issues can use it. My therapists blend several forms of therapy, so there is no one style used — I get some cognitive behavioral, some gestalt, some ego-based therapy and some others. I find all of it beneficial.
As far as meds go: Paxil was useless for me and I was allergic to Lamictal. Geodon gave me acid reflux. I need a cocktail for my depression and mood swings to keep me going and have found that tweaking the meds is needed every once in a while to make them work a little better as the body tends to build up a tolerance level to what you are taking.
Effexor worked great for about 10 years and then petered out and I had to switch to Cymbalta, which I still take along with a few others.
Since medications are so individualistic, I don’t know if any of this will help you. However, I highly recommend meds with therapy for depression. The meds give you a chance to stabilize and then you have a chance to use the talk therapy.
Q: What is inpatient hospital depression treatment like?
I am 17 (almost 18) and I have been depressed for over six years and I am scared of what I have become. Despite several years of good counseling and trying several medications, I still find myself extremely depressed, self harming and abusing drugs (not addicted but every day use of SOMETHING). Am I a good candidate for inpatient hospital treatment? If so, what is it like?
A: If you are not suicidal, or perhaps you do have suicidal ideation, but have good control of your behavior, you may not be eligible for inpatient treatment. Generally, if you have control over your behavior, and aren’t at risk of serious harm, you get outpatient treatment. Consider going to a university outpatient mental health clinic for more advice. Do you have an abuse history, such as sexual abuse? Then did you work on that in therapy? If you danced around something like that, it will still bother you. However, even if you deal with the abuse, it can make biological mental illnesses a lot worse and treatment resistant. Antidepressants arent’ very good & fail to help most people. Exercise and more social support are more effective, and consider a light box. I’ll tack on my depression tips at the end of this answer.
Here is what happens in a mental hospital – they give you a physical, to make sure you are OK that way. They assign you to a room. They go thru your stuff to make sure you don’t have anything sharp or drugs or whatever. Then you take your stuff and put it away in your room, which you may or may not have a roommate. Then you go see a psychiatrist and talk to some nurses. See a counselor. This is over a few days, on and off. You go to groups where you learn stuff. You do crafts, where they can observe your ability to focus and other stuff. You hang out in the break room and play cards or watch TV. The psychiatrist will talk to you something like an hour, and then give you meds based on what he/she thinks will be most likely to help you. The staff at the hospital will find you a psychiatrist and a counselor in the community and set up appointments for you.
depression tips (PRINT THEM OUT)
If your depression is worse in winter, try to get more sun. You may have seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or your depression could be partly seasonal. Use a light box (10,000 Lux (light intensity) at about 20” – about $300 online, don’t get at a local store, they charge more, you don’t need full spectrum, it needs a UV filter, the Sunray is a good brand). I have extra windows,, painted the walls peach & yellow & have a skylight ( it helps!) There’s a link to a cheaper lightbox at psycyheducation.org.
Try meditation like progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery. It reduces stress, & depression. See The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook by Edmund Bourne for examples. Free 15 minute guided imagery download at healthjourneys.com.
***** #1 MOST HELPFUL Go out with friends, & if you don’t have any, join a club & MAKE yourself go until you look forward to it. “Isolating” makes depression worse.
Exercise 1/2 hour a day, & anytime you feel depressed. Exercise is a great mood stabilizer & reduces anxiety. LOTS OF RESEARCH SUPPORTS THIS.
Insomnia?: Go to bed & get up the same time each day, even weekends. Don’t use your bedroom to watch TV, read or use the computer. Don’t do stuff that revs you up before bed, like exercising & using the computer. Light from computer screens & TV wakes you up. Use that last hour to wind down-Take a bath? Make the bedroom very dark, even cover up the alarm clock. Use a noise machine (makes wave sounds etc.) to cover up disturbing sounds. Avoid caffeine in afternoon & evening. Try soundsleeping.com for free relaxing sounds downloads.
Put a lot of colorful, happy things around the house. Do nice things for yourself. Make a list of things that make you happy. On my list: bread fresh from the oven, the scent of Jergen’s cherry almond lotion, the crisp sound of a saltine cracker breaking, fresh sheets on the bed, standing in the boat flicking topwater lures onto the water, etc. Use all your senses & read that list when you are breaking down
Work on time management if you are overwhelmed. Cut back on other responsibilities so you can spend more restorative time with friends & family. Ask for help if depression makes it hard to keep up with chores.
Spend more time with your pet, if you have one.
DON’T listen to sad music! It makes things worse! Listen to upbeat stuff- same with movies & novels.
DISTRACT yourself when you are hurting. Read a novel, watch a comedy, go out with friends, play cards, play a video game, whatever is mentally all-consuming. This is a VERY helpful tip!!
Volunteer. Research shows that helping others makes you feel better about yourself. It also keeps you more involved in the community. Many people find comfort being involved in religion. Get help from your pastor. Be aware that some pastors from conservative faiths don’t “believe” in mental illness & will tell you to go off your meds & pray more – don’t go to such a pastor for “help” if your faith is like this.
Put a half-smile on your face. Changing your expression is proven to help change mood.
For chronic & severe depression, go to mentalhealthrecovery.com & order a $10 WRAP (Wellness & Recovery Action Plan) booklet – it helps you write up your own daily plan to maintain mental health & a checklist for a crisis. Consider filling out a psychiatric advance directive to protect your rights & inform professionals about your care if you have a crisis. Links to your state’s free PAD can be found at bazelon.org.
If suicidal, find a community hospital with an inpatient behavioral health unit (check yellow pages) & go or have someone take you. Don’t call 911 unless you have already hurt yourself, because if it is just psych symptoms, it isn’t an ambulance that comes, it is the police, & they will take you to the closest place & that could be a horrible state hospital.
Cognitive Behavioral therapy is the most effective kind of counseling. Try free computerized CBT at moodgym.anu.edu.au. Computerized therapy appears to be almost as effective as counseling, research shows.
Good luck. I learned this information from classes & books.
Q: How can I get treatment for depression without insurance?
I am a 24 year old college student who has had severe depression since childhood. In June, when I turn 25, I will no longer be able to receive medical benefits as a dependent, regardless of my full time student status. How am I supposed to get treatment until I graduate and get a job with my own health insurance?
A: See if there is a Daymark Recovery in your area. They are nationwide and fees are based on income. Medication is included if neccessary.
Q: How fast can one get treatment for depression?
I’m going to see a psychiatrist with in the next few weeks. I’ve had depression for a few years now and but I’ve never been proffesionally diagnosed. How long does it take for the doctors to diagnose you and decided what treatment is best? What if they decided I need medication?How long does the actual process, as far as meeting with the doctor for evaluation take? And how long do I have to wait for results?
A: If you are clinically depressed, it is a life long condition which regular therapy and medication can treat. It will take time for a doctor to determine what drugs and the dosage to prescribe – and in some cases, they will need to change it if the desired affects are not being reached. It is a process which can take weeks for some, months for others. Everyone reacts differently.
Q: What is a good book to read to understand the dynamics/treatment of depression?
I have suffered with mild depression most of my life. My family has a history of addiction and depression, so I believe mine is probably clinical as well as behavioral. I’ve been taking Prozac for almost 10 years. My husband and I want to learn as much as we can about this so we can minimize its negative effects.
If you are a person who is licensed in this field, can you recommend a few good books on this topic? Is Prozac the best treatment? How does low cholesterol and low seratonin interact with this? Yes, I’m already in therapy.
A: ‘Feeling Good’ by Dr David Burns.
Make sure you get the revised/updated version; it says it on the front cover. At the back is a section on all the different medications.
I’m not licensed in this field, as you ask for in your question, but I would recommend this book as it’s written by an expert in the treatment of depression.
Q: How do you help a family member who refuses to get treatment for depression?
I have a family member who suffers from depression, but refuses to admit it or seek treatment. How do I help him?
A: I was a person who refused for a long time to see the symptoms of my own depression, because I thought it meant that there was something “wrong” with me. Eventually, I read a magazine article that listed common symptoms, and realized I had most of them. That was a big wake-up call. Talking to other people who had been through the same thing helped me a lot. If you can get your relative in touch with anyone you know who has been through it, it will be more effective than nagging. (Not suggesting you are a nag.)
Definitely educate yourself about symptoms, treatment, etc. Just the fact that you are asking is great, because it shows concern. Make sure that your relative is aware that you love him/her and just want to help. Support is the greatest med.
Q: Any suggestions for homeopathic treatment of depression and anxiety?
I don’t want to go on anti-depressants until I exhaust all other methods. Does anyone have suggestions for homeopathic treatment of depression? I know exercise and proper diet are big factors but I don’t know what kind of diet to be on. Also, I’m in counseling/therapy right now to work on cognitive-behavioral technique, journaling, and starting to meditate. Now I just want to know if there are any supplements that work as hard as the Western medications.
A: Homeopathy will provide all you ask for, and more. Only, it sounds like you have a common misunderstanding of what homeopathy is and offers.
Homeopathy is a comprehensive healing modality, like acupuncture and chiropractic. A homeopath uses homeopathic remedies to stimulate one’s self-healing defense mechanism, whether a symptom manifests in the mind or body. It’s most similar to psychotherapy (in its feel, given the depth of listening and time a homeopath spends with you), only we help not only physical symptoms, but those in the mind and emotions. (Most physical problems are “somaticized,” an overflow from childhood emotional wounds we were unable to “process.”)
Homeopathy is complementary to the work you are doing with your counselor / therapist. Often, it helps you progress further, faster, and more freely. As with seeing a trained, licensed psychologist, however, you would need to similarly interview a “certified, professional homeopath” who does nothing but homeopathy. If you want to look into homeopathy further and need more help finding someone, e-mail me.
Take care, sweetie. You are looking in the right direction, and otherwise doing all the right things.
Q: How Can I Seek Treatment For Depression?
I am a young college student and I know that I am aflficted with depression. It’s not severe, but I feel that it dooes hinder my academic performance ability, especially the past couple of semesters, including this one. How can I seek treatment without it having to become “a big deal”? Can anyone else relate to this situation? If so, any advice or thoughts? Thank you .
A: Depression is something that is very common in doctor’s offices now, so it is nothing to be embarrassed about.
I would recommend going to see a doctor who is willing to spend time with you.
Avoid the one’s that when you say “I’m depressed”, and s/he says… “Here take this.”
There are many different things that can cause it.
If you just feel like talking about it to people going through similar stuff, go to meetup.com and look for local chapters that are usually free to go to. Or go to Yahoo Groups and post and read post, sometimes you can even get people’s emails/IMs to talk one on one.
Definitely do something though.
Below are some likes that will help you see how you can handle depression.
Q: Would non-family members be able to contact someone staying in a depression treatment center?
More specifically, Desert Willows Treatment center in Nevada.
I really need to know, please? 
A: The health care professionals treating you can advise and if you wish to see them it should be OK
Q: How to get treatment for depression without health insurance?
I have a friend who I think is really suffering from depression and mania. I’ve known him since we were kids and he has pretty much always gone through cycles of highs and lows that I know are not normal. Lately it is getting really bad, he is abusing alcohol, making bad social and financial decisions, and pushing way the people who care about him. Last night I finally got him to talk to me about how he was feeling and he really broke down and said he thinks he deserves to die and would kill himself if it wouldn’t ruin his mom’s life. I think I can convince him to get some help but he doesn’t have any health insurance and is worried that he can’t pay for treatment. He could afford to go to a walk-in clinic but I don’t know if they can give him the perscription he needs. We live in northwest Arkansas… does anyone know of any resources he could use?
A: I would suggest getting him a cheap health policy before he goes for treatment. You may want to try a website that compares multiple companies at once to get you the best price. I am paying less than ½ after I did.
Go to: http://www.insureme.com/landing.aspx?Refby=616163&Type=health
Take care,
Casey
Q: Does oxytocin work for treatment of Depression?
I read that oxytocin is a naturally produced hormone. It improves relations with others. For this reason it is used in treatment for autism and social phobia. I would like to know if oxytocin also works for depression and what brands are out there in the market??
A: Hi, for better and more safe answers , just click this site you’ll have lots of information:
www.drugs.com
Good luck.
Q: Any ideas for treatment resistant clinical depression?
I have been suffering with severe clinical depression for about 6 years. I have been on several types of anti-depressants and nothing really seems to work. Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, how are you overcoming it? Has anyone else with treatment resistant depression had success with another type of treatment – or a new type of medicine? I’m anxious for any new suggestions. Thank you.
A: Therapy would be the next step if you haven’t done so already in addition to meds. However, assuming that you have been doing both and are not finding yourself able to use the therapy without further symptom relief, I would be certain to explore all the classes of meds with your psychiatrist first-SSRI’s, tricyclics and MAOI’s and certainly consult a psychiatrist if you have been trying meds only through your medical doctor as they often tend to prescribe meds in doses too low to achieve therapeutic efficacy.
If your symptoms are severe and still unresponsive to medication and therapy, I would suggest that you discuss ECT with your psychiatrist. It isn’t a first line treatment, but is used in cases of intractable depression as well as other types of symptom constellations. Sometimes one course is all a person needs and I have seen some pretty remarkable results with ECT when nothing else has helped. Read about it through Wikipedia-it is very safe, the current is low and it is administered with muscle relaxants in order to diminish any discomfort. It’s also available now on an out-patient basis. Don’t be frightened by some people with agendas here who post erroneous and ridiculous information about ECT-it may be something you want to consider.
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