Counselling Counselling is an important part of the treatment for depression. The types of counselling most often used for treatment of depression include: Cognitive-behavioural therapy , which teaches you how to become healthier by changing certain thought and behaviour patterns. Interpersonal therapy , which focuses on your relationships and the problems they may be causing.
Problem-solving therapy , which focuses on the problems you are facing and on helping you find solutions. Family therapy , which involves the entire family. Lifestyle changes There are also lifestyle changes you may be able to make that may help your depression symptoms: Eat healthy foods.
Don't drink alcohol. Get regular exercise. Get a good night's sleep. Get social support from family and friends. Try to keep a positive attitude—remember that feeling better takes time, and your mood will improve little by little. Other treatment choices Besides counselling and lifestyle changes, there are some other treatments you can try: Alternative treatments such as massage therapy and yoga may help you get better faster and make your life better.
You can try relaxation exercises at home to lower your stress. Complementary therapies are sometimes used for depression. Talk to your doctor before taking any of them, because they can interfere with other medicines.
Electroconvulsive therapy may be used to treat severe depression or depression that hasn't responded well to other treatment.
It also may be a treatment choice for someone who cannot live with the side effects of antidepressants. Why might your doctor recommend antidepressants? Your doctor might suggest that you try antidepressants if: You have tried counselling and lifestyle changes, and they haven't worked. Your symptoms are bad enough that they interfere with your daily life. Compare your options. Compare Option 1 Take antidepressants Don't take antidepressants. Compare Option 2 Take antidepressants Don't take antidepressants.
Take antidepressants Take antidepressants You take a pill or liquid medicine one or more times a day for months or sometimes years.
Antidepressants can improve or completely relieve symptoms. Antidepressants usually help when counselling and lifestyle changes haven't worked. It takes weeks, and sometimes months, for the medicine to start working. You may have to keep taking antidepressants for a long time. Side effects—which can include nausea, diarrhea or constipation, sexual problems, weight gain, and trouble sleeping—cause many people to stop taking the medicine.
Don't take antidepressants Don't take antidepressants You treat your depression with counselling, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy CBT or interpersonal psychotherapy IPT. Many studies show that CBT helps mild to moderate depression as much as antidepressants.
You may try alternative treatments, such as massage and relaxation techniques. Counselling works well for many people who have depression. Studies show that people who receive CBT have lower rates of relapse after treatment has stopped compared to people treated only with antidepressants.
Counselling may not be enough if your symptoms are severe. Untreated depression is likely to get worse. Personal stories about deciding whether to take antidepressants These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. What matters most to you? Reasons to take antidepressants Reasons not to take antidepressants. My symptoms are keeping me from living my normal life.
My symptoms aren't bad enough to get in the way of my life. I don't like the idea of taking medicine for a long time. I think the side effects will be worse than my symptoms. My other important reasons: My other important reasons:.
Where are you leaning now? Taking an antidepressant NOT taking an antidepressant. What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts. Yes Sorry, that's wrong. Taking medicine for your depression can help you get your life back to normal. No You're right. I'm not sure It may help to go back and read "Get the Facts. Yes That's right. There are many ways to manage the side effects of antidepressants.
If you're worried, talk to your doctor. No Sorry, that's wrong. Yes No, that's wrong. And you may need to try several before you find one that works. No That's right. Decide what's next. Yes No. I'm ready to take action. I want to discuss the options with others. I want to learn more about my options. Your Summary. Your decision Next steps. Your knowledge of the facts Key concepts that you understood. Key concepts that may need review. Getting ready to act Patient choices.
What matters to you. This is why they're usually used in combination with therapy to treat more severe depression or other mental health conditions. Research suggests that antidepressants can be helpful for people with moderate or severe depression.
They're not usually recommended for mild depression, unless other treatments like talking therapy have not helped. Antidepressants are usually taken in tablet form. When they're prescribed, you'll start on the lowest possible dose thought necessary to improve your symptoms. Antidepressants usually need to be taken for 1 or 2 weeks without missing a dose before the benefit starts to be felt.
It's important not to stop taking them if you get some mild side effects early on, as these effects usually wear off quickly. If you take an antidepressant for 4 weeks without feeling any benefit, speak to your GP or mental health specialist. They may recommend increasing your dose or trying a different medicine.
A course of treatment usually lasts for at least 6 months after you start to feel better. Some people with recurrent depression may be advised to take them indefinitely. Read more about antidepressant dosages. Different antidepressants can have a range of different side effects. Always check the information leaflet that comes with your medicine to see what the possible side effects are. The most common side effects of antidepressants are usually mild. Side effects should improve within a few days or weeks of treatment, as the body gets used to the medicine.
Talk to your doctor before you stop taking antidepressants. It's important that you do not stop taking antidepressants suddenly. Once you're ready to come off antidepressants, your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks — or longer, if you have been taking them for a long time. This is to help prevent any withdrawal symptoms you might get as a reaction to coming off the medicine.
Read more about stopping or coming off antidepressants. Many people with mild to moderate depression find that therapy, exercise, and self-help strategies work just as well or even better than medication—minus the side effects. Side effects are common in all antidepressants.
For some people, the side effects can even be serious enough to make them stop taking the medication. The most widely prescribed antidepressants come from a class of medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs , which include drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. SSRIs act on the neurotransmitter serotonin, a brain chemical which helps to regulate mood.
As the name suggests, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors SNRIs act on the brain chemical norepinephrine as well as serotonin. They include the drugs Pristiq, Cymbalta, Fetzima, and Effexor and may also be used to treat anxiety and depression accompanied by pain. Since the neurotransmitter serotonin also plays a role in digestion, pain, sleep, and mental clarity, SSRIs and SNRIs can cause a wide range of side effects, including :.
Some SNRIs may also raise blood pressure or exacerbate liver problems. The side effects vary according to the specific drug. However, many of the atypical antidepressants can cause nausea, fatigue, weight gain, sleepiness, nervousness, dry mouth, and blurred vision. Their side effects are more severe than those of the newer antidepressants, so they are only prescribed as a last resort after other treatments and medications have failed.
The U. Food and Drug Administration FDA recently approved esketamine brand name Spravato for patients with severe, treatment-resistant depression. Taken as a nasal spray in conjunction with an oral antidepressant, esketamine may deliver rapid improvement of symptoms for some patients with major depression. However, as a form of ketamine, it also carries some mind-altering side effects, including dissociation, changes in speech and behavior, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
There is also the potential for abuse and misuse of this drug and, as yet, no definitive studies on its long-term effects. There is a danger that, in some people, antidepressant treatment will cause an increase, rather than a decrease, in depression.
In fact, the FDA requires that all depression medications in the U. The suicide risk is particularly great during the first month or two of treatment. Anyone taking antidepressants should be closely watched for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. If you spot the warning signs in yourself or a loved one, contact your doctor or therapist immediately. If you are concerned that a friend or family member is contemplating suicide, see Suicide Prevention.
Anyone who takes antidepressants can experience side effects, but certain individuals are at a higher risk:. People over Studies show that some antidepressant medications may increase the risk for falls, fractures, and bone loss in older adults. Pregnant women. The use of some antidepressants late in pregnancy may lead to short-term withdrawal symptoms in newborns after delivery.
Typical symptoms include tremor, restlessness, mild respiratory problems, and weak cry. Teens and young adults. All depression medications carry an increased risk of suicide in children and young adults. People who may have bipolar disorder. Antidepressants can actually make bipolar disorder worse or trigger a manic episode; there are other treatments available for those with bipolar disorder.
These non-drug treatments can produce lasting changes and long-term relief. Follow instructions. Stopping treatment prematurely is associated with high relapse rates and can cause serious withdrawal symptoms.
0コメント