...experienced what true depression is to imagine a life of complete hopelessness, emptiness, and fear.” Depression is defined as the result of an imbalance in the chemical combination in your brain (Robertson) and is one of the most pressing ethical issues in our society today. People turn to many things to fill the void that depression causes in their lives. One of the major things people turn to is antidepressants. Antidepressants are used to treat and reduce some of the symptoms that come with depression. While they do not heal the depression completely, they can give a patient temporary relief from their symptoms. While antidepressants work for some...
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...Depression is one of the most common health conditions in the world. Depression isn't a weakness, nor is it something that you can simply "snap out of." Depression, formally called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a medical illness that involves the mind and body. It affects how you think and behave and can cause a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may not be able to go about your usual daily activities, and depression may make you feel as if life just isn't worth living anymore. Most health professionals today consider depression a chronic illness that requires long-term treatment, much like diabetes or high blood pressure. Although some people experience only one episode of depression, most have repeated episodes of depression symptoms throughout their life. Effective diagnosis and treatment can help reduce even severe depression symptoms. And with effective treatment, most people with depression feel better, often within weeks, and can return to the daily activities they previously enjoyed. Symptoms of depression include: Loss of interest in normal daily activities Feeling sad or down Feeling hopeless Crying spells for no apparent reason Problems sleeping Trouble focusing or concentrating Difficulty making decisions Unintentional weight gain or loss Irritability Restlessness Being easily annoyed Feeling fatigued or weak Feeling worthless Loss of interest in sex Thoughts of suicide or suicidal...
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...Depression and Psychotropic Medication PD Psychopharmacology CHMC 640 Depression and Psychotropic Medication Depression is often defined as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that impacts the way a person thinks, acts, and feels and can have an impact on one’s physical and mental well-being. It is estimated that depression affects 1 out of 10 Americans and that 80% of people exhibiting symptoms re not receiving any form of treatment (http://www.healthline.com). Other statistics revealed that individuals exhibiting symptoms of depression are more likely to have a history of being obese, having heart disease, strokes, suffer from sleep disorders, have lower education, less access to medical care, are unemployed, and recently divorced. These biopsychosocial factors that lead to the onset of depression can also be impacted by such things as age, gender, and ethnicity. While such symptoms and factors of depression can be treated in many different ways, studies have proven that between 60-80% of all cases involving depression can successfully be treated by combining psychotherapy and pharmacological constructs (http://www.healthline.com), the latter which shall be explored in greater detail. History of Medication Although plant extracts such as opium, thorn apple St. Johns wort, Henbane, Indian hemp, deadly nightshade, hypericum oil, alcohol, caffeine, cannabis and other natural remedies have been used for past 3000 years treat...
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...Depression Treatment In: Other Topics Depression Treatment Depression Treatment: The Natural Way There is a lot of controversy about appropriate treatments for depression. Today antidepressants are among the most prescribed medications in the world. Despite their popularity, research has suggested that antidepressant medications may not be as successful as people had imagined in counteracting depression (Johnson & Kirsch, 2008, p. 1). Extensive research and studies show that natural remedies are better than antidepressants for treating depression because there are fewer side effects, more health benefits and according to most studies, antidepressants are no more effective than placebos. Although there are many natural remedies for treating the symptoms of depression, this paper will focus on St. John’s Wort, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e and exercise. These four natural remedies are the most widely used and studied alternatives to treating depression. Side Effects According to Dr. Hyla Cass (2007) and a study done in 1998, prescription medication puts more than one million people in the hospital every year. The study also states that prescription medication kills more than one hundred thousand people per year. Doctor Cass (2007) states that there are almost no deaths from herbal use and that the side effects from herbs are usually mild. One report says that for every one million people prescribed antidepressants in a year, 30.1 of them will die from an overdose. Doctor...
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...fact is nowadays treatments are less harsh and destructive. In the middle ages people who suffered from a mental illness were taken care of by family members, in the 18 and 1900’s people were put in institutions similar to jails and treated worse than animals, now there are treatments and medications found to be more effective than shoving someone into an asylum and shocking their brain into getting better. Like most children I was happy, outgoing and full of life, but as i got older things started to change my mood became hard and disconnected, leading me to do some...
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...Antidepressants Work, so what’s the Problem Kurt Anderson Utah Valley University Course: Online English 2020 Instructor: Robert Crane Abstract Efficacy of antidepressants is under such scrutiny by the general public, because of a few scientists. Antidepressants are the most researched substance worldwide. The long history of research analysis proves the efficacy of antidepressants, but there are those who will falsely interpret clinical trials, or pool together selected studies to justify their claims. Scientists will agree that there are many flaws with antidepressant research, but with ever increasing new ways to re-test old research, the evidence of positive improvements are becoming harder to deny. This report shows that even though scientists are trying to disprove the effectiveness of antidepressants, the evidence of the scientific facts prove that antidepressants work for depression. Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables iv Glossary of Terms v General Information vii Thesis Statement vii Report Audience vii Author’s Purpose vii Argumentative Requirements Fulfillment Statement vii Introduction 1 Americans and Depression 2 Background of Depression and Antidepressants 4 Depression 4 Antidepressants 5 Depression Scale 5 Clinical Trials 6 Claims..................... 6 The Truth ......................................................................................................................................6 Prescribing methods...
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...consequences in families, individuals, and society. The world’s main issue is that many people are not seeking treatment for it. There are several resources and services for individuals with mental illness such as the development of new medications, treatments, and community-based services. Back in the day, people diagnosed biologically with a mental illness didn’t have sufficient...
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...Depression Treatment: The Natural Way There is a lot of controversy about appropriate treatments for depression. Today antidepressants are among the most prescribed medications in the world. Despite their popularity, research has suggested that antidepressant medications may not be as successful as people had imagined in counteracting depression (Johnson & Kirsch, 2008, p. 1). Extensive research and studies show that natural remedies are better than antidepressants for treating depression because there are fewer side effects, more health benefits and according to most studies, antidepressants are no more effective than placebos. Although there are many natural remedies for treating the symptoms of depression, this paper will focus on St. John’s Wort, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e and exercise. These four natural remedies are the most widely used and studied alternatives to treating depression. Side Effects According to Dr. Hyla Cass (2007) and a study done in 1998, prescription medication puts more than one million people in the hospital every year. The study also states that prescription medication kills more than one hundred thousand people per year. Doctor Cass (2007) states that there are almost no deaths from herbal use and that the side effects from herbs are usually mild. One report says that for every one million people prescribed antidepressants in a year, 30.1 of them will die from an overdose. Doctor Cass (2007) quotes Norman Farnsworth, Ph.D., (as cited in Cass...
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...What is depression? [pic] | | The word 'depression' causes much confusion. It's often used to describe when someone is feeling 'low', 'miserable', 'in a mood' or having 'got out of bed on the wrong side'. However, doctors use the word in two different ways. They can use it to describe the symptom of a 'low mood', or to refer to a specific illness, i.e. a 'depressive illness'. This factsheet relates to depression, the illness. This confusion is made all the worse because it is often difficult to tell the difference between feeling gloomy and having a depressive illness. Doctors make a diagnosis of depression after assessing the severity of the low mood, other associated symptoms and the duration of the problem. Depression is very common. Almost anybody can develop the illness; it's certainly NOT a sign of weakness. Depression is also treatable. You may need to see a doctor, but there are things you can do yourself or things you can do to help somebody suffering from the illness. What you cannot do is 'pull yourself together' – no matter whether this is what you think you should be able to do or what other people tell you to do. People who have experienced an episode of depression are at risk of developing another in the future. A small proportion may experience an episode of depression as part of a bipolar affective disorder (manic depression), which is characterised by episodes of both low and high moods. Who gets depressed...
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...Depression has a varied spectrum of severity, from minor feelings of discomfort and sadness to major and severe depression. Dysthymia, also called persistent depressive disorder, is a “depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, as indicated by either subjective account or observation by others, for at least 2 years¨ (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013, p. 168). This chronic state of depression is not severe as the ones experienced in Major Depression, but they are significant enough to cause problems and obstacles on everyday lives. According to Psychiatric Times about 2.5% of the American population fulfill the criteria to be diagnosed with Dysthymia (Uher, 2014). Dysthymia is a mood disorder that is characterized by many symptoms. According to the DSM-V by the American Psychiatric Association, people suffering from Dysthymia will have a poor appetite or they will overeat, insomnia or hypersomnia, low energy or fatigue, low self-esteem, poor concentration or difficulty making decisions, and finally feelings of hopelessness (2013, p. 168). Dysthymia in more severe cases can also cause people to lose interest in daily activities and sometimes even withdraw completely from engaging in them. In children, “dysthymia sometimes occurs along with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioral or learning disorders, anxiety disorders, or developmental disabilities.” (Mayo Clinic, 2012). Some symptoms that may appear in children with Dysthymia...
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...Depression: Unipolar Vs. Bipolar Rebecca M. Azurmendi Psychology 270 July 14, 2013 Professor Moore Depression: Unipolar Vs. Bipolar Depression is sometimes not taken seriously or is misunderstood. Key emotions in mood disorders are depression and mania. Depression is an overwhelming feeling from the challenges of life and a low, sad state in which life seems dark. Mania is an exaggerated belief that the world is for the person’s taking. Unipolar depression is a form of depression that does not have a history of mania. Bipolar disorder is marked by the mixture of periods of mania and depression (Comer, pg. 194). Unipolar depression is often mistaken for clinical depression. Severe unipolar depression is twice as severe in women as it is in men. Between young boys and girls unipolar depression is similar (Comer, pg. 194). We have all experienced a form of depression at some point in our lives. The signs and symptoms are all different depending on the individual. Some symptoms can be less severe than the others. Symptoms of unipolar depression feed off emotionally, motivationally, behaviorally, cognitively, and physical categories of symptoms. Emotionally individuals feel sad, miserable, and unwanted. The lose most if not all pleasure in most things. Their sense of humor tends to fade away and many of them experience anxiety, anger, and agitation. Some individuals feel humiliated and dejected (Comer, pg. 195). The motivation symptoms of depression usually lead to...
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...Depression is like being buried alive with barely a square inch in front of your face in which it’s hard to breath. Depression is a common mental disorder characterized by sadness, loss of interest. Symptoms of depression may include difficulty concentrating, thoughts of suicide, lack of interest in or pleasure from activities that were enjoyed once, persistently sad etc. Depression was previously known as Melancholia. Physicians in the Persian and then the Muslim world developed ideas about Melancholia during the Islamic golden age. In the 19th century Persian physician Avicenna described Melancholia as a depressive type of mood disorder. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2012, an estimated 10 million adults aged eighteen or older in the U.S. had at least one major depressive in the past one year. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, major depressive disorder is characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once-pleasurable activities. There are times you may feel sad, lonely, or hopeless for a few days. But major depression, clinical depression lasts longer and is disabling. It can prevent you from functioning normally. An episode of clinical depression may occur only once in a person's lifetime. More often, though, it recurs throughout a person's life. In addition, with major depression, one of the symptoms must be either a persistent depressed mood or...
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...Overview and Symptoms “Depression is related to the normal emotions of sadness and bereavement, but it does not remit when the external cause of these emotions dissipates, and it is disproportionate to their causes” (Belmaker, 2008, p. 55). Severe states of depression often have no external precipitating cause, but it is hard to truly know if there was an external cause or not when dealing with severe depression (Belmaker, 2008). It is also known to occur with other mental health conditions such as anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, etc. Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, which equals about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. It is also the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44. While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32 and is more prevalent in women than in men (Numbers Count, 2014). Diagnosis of Major Depression “The diagnosis of major depression requires a distinct change of mood, characterized by sadness or irritability and is accompanied by some psychophysiological changes” (Belmaker, 2008, p. 56). Major depression can be easy to diagnose from anyone with experience dealing with depression, but understanding the cause of the depression, internally or externally, can be a tough challenge (Carey, 2013). Symptoms of major depression can vary in impact and severity, and many people who have major depression have a combination...
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...Since the 1980’s the use of antidepressants in the United States has skyrocketed, increasing by 400%(Derrow, Paula). Approximately 10.4% of Americans are being prescribed some type of antidepressant today(Derrow, Paula). These numbers are causing many to wonder whether antidepressants are overprescribed or if the rise in antidepressant use is justified. To answer this question we have to consider many factors such as if the people who need them are receiving them, what the side effects are like, and if the antidepressants being prescribed are working effectively. Antidepressants are not overprescribed. They have worked wonders for many people and have allowed them to live again. One of the most important things to know about antidepressants is whether or not they work. In many cases of severe depression antidepressants have often made a big difference in patients’ recovery processes(Hall-Flavin, Daniel K.). Antidepressants...
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...External Factors Contributing to Depression Depression is most commonly characterized by depressive moods and feelings of low self worth or guilt, a disease affecting approximately 121 million people (World Health Organization, 2011). Despite these high numbers, the many factors that contribute to depression remain under debate. Depression is commonly treated with antidepressant medication that aims to normalize brain function, often through the uptake of neurotransmitters such as serotonin (Moncrieff, 2010). Research has supported the use of this type of medication with results that indicate prolonged use of antidepressants can reduce the chances of relapse (Kim, Lee, Paik, & Kim, 2011). Many deduce that because medication targets and treats physical abnormalities related to depression, biology must be the main contributor. Against this rational however, much research that exists today declares a balance of biology and external factors as contributors to depression (Cole, McGuffin, & Farmer, 2008). In contrast to discoveries of this nature, a study conducted in Taiwan concludes that many depression sufferers perceive the cause of their depression to be social and cultural factors, making little mention to biology (Fu & Paraboo, 2009). Although medication has proven successful in many cases for alleviating depressive symptoms, considerable amounts of research have determined that external factors such as personal misfortunes or stress, cultural and societal influences, such...
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