Treatments

 


Anti-depressant medicines

Anti-depressant are usually the first line of treatment for the moderate or serve depression.
Medication can not nor should any think it can alter the person’s circumstances. However symptoms such as low mood, poor sleep, poor concentration Ect, are often eased with taking the tablets.
This then may help the person to function normally, they can also increases the person’s ability to deal with any problems they have.

Antidepressants usually take up to 2-6 weeks before the effect of taking take effect on the person. A common problem is many people stop taking them as they don’t see a positive effect after a week or so. If the tablets do help the person’s mood they should go back to the doctors to see if they can have an other course of the tablets. A normal course can last up to six months or more after the symptoms have ease. If the tablets are stopped to quickly the depression episode are more likely to come back quicker.

There are a lot of different types of antidepressants, each with varies different pros and cons of taking them due to they may have side effects what do not suit the person who is taking them (please look at leaflet provided with the tablets to see about the antidepressant tablet). If the person does have a side effect to the tablet than medical advice should be sought, if the fist lot of tablets doesn’t suit someone they must go back to the doctor and explain what has happened and then they make give you another sort to help with the depression. It can take a few course to the right tablet is found for someone.

Antidepressants are not tranquillisers and they are not thought of being addictive.
Around 5-7 people with moderate or serve depression will improve within a few weeks of starting the course of tablets. Hower up to 3 in 10 people improve with a dummy tablet (placebo) as some people would improved in this time naturally. It is seen that you are twice more likely to improve with antidepressants compared to taking no treatment.

 

Talking (psychological) treatment.

If it is available in the persons area, an option is to be referred to a psychologist or other professional for a more specific type of talking treatemnt. Most treatment for depresson vary from 16-20 session last over 6-9months.

St john’s wort (Hypericum)

This is only a herbal antidepressant that can be brought over the counter in pharmacies without having a prescription. It have recently became a popular treatment for depression as people do not need to go see their doctor. However many doctors now do not know if it does really work and advice people not to take it because:
It is not clear on how it works only a few studies suggest that it may help with depression. other studies have failed to show that it helps.
Side effects sometimes occur, people often think that as St. John’ wort is natural it wouldn’t have side effects and is total safe. This of course is not true. It contains many chemicals which sometimes can cause problems with the person.
It can react to toher medication the person is taking, this can sometimes cause a reaction leading to serious problems. For example taking St. John’s wort if the person is taking oral contraceptives, anti-HIV medicine, and many more as a doctor for more advice, also it is not advice to be taking st John’s wort with another antidepressant
From the doctors.

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