How Good Are The Chances Of Getting Your Depression Successfully Treated Or Cured?

We all get depressed for one reason or another. There is nothing wrong with being sad for as long as the feeling of sadness conforms to the circumstance that triggers it in the first place. You don't exactly jump for joy when you lose something of great value, do you? You don't laugh out loud when you have failed an exam, or are fired from work or have gotten a huge debt. The point is, being sad is a normal reaction to negative things that happen in our life, and many times, these negative things we come across with are beyond our control. Depression, then, in this sense is not a disease or a medical condition that requires treatment. It simply co-exists with life.

But this is not the only type of depression out there. There are actually several types of depression, ranging in severity. A more serious type of depression is called chronic depression, and this type needs medical attention.

Chronic Depression: What It Is

Chronic depression is depression that lasts longer than two weeks and which tends to recur over the course of two years. Exactly how and why it develops remains a big mystery, but as has been observed, genetics, high levels of stress, and imbalance in serotonin and norepinephrine have something to do with it.

Symptoms of Chronic Depression

Chronic depression often manifests in the following signs of symptoms that lasts for two weeks or more:

Extreme feelings of sadness, worthlessness, or guilt.

Inability to find pleasure in day to day activities.

Lack of energy.

Difficulty sleeping.

Eating problems.

Lack of concentration.

Inability to make wise decision.

Suicidal thoughts.

Now these symptoms need to be addressed as it can cause a variety of health problems, and worse, death. So the first thing to do when you observe these signs and symptoms on someone you know or care about deeply is to get him or her to a specialist so he/she can be properly evaluated and diagnosed.

Treatment for Chronic Depression

The desired therapy for chronic depression is a combination of psychotherapy and drugs (antidepressants). Psychotherapy employs psychological techniques in the hope of helping the client:

Come to a better understanding of his/her situation.

Make his/her own goals.

Achieve his/her own goals.

Express his self/herself more effectively.

Psychotherapy may be done on a one-to-one basis or in groups, depending on the situation. The client may feel more comfortable in the first case, but groups sessions allow the client to see that he/she is not the only one having problems. In group sessions, depressed individuals share their experiences through which they can help each other out of their current situation.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Tricyclic Antidepressants, or Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors may be prescribed along with psychotherapy to help the individual control his/her depression. These drugs, though, can have very serious side effects, so they are not to be taken without doctor's advice. Extreme caution must be taken by the individual as well.

Can Depression Be Successfully Treated?

One of the most complex conditions to deal with is chronic depression. Because of the high rate of recurrence, the client, in many cases, has to take medications for life. I wouldn't say then that depression of this kind can be successfully treated, but at least it can be controlled such that the client is able to live a normal life. How it can be done depends a lot on the client's own resolve to beat depression, and the support of family and loved ones who should actively take part in the treatment program.