Roughly 15% of the world's population are using prescription medicine to deal with depression. At one point or another in our lives, we will all suffer from some level of depression which can last a day or for much longer periods.

If depression symptoms last for longer than two weeks, it is then deemed to be clinical in nature.

What is depression?

Depression is a condition that causes such negative feelings and emotions as helplessness, sadness and low self-esteem.

Symptoms of depression can be as varied and different from one person to the next. Not all symptoms will manifest themselves in all people. Depression can also look like other conditions, which make it difficult to diagnose.

Symptoms:

- Agitated quite easily.

- Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss.

- Concentration difficulties.

- Flat affect - no facial expressions.

- Overly fatigued.

- Feel as if there is no hope.

- Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt.

- Lack of involvement in social activities.

- Consideration of suicide as an option.

- Insomnia

- Sleeping too much

Depression can even present as feelings of anger and discouragement with hallucinations and delusions. A person who is depressed may also entertain thoughts of suicide as a way to get away from it all and end the emotional and physical pain.

It is important to be able to recognize signs and symptoms of this aspect of depression. Usually there are warning signs that can be pleas for help. When a person is deeply depressed, suicide is always a consideration and the signals must be acted upon when first noticed before it is too late.

Treatment:

Medications are usually prescribed that act as antidepressants or antipsychotics. The sufferer may also be directed to attend psychotherapeutic sessions to help deal with the negative emotions.

It is in the best interests of the patient to combine both of these treatments.

Different medications will work better for some and not so well for others. Caution must be taken when prescribing antidepressants to patients between 18 and 24 as they have a high risk of suicidal behaviour.

Medications include:

Tricyclic antidepressants, Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Lithium and thyroid medications may be necessary to supplement antidepressants, as they increase the actions of antidepressants. Psychological symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations are treated with antipsychotic medication, such as quetiapine, which has been approved for depression and bipolar disorder.

Electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, administers electrical current to uplift the mood of those suffering from severe depression. ECT is used when the patient does not respond well to other treatments.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), acts to modify brain function. It resembles ECT, but without the side effects. Light therapy administered during winter month when there is less sunlight can help to alleviate symptoms of depression.

If you are having symptoms of depression and have not notified your doctor, or if you have been diagnosed and your medication does not appear to be working, contact your health care provider.

It may be a simple matter of changing the dosage or the type of medication to make the treatment as effective as possible.

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