Knowing all the symptoms of depression is essential to recognizing if you or a loved one is suffering from a serious mood disorder. There are times when even those who look healthy can seem to be suffering from depression. The symptoms of depression include insomnia, feeling worthless, unable to concentrate and can manifest themselves in many different ways. Visit kratom for anxiety for more information.
Anyone who experiences severe bouts of depression that don’t ease up for at least three weeks is diagnosed with clinical depression. Clinical depression is a more serious condition than just sadness or being moody. The depression symptoms in this case are intense sadness, significantly reduced pleasure in activities, an indifference to self and others, persistent thoughts of suicide or death and the inability to have a happy and fulfilling life. Someone who is depressed is not able to see things objectively and has difficulty making transitions in life. They have poor sleep patterns and experience feelings of fatigue and worthlessness. A person suffering from clinical depression can also go through periods where they feel agitated and have trouble concentrating.
Antidepressants are the most effective treatment-resistant form of depression. Psychotherapy combined with lifestyle changes is the best form of treatment for depression. It is the only successful long-term strategy to treat depressed individuals. Although the cure rate for depression using psychotherapy is around seventy percent, it still falls short of wanting to recover from depression using antidepressants.
Some people will suffer bouts of depression but will recover in time. However, some people will suffer from symptoms of clinical depression for years before they recover. Those with severe cases may develop chemical imbalances in the brain, which can result in severe sadness, suicidal thoughts, aggressive behavior and increased risk of substance abuse. Depression medication works by altering the brain chemistry to correct the symptoms of depression. Some medications, like tricyclics, are only approved for the short term treatment of moderate to severe depression.
Other forms of medications for mild to moderate depression are designed to provide a quick fix. Some of these treatments do not even attempt to correct the underlying symptoms of the depression. The most popular type of drug for depression symptoms are monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs. These drugs help to reduce the amount of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that regulates mood, aggression, sleeping, appetite and other feelings.
However, there are some important limitations to MAOIs. MAOIs have been known to cause significant sexual problems in men who take them. Also, if a woman becomes pregnant while taking MAOIs, she may experience an increase in depression as well as dangerous effects on the developing fetus. It is important to talk to a medical professional before beginning any type of medication for depression.