How is Depression Diagnosed?

Treatments for Depression

Depression is a mental disorder which affects about 350 million people worldwide. Its symptoms include, but are not limited to; Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, loss of interest in daily activities, appetite or weight changes, insomnia or oversleeping, anger or irritability, loss of energy, self-loathing, reckless behavior, concentration problems, unexplained aches and pains and also suicidal thoughts..

Current popular treatments for depression include antidepressant medications and talk therapy such as counselling or psychotherapy. Unfortunately, these treatments have many drawbacks. AD medication is associated with a high risk of side effects and a low success rate, while therapy sessions are notoriously expensive, and often unaffordable or unobtainable for most people.

Medical Treatments

Medication for depression comes in the form of antidepressants. There are typically 4 classes of AD medication, SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), atypical antidepressants, tricyclics antidepressants and MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors).

The SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants. They act on a chemical in the brain called serotonin. The SSRIs include drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. SSRIs are preferred over older classes of antidepressants because their adverse effects are less severe, however, like all antidepressants, SSRIs can cause an increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. They also carry a risk for increased hostility, agitation, and anxiety. In adults 65 and older, SSRIs increase the risk for falls, fractures, and bone loss. SSRIs can also cause severe withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking them abruptly.

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SEE ALSO: What are the Causes Depression?

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Atypical antidepressants are a variety of newer atypical antidepressants which target other neurotransmitters either alone or in addition to serotonin. For example, Wellbutrin blocks the reabsorption of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, while trazodone affects both norepinephrine and serotonin. Again, as with all antidepressant medication, there are many possible side effects.

Tricyclics are among the oldest antidepressants. They work by inhibiting the brain’s reuptake or serotonin and norepinephrine. They also partially inhibit the reabsorption of dopamine. Because tricyclics have such a broad mechanism of action, they tend to cause more side effects than the other classes of antidepressants. For this reason, the SSRIs and the atypical antidepressants are usually prescribed first. Again, side effects are usual and severe withdrawal symptoms are often the case if you stop taking them abruptly.

MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) are the oldest class of antidepressants. MAOIs have severe interactions with certain foods, drinks, and medications. Combining MAO inhibitors with foods or drinks containing tyramine can result in dangerously high blood pressure, which can lead to a stroke or heart attack. Because of this danger, MAOIs are not typically chosen as a first-line depression treatment.

As is usually the case with medication, antidepressants cannot cure depression. At best, they will lessen the symptoms of depression. However, success rates are notoriously low, not much better than a placebo in most cases, while the risk of side effects is extremely high. This is the reason many people in the medical industry refer to antidepressants as “sugar pills with side effects”.

A Better, Safer Option 

Although very few doctors or medical professionals will know or tell you about it (there is too much money involved in conventional treatment methods), you can actually cure yourself of depression using only CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) techniques combined with some dietary and lifestyle changes. Indeed in the past, a number of doctors and scientists had reported such successes in medical journals, but this research is now kept hidden by the pharmaceutical industry.

For the first time ever, this research has been dug up and used to compile a comprehensive step-by-step guide on exactly what you need to do to naturally and safely cure your depression  in just a few weeks – without any medication or expensive therapy sessions. For more information, visit James Gordon’s “Destroy Depression System™”, where he explains exactly why and how this system works.

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SEE ALSO: What is Depression?

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