Monday, October 30, 2006

Treating Depression With Modern Approaches - Athlyn Green

Treating depression is an important step on the road to recovery. Modern research has yielded discoveries into how the brain works and offers varied treatment approaches.



Newer depression medications offer relief from side effects associated with older medicines. Newer drugs may be called on when waging war against depression treating symptoms of this challenging condition.



If you have been diagnosed with depression, your doctor will outline different medications, their benefits and risks. He will weigh these in deciding on a treatment for you. In treating depression, your doctor will consider your age, your history—whether you have experienced depression previously—and he will gauge the severity of your depression.



He or she may recommend that you try a SSRI. These are used to treat depression in its early stages. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are an appropriate and beneficial treatment choice because they do not present the same severity of side effects. In weighing your depression treating it with a SSRI may be your doctor’s first choice.



Alternatively, your doctor may choose a tricyclic antidepressant. This may be decided upon if you have tried several different medications but have seen no appreciable improvement. Your doctor may consider a tricyclic antidepressant when treating depression if you are grappling with a major episode.



Other drugs can be called on. MAOIs or monoamine oxidase inhibitors may be used, but caution is indicated because of potential dietary and drug interactions.



Drugs such as Wellbutrin, Effexor, Remeron, or Desyrel are also currently used for depression treating symptoms effectively. These may be selected because the risk of side effects is reduced.



Modern treatments offer much in the way of choice. Thankfully, a wide range of antidepressants is available for treating depression effectively.



If you are looking for other treatment options, natural remedies may be more tenable. A nutritionally oriented physician or therapist can help you to research supplements and herbs that are known to calm the nervous system. Natural supplements have been used successfully for depression treating and reducing symptoms by correcting brain imbalances and restoring neurotransmitter functioning.



Natural supplements are gaining in popularity as a viable method for treating depression and their use is not attenuated by side effects encountered with prescription medications.



What beneficial substances do natural remedies contain? A good quality natural supplement will include vitamins and minerals, amino acids, enzymes, specialty supplements and additional herbal extracts. Chamomile offers beneficial anxiolytic effects (anxiety reduction) and is effective in alleviating insomnia; valerian is used for mood disorders such as depression. (Clinical studies suggest a neuroprotective effect associated with valerian extracts.) Calcium and magnesium alleviate emotional and physical stress; ginkgo biloba increases oxygen content to the brain, aiding in concentration and mental acuity. It is also used for treatment of depression. These supplements are specifically formulated to address depression treating it by improving balance and restoring damaged neurotransmitters in the brain.



Side effects can largely be a thing of the past with newer medications and potent herbals. You do not have to suffer with debilitating symptoms. Treating depression has never been easier, with the many modern options available.




Athlyn Green is an avid health enthusiast with an interest in natural remedies for treatment of health disorders. She has contributed to Depression Treating, a section of http://www.beat-your-depression.com dedicated to natural treatments and prescription drug alternatives for this disorder.



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