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Guidelines For Treating Depression The APA, CANMAT BAP NICE and Texas Medication Algorithm Project have released a number of guidelines for treating depression. They recommend psychotherapy, exercise and antidepressant drugs. The guidelines suggest that patients who do not respond to monotherapy should use CBT or SGA prior to beginning medication and increase dosages if needed. Patients who are not responding to monotherapy might be able to benefit from augmentation with lithium, psychostimulants or SSRIs. 1. Diagnosis A diagnosis is the first step in treating depression. This involves a conversation with a mental health professional or a doctor, and certain forms of therapy. Your GP will inquire about your symptoms and how they have affected your life over the past month. They'll also ask whether you've ever had thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Your GP will also take a look at your general health, family history, and lifestyle to help decide whether you suffer from depression or another mental health issue. It's important to be open and honest with your GP to ensure they get the most precise picture of what's going on for you. This will enable them to identify the signs of depression. These symptoms can be used to rule out other illnesses like heart disease. Once your GP has determined that you may have depression, they'll rule out the possibility of other conditions with tests. Blood tests, for instance test thyroid or anemia-related issues that could be causing depression. They can also examine your blood to look for deficiencies in vitamins, alcohol and drugs that can cause depression. If your GP finds that you have depression, they'll discuss what's causing it and the best method to manage it. This could include psychotherapy, or a combination of therapy and medication. Antidepressants are the most effective medication to treat depression. They work by altering the balance of chemicals in the brain. They can be taken either orally or via injections and it could take some time before they start to work. The drugs may also cause adverse effects, such as constipation and dry mouth. 2. Medication Many people can benefit from taking medication. In the beginning, your doctor might prescribe antidepressants or a combination of them. If initial treatment doesn't produce a satisfactory response Your doctor may suggest that you try a different medication or change the dosage or the time of day you take it. Taking medication regularly is important to getting the most benefit. Don't stop taking your medication without your doctor's permission. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you could be given a prescription for an antidepressant that is general in nature or an SSRI. An SSRI is an antidepressant that raises the levels of the chemical serotonin in the brain. SSRIs include escitalopram and citalopram as well as fluoxetine. Your doctor might also prescribe a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, or SNRI. SNRIs include duloxetine, (Cymbalta), and venlafaxine (Effexor XR or Khedezla). Other antidepressants, like tetracyclics, can be prescribed if your physician believes that these medications would be more efficient than an SSRI or SNRI. SSRIs and SNRIs are typically considered safe to use in adolescents and children. Before taking any medication, it is important to inform your doctor if there are any allergies or health problems. The medication can cause side effects such as an dry mouth or stomach that is upset. In general, they are minor and disappear by themselves in two or three weeks. If you're taking a medication, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel relaxed and clearheaded. Other recreational drugs and alcohol can cause more depression-related symptoms such as restlessness or difficulty sleeping. These substances should not be used as they can make depression difficult to treat. The use of these substances for a long time, particularly over an extended period, can lead to more serious problems. 3. Psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) can help you deal with issues that contribute to depression. This type of treatment may be long-term, however it has been proven effective for many people with depression. Psychotherapy can be carried out in a variety of settings such as private therapists’ clinics, hospitals, offices for psychiatry and rehabilitation facilities. It is typically one-on-one, but it is also possible to do group therapy. Your therapist will ask questions about your emotions, behavior and relationships, and will discuss these with you in a private and confidential environment. During the first few sessions your therapist will get to know you and recommend a treatment plan. This can include psychotherapy, medication, activity and exercises or other treatments such as repetitive transcranial magnet stimulation (rTMS) or electroconvulsive treatment (ECT). Some are short-term and they focus on specific issues. Interpersonal therapy (IPT) is one example. It, helps people understand underlying issues, such as unresolved grievances or conflicts with others. Depression can be triggered by a variety of reasons that range from loss and stress to unresolved traumas or abuse. They may require more intense therapy and other treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), also known as cognitive restructuring, helps people to alter their thinking patterns that cause symptoms. cognitive behavioral therapy for depression improves resilience and helps people to manage the stress and challenges of daily life. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a combination of CBT elements with mindfulness techniques to help you accept and observe your emotions. Psychological treatments can be as effective as antidepressants when treating acute depression. It can take longer for it to be effective and not everyone responds in the same manner. It is essential to be present at your therapy sessions and to complete your homework in between sessions (like journaling or meditating). 4. Counseling It is essential to find an effective treatment whether your depression symptoms are mild. This could include counseling or psychotherapy. A professional outside can transform your life. It may be necessary to try different therapists before you discover one that clicks with you, but the process is worth it. There are a variety of psychotherapy. However, the majority involve discussing your concerns and finding strategies to combat depression. It can also be helpful to talk about your experiences with other people who are going through similar struggles. Group counseling is available at medical clinics, hospitals or therapists' offices and even over the phone through online telehealth services. Counseling for depression is designed at changing negative thoughts and behavior that contribute to the condition. For instance, a therapist could help you to manage stress to help improve your mood. You might be taught to recognize thoughts that are not rational and question preconceptions that make you feel depressed. You could try EMDR (eye movement desensitization and processing) to ease the burden of traumatic or painful memories that may contribute to your depression. Other therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or behavioural activation therapy, are used to help you recognize and make changes in your behavior patterns. For example behavioural activation therapy can be beneficial when depression causes you to withdraw from social activities. The aim is to motivate you to engage in more social activities and to understand the ways in which your actions affect your mood. Generally, these methods are employed in conjunction with medication. Ask your doctor for a referral, or call a local community mental health center to locate a therapist who is certified. 5. Exercise The benefits of exercise in preventing and treating depression are well-established. It's not a typical treatment. Psychotherapy and medications are more commonly utilized. However, a growing body of research suggests that exercising can be as effective in treating depression as talk therapies and antidepressants, or even better. A meta-analysis of over 150 studies found that it was more effective than psychotherapy or drugs on their own. The study revealed that people who exercised for depression saw their symptoms improve by an average of five points on one measure, and 6.5 points on another which is clinically significant. And the results were significant regardless of whether they exercised for only an hour or so or more than an hour a day. Exercise is also a good alternative to medication or psychotherapy, which might not be suitable for everyone. Exercise also helps to keep our bodies fit and aid in preventing other mental health issues like anxiety. Exercise isn't stigmatized as drugs or talking therapy. Exercise is accessible to all, comes with few costs and can be a powerful method. It's difficult to study the effects of exercise on health because it can be difficult for researchers to regulate factors like how much people exercise regularly and any other medications that they might be taking. So more research is needed to determine the best kind, frequency and duration of exercise to prevent and treating depression. To aid in that, doctors and other health professionals are increasingly prescribing exercises to their patients as part of a treatment plan. The green prescription is a program designed to encourage patients to exercise by contacting a fitness expert regularly by phone or face-toface.