Most people don’t know much about clinical depressions, despite the fact that it is one of the most widespread psychological conditions.
Healthcare providers have estimated that more than 16% of Americans experience depression in their lifetime. It means that 1 in 6 Americans are going to experience clinical depression at some point in their life. Some of the most common types of depression are major depressive, bipolar depression, Perinatal and postpartum depression, and Psychotic depression.
With an increasing number of people having to deal with depression in their daily life, it is important to get more awareness out there around this topic. So, here are the Symptoms, Causes, and common treatment methods for depression.
Symptoms of Clinical Depression
The symptoms of depression can range from mild to severe depending on how bad your depression is. In its early stages, the patient might start staying sad for no apparent reason, have reduced interest in things that they once enjoyed, and have a considerable loss of sexual desire.
As the conditions get worse, the patient will start experiencing a loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss or gain, sleeping too much or too little, constant agitation and restlessness, and loss of energy. At its worst, the patient might start having feelings of worthlessness or guilt and have a hard time focusing on things. They might also start getting thoughts of death or suicide, or attempt self-harm or suicide.
Causes of Clinical Depression
It is still not clear what causes depression because the causes can vary from person to person. There are many possible causes, and sometimes, there can be a combination of different factors that cause depression.
Some of the most common causes that medical specialists have agreed upon include genetic features, fluctuation in the neurotransmitter levels, toxic environment, psychological and social factors, and pre-existing psychological conditions like bipolar disorder.
Treatment Options for Clinical Depression
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Counseling
Counseling is also known as psychotherapy. It is talking with a mental health professional who helps you uncover the underlying reasons behind your depression. They help you come up with a strategy to manage your depression and slowly get rid of it. Sometimes just a few sessions of counseling can be enough whereas sometimes patients might need to continue counseling for an extended period of time.
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
In cognitive-behavioral therapy, your therapist helps you identify unhealthy patterns of thought that cause harmful behaviors and reactions. Your therapist will also teach you different techniques to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. The whole idea behind CBT is to get to the bottom of the behaviors that are causing you to be depressed and come up with a solution.
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Natural Remedies
Sometimes natural remedies can be enough to break the cycle of your depression. Just a few tweaks in your lifestyle can be more than good enough to uplift your mood and bring you back to normal. Start by exercising for around 30 minutes every day, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and work less.
Remove all bad habits from your life, including sleeping late, working late at night, eating junk food, and drinking too much. Start taking care of yourself and try to do things that make you happy, because sometimes getting stuck in a monotonous and boring routine can also be a cause of depression.
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Antidepressant Medications
If you are having a hard time managing your depression despite trying therapy and making different lifestyle changes, your therapist might prescribe you some antidepressants that will help you keep your depression to a manageable level.
However, these antidepressants can have dangerous side effects at times, including long-term dependency, headaches, and increased anxiety. Some of the most commonly used antidepressants include citalopram, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, Prozac, and sertraline.
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Recreational Herbs and Plants
Many therapists also recommend different recreational drugs in small amounts to depression patients. Since the legalization of marijuana, it has become one of the most commonly used drugs to manage and treat depressions.
Nonetheless, if you feel like your depression is much more severe and marijuana is not going to make that much of a difference, you can try mushrooms. You can easily buy shrooms online. There are also many different types of mushroom therapy portland, start with something less intense and slowly work your way up if you need.
Final Thought:
If you are suffering from depression, you need to reach out to someone who can help. Talk to your parents, siblings, friends, or anyone else who can provide emotional support. Don’t try to deal with depression on your own because it can get out of hand if you don’t properly deal with it early on. So, don’t be afraid to ask for help and confide in your loved ones when you need help.
