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General treatments for depression

Clinical or severe depression is a serious mental illness that requires medical attention so that most people can overcome their symptoms. Fortunately, there are many effective treatment options and research and scientific studies are constantly working to find and develop better treatments.

The most common treatments for depression include antidepressants, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. In most cases, these treatments are very effective. However, in more severe cases of depression, or when other treatments have failed or cannot be used, "ECT" or electrical cramp therapy and nerve or magnetic stimulation can be administered.

Common antidepressants to treat depression

The most commonly prescribed antidepressants for depression are "SSRIs" or "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors". This type of medication is usually the first drug that a doctor prescribes when starting treatment for depression. SSRIs are a class of drugs that include the brand names "Prozac", "Paxil", "Zoloft", "Lexapro" and "Celexa".

The main reason why these drugs are the first choice is that they have fewer side effects and are safer than some of the other antidepressants. "SNRIs" or "serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors" are somewhat similar to SSRIs, unless high doses are used to cause the side effects of dizziness and increased sweating.

Sometimes "NDRI" or "norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors" are also prescribed because they do not cause the sexual side effects that most other antidepressants cause. However, there is an increased risk of seizures while taking this medication.

"Atypical" antidepressants are usually given in combination with one of the antidepressants because they have a calming effect and are usually taken at night. "Tricyclic" antidepressants are older drugs that have essentially the same effects as newer antidepressants. However, it is known that this medication causes serious side effects. It is generally only used when "SSRIs" have been tried and are ineffective.

MAOI, psychotherapy and electro-spasm therapy

"MAOIs" or "monoamine oxidase inhibitors" are only used when all other types of antidepressants have failed because they have serious side effects and can interact with certain foods and over-the-counter medications. Psychotherapy is the most common form of treatment and is usually used in combination with antidepressants.

"CBT" or "cognitive behavioral therapy" is the most commonly used form of psychotherapy and teaches the skills required to identify negative or unhealthy thoughts and behaviors and to convert them into healthy or positive thinking. In severe cases of depression, where antidepressants and psychotherapy do not alleviate the symptoms of depression or where there is a high risk of suicide, "ECT" or "electro-seizure therapy" can often be used to relieve symptoms of severe depression.

In some cases, a person may need to be hospitalized to effectively treat their depression. This usually happens in serious situations where the safety of an individual is compromised due to the risk of harming or injuring others. In these cases, the patient is monitored and given medication and psychotherapy until his mood has stabilized.

Depression medication and what pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know

Are you suffering from depression and wondering what the fastest solution is? Maybe you are already considering taking depression medication? Take the time to uncover a dirty little secret that pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know.

How do these antidepressants work to relieve symptoms of depression? Well, in a person suffering from depression due to a chemical imbalance, antidepressants will try to normalize those chemicals.

There is a list of depression medications on the market today, including:

    Abilify (ariprazole)

  1. Adapin (Doxepin)
  2. Anafranil (clomipramine)
  3. Celexa (citalopram)
  4. Cymbalta (duloxetine)
  5. Desyrel (Trazodon)
  6. Effexor XR (Venlafaxine)
  7. Endep (amitriptyline)
  8. Lexapro (escitalopram)
  9. Limbitrol (amitriptyline and chlordiazepoxide)
  10. Marplan (isocarboxazid)
  11. Nardil (phenelzine)
  12. Norpramin (desipramine)
  13. Pamelor (nortriptyline)
  14. Parnat (Tranylcypromine)
  15. Paxil (paroxetine)
  16. Prozac (fluoxetine)
  17. Remeron (Mirtazapine)
  18. Sarafem (fluoxetine)
  19. Symbyax (fluoxetine and olanzapine)
  20. Tofranil (imipramine)
  21. Triavil (perphenazine and amitriptyline)
  22. Vivactil (protriptylin)
  23. Wellbutrin (bupropion)
  24. Zoloft (Sertraline)
  25. Zyban (bupropion)

I had the opportunity to sit down with 25 users of these antidepressants and ask them about their experience with these powerful drugs.

All of them had some form of the following side effects:

  • Palpitation
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Dry mouth, blurred vision
  • Increase in weight
  • Sweat
  • Confusion
  • Nausea
  • Rashes
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Anxiety
  • Difficulty urinating
  • Impotence or altered erection in men
  • Nightmares

This is where it gets interesting and most of these pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know:

Literally 90% of those suffering from depression have recognized their addiction to these powerful drugs and their possible addiction.