Severe Clinical Depression Treatments Facts

Clinical Depression is a serious illness marked by deep sadness, melancholia, and/or despair that disrupts the daily living of an individual. Severe depression includes Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) and Schizophrenia among other mental illnesses. Both of these can cause serious difficulties with daily living, working, and relationships.

There are many treatment options available for Severe Depression. There are pharmaceutical treatments, medical procedures, medications, and psychotherapy. In the cases of severe Depression, more than one treatment is used at the same time.

Medications are used in treating severe depression. They fall into particular classes
SSRIs - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors treats a deficiency of Serotonin in the brain.

MAOIs - monomine oxidase inhibitors blocks the monomine enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters (Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine).

SNRIs - Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors works on Neuroepinephrine and 5H-T. These are the most common classes of antidepressants.

Electroconvulsive Therapy is also known as Shock Therapy. The patient is given both a general anesthetic and a muscle relaxer. When this procedure is done right a seizure will result - the relaxant is used to prevent this. Electrodes are put on the scalp and very controlled electric pulses are given and this causes brief seizure activity in the brain. The patient’s muscles are relaxed so only mild movement of the hands and feet occur. The patient wakes up a few minutes later and remembers nothing about the procedure or events surrounding it. They may be confused after the treatment. This procedure is usually prescribed to be repeated either in one month or in three months.

Vagal Nerve Stimulation is a procedure wherein a pacemaker type piece of equipment is placed in the chest. A pulse is delivered along the nerve that goes from the neck to the brain that is believed to control depression. Some relief has been noted with this procedure.

Herbal treatments are used for depression at all levels. In supplement form, they can be very beneficial. Specific herbs are blended in a particular formula believed to effect mood. To get the maximum benefit’s the supplement should be of pharmaceutical grade. To be sure that you are getting what the label says you are, the metabolic pathway of each ingredient is studied at the molecular level and the interactions of the ingredients are evaluated.

These are but a few of the available severe Clinical Depression treatments currently being used. Research and new treatments are being discovered all of the time. Newer drugs with lower doses are coming out that will have better tolerance and fewer side effects. Depression is a serious illness but it is not without hope. There are so many resources and support systems that are available now. Consult with your doctor and together you can determine which treatment(s) will meet your needs.

By John Gibb

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