Major depressive disorder is one of the serious health concerns though it is treatable. Depending with the severity of the symptoms, primary care doctor can recommend different treatment methods.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a common type of talk therapy. The theory is considered effective if major depressive disorder shows mild to moderate. Depending with the skills if therapist you have it can even treat severe symptoms of major depression theory. Notably, the therapy is considered effective when combined with other medications. To apply cognitive therapy in treatment of MDD, the therapist will help patient by replacing the negative thoughts such as suicidal with better thoughts. Besides, hopelessness will be replaced by hopefulness and restore your worth. It will be the responsibility of the therapist to identify the negative thoughts and let individuals understand that they possess the ideas. It is followed by teaching the individual how to swap the negative thoughts with good ones. The moment the patient is able to replace the negative thoughts, it will mold behavior thus easing the symptoms of major depression disorder. Different studies have proven cognitive behavioral theory to be one of the most effective forms of theory. There are less chances of reoccurrence of symptoms depression if the right steps are followed. Similarly, behavioral therapy also uses the same approach of eliminating the maladaptive behaviors and reinforce good behaviors. The theory uses a principle that since the old learning led to bad behavior then the new one can fix it. The therapist can use the theory on individuals who have developed depression by eliminating their evil thoughts and reinforce new ones. Eliminating and replacing thoughts changes behavior which in turn lessens symptoms of depression. The therapy that can be applied to treat depression is psychotherapy. It is a form of talk therapy that is effective in treating mental and behavioral disorder. Psychotherapy is important in helping the person to find better ways of dealing with the daily stressors. The therapy works by helping individuals develop a new mindset and perspective on dealing with problems or the daily stressors that might be initiating depression. The good thing with psychotherapy is that it teaches people to learn how they can share their situations with others as well as making it easier to stick to treatment. It is considered the most effective therapy that counselors use in treating depression. Additionally, it can be more efficient when combined with medication. That said, the therapy treats patients to learn how to deal with the negative effects of medication. Furthermore, electroconvulsive therapy has also been found to be effective by researchers in treating major depression with a success rate of 80-85%. It involves a procedure that is done under general anesthesia in which small electric currents are passed through the brain which intentionally triggering a brief seizure. The researchers believe that the theory changes brain chemistry which in turn reverse the symptoms of depression. In most cases, the therapy is used when medications don’t work and must be approved by the doctor.
Major depression can also be treated using medication. Not all depressants are approved to be used in treating MDD. SSRI are some of the best antidepressants that individuals are encouraged to use. That said, they are safer and cause less bothersome side effects as opposed to other antidepressants. It is a collective term used to mean Citalopram, fluoxetine, escitalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, and vilazodone. The medication works by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain. These are neurotransmitters that carry signals from nerves to brain. Additionally, the medication will work by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin in the neurons. As a result, there will be more serotonin available in the brain thus improving the transmission of messages between neurons. Specifically, it improves mood and eliminate anxiety thus changing behaviors. Notably, it is advisable that stopping to use SSRIs, abruptly without the directions of a doctor can lead to relapse or initiation of symptoms of major depression.
Anxiolytic also helps in treating MDD by relieving anxiety and tension and promoting sleep or relaxation. The medication operates like SSRIs by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain and promoting communication between neurons. The drug is best for treating anxiety disorders being one of the initiators of major depression. There are also other antidepressants that can be used to treat major depression. Notably, most of the anti-depressants have been proven to be effective in treating chronic, severe and moderate depression though they don’t work for mild depression. As it stands, SSRIs and SNRIs are confirmed antidepressants to be effective in treating major depression.
Despite the many methods of treating major depression from medication to therapies, the process or procedure will not be effective if professionals are not involved. Major depression should be treated by certified clinical psychologists who is responsible for administering talk therapies. Undeniably, therapies only work when the right expert who understands mental disorders, major depression, the course, treatment and more. A psychiatrist will also be important in treating mental disorders by the use of medication. Administering or recommending wrong antidepressant can fuel symptoms of major depression. Additionally, primary care specialists will be important diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases. Indeed, symptoms of MDD can also be caused by medical conditions. Being that individuals who have developed MDD can experience different mental problems, emergency medicine will be required to handle such cases.
Medication and therapy are both effective in treating major depression when used independently. Different studies have proven that combining medication and therapy is more effective in treating major depression disorder. That said, there are low chances of reoccurrence of symptoms of depression. Besides, methods such as ECT should be administered under the direction of a doctor and only if the other methods have failed. Most importantly, the side effects of the medication should be considered before administration.
Familial Pattern
According to psychologists and scientists, major depression disorder can be genetical. That said, it can occur as a result of the family member that ones experienced it. Reports indicates that 47wQbNPTDJp9hMYdvogK2hAUiHsGeiybwaWe36bwtRQ3UTpYV7YuZ8FV5j9nauFCWwcjM6dTzpL5s2N79Rp5unwdMvc8ZKU also proven that there is progression of patterns of major depression in adolescents as they grow to adulthood. Different studies have proven that adolescents who experienced major depression are likely to experience episodes of depression when they grow into adult. In other studies, children who experienced major depression are less likely to experience such episodes when they become adults. What is clear is that there is a family transmission in adolescents who experienced major depression. Such episodes will be running in the family line when children approach puberty.
The research that was conducted on family pattern on family environment and major depression, indicated that families with children with children who have developed major depression, shows less cohesion and sadness than control family that had a healthy and normal child. It is an indication of poor communication and lack of involvement in such families. Notably, the depressed family displayed high level of conflict which shows that they display their anger towards other family members more openly and in a conflict way. Besides, major depression families also tend to lean towards lower moral-religious orientation. Understanding the pattern indicates that depressed families are likely to stay more depressed. The study can be important in identifying the patterns in families that shows symptoms of major depression. It is a clear indication that such families can worsen the condition of an individual experiencing major depression.
Prevalence
Major depression disorder is estimated to affect 6.7% of U.S population over the age of eighteen years and 12.8 percent of adolescents reported at least one episode of major depression as per the 2016 data. 6.7% translated to 16.2 million Americans experiencing major depression. The reports by the National Institute of Mental Health also indicate that between 20-25% of adults might suffer major depression at one time in their lives. The major depression disorder is not a condition for adults but affects the children, teens, and adults. Besides, major depression starts at puberty and it is more prevalent in twenties