Depression affects 18% of the United States population, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). However, only about one-third of people with depression undergo treatment. Oftentimes, people do not seek help for their ailment, not because they do not want to get better, but rather because of fear due to lack of information about what the treatment may entail. According to the World Health Organization, depression is a disorder characterized by symptoms of hopelessness, loneliness, thoughts of suicide, irritability, and not finding joy in things that were once enjoyable. Depression is a complex illness; therefore, depressed people can have different combinations of symptoms. ADAA suggests people with depression seek help from a medical professional so that proper medication or psychotherapy can be prescribed.
Man being given antidepressants.
Image source: Steve Debenport
The ADAA states that depression medication usually serves to balance the person’s hormone levels. The medications most commonly used to treat depression are serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, drugs that work to block reabsorption of systemic hormones. When hormones cannot be reabsorbed, the overall hormone concentration available to the body increases over time. In the long term, these medicines can help bring a person out of depression and are recommended for up to six months after the individual comes out of the depressed state of mind. Along with medication, it is important that patients also incorporate psychotherapy into their treatment.
Psychotherapy can be very helpful in preventing relapse in people recovering from depression after finishing treatment. It works to treat mental illness by having the individual converse with another person; for depressed patients, it is recommended that the other person be a psychiatrist. According to Mayo Clinic, during psychotherapy treatment, an individual learns about his or her emotions, what things trigger certain depressive moods, and how to take control of those feelings and allocate them in a healthier manner.
Depression can be a treatable illness, but when left untreated, it can lead to catastrophic results. If you or someone you know suffers from a form of depression, get help. Learn more about receiving help for depression on the Anxiety and Depression Association of America website.
