Depression or Bad Mood?
Almost every third adult suffers from depression. Depression impairs quality of life, has a negative impact on relationship with the loved ones and colleagues, reduces the effectiveness of the human at work.
It should be noted that earlier a doctor-psychotherapist was visited primarily by intellectual people, the economic elite of the society, as they understood the importance of a full active life. In recent years the number of people of all strata of the population who prefer to use a professional psychotherapeutic help has increased.
Depression or bad mood?
Any depression consists of three components – a mood disorder, vegetative disorders and fatigue.
- The first component of depression is related to mood disorders – sad depressed mood lasts more than two weeks. In a state of depression there is a dim perception of the world, everything seems gray and uninteresting. Mood may change several times during the day – morning mood can be good, but it’s worse in the evening. Or you have bad mood in the morning, and your spirits somehow rise in the evening. Some people may not have daily mood changes – it is always sad, depressed and tearful. Sometimes a person may not be aware of his sad mood, but feel the so-called bodily signs of depression. If depression there is a feeling of intense heat in the chest, “heavy stone load in the heart.” In some rare cases depression manifests as a chronic pain sensation in any part of the body, while other doctors find no organic cause for the pain;
- The second component of depression includes vegetative disorders. If the cardiologist excluded relevant organic disease, such symptoms as frequent urination, false desires, headaches, vertigo, fluctuations in blood pressure and high temperature may be treated as additional vegetative symptoms of depression. The gastrointestinal tract is affected by a depression in the following way: loss of appetite, constipation for 4-5 days. Sometimes people have increased appetite, diarrhea or false desires. Depression does not spare also the genital system. Men may experience erectile dysfunction. In a result of developing depression men and in women’s sensations in the sexual sphere are getting dulled. In rare cases depression may cause a compulsive masturbation, or as an escape to many promiscuous;
- The third component of a depression is asthenic. It includes fatigue, sensitivity to weather changes, irritability. Irritation is provoked by loud noises, bright lights and sudden touch of strangers (for example, when a person inadvertently pushed in the subway or on the street). Sometimes, after the outbreak of internal irritation tears appear.
In case of depression there are a variety of sleep disorders:
- Difficulty with falling asleep;
- restless sleep with frequent awakenings;
- early awakening with simultaneous desire and inability to sleep.
Depression has its own laws of development. There are signs that indicate the severity of depression. A sign of a significant increase in depression are thinking about the meaninglessness of life and even suicide. Thus, a general unwillingness to live, thinking about life purposelessness, as well as distinct suicidal thoughts, plans, or intentions appear consecutively in severe depression. The appearance of these symptoms in you or your loved ones is an indication for urgent visit to a psychotherapist. In this state, it is important to begin treatment of depression in an adequate dose as soon as possible.
Depending on the shade of depressed mood psychotherapist assigns different generic antidepressants. There are antidepressants that treat depression with anxiety shade. There are drugs to treat depression with a shade of apathy, indifference, etc. When the drug and the dosage of medication are selected correctly, the depression begins to regress in three or four weeks – suicidal thoughts and anxiety disappear, a person obtains a desire to be active, his mood stabilizes.
Generic antidepressants (Zoloft, Prozac) take effect at the end of the second or third week. Feeling relief, most people cease antidepressants taking and, as a result, depression returnes after a few weeks. It is very important to maintain a full course of depression treatment, prescribed by a doctor-psychotherapist to fully cure this condition.
Depression treatment with antidepressants is defined by a psychotherapist individually in each case. But as a rule, the course of treatment with antidepressants lasts from 4 months to a year, sometimes longer. Sometimes psychotherapist may prescribe a course of maintenance treatment to secure the effect of the treatment of depression after the main course of treatment. If a person postpone the treatment for two or three years, or even eight – ten years, the course of treatment significantly increases and can reach one year and a half of maintenance therapy.
Depression in psychotherapy should be treated as a high temperature in the practice of common diseases. High temperature is not a diagnosis, it indicates the body troubles. When a person has a fever, he refers to the doctor and the specialist understands – it is the flu, the appendicitis or something else. Depression suggests that something is wrong with the soul of man, and he needs a psychological help. Psychotherapist assigns “antipyretic” – an antidepressant, and then helps a person deal with the problem, which was the cause of depression with the help of psychotherapy.
Antidepressants for depression treatment
Antidepressants are taken to treat depression, anxiety disorders and some other diseases.
- Antidepressants may help alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms;
- antidepressants can be taken by lots of people with panic disorder and anxiety.
- In many cases, these drugs should be taken one or two times a day. Perhaps you will need to take them for a few weeks before the condition begins to improve. Do not change the dose (take no less and no more) or the regime and do not stop taking medication without consulting your doctor;
- Many antidepressants need a long time to improve the person’s condition – up to 8 months;
- It is very important to complete the treatment (even if you feel better before the expiration of the treatment term);
- Your doctor will help you choose the most appropriate generic antidepressant medication for you, and the dose. For best results of treatment, you should carefully follow all instructions of your doctor.
- Many antidepressants can have a calming effect, so that you may feel sleepy or a less vigor. Therefore, you should know how you react to this medicine before you drive a car or operate machinery;
- These drugs can increase the effects of alcohol or other central nervous system depressants, so it’s not advised to combine antidepressants and alcohol;
- If you are pregnant, intend to become pregnant or breast-feeding, tell your doctor before taking the medicine;
- Tell your doctor about your allergies to any medications, and what non-prescribed medications you are already taking;
- Tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, urinary retention or a heart disease.
Possible antidepressants side effects
Many patients have side effects while taking antidepressants. These cases usually occur at the start of treatment and often disappear within several weeks. The most common side effects include:
- dry mouth;
- urinary retention;
These phenomena indicate that the drug is active. Tell your doctor if you have any of the above violations. To reduce them, your dosage may be changed or you may be prescribed another antidepressant. Immediately contact your doctor if you have any strongly expressed or unusual symptoms. Despite the side effects, it’s worth while receiving medication in order to get a relief of depression.
Generic Antidepressants types
- Tricyclic antidepressants;
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors;
- Selective serotonin absorption inhibitors.
This group includes Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Sertraline (Zoloft). Compare generic Prozac and Zoloft.
Generic Prozac was the first drug that won the universal recognition – since 1980 it has become the most popular antidepressant in the world. It is easy to use (usually, only one tablet per day) and does not lead to an overdose.
As well as the above-mentioned groups of generic antidepressants, the positive effect occurs within a few weeks after the start of the treatment. Although there are a minimal possibility of the side effects, there may be come in rare cases: anxiety, agitation, insomnia, headaches, nausea, and diarrhea. Unlike other groups of antidepressants, which can cause weight gain, this group usually causes weight loss.
These drugs also help to cope with other unpleasant symptoms ranging from overeating and ending compulsions. They are not recommended for people with bipolar depression – they can cause mania, also they are not advised to people with a diseased liver.
Now you know all the necessary information concerning generic antidepressants and can choose the best treatment for depression. Remember – you should choose the medication only after the consultation with the doctor. Find the right one for you – and enjoy your life!