Is Depression A Serious And Potentially Deadly Illness?

Cymbalta (Duloxetine) is a Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) use to treat depression (Breggin, 2013). There are several therapeutic and biological alternatives being implemented to control hopelessness. Many researcher are recommending other types of treatments before psychotropic therapy is implemented (O 'Mathuna & Larimore, 2010). Some of the therapeutic alternatives are Reflexology, Craniosacral Therapy (CST), Acupuncture, Exercise, Meditation and Direct Amino Acid Therapy Maintenance (Keegan, 2001). St John’s Wort, Passionflower, Valerian and Omega 3 fatty acids are a few of the biological options available to combat depression (Keegan, 2001). The dietary supplements tryptophan and

Thus far, I have learned about the pros and cons to using medication in treatment with clients. In addition, I have seen first hand the benefits of implementing medications in client’s treatment plan. From my understanding, Depression is one of the most prevalent illnesses in the world. Because of this fact it is important that we understand and explore all the implications surrounding the use and efficacy for treatment. In order to treat our clients with the best care possible, we as therapist should be educated on the types of medications for depression, the impact they have on the body, and their efficacy of improving symptoms and overall functioning. In this paper I will explore three articles about antidepressants and their efficacy for treating clients with depression. In addition, I will provide my overall reaction to the studies and the material provided for the efficacy of antidepressants for treating depression.

According to the DBSA in the US alone depression affects 6.7% of adults. This is approximately 14.8 million people who are diagnosed yearly. Depression puts you at a risk four times higher than that of a non depressed person for a heart attack. The majority of depressed peoples are women. In the medical world there are many techniques to combat depression. There are many forms of prescription antidepressants including; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Thanks to Ed Likovich, Kasey Russell, Richard Schwartz, Jacqueline Olds and Tom Hayes there is another form of prescribed antidepressant that we now know as Sunsprite.

Antidepressants have been widely used and accepted to treat depression and its related disorders. Sadly, many people commit suicide in America because they are depressed and it is one of the leading causes of death taking over 41,000 lives each year (United States). This is astonishing considering that one in ten Americans is currently taking an antidepressant that is supposed to reduce suicidal thoughts and actions (Rabin). Most doctors and psychiatrists swear by antidepressants claiming that the benefits and effectiveness of them outweigh the risks and side effects, but researchers have started to uncover that this medication may not deliver as promised (Satel). New research has discovered that, “whilst antidepressants offer benefits in both

be medically defined as a chemical imbalance in your brain, but personally I believe it’s much

When antidepressant medication is advertised, benefits and negative side effects are provided, but what is not informed to the consumer is how it actually works. The truth behind antidepressant pills is that they don’t kick in right away and may take four to six weeks before they reach their full therapeutic effect. Many also find that it takes several trials before finding the one that works (Smith). This process can be long, strenuous, and costly. Additionally, a large portion of those who try pills in the end find that they are treatment-resistant to the medication, meaning all their efforts were a waste. There exists another form of resistance as well considered “depressive breakthrough” which is defined as the return of depressive symptoms

For as long as antidepressants have been curbing symptoms of mental health disorders, they have also brought their users adverse effects. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, the first generation of antidepressant medications, were the primary antidepressant utilized between the 1950s and 1970s (Goldberg). Significant side effects of MAOIs include dizziness, high blood pressure, loss of sexual desire and weight gain (Goldberg). Most critically, MAOIs interacted with many other medications (Goldberg). These downsides led to the development of antidepressants with fewer interactions. The result was selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors—the most commonly prescribed antidepressants today (Fink). In a sample survey, 55 percent of individuals reported at least one adverse side effect within the first three months of taking a SSRI (Hirsch). The most common side effects include sexual dysfunction, insomnia, drowsiness, weight gain, dizziness, headache and anxiety (Hirsch). While SSRIs have been shown to reduce risk of suicide

Impaired serotonin function has clearly demonstrated to be linked to clinical depression, because low levels of serotonin may negatively affect mechanisms involved in maintaining recovery from depression. However, there is evidence the serotonin pathways may not directly influence mood but may be important mechanisms in depression due to an indirect consequence of shifts in autonomic emotional responses, i.e., the impaired function may simply cause emotional responses to become unstable contributing to depression. Therefore, Prozac, which acts as an inhibitor of the mechanism that reduces serotonin, can help to reduce this emotional imbalance. However, serotonin alone is often not sufficient in treating depression, as there are many mechanisms involved that are associated with depression.

Experimental conclusions do little to clarify. One study, quoted by scientist Amitara Dasgupta, demonstrated that St. John’s Wort worked better than a placebo in treating depression with response rates as high as 1.97 in nine small trials and 1.28 in nine large trials. Furthermore, when compared against prescription SSRI’s, St. John’s Wort treated depression as effectively with response rates as high as 1.02 in five trials and 1.00 in another 12 trials (Dasgupta). Another study, conducted by the United States National Institutes of Health, found the patient’s response to St. John’s Wort no more effective than the placebo. Surprisingly, in this same experiment, the prescription antidepressants used as a control also failed to display a statistically significant benefit in treating depression (Enna and Norton). This particular study took place in 1993, but even today scientists are unable to determine the efficacy of St. John’s Wort as a treatment of depression. Instead, results vary so widely that they are inconclusive.

three groups.Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medicines block the monoamine oxidase enzyme (MAO) from destroying monoamine neurotransmitters, which allows them to accumulate, alleviating depression. Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications block the serotonin reuptake pump, allowing the serotonin neurotransmitter to remain and accumulate in the receptor for longer. Speaking of serotonin specifically, depression has been related to a deficiency of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) neurotransmitter as evidenced by the concentrations of the

Most common groups of drugs are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) which increases the level of serotonin (NHS, 2014). Bernstein et al (1994) conducted a study and found out that antidepressant drugs are an effective way to treat depression in the short run, significantly helping 60-80% of people. Cuijpers et al (2011) also supported Bernstein et al (1994) study found out that medication was more effective in psychotherapy in improving symptoms (Cuijpers, et al., 2011). However (Blumenthal, et al., 1999) found that exercising was just as effective as SSRIs in treating depression in an elderly group of patients. In another study conducted by Leuchter and Witte (2002) found that depressive patients receiving drug treatments improved just as well as patients receiving a placebo. The findings suggest that effective placebo treatment induces changes in the brain function that are different from those associated with antidepressants medication, however both treatments are effective, indicating that there are other ways to improve from depression other than antidepressants, which may have side effects (Leuchter, et al., 2002). Generally antidepressants drugs are an effective way to treat depression, but only in the short term. Medication will not cure depression or possible side effects, caused by taking drugs, such as sexual problems, insomnia, and dry mouth (MayoClinic,

17.5 million Americans are diagnosed with clinical depression every year. It 's not "just the blues" or some "made-up disease" that many people can just get rid of. It affects your moods, thoughts, body, and behavior. Researchers believe depression is caused by the two naturally occurring chemical imbalance of serotonin and norepinephrine. These chemicals are located in the brain and body. Serotonin and norepinephrine are thought to be associated with mood. There are four types of depression. Those are mild depression, major depression, situational depression, and seasonal affective depression also known as the "winter blues." It is thought that by the year 2020 depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease, and studies show that it is a contributing factor to coronary disease. People who have depression experience some of these signs: sadness all day and feeling that way every day; Loss of interests or enjoyment in your favorite activities; Feeling emptiness or hopelessness; Fatigue; Sleeping to much; Change in appetite. Many doctors today are prescribing thousands of prescriptions in the battle to fight depression. I believe they need to look at other alternatives to fighting depression first before they so easily reach for that pen and prescription pad. Some of the drugs used to treat depression are Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and Cymbalta. Many of these drugs have serious side effects and have been linked to suicide, violence, psychosis, abnormal

Depression is the fourth leading cause of disease burden worldwide and is expected to show a rising trend over the next 20 years. Depression is associated with a marked personal, social and economic morbidity, loss of functioning and productivity, and creates significant demands on service providers in terms of workload. Although pharmacological and psychological interventions are both effective for major depression, antidepressant drugs remain the mainstay of treatment. During the last 20 years, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have progressively become the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. Sertraline, one of the first SSRIs introduced in the market, is a potent and specific inhibitor of serotonin uptake into the presynaptic

The linkage of serotonin to depression has been known for the past five years. From numerous studies, the most concrete evidence of this connection is the decreased concentration of serotonin metabolites like 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindole acetic acid) in the cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissues of depressed people. If depression, as suggested, is a result of decreased levels of serotonin in the brain, pharmaceutical agents that can reverse this effect should be helpful in treating depressed patients. Therefore, the primary targets of various antidepressant medications are serotonin transports of the brain. Since serotonin is activated when released by neurons into the synapse, antidepressants function at the synapse to enhance serotonin activity. Normally, serotonin's actions in the synapse are terminated by its being taken back into the neuron then releases it at which point "it is either recycled for reuse as a transmitter or broken down into its metabolic by products and transported out of the brain." As a result, antidepressants work to increase serotonin levels at the synapse by blocking serotonin reuptake (2).

Approximately 20.9 million adults in the United States are currently coping with depression or a mood or anxiety disorder, and this number is seemingly on the rise (Mental Disorders In America). It is becoming more and more likely for people in the United States to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety. However, this number only accounts for the number of individuals who choose to seek professional help or medical treatment, because many people are not even aware that they could be depressed. Most of the patients that are being treated are using a variety of different techniques and medicines to enhance their mood. Some of the most popular antidepressant medications that doctors are currently prescribing are