Everyone has heard things about it. People hear about it in advertisements, the news, and entertainment media, and yet not many people seem to have a very good knowledge of the subject. Depression is a horrible disease that can affect anyone, including my own sister Nakita Menke. From the causes to the symptoms to the effective treatments, the aspects of it vary greatly. The one thing that each case has in common is the suffering of the afflicted individual. Depression affects millions of people across the world, and it affects every one of them differently.
Everyone in the world is at risk of becoming depressed. Knowing that, it would be good to understand what can cause it. The nature of clinical depression is believed to be caused by imbalances …show more content…
There are advertisements for antidepressants all over television, and while they have the same purpose, they function differently. One group of antidepressants is what is known as SSRI’s, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. They are designed to stop the brain from reabsorbing the serotonin it produces, thus increasing the overall level of serotonin that is present (Menke). Theoretically, this should alleviate the symptoms of depression, but it may not work for everyone. People whose primary imbalance is not of serotonin may require an antidepressant that focuses on other neurotransmitters, and different groups of antidepressants may affect the neurotransmitters in different ways (Menke). Also, as Nakita points out, antidepressants do not always work, at least not as effectively as they should. She tried various medications for the treatment of her depression before she found the SSRI Lexapro. It improved her overall mood, but she ended up ceasing use of it. Regarding antidepressants, Nakita said, “They really don’t agree with me. The side effects are stronger than any positive effects the drugs provide” (Menke). These side effects include: weight gain, dry mouth, constipation, and low sex drive. She also notes that it is possible to engage in homeopathic self-treatment as she is currently doing. She takes supplements of fish oil, coconut oil, and St. John’s Wort, along with Xanax and Alprazolam in cases of severe anxiety attacks. These supplements keep her depression mostly in check, with the odd bad day, but there is no guarantee on what the results of such treatment will be for others (Menke). There is also the option of therapy to attempt working through the issues that caused the depression in the first place, but many people are apprehensive about therapy because they think others may label them negatively. Despite these options, there is no guarantee that any treatment can
Everyone in the world is at risk of becoming depressed. Knowing that, it would be good to understand what can cause it. The nature of clinical depression is believed to be caused by imbalances …show more content…
There are advertisements for antidepressants all over television, and while they have the same purpose, they function differently. One group of antidepressants is what is known as SSRI’s, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. They are designed to stop the brain from reabsorbing the serotonin it produces, thus increasing the overall level of serotonin that is present (Menke). Theoretically, this should alleviate the symptoms of depression, but it may not work for everyone. People whose primary imbalance is not of serotonin may require an antidepressant that focuses on other neurotransmitters, and different groups of antidepressants may affect the neurotransmitters in different ways (Menke). Also, as Nakita points out, antidepressants do not always work, at least not as effectively as they should. She tried various medications for the treatment of her depression before she found the SSRI Lexapro. It improved her overall mood, but she ended up ceasing use of it. Regarding antidepressants, Nakita said, “They really don’t agree with me. The side effects are stronger than any positive effects the drugs provide” (Menke). These side effects include: weight gain, dry mouth, constipation, and low sex drive. She also notes that it is possible to engage in homeopathic self-treatment as she is currently doing. She takes supplements of fish oil, coconut oil, and St. John’s Wort, along with Xanax and Alprazolam in cases of severe anxiety attacks. These supplements keep her depression mostly in check, with the odd bad day, but there is no guarantee on what the results of such treatment will be for others (Menke). There is also the option of therapy to attempt working through the issues that caused the depression in the first place, but many people are apprehensive about therapy because they think others may label them negatively. Despite these options, there is no guarantee that any treatment can