Chronic depression is one of the most common health problems worldwide. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that nearly 16 percent of people in the United States experience depression at some time in their life. Chronic depression is more than a bad day, bursting into tears or just feeling sad. Though it's normal to feel depressed or sad every now and then, it's not normal to feel that way all the time or for an extended period of time. Chronic depression is a disease that requires treatment, or your mental and physical health can suffer. Antidepressants are medications commonly prescribed to treat chronic depression, but they aren't the only way to manage symptoms of depression. There are alternative methods to help you beat the blues and feel yourself again.
Brain Stimulation Procedures
For people who don't want to take antidepressants or who can't find relief of depression symptoms just from medications, there are treatment methods that involve stimulating the brain, called neurotherapeutic treatments.
Deep brain stimulation is still extremely experimental, says the Mayo Clinic, and uses electrodes that are surgically inserted inside the brain and stimulate brain activity. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) requires a small generator to be implanted into the brain that emits pulses to manage moods. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is another experimental treatment for chronic depression that involves placing an electromagnetic coil by the forehead. The coil uses magnetic fields and emits an electrical current into the brain, says the Mayo Clinic.
Lifestyle Changes
There are many healthy changes you can make to help manage your moods and beat chronic depression. Getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of good quality sleep will all help effectively manage chronic depression, says Rotary International. It's also important to find a good support system of friends and family, or even join a support group. Managing stress will also improve your emotional health and help to manage chronic depression.
Counseling and Therapy
Getting counseling for depression plays a major role in treatment, and is often recommended in addition to medications. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, teaches people with chronic depression to understand what causes the disease. Psychotherapy also teaches you how to spot unhealthy thinking and unhealthy behaviors, says the Mayo Clinic, and how to make appropriate, healthy changes. By changing the way you think and the way you behave, you can help to alleviate the symptoms of chronic depression.
