1. Considerations Prior to Treatment
A person needs to establish what level of depression they are suffering or if they are suffering from depression at all. It is perfectly normal to be sad and down after a death in the family or the loss of a job. However, if those feelings linger and affect your everyday life then you may need to seek help. Family mental health history, pregnancy and breast feeding and overall physical health are other factors that can help determine the best form of treatment for depression.
2. Talk Therapy
Sometimes talking about your feelings with a therapist and can be an effective tool on its own or in conjunction with other treatment options. Talk therapy alone can help with mild and moderate depression is some cases. The key in talk therapy is finding the right professional to assist you. This may entail going to multiple therapists. Do not just assume any therapist will do, because each therapist has his own methods and style, and some may not be right for you.
3. Medication
While medications are an effective tool, one must realize that any medication carries the risk of side effects. Some medications can actually make you more depressed and exacerbate mood swings. This is especially true in teenagers and young adults whose bodies are producing a large amount of chemicals naturally. A person may need to try several medications or combinations before finding something that works effectively.
4. Exercise
People have always known about the physical benefits of exercise, but now a large volume of research is showing that exercise is effective in treating mild and moderate depression. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercising 30 minutes a day for three to five days can improve depression symptoms significantly. Research has shown that even a short duration, as little as 20 minutes, of physical activity can help a mild to moderately depressed person.
5. ECT
The use of electro-convulsive therapy has increased in the treatment of severe depression recently. ECT was once an extremely controversial treatment and would illicit horrible images of pain. The therapy has changed dramatically for the better since then but is still one option that a person should not enter into lightly. The success rate for ECT is the highest of any form of depression therapy but as with any treatment there are side effects such as memory loss, heart problems, and even a very small risk of death. ECT should be one of the last options to consider in the treatment of depression.
