Reasons for Depressions: What Treatment Options Should You Consider
From the quality of sleep to relationships to job responsibilities, there are many aspects of life that get affected by depression. It is not easy to deal with mental illness on your own, therefore, we need the right knowledge and treatment to recover from it.
Causes Of Depression
Many still want to know what causes depression. According to the researchers, there are 4 main factors that lead to an increased risk of depression:
- Biological Differences
Depression often results in physical changes in the brain; however, researchers aren’t sure how significantly depression impacts the brain.
- Brain Chemistry
Naturally occurring brain chemicals Neurotransmitters are more likely to play a role in depression. Neurotransmitters can lead to a decrease in mood stability if they don’t work properly.
- Hormones
Hormone changes occurring due to pregnancy, thyroid problems, menopause, and other conditions can affect a person’s mental health and trigger depression.
- Inherited Traits
Researchers state that depression is more common in people whose relatives also have depression.
- Risk Factors
Some of the major life events or personal beliefs can also trigger depression which are:
· Personality traits like pessimism and low self-esteem.
· Being from the LGBTQ community or transgender in an unsupportive situation.
· Blood relatives with a history of bipolar disorder, depression, alcoholism or suicide.
· Traumatic or stressful events, such as physical or sexual abuse
· The death or loss of a loved one, relationship problems or financial problems.
· Abuse of alcohol or recreational drugs.
· Serious illness like cancer, stroke, chronic pain or heart disease.
Common Treatments
The best way to treat depression is to consult with a doctor. You and your doctor can decide which treatment is best for you. These are some aspects of the treatment plan:
- Medication
SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) is the first type of antidepressant most doctors prescribe. This includes medications like Prozac and Zoloft that may help with depression. Other type of medications include mood stabilizers and antipsychotics.
- Therapy
Psychotherapy treatments include individual talk therapy, family therapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
- Focus On Physical Health
When you are depressed, you don’t feel like doing certain things like cooking, exercising or even getting out of bed. However, taking small steps like going for a walk or meeting a friend for brunch can encourage healthy habits.
- Hospital Treatment
For severe depression, when people feel like you might harm yourself or others, going to the hospital is crucial. There will be several resources available to help you, including various group sessions, relaxation exercises, and self-care activities.
- Brain Stimulation Therapies
When other treatments don’t help, brain stimulation through electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can be effective. It is important to be patient with these treatments as it might take time to find out, what works best for you.