More than eleven million people in the United States suffer from depression each year. This medical condition that affects the mind can have lasting effects such as a feeling of hopelessness, lack of ambition and an inability to focus. Depression can affect all age groups and genders, but is more prevalent in women. Consulting a mental help professional such as a psychiatrist is beneficial to obtain proper diagnosis and treatment. This condition can adversely affect school, home life and employment.
Most treatments will involve a combination of drug therapy and natural remedies for a fully balanced physical and emotional state. Medications will likely involve some form of antidepressant drug. The most commonly used types are: tricyclic, Monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. SSRIs have become the most popular form for treating depression because of the lower risk of side effects. These drugs include names such as Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.
Therapy is often prescribed with drug treatments to help a person come to terms with issues, symptoms and techniques for dealing with depression. These can be group or...