Depression

Depression ranges from mild to severe. Severe depression is debilitating and will destroy lives if it's not treated.

People afflicted with severe depression have a hard time functioning. They may have a hard time just getting out of bed and doing the basics. Some severely depressed people stay in bed for the majority of the 24 hours a day. They have a hard time enjoying anything and are overwhelmed with powerful feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, sadness, guilt, grief, and/or apathy.

Depressed people are often misunderstood. Friends, family, and acquaintances sometimes judge and have a hard time understanding what the depressed person is feeling, thinking, or going through.

Sometimes depressed people don't want to talk about what they are thinking and feeling because they don't want to be a burden to others. They may already be weighed down with grief and guilt and don't want to bring on more grief and guilt by burdening others with their problems.

Frequent Crying
Withdrawal
Sad mood
Sleeping problems-Sleeping too much/insomnia
Eating problems
Irritability
Hopelessness
Worthlessness
Lack of interest in activities
Fatigue
Expressions of suicidal thoughts

SSRIs are a popular antidepressant medication used in the treatment of depression. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. SSRIs are also used for anxiety and some personality disorders.

Some popular SSRI medications are zoloft, prozac, paxil, and lexapro.

Side effects usually occur in the beginning of taking the medication, but wares off with time. Some of the most common side effects are: drowsiness, nausea, headache, and changes in appetite.

SSRI medication is not the least bit addictive. However, suddenly stopping the medicine will result in psychological withdrawal symptoms. Someone who takes SSRIs who is going to stop, should gradually reduce the medicine before stopping to ward off withdrawal symptoms, which can last for weeks or months. Going through withdrawal is very difficult and not something anyone who already suffers from depression needs to go through.

The best treatments to help depression are a combination of therapy and medication. The medication helps to cure the chemical imbalance in the brain while therapy allows a patient to talk to a trained professional and get feedback and advice on their issues.

There are also lifestyle choices that can help with depression. They are:
-A good nights sleep, not too much or too little
-Removal or reduction of negative influences and triggers from your life
-Positive friends
-Hobbies
-Exercise
-A healthy diet

If you know someone who is suffering from depression, the best thing you can do for them is just be a good friend.

When they are feeling low, it's the worst time to abandon them or back off. That will make them feel even more worthless, lonely, and depressed.

There are actually simple things you can do to help someone who is suffering from depression. Here are some things you can do:

*Make phone calls just to chat and ask what's up
*Send encouraging emails every now and then or just emails to chit chat
*Invite them to dinner or lunch
*Listen to them when they need to talk
*Encourage them to go to counseling and try medication

Here are things you should NOT do:
*Don't tell them to "just snap out of it"
*Don't tell them to "stop feeling sorry for yourself and throwing a pity party"
*Don't expect them to magically get better over night. It takes time for depression to be replaced with contentment and happiness.
*Don't just disappear and abandon them. Your support and encouragement may help them get better when they are hopeless.

Depression sucks away your energy like a vacuum. You don't feel like doing anything except hiding from the world. When you feel down and weak, you really don't feel like exercising, but if you are depressed, you should force yourself to exercise. It will make you feel better not to mention the physical benefits.

We all know exercise is good for our health and makes our heart pump, but it's also good for mental well being. Exercise releases endorphins in the brain and endorphins can make you feel happy.

Also, exercise gives you more energy. When depression sucks away your energy, you need to get your energy back and exercise is the way to do this.

Exercise also helps you to work off painful emotions you may keep hidden inside.

Good exercises include walking, jogging, kickboxing, aerobics, swimming, rollerblading, dancing, jumping jacks, bicycling, using exercise equipment, and the modern exercise trends such as those that combine dance and aerobics or hip hop moves and aerobics.