The Causes And Treatment Of Depression

If you, or one of your close friends or family is finding getting out of bed in the morning a problem or is suffering from disturbed sleep patterns that are preventing you from getting much needed rest then there is a chance that the cause is depression.

In past years depression was sidelined as just another emotional state that could be dealt with by a positive mental attitude and simply keeping busy s that the sufferer did not dwell on his or her problem.

There are other symptoms which may indicate that the individual is suffering from depression. Some of these include physical aches and pains, including headaches, as well as an inability to concentrate on a task for any length of time. Symptoms can also include an avoidance of social interaction and a fear of leaving nurturing and protective environments such as the home.

Even famous historical figures such as Winston Churchill suffered from occasional bouts of depression. He called these periods "the black dog" that followed him on his worst days.

Unfortunately Churchill also attempted to self medicate his depression, which is a fairly common approach. His solution was fairly generous portions of alcohol. However, other sufferers may take advantage of the easy access to prescription medication in order to deal with their depression.

Depression affects not only the sufferer but also those around him or her. Those suffering from depression may place family members under immense psychological pressure. They can exhibit unpredictable behavior and also require constant reassurance and care. The strains that this places on the relationships can be enormous. Many marriages are irrevocably damaged by one of the partners suffering form the effects of depression.

Depression is becoming increasingly common in many countries of the world, especially those where a consumer culture has replaced traditional family values. In situations where a partner is facing the strain of unemployment, or financial stresses are mounting it is common for depression to strike. This situation is made even worse by the fact that many sufferers do not have the support of an extended family unit. In those countries where traditional family relationships are maintained there is a far lower incidence of depression.

Fortunately depression many cases of depression are treatable. There are a variety of different treatments ranging from those that do not involve medication to those that will require the sufferer to undergo a psychiatric evaluation prior to being prescribed medication.

Many treatment avoid the use of anti depressants due to the fact that many of these drugs require careful supervision and a commitment to a strict schedule which governs when the drugs should be self administered. Studies have shown that people suffering from depression have great difficulty in maintaining this schedule.

In cases where the depression can be addressed prior to great behavioral change other treatments are available that avoid the potential pitfalls of prescription drugs.

These treatments can include group therapy and psychological treatment that attempts to assist the sufferer in identifying and dealing with the roots of the depression.