| Almost everyone gets a little "depressed" at times in | | | | without antidepressant medication. Analytic and other |
| their lives, and a brief attack of the blues isn't | | | | insight-oriented therapies appear useful for some |
| necessarily anything to worry about. But if the | | | | patients, provided specific neurotic conflict patterns can |
| symptoms of depression persist then it could be clinical | | | | be elucidated, the patient meets other criteria for this |
| depression, whether a severe or mild form of | | | | form of treatment, and the clinician is experienced in its |
| depression. Any persistant depressive symptoms need | | | | use. |
| prompt medical investigation by a medical professional. | | | | Psychotic Depression Treatment |
| Depression Depression is one of the most common | | | | Electroconvulsive therapy is exclusively done inside |
| psychiatric disorders. Symptoms of depression are | | | | hospitals, causing most patients to remain as inpatients |
| often subtle and unrecognized both by patients and | | | | while it lasts. It is effective only for the depressed |
| physicians. The brain contains a network of | | | | patients who either are deluded or have marked |
| interconnected nerve cells called neurons. The junction | | | | psychomotor retardation. For the patients it consists of |
| between the neurons is called the synaptic junction. | | | | a general anaesthetic twice a week for two or three |
| The transmission of impulses from one neuron to | | | | weeks and they experience a mild confusion for an |
| another is facilitated by chemicals called | | | | hour or so after each session. |
| neuro-transmitters. | | | | Cyclothymic Disorder Treatment |
| Atypical Depression Treatment | | | | Diagnosis |
| A study by McGrath et al published in the American | | | | This disorder is common in the relatives of patients |
| Journal of Psychiatry in 2000 found that Prozac was | | | | with bipolar disorder and some individuals with |
| no better than the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine | | | | cyclothymia eventually develop bipolar disorder |
| for the treatment of atypical depression, though the | | | | themselves. It may persist throughout adult life, cease |
| side effects were less. A study by Quitkin et al | | | | temporarily or permanently, or develop into more |
| published in 1993 in the British Journal of Psychiatry | | | | severe mood swings meeting the criteria for bipolar |
| found a response rate of 72 percent for patients with | | | | disorder or recurrent depressive disorder in rare cases. |
| atypical depression on the MAOI Nardil compared to | | | | Treatment: |
| 44 percent on imipramine. The American Psychiatric | | | | In some cases individuals may prefer no treatment or |
| Association's 2000 Practice Guidelines for the | | | | supportive psychotherapy alone. Lithium, a mood |
| Treatment of Patients with Major Depression states: | | | | stabilizer used commonly in the treatment of Biplor |
| "MAOIs may be particularly effective in treating | | | | disorder, has been proven to help a substantial number |
| subgroups of patients ... with atypical features." | | | | of people with Cyclothemia. |
| Dysthymia Treatment | | | | A variety of medications are used to treat bipolar |
| Psychosocial Treatment | | | | disorder. But even with optimal medication treatment, |
| "Short-term" focused psychotherapy and therapeutic | | | | many people with the illness have some residual |
| programs that stress changes in interpersonal | | | | symptoms. Certain types of psychotherapy or |
| relationships and cognitive self-awareness are | | | | psychosocial interventions, in combination with |
| becoming more popular, in part because long-term | | | | medication, often can provide additional benefit. These |
| analytic approaches to personality change are | | | | include cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal and |
| economically unfeasible. | | | | social rhythm therapy, family therapy, and |
| Patients who receive psychotherapy of any of | | | | psychoeducation. |
| several types - notably cognitive, | | | | Read about Penis Enlargement Exercises and |
| interpersonally-oriented, or behavior therapy with social | | | | Premature Ejaculation Cure. |
| skills training - tend to have a good prognosis, with or | | | | |