There was a time when depression was referred to as melancholia, a disease middle-aged women suffer as a result of feeling a sense of unrequited love and neediness for attention. This is not surprising, as these women are more prone to the condition for a variety of reasons. Sigmund Freud gave his melancholia patients cocaine. This worked until the cocaine wore off after a few hours. Further treatments dealt with tolerance issues. Shock treatments were often used to treat the condition, with few positive results and many painful results. And, psychotherapy proved to be of almost no use to depressed patients. So until recently, there was little or no hope provided for those suffering from depression.

How To Deal With Depression: Medications

Over time medications were tested to deal with what came to be recognized as depression. The first of these medications were Elavil and Pamelor, members of the tri-cyclic drug family. As science discovered that there were chemical imbalances correlated with depression, medications were constructed to treat these imbalances without all of the side effects of trycyclic drugs. The chemicals most notably out of balance were norepinephrine and serotonin. To resolve this, Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) were introduced with unprecedented success.

How To Deal With Depression: Electroshock Treatments

Shock therapy came back into popularity over time as it was realized that SSRIs only worked for mild to moderate depression. However, to be more humane, general anesthesia was applied to the patient before shocking the patient. Less seizures happen when shock therapy done under general anesthesia. However, memory loss and other mental side-effects still occur.

How To Deal With Depression: Long Term Solutions

Things have changed greatly in how we are dealing with depression, as a result of corresponding changes in medical science. We now know a lot about the causes of depression. Your doctor should work with you to help you get the best possible treatments and medications for your depression. When appropriate, your doctor should also help you get back off of the medications. You should not change your medication usage without consulting your doctor.

The good news is that many people who have depression at one point in life may never have depression again. Unfortunately for older women, late-life-onset depression is likely to return again if they have had it two or more times since entering menopause. The good news for these women is that medical science is continually providing us with better treatments for dealing with depression.

How To Deal With Depression Tip #1

Fish oil supplements. These can be an effective anti-depressant. Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids that have been found to suppress feelings of depression. Omega-3 fatty acids can help the brain replenish its supply of DHA fatty acids, which are needed to keep the brain healthy.

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How To Deal With Depression Tip #2

B vitamins and folic acid. According to research, the B vitamins are another natural cure for depression. Research has discovered folic acid deficiencies in adults who have depression. Low folic acid levels can cause one to experience bouts of depression. Additionally, low folic acid levels can slow your body’s response to depression medications.

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How To Deal With Depression Tip #3

Exercise. A good workout can help alleviate depression. Exercise acts as a mood enhancer. Exercise can enhance the effects of depression medications by helping the body absorb medications better. And exercise encourages the production of endorphins, the “happy mood” chemical.