Treat Clinical Depression

Major depressive disorder is one of the most severe types of depression — it is a very challenging condition to deal with and can really take its toll on your life. Fortunately, there are many great therapy options that can help to improve your condition and cure the depression, especially when they are combined with antidepressant medications and a number of healthy lifestyle changes. For more information on how to cure major depressive disorder, start with Step 1 below.

Receiving Medical and Psychiatric Treatment

 * 1) See a doctor or psychiatrist. The first step towards curing major depressive disorder is to receive a definite diagnosis. Many people who suffer from depression are reluctant to seek help, but it is important to be aware that depression is a condition that rarely goes away on its own. Therefore, seeking medical and psychiatric attention is the first step on the path to recovery.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 1 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *See your doctor: If you've been experiencing symptoms associated with depression, such as insomnia or oversleeping, trouble with concentrating or remembering things, changes in appetite, weight gain or weight loss, and unexplained physical pain (such as headaches or back pain), it's important to see a doctor in order to rule out any physical conditions that could be causing the symptoms, such as hypothyroidism, hormonal imbalances or taking certain medications. If your doctor determines that there is nothing physically wrong with you, he/she may refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist.
 * 3) *See a psychiatrist: A psychiatrist (or psychologist) will help you to work through the mental symptoms of depression, such as feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, grief, worthlessness and emptiness. Depending on the cause of your depression, your therapist will use different forms of psychotherapy to help you work through your issues, while prescribing antidepressant medications to correct any hormonal imbalances.
 * 4) Undergo cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most commonly used therapies for treating patients with major depressive disorder. It is based on the belief that negative thoughts lead to negative actions, and that these negative thoughts need to be understood and eliminated before the depression can be cured.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 2 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 5) *When you begin CBT, your therapist will ask you questions in order to identify the specific causes of your negative thoughts, actions and emotions. They might ask you to describe a time when you were feeling very low, then work backwards from that time to identify the thoughts or actions that led you to that point.
 * 6) *Once you have identified the causes of your negative emotions, you can work on correcting them. Your therapist will help you to focus on the positives rather than the negatives. For example, rather than thinking "I am worthless and I can't do anything right", you will learn to tell yourself something like have many great qualities such as creativity and compassion. My friends and family love and appreciate those qualities and so should I”.
 * 7) *CBT is a process, it will not cure depression overnight. It requires being open and honest with your therapist, and a genuine commitment to getting better. Combined with antidepressant medications, CBT can be a very effective way of treating and even curing depression.
 * 8) Try interpersonal therapy. Interpersonal therapy is a short-term treatment (12 to 16 weeks) that was designed specifically to combat major depressive disorder. It focuses on understanding and improving your relationships with other people, as problems with interpersonal relationships are one of the major causes of depression.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 3 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 9) *IPT is split into four main areas — complicated grief due to loss, interpersonal disputes, role transitions and interpersonal deficits. Your therapist will help you to work through each of these areas in turn.
 * 10) *Complicated grief due to loss: Although grief is a completely normal reaction to the loss of a loved one (regardless of the specific circumstances), complicated grief occurs when you are unable to move on and neglect all other aspects of your life. IPT will help you to work through the grief and accept the loss.
 * 11) *Interpersonal disputes: An argument or falling out with an important person in your life can lead to depressions. IPT will help you to understand the dispute, see the other person's point of view and allow you to either make amends or accept the new situation.
 * 12) *Role transitions: Depression often comes on abruptly following a period of change or after a major transition in your life, which you have difficulty in getting used to or feel overwhelmed by. This could be caused by something like moving to a new location or becoming a new parent. IPT will help you to accept your new role.
 * 13) *Interpersonal deficits: Interpersonal deficits relate to problematic relationships and methods of interaction that have developed over the course of your life, leading to depression. IPT will help you to change the way you interact with others and see your relationships in a new light.
 * 14) Take antidepressant drugs. In most cases, therapy is not enough to cure major depressive disorder — it needs to be combined with antidepressant medications which address the hormonal imbalances that cause or exacerbate feelings of depression.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 4 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 15) *The type of antidepressant medication you need to take will vary according to your specific case, but some commonly prescribed medications include Zoloft, Prozac, Seroxat and Lexapro. When taken properly, these drugs should improve symptoms of depression within 2 to 3 weeks.
 * 16) *According to data from the magazine European Psychiatry, reports from several European countries suggest that the increase in the prescription of antidepressants is one of the main factors reducing the rate of suicide.

Making Lifestyle Changes

 * 1) Get more exercise. Exercise can be highly effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder (when combined with therapy and medications), as physical activity stimulates the production of neurotransmitters which are responsible for feelings of happiness and pleasure. Exercise has also been proven to stimulate the growth of new brain cells.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 5 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *Find a physical activity that you enjoy doing, as this will make you much more inclined to exercise on a regular basis. This could be running, rowing, rock climbing, dancing or kickboxing — anything that gets your heart rate up!
 * 3) *Aim to exercise for 30 minutes, five times a week. Consistency is important when it comes to exercise, so you're better off exercising for shorter periods more frequently, than exercising in a single large chunk at the weekends.
 * 4) Eat healthily. Many of the symptoms of depression coincide with a lack of certain nutrients, therefore changing your diet and becoming healthier can help you to tackle depression and gain more energy.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 6 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 5) *Eat more B vitamins: People who suffer from depression are likely to suffer from a B vitamin deficiency. Therefore, it's important to increase your intake of B vitamins, including B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folacin) and B12 ( obalamin). The best natural sources of B vitamins are yeast, liver, whole grains, rice, nuts, milk, eggs, meat, fish, fruits and leafy green vegetables.
 * 6) *Increase your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for proper brain function, and have even been shown to encourage the growth of grey matter in the brains of people suffering from depression. You can increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by eating more oily fish like mackerel, tuna, salmon, herring and sardines.
 * 7) Get enough sleep. Getting enough good quality sleep is essential for your overall health — it improves your mood, boosts brain function, gives you more energy and ensures the proper function of your immune system.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 7 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 8) *Aim to get 8 hours sleep per night, and try to follow a consistent schedule, so you are going to bed and waking up at the same time each night.
 * 9) Interact with other people. People who have lots of friends and regularly interact with people are likely to be much happier and to live longer than those who don't. Therefore, when tackling depression, it's important that you make an effort to see your family and friends and generally be as sociable as possible.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 8 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 10) *If you find it difficult to meet new people, consider enrolling in a group, joining a class or volunteering for a charity organization.
 * 11) Experiment with herbal remedies, such as hypericum. Hypericum is an herb which is believed to improve mood by boosting the production of hormones such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, which are responsible for feelings of happiness and pleasure.[[Image:Cure Major Depressive Disorder Step 9 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 12) *Hypericum can be taken in one of two ways, you can drink it as a tea, or buy supplements which contain hypericum extract.
 * 13) *Hypericum produces no adverse side effects, and can be taken in combination with antidepressant medications. However, it is still a good idea to speak to your doctor before starting any new treatment.

Sources and Citations

 * Levin, J., Depression and Mood Disorders.2008
 * Heaton-Harris, N., Understanding Depression. 2008
 * DePaulo, J., Horvitz, L., Understanding Depression. 2002

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