Depression (was mortgage rates (was momentarily verbal)) ?

Q.If you're starting a new thread on depression, then I'm going to join in. I don't know what Stephan means by "everything you have been told about the condition", but I do know that there is no single description of depression. If there were, there would, more than likely, be a single cure, and there is none that I know of.

A.Depression appears to be more of a symptom than a simple illness with a simple cause. Even when patients have very similar symptoms they may respond very differently to medication. This is why the old tricyclic antidepressants are still prescribed, for some people they are the best option available. Those two aren't mutually exclusive. Topical depression may respond to the same medication as clinical depression. Clinical depression may respond to the same 'talking therapy' as topical depression. Manic depression is a completely different kettle of worms that may or may not respond in the same way to clinical depression, and also has its own preferred medications, which sometimes work on other forms of depression. One thing that I found annoying was a recent letter I saw in a nespaper lettere column this week. A women who, for obvious reasons, had suffered topical depression wrote in response to a letter from someone who had clinical depression. Her letter could be paraphrased as "I had real depression, yours isn't real because you haven't been through what I went through, pull yourself together." I have great compassion for anyone suffering depression (or suffering in any way for that matter). I understand that depression is not easily dealt with; like many other conditions, including various forms of addiction, it can be baffling and may take some time to treat. I don't believe there are any cases that cannot be cured or at least greatly alleviated. However -- and this is a big however -- it may actually depend on an ability to be open to a new kind of experience rather than clinging to an existing paradigm. The old paradigm may involve unhelpful beliefs, including the belief that the condition's characteristics make a cure or alleviation so difficult that it is not really rational to expect improvement. Such beliefs are indeed likely to be inimical to improvement; they are self-fulfilling prophecies in effect. I have a close friend who is a sufferer and who is finding some relief through the same method I found helpful in dealing with both my addictions and my anxiety. It is taking some time; it isn't happening overnight and there seems to be be still some way to go; nevertheless the darkness is being slowly dispelled.

Other Questions :

Vicodin Treatment For Depression?

When Opioid Treatment for Depression & Pain Was Still Accepted Most people who have been diagnosed with chronic depression and anxiety have probably been prescribed modern anti-depression and anxiety medications such as Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, ...

pospartum depression--Prozac--and breastfeeding

Question for all of you moms who had or have postpartum depression--I had a beatiful baby boy four weeks ago and I'm having a hard time dealing with lack of sleep, caring for the baby, and dealing with my parents who are visiting to help take c...

clinical depression ?

I've been diagnosed with clinical depression. 3 weeks ago I was put on sertaline and there was improvment until today when I feel as black as the ace of spades. Can anybody tell me much about clinical depression - medication generally and how...

Depression symptoms continue for many despite use of antidepressants ?

"The field is moving from just thinking about symptoms and whether your sleep has improved or whether your anxiety symptoms are a little less to actually asking the question: 'How are you doing in your everyday life? How are you managing in the...

Depression Clinical Trials ?

A new clinical trial for Depression has recently been posted on the CenterWatch web site (http://www.centerwatch.com). This is a study with a commercially marketed anti-depressant medication in individuals with major depression for whom treatm...