Treating depression: What are the options?

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There are always times in life when people suffer from a depressed mood, frequent brooding or reduced drive. Triggers are usually psychologically stressful situations. However, a depressed mood is not the same as a serious depression. Therefore, the following article is intended to clarify the clinical picture, how to treat depression and whether cannabidiol (CBD) can be a support.

Depression: Causes and typical symptoms
Am I depressed?
Depression: Treatment and therapy
Pharmacotherapy for depression
Treating depression without medication - tips for self-help
Treating depression herbally - is it possible?
CBD against depression

Sadness, listlessness and listlessness occur from time to time in the course of life. Depression, on the other hand, is a serious mental illness that does not disappear on its own after a while or improve with encouragement or distraction. In severe cases, there is even a risk of suicide. That is why depression must be treated professionally.

Depression: Causes and typical symptoms

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 350 million people suffer from depressive symptoms, including children, adolescents and adults. As a rule, depression is caused by several factors:

• Genetic predisposition: According to current scientific knowledge, the risk of developing depression is about 15 percent if one parent has the disease themselves. In addition, genetic factors can increase sensitivity to psychological stress.
  
• Dysfunctions in the brain: In many people who suffer from depression, an imbalance has been found between the messenger substances serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid and acetylcholine, as well as in the limbic system in the brain. This stress-regulating system is involved in feeling and processing emotions.
  
• Psychosocial factors: Various psychosocial factors, such as an anxious-caring parenting style with a resulting "learned helplessness" or the early loss of a parent may be involved in the development of the disease. Other triggers can include trauma, crisis situations, stressful life events, prolonged stress, but also illnesses such as chronic pain.

More detailed information on the causes and treatment is available here.

Am I depressed?

The following three symptoms are typical of mental illness:

• Dejection: affected persons are depressed almost continuously, which lasts longer than two weeks in the case of depression.
• Loss of interest: Characteristic symptoms are joylessness, a feeling of inner emptiness and a loss of interest in work, hobbies and social contacts. Neither positive events nor attempts at encouragement by fellow human beings improve the mood.

Lack of drive: Affected persons cannot cope with everyday life at all or only with difficulty, because they feel physically and mentally exhausted. Even just getting up in the morning is extremely difficult for depressed people. Some people do not even manage to get out of bed due to extreme fatigue.

In addition to these symptoms, the following secondary symptoms may also occur:

• strong inner restlessness
  
• inner agitation and tension
  
• concentration and attention disorders
  
• strong self-doubt, feelings of guilt and/or self-reproach
  
• loss of libido
  
  

In addition, physical complaints may also occur, such as:

• Headaches and/or backaches
  
• sleep disturbances
  
• Cardiovascular complaints
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Gastrointestinal problems

Depressive illness: classification into severity levels

A depressive episode can be mild, moderate or severe, depending on how many symptoms are present and how severely patients are restricted in their daily lives. In the mild form, there is some distress, but patients can still perform their private and professional tasks to a large extent.

In the case of moderate depression, the ability to cope with everyday life is significantly restricted and those affected withdraw more and more. In a severe form, patients are no longer able to care for themselves, so that in most cases inpatient treatment in a psychiatric ward is necessary.

Regardless of whether it is mild, moderate or severe - in all forms, the negative thoughts can become so strong that suicidal thoughts arise. Therefore:

If you are thinking about suicide or suspect suicidal thoughts in a relative, do not hesitate and seek help! Affected people from Switzerland, Germany, Austria and other countries can find help and support for suicidal thoughts here.

Depression: treatment and therapy

The quality of life of those affected by a depressive illness is severely impaired. The level of suffering is also extremely high. It is therefore particularly important to seek therapy as soon as possible so that the illness does not become chronic.

• Psychotherapies: Depth psychology-based psychotherapy is based, among other things, on the fact that stressful life events have not been properly processed. These are worked through in discussions with a psychotherapist. Such psychotherapy can last for months and requires commitment and patience on the part of the person concerned.
• Behavioral therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to work with a therapist to find ways to get out of depression. For example, conversations may proceed to uncover negative thought patterns and replace them with new positive thought patterns.
  

Treating depression may require a stay in a clinic, depending on how severe it is. Such a hospital stay is an option that sufferers can discuss with their doctor or a specialist in neurology and decide together.

In addition to these therapies, there are other treatment options that are not covered by health insurance in most cases. These include, for example, interpersonal therapy (IPT), which is specifically intended for the treatment of depressive disorders. This is a combination of psychodynamic therapy and behavioral therapy. The goals of the therapy include learning skills and strategies to cope better with the illness.

Pharmacotherapy for depression

As a rule, medications such as antidepressants are prescribed only for severe depressive episodes. They cannot cure the illness, but only alleviate the symptoms. Another problem is that antidepressants often only take effect after two to three weeks - if they have any effect at all. This is because everyone reacts differently to these drugs, and there is no guarantee that they will have the desired effect.

In addition, the drugs can have unpleasant side effects. If they are discontinued during or outside the therapeutic treatment phases, there is a risk of relapse.

Prescription drug overview