Be sure to discuss all depression concerns with your doctor. One's physical condition may be a contributor to depression.
You may also want to visit Medline at the U.S National Library of Medicine to review physical conditions and symptoms of depression.
Self-Help Books for Depression
Books for depression can be quite helpful. They provide insight into depression signs and symtoms, alternative therapy methods, FAQs about depression, even how diet affects depression. E-books are often available at reasonable prices. These can be purchased and downloaded immediately.
Depression Therapy and Counseling
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (also known as talk therapy) is the most widely used type of psychotherapy for depression. It is simply a talk-through type session with a licensed mental health counselor.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is considered the "grandfather" of CBT and is well recognized globally as a form of therapy that's easy to learn and use. REBT follows the proven theory that one's thinking affects one's emotions. The process is simple one on one counseling to help show you how to adjust your self-talk to help you rather than hinder you.
The most effective help for overcoming clinical depression is the combination of psychotherapy and medication.
Online counseling has become more prominent in the last five years and has become well accepted. It is performed by a licensed counselor.
Psychotherapy and counseling are interchangable terms. Secondly, CBT type therapy, as mentioned above, is simply an educational process where you have a one-on-one teacher for a few weeks or months to re-train some of your thinking.
Some distinctions to remember: a Psychiatrist is an M.D. and prescribes meds but many of them do not do talk therapy; a psychotherapist (or counselor) provides talk therapy but does not prescribe meds. She/he is a licensed mental health counelor and usually holds a PhD, at the very least a Masters. A psychologist may or may not practice therapy/counseling; they are scientists who study the thought processes and behavior of people. Go here for a more detailed explanation of CBT>>
Depression Medications and Herbal Supplements for Depression
In the past, the most widely prescribed medications for depression have been Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), and still are, but other types of depression prescription medicines were introduced in the early to mid '00s. The most widely prescribed prescription meds for depression include:
Celexa, Cymbalta, Trazodone, Effexor, Elavil, Lexapro, Pamelor, Paxil, Prozac, Remeron, Tofranil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft
Detailed information about the above medications
Herbal supplements may also be taken for depression. Herbals include PureCalm and MindSoothe and others. These are considered safe, and are an effective alternative for many.
Coping With Depression
In addition to medications and therapy, there is further help for those dealing with depression in their lives. On the Internet, depression chat rooms are the online version of support groups.
List of free depression support groups in the U.S.
Also, there are excellent depression self-help books and E-books that many people find much relief in.
HealthFinder offers hand-picked health information from A to Z --prevention & wellness, deseases & conditions, and alternative medicine--plus medical dictionaries, an encyclopedia, journals, and more. Reliable information from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Resources.
