Psychiatry & Psychology

Finding New Ways to Treat Depression

July 28, 2008 | By J. R. White | Share, Save, and Bookmark | 5 Comments

Psychiatry and Psychology Category I think it’s good to think outside the box. Especially when it comes to finding solutions to some pretty major problems. Let’s take depression for example.

Starting in May 2007, the FDA started requiring that a warning be posted on antidepressant drugs. The warning was about the increased risk of suicide for patients in the 18-24 age range. This warning was the result of a FDA analysis of patient data.

So it seems to me that depressed young people need more options besides medication. Of course, all people who suffer from depression need options but for this age group, in light of this study, it seems necessary. So, let’s look at other possible options.

Depression Therapy: This is a standard treatment and it can be a good one. But unfortunately this method of treatment requires a good therapist and this isn’t always easy to find. Not because there’s a shortage of capable therapist out there but because it can get complicated. Sometimes the therapist doesn’t practice the type of therapy that is best for your condition. Maybe you live in a very small town with only 1 or 2 practicing therapists. Many times therapists don’t accept insurance or don’t accept your insurance.

In the case of depression, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the better therapy choices. But it can be hard to find a therapist that specializes in this type of therapy. Many may offer some form of it but there’s something to be said for someone who knows the intricacies of treating depression using only this therapy.

Classes: This isn’t a usual treatment option but I think it’s a good one. It’s my outside the box contribution, if you will. Many people who are depressed suffer from various thinking patterns that make depression more likely to occur or enable the depression to stay around. Bringing these patterns to patients’ attention and then teaching them other ways to think can go a long way towards helping a depressed individual become healthier.

Other Support Systems: There are a myriad of options available for supporting those with depression. Whether it is some type of group therapy, support group, or study group. One option that I find alluring is telephone treatment. This type of treatment was offered to over 604 employees aged 18 years and over in various U.S. companies. The treatment involved telephone assessment and facilitation to inpatient treatment, a psycho-educational workbook, support and monitoring of treatment. The results were very positive.

Although medication is usually the first or second line of defense against depression, there are more options available. Since medication may not the best treatment choice for many, and since traditional therapy isn’t always accessible, I think it’s necessary to search for other ways to offer support and help so that those who need to treat their depression have a number of viable, encouraging choices at their disposal.

References

Barbui, C., Cipriani, A., Geddes, J.R. (2008). Antidepressants and suicide symptoms: compelling new insights from the FDA’s analysis of individual patient level data. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 11(2), 34-35. DOI: 10.1136/ebmh.11.2.34

Gilbody, S. (2008). Telephone treatment support improves outcomes for depressed employees. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 11(2), 47-47. DOI: 10.1136/ebmh.11.2.47

Tags: depression, fda, medication, study, support, Telephone, therapist, therapy, treatment, warning

5 Comments/Trackbacks

You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Leslie K
July 28, 2008 | Permalink

There are several other ways to help with depression. The DSIB has highlighted several supplements that can help (backed by scientific research).

Some are:
Eicosapentaenoic acid (ethyl ester [E-EPA])
Folic acid (for folate deficiency)
Iron (for iron deficiency)
Vitamin B12 (for B12 deficiency)
Vitamin B6 (with oral contraceptives)

cbtish
July 28, 2008 | Permalink

You’re right, but classes are not so far outside the box. There are already books and websites that use a teaching style to help with depression. A couple of the free websites are:

http://www.livinglifetothefull.com/ (in Glasgow, UK)
http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/ (in Canberra, Australia)

Here in the UK, a big government project is just starting that will make guided self-help (books and websites together with e-mail and telephone support) and also real CBT much more widely available.

Evan
July 29, 2008 | Permalink

Regular rhythmic exercise can help lots too.

God's secret
August 05, 2008 | Permalink

Know that compassion pushes away depression. Sometimes it is necessary to brake our nature not just guide it. If we brake our will for His will. He will do the same for us from His infinite Mercy. Blessings come to us from the Will of God. When we change our nature so as to fulfill His will, He can even change nature itself so as to bless us with his infinite bounty. When a person does kindness in a selfless way not imposing restrictions, the blessings they evoke will be limitless from God’s boundless sea of blessings. In a sense one must dissolve themselves to become part of the great whole. Worldly blessings are planted by good deeds. Virtue protects your blessings. Don’t be concerned about the blessings you going to get. Know nature is perpetually changing. God never changes and is everlasting. So its best for us many times to change our attitude. Challenging external situations at times require us to change our attitudes. When we do his will we can receive all blessings that exist in his will. Then you will have power to bless others. There should be purpose to all our actions. This purpose is to always be involved in the ultimate fulfillment of His will. This is the way of the universe. One must adapt themselves so that in any environment they can attach their mind to that which is most profound. God has certain rules by which he has made this world and by which it operates. Water only runs down hill, unless he rules otherwise. These rules are his will. By following in His way, that which is “tied up” preventing flow of Divine abundance becomes untangled. The dirt on our souls is cleansed away. Lights separated become merged giving life. All things reach harmony as is proper. Then one can suddenly reveal the light of their soul. That was not seen before. The virtue of the righteous person is this wholeness. He doesn’t separate himself but lives merging himself in this universal Wholeness of God. Wholeness of life. He embraces this oneness. When one is one with God, God is one with them. By this all things benefit. Then all will once again will be united the way it should be with God. This is all obscure, yet it is the greatest clarity. You will be able to sense it, when all is right. In our world of limitations, paradoxes contradict and seem to exclude each other. In a place beyond limits they co-exist in harmony without any qualms. It is said “You can’t dance at two weddings”, unless you can be in two places at the same time. ‘Above’ concerns Providence. ‘Below’ is the realm of free choice. One who is connected to God in the upper worlds while still in this world can do this. This all links with the concept of making Divine providence. According to one’s closeness to God, their personal refinement the rules over the whole system and over you in particular change. As the powers and responsibilities of the king’s son differs from that of the palace janitor or one who has no place in the palace at all. Do his will and you will be blessed you will be a winner. You can live a spiritual life free of guilt with all of God’s blessings including healing when needed of your body and soul, wisdom, prosperity, forgiveness and all the wonders we pray for each day. His rules are the formula for true life. Since life was created for the sake of its potential to achieve closeness to God. When man can no longer live for that potential. His life is taken from him. A person who doesn’t want to get up in the morning. If this desire is strong enough he just dies. One must live a life of purpose. Ambivalence ranks high on the self-sabotage scale. This is usually due to a lack of vision a lack of purpose, and the secret desire to let others do and decide things for you. You need always to actively be in control of your life. Its outcome should not be left up to chance. One should always be growing, never becoming stagnant. Growth should be ecstatic, not something routine. You should jump into it. Be the architect of your life its imaginative engineer. One should always be striving to reach a higher level. Achieving greater completion, happiness and inner peace. Refining one’s inner vision is a process of unfolding. It is good to cultivate the disciplines of moderation and self restraint.

http://godssecret.wordpress.com/

George
August 23, 2008 | Permalink

To the God who heals:

Dear God,

I know lots of people who could use your help. But I have never seen a single one healed. There have been rumors going around (for the past two thousand years) that you care about these creatures you made. Prove it. That would take nothing from you, from what I understand. But instead, we are told to change out thinking, believe this or that, and so the burden is placed back on us to heal ourselves. A loving God could do more. He could keep His own Word. We are left to making excuses for God, “Oh, He is working in mysterious ways today.” I think God just likes to watch.