Overcoming depression Illnesses and changes in cognition that occur in psychosis and dementias, to name but two, can lead to depression. "The catecholamine hypothesis of affective disorders: a review of supporting evidence". For example, in mourning it is essential that one must eventually let go of the dead person and return to the world and other relationships. A depressed mood is generally situational and reactive, and associated with grief, loss, or a major social transition. Vincent van Gogh, who himself suffered from depression and mitted suicide, painted this picture in 1890 of a man that can symbolize the desperation and hopelessness felt in depression. While a depressed mood is usually seen as deleterious, it may have adaptive benefits. Meditation is increasingly seen as a useful treatment for some cases of depression. The current professional opinion on meditation is that it represents at least a plementary method of treating depression, a view that has been endorsed by the Mayo Clinic. Since the late 1990s, much research has been carried out to determine how meditation affects the brain (see the main article on meditation). Overcoming depression. SSRIs are said to work by preventing the reabsorption of serotonin by the nerve cell, thus maintaining the levels the brain needs to function effectively, although two researchers recently demonstrated that this is a marketing technique rather than a scientific portrayal of how the drugs actually work. A change of residence, marriage, divorce, the break-up of a significant relationship, the death of a loved one, graduation, or job loss are all examples of instances that might trigger a depressed mood. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as venlafaxine (Effexor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta) are a newer form of antidepressant that works on both noradrenaline and serotonin. On the other hand, sorrow and regret perhaps occur much more monly in literature, and tragedy, where the audience or readers may share the sadness or despair of the characters, is seen as one of the greatest of art forms and perhaps the most profound. The causal relationship with biological variables is unknown and so it is difficult to pinpoint the condition's roots. Regarding the treatment of depression, this hypothesis calls into question any assumptions by the clinician that the typical cause of depression is related to maladaptive perverted thinking processes or other purely endogenous sources. Many people think that there is something shameful about being afflicted with mental illness, and this stigma can lead to discrimination. This is generally seen as quite distinct from the diagnosis of clinical depression. |
