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How Long Can Depression Last and Ways To Get Rid Of It

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Depression is involved with mood and is a disorder in which a person feels sad persistently and seems disinterested. It often affects the way how you think, feel and behave leading to a host of emotional as well as physical problems. This is also called clinical depression or major depression or major depressive disorder. You may have issues in doing various activities that form a part of your daily routine. This depression may also make also make you feel that it is not worth living and the life is quite demanding.

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Exercising to Get Rid Of Depression
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How Long Can Depression Last?

At times, depression subsides or fades away on its own but depending on the type and nature of depression, it may take months to get along with the disruption and suffering that is associated with it. If you have been feeling depressed for a prolonged time, you must try to contact the medical health professional without any delays.

Clinical depression will continue to keep a person spell bound for 8 months when it is left untreated. While the person is under depression, he or she will be convinced that this feeling will never go away. This is a classic quality of depression and it is often associated with the way a person thinks.

When the right kind of medication is sought like psychotherapy, it can make a significant difference in the current situation. It is said that if a sufferer of depression does not show positive results in 6 sessions of treatment, he or she should be referred to somewhere else. However, the change is quickly achieved in most cases.

The series of depressive feelings can often take place over again in a few people. The risk of depression recurring is higher in those people who have had more than 3 episodes of depression. The recurrence pattern will vary from person to person and there will be a group of episodes observed in various people. While this is the case, there may be some people who may experience several episodes as they grow in age.

Ways to Get Rid of Depression

Non-Medicinal Ways to Get Rid Of Depression

Non medicinal ways of treatment can help you by reducing the side effects when you are in the process of getting rid of depression. When you are relying on certain complementary or alternative treatments, it is essential to understand everything about the risks and the possible benefits that are associated with it. Never try replacing a conventional method of treatment with something that is alternate. The conventional methods cannot be substituted with alternative ones when the matter is about depression.

Role of Herbal Remedies and Supplements in Getting Rid of Depression

There are many herbal supplements and remedies that can be used for getting rid of depression. They are:

  • St. John’s Wort: Food and Drug Administration or FDA has not approved using this herb in the depression treatment all over the United States. However, it is widely used in Europe for treating depression. This herb may be significantly used for treating moderate or mild depression but it also comes with a word of caution. St. John’s wort can interfere with HIV/AIDS medications, antidepressants, drugs that are used for preventing organ rejection after its transplant, chemotherapy drugs and the medications that are used for blood thinning as well as birth control pills.
  • SAMe: Prominently known as “sam-E,” the supplement that is available is an artificial form of chemical that is found in the body in a natural way. This is the abbreviation for S-adenosyl –L-methionine. Use of SAMe is not approved by the FDA just like St. John’s wort in the United States, but is prescribed in Europe as a medication for treating depression. This is helpful in a variety of ways for curing depression, but there is research required to understand its actual use. At times, it can also activate mania in the sufferers of bipolar disorder.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids: These are called as healthy fats and they are profoundly found in flax oil, flaxseeds, cold water fish, walnuts and other foods. The supplements that consist of Omega-3 are being studied for curing depression. While they are considered to be safe, when dosed in higher amounts, they can have interactions with other drugs. However, there is research needed to know if eating these fats can actually help in relieving depression or not.

Medicinal Ways to Get Rid Of Depression

There are a variety of treatments available for depression. Psychological counseling and medication are considered to be effective in getting rid of depression and most people have been able to relieve the symptoms of depression as well.

Medications to Get Rid Of Depression

Most antidepressant medications are found that can be used for treating depression and a few of them are discussed below. It is advisable to discuss about the benefits, interaction and risks that are associated with the doctor before you begin taking them.

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  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs: These are prescribed by doctors in the initial stages and are safer to use. These cause mild side effects just like any other antidepressant. Escitalopram (Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft) and fluoxetine (Prozac) are the SSRIs used by many medical practitioners.
  • Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors or SNRIs: Desvenlafaxine, duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor XR) are a few examples of inhibitors that fall under this category.
  • Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors- NDRIs: The drug that falls into this category includes Bupropion (Wellbutrin). It can be counted amongst a handful of antidepressants that do not cause side effects which are linked with sex life of a person.
  • Atypical antidepressants. These cannot actually be counted as antidepressants and mirtazapine (Remeron) as well as trazodone are commonly used. They both are sedatives and are therefore included in the evening dose. Vilazodone (Viibryd), which is newly discovered, shows fewer or lower risk of side effects that can affect the sexual life of an individual.
  • Tricyclic antidepressants. Nortriptyline (Pamelor) and imipramine (Tofranil) are examples of tricyclic antidepressants and they can cause extreme side effects as compared to any other antidepressants. So, these are not prescribed until all the SSRIs fail to show improvement in an individual.
  • MAOIs- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors: Phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate) are used when all the other medication does not seemingly work as they can have a host of side effects. One has to be on a strict diet while taking this drug as even a small food interaction can cause huge losses. Wines, pickles, cheeses and other medications like decongestants, birth control pills and herbal medications can interfere with this drug. A newly developed MAOI known as Selegiline (Emsam) can cause lesser side effects as compared to the others. These cannot be used in combination with SSRI medications.

Role of Psychotherapy in Getting Rid of Depression

Psychotherapy plays a major role in getting rid of depression. A mental health provider when helps in relieving the stress or depression and offers talk therapy as a part of the treatment then it can be called as psychotherapy. This is also known as counseling, psychosocial therapy or talk therapy.

Various kinds of psychotherapy can be effectively used for depression like interpersonal therapy, mindfulness techniques, commitment and acceptance therapy, dialectic behavioral therapy as well as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). These can help in:

  • Adjusting to a calamity or any other difficulties
  • Identifying behaviors and beliefs that are negative as well as replacing them with the positive ones.
  • Exploring interactions and experiences while trying to maintain connection with others.
  • Finding improved ways to manage and resolve troubles
  • Identifying problems that add to your sadness and modify behaviors that worsen it.
  • Regaining satisfaction and some sort of control in life that can ease the symptoms of depression.
  • Learning to be realistic in life
  • Developing the sense of tolerance and acceptance of problems.

Other Medical Treatment Options for Getting Rid of Depression

Following procedures may be suggested for depression sufferers:

  • Electroconvulsive therapy or ECT: Electric currents are circulated through the brain in ECT. This can also affect the neurotransmitter levels and offer relief against depression when all the other treatments fail to work. Associated side effect include headache to a tolerable limit.
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS: This treatment can be opted when a patient fails to respond to antidepressants. A treatment coil will be placed on the scalp which uses magnetization for stimulating the brain cells responsible for regulating mood. The course may last for six weeks with five treatments per week.

Getting Rid of Depression at Home

Clinical depression cannot be self-treated. However, with a few home care steps, the professional treatment will generate outstanding results:

  • Be dedicated towards your treatment plan. Never skip appointments or psychotherapy sessions. When you stop taking medications or skip them, the symptoms may recur and there may be other signs of withdrawal observed as well.
  • Gather information about depression. You must also gain knowledge about depression and encourage your family as well.
  • Be mindful about the signs of warning. Learn from your therapist or doctor about the symptoms of depression. When you observe any changes, be sure to contact your doctor. Also ask your friends and family members to keep watch for signs.
  • Symptoms of depression can be reduced with physical activities. Try jogging, walking, gardening or swimming or something that you love doing.
  • Avoid taking drugs and alcohol. One may feel that drugs or alcohol can reduce the symptoms but alcohol will only worsen them in the long run.
  • Sleep well. Getting enough sleep will help you in being physically and mentally sound. Consult your doctor if you are sleep deprived.

Exercising to Get Rid Of Depression

Can clinical depression be treated with exercise? Yes, a moderate or mild depression can be treated by exercising. What kinds of exercises can be done for treating depression? Any kind of exercise will help in relieving depression. A few of them are mentioned below:

  • Yoga
  • Biking
  • Swimming
  • Gardening
  • Jogging at a moderate pace
  • Dancing
  • Golf
  • Low-impact aerobics
  • Playing tennis
  • Housework
  • Walking.

Here are a few tips that can help you in kick starting:

  • Exercising can be fun if you include an activity that you love doing.
  • Include exercise in your schedule. If you need a constant reminder, try marking it in the calendar.
  • Change the exercise routine so that you are not struck with boredom. You may get them at local centers or a gymnasium.
  • Never let the exercise routines turn out to be expensive. If you are not going to exercise on a regular basis, do not buy equipments or membership in various clubs.
  • Follow the schedule regularly so that your depression is reduced.
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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:April 10, 2019

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