(SOLVED) The common treatment options often given to combat depression.

Discipline: Nursing

Type of Paper: Question-Answer

Academic Level: Undergrad. (yrs 1-2)

Paper Format: APA

Pages: 3 Words: 687

Question

the common treatment options often given to combat depression.

This should include:

  • Non-pharmacological treatments, if any
  • Brief therapeutic information about different drugs, other than ketamine.



Expert preview solution


*** Alternative Options for Major Depression Treatment without Medication includes :-

It is usually advisable for someone struggling with the life-altering impact of Depression is to seek out traditional treatment first, that being antidepressant therapy and psychotherapy.

However, if these treatments are not successful in relieving symptoms, alternative therapies includes :-

** Physical activity has a powerful effect on mood by the release of certain brain hormones called endorphins.

** Exposure to sunlight increases vitamin D levels, which boost mood. For areas that have little sunlight, a therapeutic lightbox can help.

** Certain mood-enhancing supplements can be suggested by your doctor once any drug interactions (with other medications) are eliminated.

Which includes St. John’s Wort, SAMe, L-Theanine, 5-HTP, Omega-3, vitamin B.

** Avoid caffeine, which reduces serotonin levels, and alcohol, which is a depressant

** Certain foods boost levels of serotonin, a mood-enhancing brain chemical. These include fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, lean proteins, healthy fats such as nuts and seeds.

** MIND - BODY TECHNIQUES :-

Certain holistic therapeutic activities can promote overall relaxation and centeredness, which can positively impact mood.

These include yoga, mindfulness exercises, Prananyama , prayer or meditation, journaling, Acupuncture, Foot reflexology, Deep relaxation techniques ( Yoga nidra ) guided imagery / Visualization techniques and massage therapy.

** BRAIN STIMULATION THERAPY :- Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) is a safe and effective treatment for major depression that uses the power of magnets to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.

Deep TMS is an alternative treatment method that uses magnetic fields to reset brain chemistry, resulting in improved mood, concentration, and sleep. It works by delivering electromagnetic pulses through the scalp and targeting the mood centre of the brain.

This results in electrical currents that stimulate the dormant or underactive brain cells often seen in Depression.

*** Deep TMS is very well tolerated with few if any, side effects. The typical course of treatment requires five treatments per week for 4-6 weeks.

This non-invasive treatment requires no sedation and no downtime. Benefits begin to be reported after about the tenth session.

** Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT :-

** In ECT, electrical currents are passed through the brain to impact the function and effect of neurotransmitters in your brain to relieve depression.

** ECT is usually used for people who don't get better with medications, can't take antidepressants for health reasons or are at high risk of suicide.

** PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT :-

*** Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Doctors often start by prescribing an SSRI.

These drugs are considered safer and generally cause fewer bothersome side effects than other types of antidepressants.

SSRIs include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), sertraline (Zoloft) and vilazodone (Viibryd).

*** Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

Examples of SNRIs include duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor XR), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla) and levomilnacipran (Fetzima).

*** Atypical antidepressants :-

These medications don't fit neatly into any of the other antidepressant categories. They include bupropion (Wellbutrin XL, Wellbutrin SR, Aplenzin, Forfivo XL), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone, trazodone and vortioxetine (Trintellix).

** Tricyclic antidepressants :-

These drugs — such as imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), amitriptyline, doxepin, trimipramine (Surmontil), desipramine (Norpramin) and protriptyline (Vivactil) — can be very effective, but tend to cause more-severe side effects than newer antidepressants.

So tricyclics generally aren't prescribed unless you've tried an SSRI first without improvement.

** Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). MAOIs — such as tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil) and isocarboxazid (Marplan) — may be prescribed, typically when other drugs haven't worked, because they can have serious side effects.

Using MAOIs requires a strict diet because of dangerous (or even deadly) interactions with foods ― such as certain cheeses, pickles and wines ― and some medications and herbal supplements.

** Selegiline (Emsam), a newer MAOI that sticks on the skin as a patch, may cause fewer side effects than other MAOIs do. These medications can't be combined with SSRIs.

** Other medications :- Other medications may be added to an antidepressant to enhance antidepressant effects. Your health care provider may recommend combining two antidepressants or adding medications such as mood stabilizers or antipsychotics.

Anti-anxiety and stimulant medications also may be added for short-term use.