Clinical Depression Treatment

There are several types of clinical depression treatments including different forms of drugs or medications, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy or ECT, brain and vagus nerve stimulation or VNS, in addition to more recent treatments for clinical depression such as alternative or complementary therapies. In this section we will discuss these types in more detail.
Once your doctor or medical professional has diagnosed an individual with clinical depression, the individual will usually be referred to professionals who can help in clinical depression cases such as a psychiatrist, psychologist or other type of mental health provider.
If there is a family history of clinical depression or a doctor wants to find out how certain medications may affect your body they may have you take a cytochrome P450 blood test in order to help determine what the best path for your clinical depression treatment may be.
Medication
In terms of medications, these are seemingly the most popular form of treatment of clinical depression, in addition to psychotherapy as many have stated have been best when used in combination with medications for depression.
There are a few different classes of antidepressants including monoamin oxidase inhibitors, tricyclics, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Tricyclics, usually second choice for clinical depression medications, cause the nerve cells to slow the reuptake process of serotonin and other chemicals such as the other neurotransmitters so that more is allowed to pass though. This is often used for when individuals’ brain does not allow for the serotonin to go through the full path through the synapse thus lowering the effects of the neurotransmitter serotonin and creating symptoms of depression ultimately.
As for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the serotonin alone is allowed to pass through fully versus that of inhibiting the reuptake of all chemicals. This is one of the most commonly used forms of antidepressants.
Types of SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro).
As for the monoamin inhibitor, this type of antidepressant inhibits the enzyme which breaks down serotonin and similar chemicals and ultimately allows greater flow of serotonin and such to nerve cells in the brain.
Other known types of antidepressants include buproprion (such as Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), venlafaxine (Effexor), nefazodone (Serzone), and trazodone (Desyrel).
Mood stobilizers, anti-anxiety medications, anti-psychotics as well as different types of stimulants may be used to help treat depression as well.
There are many side effects that may go along with the use of certain antidepressants so it is important that you discuss this with your medical professional.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, where an individual affected by depression can talk about issues contributing to the signs of depression while learning more about what causes depression and more. Psychotherapy comes in a few different forms, the most popular being behavioral cognitive therapy.
This type of psychotherapy focuses on the way you think and how you react in every day life. This helps individuals replace their negative thoughs with those of much more positive thoughts and actions. Other forms include psychodynamic psychotherapy and interpersonal psychotherapy.
Electroconvulsive therapy
This type of clinical depression treatment is normally used for those who antidepressants or other types of therapy do not work for. With ECT, an electrical impulse is sent through the scalp causing a seizure.
Other forms of clinical depression treatment include vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) which is a pulse generator implant and affects the mood centers through sending pulses in the brain.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS and deep brain stimulation are other forms of clinical depression treatment which should be discussed with your medical professional in order to find out more about whether this is the right path for you or the individual affected by clinical depression.