A few days of feeling sad or depressed does not mean depression.  Depression can last for years, it's a serious illness.  According to various reports as many as fifteen million Americans suffer from this disease.  And yet, sadly, only about 1/3 of those people seek medical care.  The age- old stereotype associated with mental illness influences many to still avoid admitting they suffer from depression.  Depression is a progressive illness.  Without attention it will become more and more severe.  Ignorance in this case isn't bliss.

A variety of factors, and even combinations of these factors, lead to depression.  Physical and emotional problems, chemical issues, even DNA all play a part.  Simple daily life and surroundings are important.  Stress and other negative influences have been known to contribute.  Depression is a very complicated disease.  As well, the human brain and its workings are quite complex.  The medical profession is working steadily in an attempt to study the mind and how it works.  A chemical imbalance in the brain causes depression, that's known.  We are learning more every day about how the whole process works.  The more we learn about depression the better we can treat it.

Depression treatment comes from a variety of medications on the market.  Quick fix schemes exist too, but they don't work.  Make sure the treatment has been studied and scientifically proven to address depression.  At one time asylums and mental institutions were filled to the brim with mentally ill people.  It's good to know that's no longer the case.  It was 1988 when Prozac, an anti-depressant, first came into wide use in America.  Although it has side effects it is widely used and it is effective.

A new class of anti-depressants has become widely used since then.  Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, SSRI, are being used today.  These include Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Luvox.  These have limited side effects and have been shown to work.  The market is also ripe with herbal medications and treatments.  The majority of these that have been proven to work as well as the anti-depressants contain the St. John Wort extract ingredient called 'hyperforin'.   Some herbal remedies don't contain this ingredient in the proper strength so they don't work.  Research and information are your friends when it comes to the finding the right depression medications for your depression.

 

Get more on depression here Types of Depression as well as here Cures For Depression