Depression
Symptoms:
Possible Problems:
What To Do:
Dizziness.
Adverse reaction or side
Consult doctor about
Use of prescription or non-
effect of drug.
prescription drug.
prescription drug.
Discontinue use of non-
prescription drug.
Symptoms:
Possible Problems:
What To Do...
Possible Problems:
Possible Problems:
What To Do:
Depression.
Any illness, severe or mild,
Consult doctor.
Chronic illness, especially
can cause significant
See Depression.
rheumatoid arthritis, multiple
depression.
See chart in Illness
sclerosis and chronic heart
section for the...
While anyone can become depressed, some people are at greater risk. Women are twice as likely to become depressed as men, though they are only slightly more likely to develop bipolar disorder, once known as manic depression. (Before puberty, boys and girls have about equal likelihood of developing...
General Information
DEFINITION -- A continuing feeling of sadness, despondency or hopelessness with accompanying symptoms. Major depression occurs in about 1 in 10 Americans but there is continued improvement in treatment.
BODY PARTS INVOLVED -- Nervous system.
SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED -- Both...
How to tell if you are depressed
Diagnosing depression involves a good medical examination, including a complete history of current and previous symptoms, questions about illnesses of other family members and about your mood, memory, and changes in relationships.
How to tell if someone else is...
Many experts believe that clinical depression is one of the most important health issues facing women of all ages today -- from teenagers to women who have passed their menopause.
The rates for a major depressive episode are two to three times higher for women than for men in almost all of the...
Drug names
Medications have two different names: a generic name and a brand name. The generic name is the chemical name while their brand name is a name given by the drug company that manufactures and sells them. A medication has only one generic name but can have many brand names -- a different...
Light therapy (or phototherapy) is an effective treatment for the winter-onset form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). During treatment sessions the person with SAD sits in a room containing a 10,000-lux light box. The light is aimed down toward her or his head, initially just for 10 to 15...
Psychotherapy or "talk" therapy can be provided as a short-term form of psychological counseling. Psychotherapy usually can be effective in 24 sessions or less.
Psychotherapy alone (without the use of antidepressants) helps about one out of every two people who have mild to moderate depression. It...
Electroconvulsive therapy, more commonly known as "ECT," is a medical treatment performed only by highly skilled health professionals -- including doctors and nurses -- under the direct supervision of a psychiatrist, who is a medical doctor trained in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses.
Its...
While psychotherapy and antidepressants can be effective treatments for depression, there are steps you can take on your own to keep depressive episodes at a minimum, or better cope when they hit.
Get exercise
Medical studies have shown that exercise is an inexpensive and effective supplemental...
General Information
DEFINITION - Depression beginning up to 6 weeks following childbirth.
BODY PARTS INVOLVED - Brain.
SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED - Females of childbearing age.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Feelings of sadness, hopelessness or gloom.
Appetite and weight loss.
General Information
DEFINITION...
General Information
DEFINITION - Mental impairment caused by a variety of diseases that produce brain deterioration.
BODY PARTS INVOLVED - Brain.
SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED - Adults over 60.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Forgetfulness, especially of recent events.
Unpredictable, sometimes violent, behavior....
IF SO, HERE ARE WAYS TO SET MORE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
People who score high on the disappointment scale are at greater risk of physical or emotional difficulties, or both. Such individuals appear to have a greater frequency of headaches, gastrointestinal difficulties, moist palms, and over-...
Your options, of course, will vary depending on your health plan. Typically a general health care provider -- a family physician, internist, nurse practitioner or physician assistant -- can provide needed medical therapy for most people who have mild or moderate depression. If the depressed person...
