Complimentary and Alternative Medicine
Overview Complimentary and Alternative Medicine or CAM is a group of healthcare practices and products that are are not currently considered to be part of modern, Western medicine. The word ‘complementary’ describes a treatment that is used ‘in addition to’ and ‘alternative’ describes a treatment that is used ‘instead of’ conventional treatment. Thus, CAM treatments […]
Behavioral Activation (BA)
Overview Behavioral Activation (BA) is an effective psychotherapy for the treatment of depression. Sometimes depression can become a vicious cycle where people stop doing things or being social because of their depressive symptoms, which in turn, worsens the depression because people become may become isolated and miss out on fun opportunities. BA is based on […]
Assessing Depression
Depression: How is it Treated
Depression Causes
Causes Most likely, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people who have depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain involved […]
Depression Overview
Depression Overview
Depression: How is it Treated
Depression: Treatment – Exercise
Overview. Many people are familiar with the idea that exercise is good for health. The benefits of exercise for heart health, maintaining a healthy weight and managing diabetes are well established. What some people may not know is that exercise is also good for the brain and can help improve mood. Exercise can have antidepressant […]
Depression: Treatment – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Overview. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely-researched therapies for depression. It was initially developed in the late 1970’s for depression and has since been expanded and adapted to treat a variety of mental and behavioral health problems including anxiety, substance use and even schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Some other therapies including […]
Depression: Suicide
Overview. Suicide is a tragic outcome for some people who experience depression. Many people who attempt or die by suicide do so in response to symptoms of depression, which can generate a sense of profound hopelessness. Having thoughts of being better off dead or of wanting to kill oneself is called suicidal ideation and is […]
Depression: SSRI
Overview. Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed medications for depression. The name “selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor” indicates how the medicine works in the brain by altering serotonin, one of the brains naturally occurring chemical messengers. SSRIs attach to cells in the brain in a way that interferes with the cell’s ability to vacuum […]