Other medicines may be prescribed in addition to antidepressants, particularly in treatment resistant depression. Here are examples of medicines that may be used to augment as an add-on to antidepressant treatment.
- Antipsychotic medications like Abilify and Seroquel can be used as an add-on to antidepressant treatment. Symbyax, a combination of the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa and an [SSRI (fluoxetine), is approved for treatment-resistant depression.]
- Your doctor may recommend or prescribe other medications or supplements not FDA approved for use in depression.
[ I never wanted to kill myself. When the children were 7,9 and 11 I would set at the top of the steps crying, because they wanted to play and I wanted them to go to sleep. I use to pound on my skin to hurt myself, when I was upset. I never had brothers or sisters at home. I had trouble coping with their fighting. I couldn’t understand why they were fighting.
I figure that since my dad was in a mental institutions, when I was born that he probably had depression also. Mom always acted in control, except when she was drunk and she was a happy drunk. I always thought she hated me or something for getting pregnant with my oldest. I think she blamed herself, is why she was so grumpy with me. It wasn’t all her fault. She asked if I would care, if my first husband would move in. He was young and good looking and I was a teenager, so of course I said yes.]
The common symptoms of depression are feeling sad or guilty often, eating or sleeping more or less, [for me it is eating like food is going to disappear in the next five minutes. I use to have trouble sleeping at all, but since the cpap machine, restless leg pills and trazodone helps me get to sleep then I just don’t want to get out of bed.] not enjoying things you normally like, always feeling tired or irritable [for me I feel tired and irritable at the same time.]having problems with concentration or decision making [If I am upset about something then my ability to make decisions becomes clouded.] thinking about suicide [I don’t think I ever would have tried suicide, I was raised to believe that it was a sin. I use to wish I was dead sometimes when I was raising the kids.]
Depression is not something you can just get over, you need treatment and should get help there are tons of mental health centers in this country.
There is nothing normal about Depression. A woman is at risk for depression when she goes through physical and hormonal changes, examples are childbirth and menopause. Some older people get depressed over losing a mate or having to move, are being serious ill, and sometimes over not being able to do the things they once were able to physically handle, it is normal to be upset about these things, but a lot of them become depressed over life to a point of needing treatment.
[People who worked their whole lives, even if it was taking care of their family,
become disabled, then depression can set in. You want to get up and do things you use to and hurt yourself trying, then you are hurt, depressed because you can’t do it and have hurt yourself trying to do things. Just normal things like moving furniture around in the house.]
Psychotherapy: Talk therapy involves speaking with someone who is trained to help treat people with mental illness.
The best way to help a depressed person is to help her/him get diagnosed and treated. It’s also important to listen to the person and take what she/he says seriously. Just trying to cheer up someone who is depressed may make her feel misunderstood. It’s important that you give support and offer her/him hope that the depression will get better with treatment and time.
Depression doesn’t just affect your mind. It also can affect your body. Different people can have different physical symptoms when they are depressed. Some people may overeat — or may have no appetite at all.[ For me I eat like there is no tomorrow]
Others may have trouble sleeping or may sleep too much. Some people who are depressed may have headaches or other aches and pains, cramps and stomach problems, or fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
Women are often more likely than men to experience classic depression symptoms such as feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and guilt.
Men who are depressed are more likely to be irritable or angry — and sometimes abusive. They are more likely to lose interest in their work or hobbies, but some throw themselves into their work to avoid dealing with depression. Men are more likely than women to have difficulty sleeping. They’re also more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol when they are depressed
Many people believe that therapy for depression usually goes on for years — or never ends. In fact, for most people, therapy is not open-ended. It usually lasts for less than 20 sessions and focuses on specific, reachable goals. Therapy typically ends because the person wants to move on or has resolved the issues that brought him to therapy. But some people with depression choose to continue seeing a therapist on an ongoing basis.
Although most people with depression — even very severe depression — can get better with treatment, many people avoid getting help. Only about one-third of depressed people get treatment. And typically, people live with depression for almost a decade before doing that. But the sooner a person gets treatment — psychotherapy, medication, or other help — the more effective it is. A combination of treatments can also be quite useful.
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