How healthy is your mental health?

by Frances Gough MD

16 March 2010

If you don’t know the answer, maybe you should take a moment to read on. Depression and anxiety are common mental health concerns and a multitude of treatments are available.

There are different types of depression, but some common signs cited by the National Institute of Mental Health may include persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or feeling “empty.” Additionally, you might feel hopeless, guilty, helpless, or worthless. A loss of interest in activities that you once enjoyed may also occur.

Unfortunately, when it comes to depression, many of us aren’t getting enough treatment. According to recent research published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, only one in five adults gets “guideline-recommended treatment.” It’s not that we’re not seeking care, but we’re not getting the recommended amount or right types of treatment.
What are the different treatments for depression?

  1. Medications. From traditional antidepressants to “designer” combinations of drugs used to target different facets of depression, there are many types of medications. Take heart as it could take several tries to find the one that works well for you.
  2. Psychotherapy. One type of psychotherapy is cognitive therapy, also called cognitive/behavioral therapy. This type of treatment is a relatively short-term form of psychotherapy based on correcting ingrained patterns of negative thoughts and problems. Cognitive therapy focuses on developing new ways of thinking about problems. Behavioral therapy focuses on applying certain principles to create positive changes in your life. These can be applied to a broad range of problems including depression, anxiety, panic, fears, eating disorders, or substance abuse. Psychoanalysis, another form of psychotherapy applies principles and techniques developed by leading psychoanalysts such as Freud, Jung, and others.
  3. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Once thought to be a last resort, this controversial type of therapy has improved over the years. Today, ECT is used for the treatment of severe depression or other types of psychiatric illness that have not responded to conventional treatment.

Even though they seem like opposites, anxiety may also accompany depression. In fact, nearly one-half of people diagnosed with anxiety are also diagnosed with depression, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.

Anxiety has many forms, ranging from generalized anxiety disorder to obsessive-compulsive disorder to panic attacks. Again the important thing to remember is that if you do suffer from depression or anxiety—or both—treatments are available that can help you live life to the fullest.

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