Tackling The Problem Of Depression

You can reduce your risk of becoming depressed by:

• Maintaining good relationships with friends and family
• Staying physically and mentally healthy through exercise, hobbies and interests
• Eating oily fish like sardines or taking fish oil substitutes, as this is thought to stave off depression in some people
• St John’s Wort is a herbal medicine used by many with mild depression, but consult your doctor or pharmacist before you take any new medicines
• Self help techniques such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture, etc.

If you find yourself in need of a more hardy strategy, you may be advised towards:

Anti-depressant drugs

Believed to help two thirds of those who use them, but are not without their downsides. They take time to work (doctors will often suggest a course of at least six months), some can have serious side effects (although the newer drugs have fewer), they have been known to become addictive after a period of time, and you may experience withdrawal when you come off them. Always consult your doctor before starting or stopping these drugs.

Cognitive behavioural therapy

This therapy challenges the way your mind perceives things, attempting to allow you to confront your fears and negative thoughts.

Interpersonal therapy

This focuses on how you interact with others and could be useful were depression is causes by or exasperated by relationship issues, work stresses, a bereavement, etc.

Electroconvulsive therapy

This is only recommended where nothing else has worked, as it employs an electric shock to attempt to alleviate the depression. It is infinitely less barbaric than the way it used to be used, but it is still not a pleasant experience, so it is held back as a last resort.