Depression often occurs in cycles, and if a person waits enough, it might in fact remit without treatment. This might take months or longer, however. The potential risks of the approach are great: a loss of productivity in school/work, impaired relationships, family conflicts, financial problems, delays in development in children, and many significantly, suicide.
Treatment of the depressive episode will greatly shorten its duration and allow you to participate in the community again sooner. In addition, research suggests that depression itself can have harmful effects on the brain. These effects may make you more susceptible to future depressive episodes, possibly more severe, in the future.
Untreated depression can have harmful effects on your physical health as well. Under stress, the body is less able to fight infection. Recovery from some physical illnesses might be adversely affected. Issues with sleep also impair your body's functioning, resulting in further lack of energy and difficulties in concentrating.
Depressed persons are in greater risk for drug and alcohol abuse, which can further worsen depressive symptoms and result in disability and issues with the law. Depressed persons are in risk of having problems in their relationships and getting a divorce. They may have difficulty developing strong attachments with their children.
Depressed children can have problems in their social and emotional development, which makes them at risk for further emotional problems in the future. Most significantly, untreated depression may increase the risk for suicide. Suicidal thoughts can gradually run up to suicide attempts if the depression doesn't remit and feelings of hopelessness persist.
Treatment of depression is important for a lot of reasons. A delay of their treatment might be as risky as delaying treatment for a large number of health conditions, such as heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.
It is always important to inform any doctor you see of medications that you're taking, including any herbal or over-the-counter supplements. Although a lot of medications could be taken concurrently, the potential for reactions exists between many medications as well; thus, consideration should be given with this. Sometimes the potential reaction is minimal and could be due to additive side effects (e.g., sedating effects may combine).
Other times, the existence of one medication can influence the elimination of the other medicine from the body, either allowing excessive accumulation or causing too rapid a depletion. Consequences can thus be toxicity or a lack of efficacy. The SSRIs have specific enzyme groups that metabolize the medication. Each SSRI includes a different profile regarding the enzymes involved in its own metabolism.
MAOIs are usually contraindicated in in conjunction with all other antidepressants because of the risk for serotonin syndrome, which may be fatal (however , there are certain combinations that skilled clinicians can prescribe in a methodical method to minimize the potential risks). Serotonin syndrome occurs when an excess of serotonin exists in the central nervous system.
Symptoms include tremor, confusion, incoordination, sweating, shivering, and agitation. Most SSRIs are contraindicated in in conjunction with thioridazine (Mellaril) as well because of a risk of cardiac toxicity. SSRIs should be used cautiously in combination with sibutramine (Imitrex), commonly prescribed for migraine, due to a risk for serotonin syndrome. St. John's wort, a natural preparation employed for depression, should be avoided when on a prescribed antidepressant, also due to a danger for serotonin syndrome.
Again, there are some circumstances whenever a psychiatrist will combine two SSRIs, for instance, but this is typically done cautiously and under his or her guidance. MAOIs have very specific guidelines on foods to be avoided. Likewise, MAOIs can have significant interactions along with other medications. As noted previously here, they aren't to be combined with other antidepressants.
In fact, MAOIs need to be discontinued 2 weeks before an effort of some other antidepressant, or even the other antidepressant will be discontinued for 2 weeks before initiating an MAOI. There are lots of over-the-counter medications to become avoided, for example pseudoephedrine and oxymetazoline; thus, you should seek advice from your doctor and pharmacist before taking an over-the-counter medication while on an MAOI. This is sound policy with all medications, not just psychotropics.
Our website is not responsible for the information contained by this article. Articleinput.com is a free articles resource thus practically any visitor can submit an article. However if you notice any copyrighted material, please contact us and we will remove the article(s) in discussion right away.
Note: This article was sent to us by: Joshua R. Hobson at 02112011
1. Bipolar disorder, depression and mood swings
All articles are property of their respective authors. Please read our Privacy Policy!
© 2009 ArticleInput.com.
Partners: Damenmode