The stress of coping with the difficulties and setbacks we all face in life can be discouraging. But how do we know if we, or someone that we know, have moved beyond mere discouragement toward clinical depression?

There are some keys signs and symptoms of depression that will help us determine where we are emotionally and if we need depression treatment.

Symptoms of Clinical Depression

The symptoms of depression are fairly standardized and include:

• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, loneliness, and helplessness
• Insomnia (difficulty sleeping), early morning awakening
• Excessive sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering details
• Irritability
• Severe changes in appetite- overeating or loss of appetite
• Persistent feelings of sadness, and emptiness
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Thoughts of harming yourself or suicidal thoughts

Diagnosing Clinical Depression

Merely having some of the symptoms of major depression for a brief period of time is not enough to warrant a clinical diagnosis of major depression. These symptoms experienced over a prolonged period of time and which interfere with leading a normal, active life are reliable indicators that a person may be clinically depressed and in need of depression treatment.

Researchers vary in their estimations of the commonality of major depression with some studies relating that 30 % (or 1 in 3) Americans will experience major depression while other studies put the depression rates somewhere around 50 % of the US adult population.

If you or someone you know does exhibit these symptoms over a long periods of time- it is time to get some help.

Diagnosing clinical depression is best left to medical and mental health professionals- but all of us should know (from a layman’s perspective) the signs and symptoms of depression. This is especially important when someone is feeling suicidal. Research reflects that approximately 1 in 10 people who are clinically depressed go on to commit suicide (this is a conservative estimate).

If you or someone you know is suicidal do not hesitate to call 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK. Getting people who are suffering from major depression the help they need is of paramount importance.

The good news is- help is available.

Get Depression Treatment Early

Because one of the key complications stemming from depression is a lack of motivation, sometimes a depressed person needs someone to reach out with compassion and help that person get in touch with the right people- this may be a family physician, a psychiatrist, or a mental health professional.

These professionals have specialized training in diagnosing and treating not only the symptoms of depression but its underlying causes. Often certain medications can be prescribed to stabilize one’s mood while the person participates in therapeutic counseling to deal with the root issues that provoked the depressive episode in the first place.

If the symptoms of depression are negatively impacting your life, your relationships, your work or your family- then seek help at once.

Treating depression early can prevent things from getting worse.

Remember, feeling depressed does not mean you have a major depressive disorder. However, if you can’t pull yourself out of your symptoms don’t suffer in silence, talk to your physician or a mental health provider and get the help you need to enjoy an active, normal life.

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Benzodiazepines

This class of anxiety medications is very effective for treating panic attacks and are probably the most well known of medications for anxiety treatment.  Some of the benzodiaepines include:

• Alprazolam (Xanax),
• Lorazepam (Ativan), and
• lonazepam (Klonopin).

These are fast acting medications but have some serious side effects such as dependency and withdrawal symptoms.  In elderly people, other side effects such as memory loss and

confusion have been observed.

When I was suffering from panic attacks, my symptoms of anxiety were complicated by a rotator cuff injury that mimicked cardiac symptoms.  Even though the doctors could not find any cardiac problems, the symptoms persisted and morphed into anxiety.

My doctor prescribed a small amount of alprazolam and instructed me to take one when I suffered the next episode of “cardiac symptoms.”  I did as instructed and the symptoms went away within an hour.

At that point, I knew my symptoms were related to anxiety and not my heart.  Interestingly, this went a long way toward diminishing my anxiety, even after the medication wore off.

Anti-Depressants

Most commonly, a class of depression medication called tricyclic drugs are prescribed to treat generalized anxiety disorder.  The main problem with disadvantage of tricyclic drugs is that they sometimes produce heart palpitations and dizziness.  Other side effects of this type of depression medication include fatigue and weight gain.  Because this class of drugs works slowly, they are often prescribed with benzodiazepines when the patient is first diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

Among this class of drugs, imipramine (Tofranil) is considered to be the best treatment for anxiety. Some of the other tricyclic drugs include:

• Anafranil (clomipramine)
• Norpramin (desipramine), and
• Pamelor (nortryptyline).

In addition to the tricyclics mentioned above, MAO (monoamine oxidase) Inhibitors are also used in treating panic disorders.  Unfortunately, these drugs also can negatively affect your health because the drug contains tyramine, which is also found in certain foods.  As a result, the patient must follow a restrictive diet.

Lastly, the patient can also take SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) drugs which includes Prozac (fluoxetine), and Zoloft (sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine)

Azapirones

The main azipirone is a drug called buspirone, sold under the brand name of BuSpar. It can be used to treat different types of anxiety disorders.  However, as with tricyclic drugs, buspirones are also slower to act than benzodiazepines.

Do Not Suffer In Silence:  Anxiety Medications Are Available

If you are suffering from symptoms of depression and anxiety, you need not continue to suffer alone.  Effective anxiety therapy and anxiety medications are available and effective in treating anxiety as well as depression that often results in conjunction with a generalized anxiety disorder.

In addition, the medications discussed above are some of the best choices for anxiety help.  Consult with your primary care physician and develop a course of treatment that best fits your situation.

Anxiety medications are often used as an adjunct to anxiety therapy and the two are designed to work symbiotically with each other.  Together, you and your mental health advisor can design an effective combination of each to treat your anxiety disorder.

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