Kimberly Go and Nino Manalo of Solar News Talk TV passed by my clinic for an interview on depression.
Major depression, also known as clinical depression, is a mood problem caused by a serotonin imbalance in the brain. Since serotonin imbalance is the culprit for major depression, it follows that the condition should be treated with serotonin balancers. These serotonin balancers are what we call anti-depressants.
Taking anti-depressants is the fastest way to get rid of the depression. While all anti-depressants are clinically researched to be effective, it is important to find the anti-depressant which matches your body system. In order to know which anti-depressant best suits you, I have two criteria that must be met: First of all, there should be no side effects. And secondly, you should feel significant improvement within 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately, the only way to know whether you've found the right anti-depressant for you is through trial and error.
In the internet forums, a lot of people bash anti-depressants for their side-effects. My question for these bashers is, why in the first place would you continue taking an anti-depressant that makes you feel worse? If the anti-depressant has side-effects or makes you feel more depressed, or if you've been taking it for more than month and you're still depressed, then it only makes sense to stop taking that anti-depressant and try another one.
Oh and by the way, it is unfair to bash or heap accolades on a particular anti-depressant because the choice of anti-depressant for each person is very individualized. The anti-depressant that best suits you may be the worst anti-depressant for another person, and vice versa. Like they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure.
Best thing to do is find a shrink who you can collaborate with in finding the right medication, because once you've found the right medication and taken the right dosage, then you should be back to your old happy self within 2-3 weeks. Yes, recovery from major depression is generally that quick!
Hhmm, this is a pretty depressed kitty cat, don't you think? It looks like it needs a lot of tender loving care!
