YOUR HEALTH: Stimulate your depression
Treatments include counseling, medications, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, TMS, to stimulate the mood-regulating parts of the brain.
"Not all patients respond to the medication or to the neuromodulation," explained Dr. Francisco Romo-Nava, a physician scientist at the University of Cincinnati's Lindner Center of HOPE.
Dr. Romo-Nava and his colleagues are studying a new way to treat mental health disorders.
The neuroscientists are testing a device that delivers stimulation to a patient's spine.
Dr. Romo-Nava says the stimulation will improve the feedback in the central nervous system that is sometimes disrupted when a person has a psychiatric disorder.
For now, patients undergo spinal stimulation for 20 minutes, three times a week, for eight weeks.
"The kind of stimulation that we use is very well tolerated," he explained.
"The most frequent description is like a tingling sensation
Researchers say this stimulation therapy could be the first step to developing better treatment for some patients.
Dr. Romo-Nava was granted a patent for the stimulation method that utilizes transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
He says his research team is trying to determine how often, and how long, patients should undergo the stimulation for the best results.
Between 80% and 90% of people with depression respond well to treatment, and almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms.
A new form of magnetic brain stimulation relieved symptoms of severe depression in 90% of participants in a study conducted by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
The researchers are conducting a larger, double-blinded trial in which half the participants are receiving fake treatment and are optimistic it will prove to be similarly effective in treating people whose condition hasn't improved with medication, talk therapy, or other forms of electromagnetic stimulation.
Common Seasonal Effects From Clinical Depression
Depression can sometimes seem like a very hard thing to start to get out of. The thing about depression is that you have to start somewhere, and you're doing that by being on this page. When it comes to depression you have to take those little and big steps that can help you get your mind in the right place, so take some time to read and digest the information in this article that can help you during your depression.
If you are depressed, you should try to work on something productive for at least 30-60 minutes per day. Doing absolutely nothing all day can cause a vicious cycle where you not only have your "base" depression symptoms, but also depression because you are unable to get anything done.
Cut out refined and unrefined sugars that leave you with a sugar crash. Compared with complex carbohydrates, these simple sugars are absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream. This causes an energy burst from the quick inflow of carbohydrates, but results in fatigue and then depression shortly thereafter.
One way to combat depression is to help yourself feel good. It sounds simple, but when life has gotten to the point that you find it difficult to get out of bed and get dressed in the morning, no matter how difficult or tiring it may be, hop in that shower and pick out a flattering outfit to wear for the day. Looking good will help you to feel good as well.
It is wise for those who suffer from depression to find a hobby. By getting involved in a sport or other activity, you will help to keep your mind off of the negative feelings you may have. Try to get a friend or family member to join you in this activity.
Make sure you're getting about eight hours of sleep a night. People with depression tend to either sleep too little or far too much. In either case, both your mood and your health will suffer. Schedule your sleep patterns so that you're getting just the right amount of sleep each night.
Understand and know that you are not insane, but depressed. Depression is the way the body tells us that something is wrong or out of balance with our body. The world around us is an insane place and our bodies react to this insanity by making us depressed. This does not mean that we are insane, it just means that you are a natural being living in an insane world.
Listen to motivational speakers. When you are depressed, your inner voice becomes increasingly negative. Don't give that voice a chance to bring you down. When you feel your inner voice start to be negative grab a recording of your favorite motivational speaker and let them be your inner voice for a while. It will fill your mind with uplifting words instead of pessimism.
If you feel like committing suicide or hurting someone else, it is important that you seek help immediately. These are signs that your depression has gotten out of control and you should get help before it is too late. Do not be scared to tell a professional if you are feeling this way.
If you see a therapist for your depression, it is important that you are honest with them about how you feel. By holding back or not telling your therapist the truth, you are preventing them from properly treating you. Remember, whatever you talk about with your therapist stays between the two of you.
A useful depression-fighting tip is to simply conduct yourself as though you were not plagued by sadness. Simply go about your day without mentally acknowledging or dwelling on your feelings of depression, and you will soon feel your focus shift away from your troubles and onto more positive aspects of your life.
If you are feeling depressed, there is no better way to combat those thoughts than to dance. This will get your body moving and get the blood flowing through your body and to your brain. Although when depressed exercise is not appealing, get up and force yourself to check here dance. Play happy uplifting music and stretch those muscle and move. Your body, soul, and mind will be happier for it.
Get exercise. Activity can be very therapeutic, so having a regular exercise schedules can make your life happier and healthier. Learning to enjoy your exercise and having a healthy life will cause you to increase your positive moods. Having proper nutrition can also keep your health and happiness on a high note.
As you have seen, there are a lot of ways that you could use to help yourself, or others who are going through depression. Treatment for depression can and should be individualized. Since your reasons for becoming depressed may be intensely personal, you need to treat the underlying concerns, even if the treatment method isn't standard or doesn't work as well for other people. Read up on how each treatment works to discover which might work for you. By applying these tips to your life, you can start improving your mental health.