Understanding Depression - Harvard Health

Understanding Depression - Harvard Health

Don’t let depression rob you of life’s joys.

Advances in treatment can lift the dark cloud of depression and make your tomorrows brighter and happier. 

Depression can be as disabling as a physical illness. It can bring about pain, fatigue, headaches, and digestive problems. It roots you in place, saps your spirit, and leaves you feeling constantly burdened. You don't have to let depression weigh you down. As never before, advances in therapy are helping men and women overcome depression’s symptoms and regain balance, joy, and self-esteem. Understanding Depression is a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School that compassionately and instructively addresses the causes that can cascade into major depression. More important, it describes the therapies that can reverse the illness’ course and restore hope. Just as the triggering factors of depression are different for each individual, so too are the treatments that offer a route to recovery and lessen the chances of recurrence.Understanding Depression readies you to work with your physician to create a strategy that will speed and smooth your journey to success. Prepared by Harvard Medical School doctors, the report compares the medications that are the backbone of most treatments. It provides a comprehensive look at more than 40 drugs, including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics, assessing their purpose and side effects. You will also discover: • The role psychotherapy plays in combating depression • How a cognitive behavioral therapist can help you regrow self-esteem • Ways that interpersonal therapy can help you overcome grief • How psychodynamic therapy can give you greater freedom to direct your life • The ingredients of good therapy, and questions to ask when choosing a therapist • And so much more! Plus, the report offers an articulate (and perhaps surprising) appraisal of shock therapy for depression, as well as two newer stimulation therapies. A Special Section explores self-care and alternative treatments. You’ll get guidance for coping when a loved one is depressed, for navigating the health care system, and for starting — and sticking to — your treatment plan. Don’t let depression steal another day. Order your copy of this important report now. To your good health, Gregory D. Curfman, M.D. Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Publications