Electrotherapy or Antidepressants for Clinical Depression

Electrotherapy or Antidepressants for Clinical Depression

Introduction

Clinical depression is a syndrome recognized by main changes in the mood and behavior. These changes include the inability to sleep (insomnia), to concentrate, sadness, guilt, helplessness, sometimes accompanied by suicidal thoughts (Schultz, Videbeck, 2009, pp.186). Depression is mostly associated with a condition of loss, trauma or the low socio-economic well being. It is widely distributed in all the age groups, targeting the adults in particular. The major marker that indicates the presence of clinical depression is the presence of at least 5 depression related clinical symptoms. The clinical symptoms, associated with depression, includes, unrelenting sadness or mood disorder, considerable loss in appetite, abnormal increase in appetite, loss of joy, lack of interest in enjoyable activities like games and sex, restlessness, lack of concentration, fatigue, guilt, suicidal thoughts and irritability (Philadelphia Tribune, 2004, pp.18)

Discussion

The occurrence of depression is not very uncommon. It ranks number two, after schizophrenia, in the United States, referring to the mental hospital admissions. Depression is divided into different stages depending on its severity. When the depression becomes severe, and anhedonia is occurring along with it, it is then when the patient needs clinical treatment. The clinicians describe the principal depressive syndromes as clinical depression. This may include the major depressive disorder (MDD) (Daniel, Flavin, 2011).

Treatment

The treatment includes two kinds of strategies:

Antidepressants

Alpha Stim electrotherapy

Antidepressants

Overview

Antidepressants are being used to treat depression and anxiety from a long time period. These antidepressants are divided into different categories depending on their mechanism of action. The groups includes the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), monoamine oxidase(MAO) and Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).These agents act mainly by affecting the norepinephrine and/ or serotonin levels in the brain.

Cost

Antidepressants are costly. As the research indicates amongst the most expensive drugs being retailed, antidepressants rank third. The treatment with the first line agents might result in remission or resistance by the patient. In this case, a second line antidepressant therapy is given. This further increases the cost profile of the treatment (Giordano, 2006).

The antidepressants are the second most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. Their cost differs from product to product. For example, the cost of bupropion100 mg sustained release tablet is $254. The frequency of use for this tablet is two tablets a day. This makes the cost to be $508 per day and $15748 per month(Giordano, 2006) This is quite expensive specially from underinsured and uninsured population.

Side effects associated with the use

Antidepressants are famous in their vast side effects profile. Some of the most common side effects associated with these antibiotics are

Nausea/ vomiting

Sleep disturbances/insomnia

Restlessness/anxiety

Tremors/seizures

Sexual dysfunction

Diarrhea/constipation

Headache

Weight gain

These are the most common side effects that occur with the use of antidepressants in the general population. In children and teenagers, there is another condition that might be even more dangerous. This condition involves the suicidal thoughts. In these patients, there is an increase rather than a decrease in the depression. The condition is not just limited to the children and teenagers, but ...