Natural herbs for depression

Herbal Treatment and Depression

Though it may sound as highly improbable, as many as 17 million Americans fall under the influence of depression (clinical mostly) on a yearly basis. This type of depression is considered to be the most frequently occurring type of depression that affects the mood significantly, and is also often referred to as major, i.e. unipolar depression. Despite the fact that each and every one of us at one time or another does feel certain abrupt changes in the overall mood, there has to be at least five of the officially recognized symptoms present in order for a person to be diagnosed with real depression.

Symptoms of Depression

In case a person in question has been suffering from the following symptoms for a month or even longer, then he/she is unfortunately suffering from severe depression and not just a temporary mood swing:

Loss of interest and vigor when it comes to, otherwise, enjoyable daily activitiesLoss or diminished sex drive and interest in sexConstant presence of excessive fatigueHyperactivity or hyperinactivityPresence of such powerful feelings as those of constant guilt, low self-esteem and worthlessnessInability to concentrate and stay calmThoughts of a suicide

Causes

There are many things that can cause and set on bouts of depression and those more severe types of depression. Among those most frequent are such as hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, various food related allergies, heart disease, diabetes, toxins coming from the every day environment, nutrition related deficiencies and also a number of medications and drugs. Given the fact that the number of possible causes is so great, it is best to always seek help from a qualified physician or other expert before embarking on voyage to treat this condition.

Treatment

In the first line we have antidepressants. Even though they are the most commonly employed medications in treating depression, this does not qualify them as the most effective. Most evident downfall is that there is a great percentage of relapses and the development of dependency, which is fairly difficult to treat. Another approach, which has in the recent years become the one more preferred and more effective, is the cognitive therapy. It functions in the way that it is used for the purpose of manipulating the chemistry of the brain of a person in question by strengthening the person suffering from depression with new means that enable him/her a much better coping with the every day life. Beside, relieving the ever present helpless sensation and inability to take matters firmly and be in control, it also functions as a brain chemistry stabilisator.

Among other commonly used means, as well as the herbs that can bring relief to depression are also:

S-Adenosyl-MethionineSt. John’s Wort – which has no less than 10 pharmacologically active constituents in its extract. The most important two are pseudohypericin and hypericin.Kava – has a tradition in alleviating and providing relief from anxiety, though it is considered to be a fairly new means in treating depression directly connected with anxiety. Still, the growing number of countries, at the moment most in Europe, have given green light for the use of this herb in curing disorders nervous in nature, insomnia and also depression.