For an updated version of medications for depression and more information about depression treating check out Panic and Anxiety Gone Review

A few days of feeling sad or depressed does not mean depression. Depression can last for years, it’s a serious illness. Studies have show that around 15 million Americans are affected by this illness each and every year. And yet, sadly, only about 1/3 of those people seek medical care. It’s the mental illness stereotypes, things like the crazy eyed old man, that make people think twice before seeking treatment for depression. Of the list of progressive ailments depression is one of the worst. Without attention it will become more and more severe. Ignorance in this case isn’t bliss.

Many things cause depression. It can by biological, genetic, physical and emotional. The day to day lives of the victim may even have a role. It can be caused by stress brought on by even more detrimental factors. Depression is a very complicated disease. We also recognize the intricacy of man’s mind. The medical profession is working steadily in an attempt to study the mind and how it works. We know that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. More about the way this process works is learned each day. The phrase is “learning is half the battle” and with depression knowledge is power.

There are a variety of medications available to treat depression. Quick fix schemes exist too, but they don’t work. Make sure the treatment has been studied and scientifically proven to address depression. Not too long ago people who were considered mentally ill were thrown into asylums, never again to be seen or heard. That is a thing of the past, thank goodness. The anti-depressant Prozac first came into use in the USA in 1988. It was proven to work, and thus is still prescribed today even though it can have serious side effects.

A new class of anti-depressants has become widely used since then. The SSRI or (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) like Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Luvox are all being used to treat depression today. All have been proven effective but come with varied side effects. The market is also ripe with herbal medications and treatments. The ingredient in St. John’s Wort extract, heperforin, is present in those that prove every bit as effective as anti-depressant drugs. Some herbal remedies don’t contain this ingredient in the proper strength so they don’t work. Research and information are your friends when it comes to the right medications for depression.