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Depression: SAD Because Of Winter
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DEPRESSION OR A MEDICAL PROBLEM?

Publishing Guidelines: You have permission to publish this
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***********************************************************

Title: DEPRESSION OR A MEDICAL CONDITION?
Author: Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
E-mail: mailto:editor@overcoming-depression.com
Copyright: by Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
Web Address: http://www.Overcoming-Depression.com
Word Count: 528
Category: DEPRESSION

DEPRESSION OR A MEDICAL CONDITION?

Are you suffering from depression or a medical condition?
Depression can be a symptom of an undiagnosed medical
condition.

Decision trees are used in psychotherapy much like they are
in other professions. At the top of the decision tree are
always two items to rule out FIRST, before making a mental
health diagnosis.

1. A general medical condition or

2. A chemical dependency

As a rule-of-thumb if it has been longer than 2 years since
you have had a thorough medical examination it's time to
call and schedule that appointment. Please, don't put it
off until tomorrow, do it today (Are you hearing that
gentlemen?) ;-)

When I speak of "thorough medical examination" I mean the
actual physical exam given by your family doctor and a full
blood workup as well.

There are many diseases and medical issues that can cause
depressive symptoms. Common ones include: AIDS, anemia,
cancer, congestive heart failure, diabetes, infectious
hepatitis, malnutrition, MS, rheumatoid arthritis and
thyroid conditions.

The order of this decision tree is very important. You
don't want to treat what you think is a depression problem,
if there's a medical condition going unnoticed, untreated
and becoming worse.

Additionally, you will waste valuable time and money
treating a secondary condition that may well disappear if
you are treated for the primary medical condition at the
beginning.

I'm a psychotherapist, and NO, I'm not trying to chase off
business! I am,


however, interested in you getting better.

I speculate that the growing trend in "atypical
depression," or untreatable depression, lies partly in
untreated health problems. And, in particular,
malnutrition. Did you know that one study showed that 80% of
Americans suffer from malnutrition? Hard to believe? The
new field of Metabolic Typing has shed tremendous light on
this subject, and you may have heard it referred to as
"Syndrome X."

There are times when it's not this simple. You may be
convinced you have a medical problem, but all the tests
come back negative. In that case, your best bet is to treat
the depression and become your own information sleuth
and/or seek a second opinion. Modern medicine continues to
make tremendous leaps forward, but it is not perfect.

Also be aware that you may simply have depression and are
struggling with acceptance. Many people wrestle with the
fact that there is no concrete test, like a blood test,
that you can get to verify if depression is, with certainty,
the culprit. That's very understandable, but don't allow
it to get in the way of receiving proper help. You and
those you love do not need to suffer needlessly.

Another complex situation involves when you may need to be
treated for both a medical condition and a depression
condition. Even then, a doctor should first treat your
medical condition and monitor the depression to see if it
subsides with the treatment you're receiving. The doctor
can always recommend an antidepressant and psychotherapy as
needed. The only exception to this rule is if you have
severe depression and are in danger of suicide. Then you
may require immediate hospitalization for the purpose of
emotion stabilization.

All my best in your recovery efforts!


About the Author

Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW is an author, university
faculty member, success coach and veteran psychotherapist
whose passion is guiding others to their own success in
life. For weekly doses of the webs HOTTEST success tips, sign
up for Dave’s powerful “Feeling Great!” ezine at
http://www.Overcoming-Depression.com

 

Welcome to Depression.com
Facts about depression, including how to manage it and how to live with this medical condition.
www.depression.com
 
NIMH: Depression
Such a disabling episode of depression may occur only once but more ... Depression can also affect the physical health in men differently from women. ...
www.nimh.nih.gov
 
NIMH: Depression
National Institute of Mental Health presents a comprehensive series of articles on symptoms and management. Includes booklets of personal accounts and ...
www.nimh.nih.gov
 
Clinical depression - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder) is a state of intense ... By definition the symptoms are not as severe as with Major Depression, ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
Great Depression - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Great Depression was an economic downturn which started in 1929 (although its ... The Great Depression ended at different times in different countries; ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
Dr. Ivan's Depression Central
This site is Internet's central clearinghouse for information on all types of depressive disorders and on the most effective treatments for individuals ...
www.psycom.net
 
Depression Screening Test
Answer a few simple questions to determine if you are experiencing depressive symptoms. Provides a referral list and information on depression.
www.med.nyu.edu
 
MedlinePlus: Depression
From the National Institutes of Health; Depression (National Institute of Mental Health) ... Select services and providers for Depression in your area. ...
www.nlm.nih.gov
 
Welcome to depression-screening.org
Most people with depression, however, do not seek the professional help they ... The depression-screening.org web site is sponsored by the National Mental ...
www.depression-screening.org
 
iFred - International Foundation for Research and Education on ...
"This book can help those directly and indirectly touched by depression. ... iFred Brings New Hope to Depression with Thousands of Sunflowers ...
www.ifred.org
 
Depression information and treatment
Information about depression, depression treatment, and facts about depression.
www.psychologyinfo.com
 
Depression
Depression is a strong mood involving sadness, discouragement, despair, or hopelessness that lasts for weeks, months, or even longer.
www.kidshealth.org
 
Depression Alliance web site with information about depression ...
Information about the symptoms and treatment of depression from Depression Alliance, a UK charity for people with clinical depression and anxiety.
www.depressionalliance.org
 
WebMD Depression Health Center - Learn the symptoms of depression ...
Articles, links, and resources for sufferers of depression.
www.webmd.com
 
Depression - Information and Support
THE starting place for exploring Depression. Support forums, links, articles and more.
depression.about.com
 
beyondblue: the national depression initiative
Australian organisation provides information about depression to consumers, carers and health professionals.
www.beyondblue.org.au
 
Using EFT for Depression, Teen Depression & Clinical Depression
EFT's results for all forms of depression are often astonishing. In most cases the depressed feelings vanish or are materially reduced within a few minutes ...
www.emofree.com
 
Depression
The website for Depression. ... Please note that Depression is comprised of backfile volumes. Volume 4, Issue 2 (1996). Articles in this Issue: ...
www3.interscience.wiley.com
 
Depression - MayoClinic.com
Depression is more than just a bout of the blues. Fortunately, treatments are available.
www.mayoclinic.com
 
Mental Help Net - Depression (Unipolar)
Depression is one of the most common and most serious mental health ... Fortunately, there are many highly effective treatments for depression today that ...
mentalhelp.net
 
 

 
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