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Anxiety and Depression :: New Treatments for Depression

What Are the New Treatments for Depression?

New treatments for depression are, quite literally, developing daily. If you or a loved one battles with depression, you are undoubtedly familiar with today's treatment options. Therapy coupled with medications such as Zoloft or Prozac may come to mind as treatment options for depression. And even if today's options seem limited, there is even more hope on the horizon for those suffering from depression.

Possibly you are dealing with a loved one who has recently been diagnosed with depression. Have they tried many of the treatment options to relieve their symptoms? Today's new treatments for depression offer help and hope to individuals who have been unable to overcome depression through other means. Know that these new treatments for depression are helping so many people to get back to the happier times in their lives.

Researchers are working hard to learn everything they can about depression so that new treatments can become available. Antidepressants have played a significant role in the lives of many patients. Prescription medications have come a long way in regards to the treatment of depression. Currently, a veritable arsenal of antidepressants is available for the patients who need it.

Booster Drugs

The new treatments for depression are in the form of prescription cocktails. A combination of prescription medications can make all the difference for several patients. Some professionals refer to these new treatments for depression as booster drugs.

For instance, an antidepressant medication may help to improve symptoms slightly, or possibly not at all, when used by itself. Adding a drug, typically prescribed for thyroid disorders, to the mix can show dramatic improvement in depression symptoms for the patient. New treatments for depression, similar to the one described, are currently in use today. More booster drug combinations are being studied as possible new treatments for depression in the future.

Hormones and Depression

Hormones play an integral part in a person's mood. New treatments for depression are using hormone therapy to help patients overcome depression. The new treatments for depression involving hormone therapy may be the future's cure for this severe illness. Hormones affect the regulation of the states of the human brain. Scientists have developed a cream containing estrogen and progesterone for the treatment of depression. This new treatment for depression allows the body to soak up the hormones through the skin. The estrogen can give the patient the boost they need. It can put a little spring in your step. The progesterone, on the other hand, has a calming effect on the patient. For those who feel jumpy and anxious, this new hormone therapy can really make a difference.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation

One of the new treatments available for depression is called vagus (pronounced "VAY-gus") nerve stimulation. This treatment was discovered during a trial of a treatment for epilepsy, but it has also been found to help patients with severe or chronic depression. VNS uses a small device, similar to a pacemaker used to treat conditions in heart patients, to change neurotransmitters. Many patients who were unable to achieve relief with other methods responded well to VNS. If you have tried numerous other treatments with no luck, then you may want to read the accompanying article about this promising new treatment for depression.

Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation, also called TMS, is just another one of the new treatments for depression. This method of treatment is experimental, but may replace electro convulsive therapy in a few short years. The doctor holds a wire coil and runs it over the patient's scalp. The electric current creates a magnetic pulse. The magnetic pulse travels through the scalp to stimulate the nerves in the patient's brain. This nerve stimulation is currently offered in many hospitals and clinics on an experimental basis.

New treatments for depression are currently being developed and modified to give patients with depression the best treatment options. Your doctor's help and guidance is critical to choosing the right treatment path for you.

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