Depression
Depression, characterized by unhappy feelings of hopelessness, can be a response to stressful events, hormonal imbalances, biochemical abnormalities, or other causes. Mild depression that passes quickly may not require any diagnosis or treatment. However, when depression becomes recurrent, constant, or severe, it should be diagnosed by a licensed counselor, psychologist, social worker, or psychiatrist. Diagnosis may be crucial for determining appropriate treatment. For example, depression caused by low thyroid function can be successfully treated with prescription thyroid medication. Suicidal depression often requires prescription antidepressants. Persistent mild-to-moderate depression triggered by stressful events is often best treated with counseling and not necessarily with medications.
When depression is not a function of external events, it is called endogenous. Endogenous depression can be due to biochemical abnormalities. Lifestyle changes and herbs may be used with people whose depression results from a variety of causes, but dietary and nutrient interventions are usually best geared to endogenous depression.
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