New Treatment For Depression: 3 Of The Latest Methods

Depression is a state of mind that causes the person to have negative feelings. Despite of the fact that the real cause of depression can not really be ascertained, depression is a highly-treatable disease. The problem is finding which among the many methods of treatment can provide an effective solution.

Many people are resistant to currently-available medications and therapies; this is the reason why it is hard for them to recover. The subject "new treatment for depression" is about finding alternative solutions for the relief from this condition. It puts emphasis on the use of non-traditional approaches such as brain pace makers, magnetic coils and hormones as cure to depression.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy believers say that hormones such as progesterone and estrogen can help cure depression. Advicates of this method say that hormones are psychoactive substances, which makes them capable of affecting feelings considerably. Dr. Andrew Herzog, a neuroendocrinologist, advocates the use of hormone therapy. He believes that the causes of depression among women can be one of two reasons. It is either due to the imbalance of estrogen and progesterone or the brain is sensitively tuned to normal fluctuations.

Dr. Herzog said that the effect of progesterone is very significant in soothing the depressed person. He said that it has a strong calming effect to the point of sleepiness. Estrogen he said on the other hand is the opposite of progesterone. It acts like a pep pill if not better. The new treatment for depression with the use of hormone therapy is said to be very effective. If you want to try this type of treatment, it is highly advised that you do it with close supervision of a neuroendocrinologist. It is also a prerequisite to check the level of hormone every beginning and end of the month.

This therapy is very promising, although it is still a relatively new form of treatment for mental illness. In fact, it may even answer some women's related problems such as PMS (premenstrual syndrome), menstrual cramps and migraine in women.

"Get Happy" Pacemakers

"Get Happy" Pacemakers are implanted into the vagal nerves to create a sensation of happiness, therefore free from depression. The vagal nerve is the pathway of electrochemical signals to and from the brain. This provides connection of the brain to the lungs, heart and stomach. Important signals from the vital organs are then directly deposited to the cortex of the brain.

The discovery of the "Get Happy" pacemakers started from the experiment done with epileptics. A pacemaker was implanted to the vagal nerve to stop seizure. It was later found that aside from the effect it has on preventing seizure, it also made the patients happy. This is where the name "get-happy" pacemakers came from and they were later used to elevate the mood of depressed people.

Vagal nerve simulation is a bit pricey, true, but they have a high success rate. Discuss this form of treatment with your psychiatrist and ask if you can possibly benefit from it. If not, take your psychiatrist's word and follow his recommendations.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

The third type of new treatment for depression is magnetic healing or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This kind of treatment is relatively new but it is already being offered in many clinics. It works by having an electric current pass through a wire coil being held by the doctor and allow passing through the scalp, stimulating the nerves cells in the brain.

Researchers believe that with TMS, they can target structures in the brain that are responsible for the feeling of depression. It is recommended that TMS be administered to patients on a daily basis for the duration of two to three weeks to relieve the symptoms of depression.

All the three types of new treatment for depression are found to be effective, although researches about these treatments are still quite a few. Thus, with less tests and researches to backup their effectiveness, it is highly advised that a specialist on each field should closely monitor administration of these procedures.