The world was shocked when Linkin’ Park frontman Chester Bennington suddenly passed away in 2017 due to suicide. The year after that, the music industry took another blow when Swedish DJ, Avicii, also committed suicide.
These two musicians might have nothing in common aside from the fact that they passed away so tragically due to suicide at a relatively young age. But, the world then understood the reason behind such tragic fates — mental illness.
Bennington and Avicii both suffered anxiety and depression, which was seen as the reason they chose to end their lives. Although the rate of people committing suicide and battling depression is not decreasing, various medications such as antidepressant pills can help cure a patient.
On the other hand, ketamine therapy in San Anselmo, CA, can keep the condition at bay for some.
What is depression?
Feeling sad or grieving when you lost a loved one is normal and common. But being sad, having low self-esteem, and generally feeling worthless on a normal day or after being triggered by certain events in your life is not. That is what characterizes depression.
It is important to understand that people experience depression for a variety of reasons other than it is a mental health condition. Women who just gave birth experience post-partum depression due to fluctuating hormones so does people who have thyroid conditions.
So, it is important to rule out other medical conditions before taking steps to treat depression. Fortunately, depression is curable. A combination of medication and psychotherapy often helps a person bounce back and live a normal life.
Unfortunately, however, there are those who do not respond to conventional depression treatments. This condition is known as treatment-resistant depression.
How can one manage treatment-resistant depression?
People who suffer from treatment-resistant depression may find short term relief and comfort from the symptoms of depression upon medication and treatment but do not really get well from it.
Handling treatment-resistant depression can be challenging as a person’s biological composition varies from each other. Changing Patient A’s medication dosage might work for him, but might not work for Patient B.
Instead, totally changing the kind of medication, or in some cases, the whole course of treatment might be required. Managing treatment-resistant depression will take time.
More often than not, it is a journey that both the patient and the team of medical professionals have to walk through, often for the first time, together. A treatment tailored for a patient’s specific needs and the condition is required.
In some cases, additional treatment options like electroconvulsive therapy and magnetic stimulation can help provide relief and even treatment from the patient. In the end, it is all a matter of trying new kinds of treatments until the right combination is found.
Depression, despite its increasing popularity as a subject, is still considered taboo and is something that is still not completely explored even by medical professionals. If you, or someone you know, are experiencing such conditions, it is always best to seek professional help. Remember, depression can be treated, if not managed at best to help one live a normal life.
