I. What is depression? Depression is a brain disorder that causes the patient to be depressed, but this depression is different from the usual sadness (see Figure 1). Depression can make it difficult for the person to work, study or go about their daily life. Problems in the brain can trigger emotional disorders Figure 1 Emotional disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, are caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Treatment for the disorder also works by regulating the brain’s neurotransmitters. Second, how to recognize if you have depression? People with depression feel depressed most of the time for more than 2 weeks. At least one of the following symptoms may also be present: loss of interest in things you used to enjoy doing, feeling sad, depressed, hopeless, or grumpy almost most of the day. If you think you may have depression, consult a doctor or nurse. Only a mental health professional can diagnose whether you are depressed. If you have thoughts of self-injury or suicide, get help immediately! If you feel you may be hurting yourself or others, seek help in any of the following ways: Call your doctor or nurse and tell them the situation is urgent Call an ambulance (120) Immediately go to the emergency room of your local hospital for help Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline IV. How should depression be treated? Treatment for depression is as follows: Medication to relieve depressive symptoms Seek help from a counselor (including: psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse or social worker) Combination of the above two methods of comprehensive treatment Mild and moderate depression can be improved by receiving medication or counseling. Patients with severe depression usually need medication to improve and should also receive psychological counseling. Patients with very severe depression need “shock treatment” to relieve their condition. Doctors call this treatment ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). During this treatment, the doctor applies electrical stimulation to the patient’s brain in a safe manner in order to relieve symptoms. V. How long will it take for my condition to improve? Both of these treatments require a certain amount of time to take effect. Many patients improve within 2 weeks of taking the medication, but it can take 4-8 weeks for the medication to take full effect. Many patients will improve after a few weeks of counseling, but it will take 8-10 weeks for the patient to get the most benefit from counseling. You should inform your doctor or nurse if the first treatment does not work, but do not give up. Some patients will need to try other treatments or a combination of treatments before they can finally find a treatment plan that works for them. Your doctor, nurse or counselor will work with you to find the right treatment plan for you. They will also help you find the best treatment plan or teach you how to cope with problems you may encounter while waiting for treatment to take effect. 6. How can I tell what kind of treatment I should receive? You and your doctor or nurse will work together to choose a treatment plan for you. Medication works slightly faster than counseling, but medication has side effects. In addition, some patients do not like the idea of medication. On the other hand, counseling requires you to talk about your feelings in front of a stranger, which can be difficult for some people. Is adolescent depression the same as adult depression? No. It is not the same. The symptoms of depression in adolescents are different compared to adults. Some adolescents feel moody or upset a lot of the time, which makes it difficult for them to express when they are really depressed. Adolescents with depression often seem irritable, they are easily “bothered” or “annoyed,” and they may even hit someone. Moreover, for adolescents with depression, doctors and nurses often recommend psychological counseling first, rather than medication. This is because antidepressants may have adverse effects on some adolescents. Even so, a proportion of adolescents with depression need to be treated with medication. The consensus of most experts states that antidepressant medications are safe and should be chosen for adolescent patients who do need antidepressant treatment. VIII. What should I do if I plan to become pregnant while on antidepressant medication? Some antidepressants can affect the fetus. But untreated depression during pregnancy can also cause problems. If you are planning to get pregnant, tell your doctor, but don’t stop taking your medication without permission. You can work with your doctor to develop the safest plan for pregnancy and childbirth.