The following is a recent editorial on the tendency our culture has to both see anti-depressants as a quick fix and to resist them because they are not “real” help. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/06/hey-lets-not-get-carried-away-anti-depressants-really-do-help-people/257976/
Dr. Peter Kramer, a clinical professor of psychiatry at BrownUniversity, is adamant that depression is not just a “disorder”. It is now defined as a disease with serious biological implications. Research that looked at brain scans and physiological reactivity conclude that Depression’s affects on the body are more serious than diabetes and asthma combined. This can be seen in the way Depression affects chemistry, resulting in negative impacts on different areas of the brain. For example, the Amygdala, part of the brain’s limbic system which activates your fight or flight response, becomes less able to switch off. Meanwhile the adrenal gland becomes enlarged. The combination of these two affected areas results in prolonged heightened states. The body becomes stressed – the bones lose calcium, blood platelets become sticky (increasing risk of heart attacks and strokes), and the immune system is suppressed. Another victim is the hippocampus- it gets smaller with each day of Depression. This affects memory and the brain’s ability to repair itself. With these aspects alone, we learn that over time, Depression leads to stress and anxiety, and then limits those parts of the brain that would normally serve to repair the damage. YIKES!
Now the good news! What you just read is most pronounced when Depression is left untreated. Medication can significantly address the chemical alterations, limiting the damage. And there is another benefit. Not only are the organs more protected, medications significantly impact the number of attempted and successfully completed suicides. When counseling is activated as well, research shows there is even greater success. So for those of you suffering from Depression, realize that there is a reason to act and there are wonderful tools available that can help!
**If you would like to hear more of Dr. Kramer, you can read his book, Against Depression.