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what are your options in contact lenses?

When was the last time that you changed your brand or type of contact lens? If you have been using the same brand and type of contact lenses for several years, it may be time for you to learn about the newer versions that are on the market today. You may find that there is no longer the need to struggle with putting your lenses in each day, cleaning them, and messing around with those little storage containers. Extended wear contact lenses may be an option for you like they are for me. After being told five years ago that I could not wear extended wear lenses, the design of them have changed and I now wear them for an entire week before removing them! Learn more about the various contact lenses on the market today to help yourself, find some that are perfectly comfortable and less of an inconvenience!

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what are your options in contact lenses?

Depression: What Is It And What Are Some Treatment Options?

by Elmer Perry

Many people today are suffering from depression. Some may not be diagnosed, some may not want to share with others due to the stigma surrounding mental health, and others may be very open about their mental health journey. If you struggle with depression, always remember your feelings are valid no matter how you choose to handle them. 

What Is Depression?

Depression is a type of mood disorder. Oftentimes, depression is misconstrued to just be sadness. You will hear people say they are depressed when they are feeling down, but there is a lot more to depression than just sadness. 

While depression does make a person feel sad, it can also cause the following:

  • Loss of interest or pleasure
  • Thoughts of suicide
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia or oversleeping
  • Weight loss or gain
  • Lack of energy
  • Difficulty concentrating or remembering things

There is so much more than comes along with depression. Depression is a battle that sometimes exhausts a person to the point of death. It is a dangerous disorder and needs to be treated as such. 

Treatments for Depression

When determining if you have depression, your doctor could use physical exams, evaluation by a psychiatrist, or lab tests. Sometimes your doctor may use all these methods of diagnosis. If you are diagnosed with depression, do not fret. You do have treatment options to help you navigate this disorder. 

Medications

There are quite a few different medications you can try, and it may take some trial and error to find the medication that works best for you, but do not give up. Medications will help you regulate your moods. All medications have their own set of side effects. For most antidepressants, you may feel increased thoughts of suicide when first starting the medication, but they will likely decrease those thoughts over time. 

Therapy

Though it is getting better, there is a huge stigma surrounding therapy which can cause some people to deny the therapy option. Therapy involves talking about your feelings and any issues with a licensed professional. 

A therapist can help you with many things, including:

  • Identifying triggers
  • Learning healthy coping mechanisms
  • Adjusting to any complications or difficulties
  • Identifying the potential cause for your feelings
  • Setting reachable goals
  • Talking through complications and difficulties to ease any anger or hopelessness 

Therapy is oftentimes used in combination with medications. 

Brain Stimulation Therapy

Brain stimulation therapy is not as common as medication or therapy but can be used if you do not respond well to either of them. They can sound scary, but they are completely safe and performed by professionals. 

One type is electroconvulsive therapy which occurs when electric currents are sent through your brain, targeting the neurotransmitters to relieve the feelings of depression. Another type, which is similar, is transcranial magnetic stimulation. This occurs when a magnetic coil is connected to your head. This coil will send magnetic currents into your brain, targeting the parts in charge of mood regulation.  

For more information about treatments for depression, contact a local doctor. 

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