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Part 1 of 5
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**Depression Primer**

**Types**
- What is depression?
- What is major depression?
- What is dysthymia?
- What is bipolar depression (manic-depressive illness)?
- What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
- What is Post Partum Depression
- How is bereavement different from depression?
- What is Endogenous Depression
- What is atypical depression?

**Symptoms**

- What are the typical symptoms of depression?
- What are the diagnostic criteria for depression?

**Causes**

- What causes depression?

Part 2 of 5
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**Causes** (cont.)

- What initiates the alteration in brain chemistry?
- Is a tendency to depression inherited?

**Treatment**

- What sorts of psychotherapy are effective for depression?

**Medication**

- Do certain drugs work best with certain depressive illnesses? What are the guidelines for choosing a drug?
- How do you tell when a treatment is not working? How do you know when to switch treatments?
- How do antidepressants relieve depression?
- Are Antidepressants just "happy pills?"
- What percentage of depressed people will respond to antidepressants?
- What does it feel like to respond to an antidepressant? Will I feel euphoric if my depression responds to an antidepressant?
- What are the major categories of anti-depressants?
- What are the side-effects of some of the commonly used antidepressants?
- What are some techniques that can be used by people taking antidepressants to make side effects more tolerable?
- Many antidepressants seem to have sexual side effects. Can anything be done about those side-effects?
- What should I do if my antidepressant does not work?

Part 3 of 5
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**Medication** (cont.)

- If an antidepressant has produced a partial response, but has not fully eliminated depression, what can be done about it?

**Electroconvulsive Therapy**

- What is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and when is it used?
- Exactly what happens when someone gets ECT?
- How do individuals who have had ECT feel about having had the treatments?
- How long do the beneficial effects of ECT last?
- Is it true that ECT causes brain damage?
- Why is there so much controversy about ECT?

**Substance Abuse**

- May I drink alcohol while taking antidepressants?
- If I plan to drink alcohol while on medication, what precautions should I take?
- What's the relationship between depression and recovery from substance abuse?
- What does the term "dual-diagnosis" mean?
- Is it safe for a person recovering from substance abuse to take drugs?
- How do you know when depression is severe enough that help should be sought?

**Getting Help**

- Where should a person go for help?
- Where can I find help in the United Kingdom?
- Where can I find out about support groups for depression?
- How can family and friends help the depressed person?

**Choosing A Doctor**

- What should you look for in a doctor? How can you tell if he/she really understands depression?

**Self-care**

- How may I measure the effects my treatment is having on my depression?

Part 4 of 5
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**Self-care** (cont.)

- How can I help myself get through depression on a day-to-day basis?

**Books**

- What are some books about depression?

Part 5 of 5
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**Famous People**

- Who are some famous people who suffer from depression and bipolar disorder?

**Internet Resources**

- What are some electronic resources on the internet related to depression?

**Anonymous Posting**

- How can I post anonymously to alt.support.depression?

**Sources**

- Sources

**Contributors**