CAM and Conventional Therapies for Depression

CAM and Conventional Therapies for Depression
Misri Qureshi
3546310
Athabasca University
1st November’ 2023
CAM and Conventional Therapies for Depression
Depression, also known as major depression disorder or clinical depression, is a chronicle feeling of sadness, emptiness, or inability to feel pleasure that may appear to happen for no apparent reason (Ellis et al., 2016). There are varying degrees of depression; major depression is the most severe. Depression is a mood disorder causing a persistent lack of interest and sadness (Ellis et al., 2016). The disorder affects how one behaves, associates with others, feels, and thinks, leading to various emotional and psychological problems. Major depression disorder is a common and serious medical illness causing loss of interest in the things they once loved and enjoyed and decreasing a person's ability to function at home and work. Fortunately, the disorder can be diagnosed and treatable.
Treatment of MDD consists of pharmacological and psychological treatment or a combination of both interventions. Currently, the more advanced treatment of depression is antidepressant medication and therapy. The medication can be prescribed with psychological treatment when the patient experiences mild, moderate, or severe episodes of depression (Ellis et al., 2016). The differences between the three selected types of depression are as follows.
The mild depression phase is where individuals experience emotions such as sadness, and they also show decreased interest when doing different usual activities. The symptoms are present in an individual's life, but the impacts are not severe because they do not disrupt the actions or processes of an individual's daily life.
Moderate depression involves having more pronounced symptoms. The symptoms often lead to decreased functioning, which is notable as another person can observe changes. It limits an individual ability to enjoy life to the fullest. Hence, it affects a person's work, quality of life, and overall relationships.
Severe/major depression is the most critical form of depression that an individual can face. It is categorized as a major depressive disorder, which [presents the most severe form that one can face in depression. Among the characteristics of depression is having a significant loss of interest in the activities that they initially enjoyed doing. Further, there is a profound impact because the individual suffering from major depression finds it difficult to function effectively at home or work.
Recently, pharmacological approaches have been the common treatment for major depressive disorder, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) frequently used (Riveros et al., 2022). Although the methods currently employed to cope with the disorder are working, there is an advantage in introducing and blending CAM and conventional therapies for depression. Disputable depending on what is used. Therapy is important in treating depression. For example, individuals suffering from depression can be subjected to psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), they can undertake interpersonal therapy, and be part of evidence-based modalities. These are vital components for consideration for depression tr...