Health and Wellness

A perennial joke among women is that the wheel of medical research seems to grind slowly with women’s sexual health problems but goes from zero to 100 miles per hour in seconds when it comes to men’s sexual problems. In decades past, men did not usually admit that they were suffering from depression. This was a “woman’s illness,” and it wasn’t manly to be depressed. Thankfully, all this has changed and men can now feel comfortable in being treated for depression.

There is a connection between levels of testosterone, the primary men’s hormone, and depression. On this, the medical researchers agree. But the debate remains as to whether low levels of testosterone causes depression in men, or if depression causes low levels of testosterone. Men who suffer from depression find this to be a moot point; they would just like to be effectively treated for depression with appropriate medication.

How are Testosterone and Depression Connected?

Men with depression usually have a low libido, or sexual drive. This can result in both loss of interest in sex and erectile dysfunction. To make matters worse, antidepressant medications can also cause erectile dysfunction. During an episode of depression, levels of testosterone decrease both as a symptom of depression and as a result of antidepressant medication. This puts men with depression in a quandary. Should they use antidepressant medication long enough (about a year) to put their depression into full, sustained remission and cope with the side effect of lowered testosterone and low libido? Women with depression can “fake it” sexually. Men cannot.

In depressed men, signs of low testosterone include gradual breast enlargement (gynecomastia), a raise in voice pitch, shrinking of the testicles, loss of pubic hair, thinning of the bones, loss of energy and loss of muscle mass. Unfortunately, some depressed men resort to testosterone-based anabolic steroids to prevent these effects. This is an extremely dangerous and illegal practice. It is vitally important that men discuss depression and testosterone with their physician. Some antidepressant medications have less sexual side effects than others.

In addition to antidepressant medication, men suffering from depression should see mental health therapy to help them cope with this condition. By helping depressed men raise their self-esteem, therapists can help these men to understand that sexual performance is not nearly as important in relationships with women as genuine affection and non-sexual demonstrations of intimacy. In other words, sex is not what sustains a loving, committed relationship. Women have always known this, but men have difficulty with this concept of a different sort of intimacy.

The link between depression and testosterone is well documented in the medical literature. The testosterone patch is just now receiving the attention of physicians as a possible resolution to this problem.

Teen depression affects young people when they are supposed to be learning, playing and living life to the fullest. Teen depression often puts a gloomy cloud over these years when life should be interesting and fun. Teen depression can be alleviated so this condition does not have to ruin these wonderful years. Teen depression can cause many problems at a time when teenagers face many challenges. The teenage years are a time when young people go through many hormonal changes which can be confusing and disruptive. Teen depression hits young adults when they are experiencing changes in their education as well.

There is help for the young people suffering from teen depression so these young people and their parents should not despair. There are many medical and educational professionals who have experience working with those with depression during their teenage years. These professionals often have extensive experience working with others who have suffered from depression. Adult depression has many of the same symptoms as teen depression so those who have worked with depressed adults should also have great insight into the problems with depression during the teenage years.

Teen Depression Is Often Confusing And Distressing

Teenagers go through many changes, and their parents are often very confused when their personalities and habits suddenly start to change. Children might be very cheerful before their teenage years, but then they might suddenly change to be apathetic and sad. Teenagers suffering from depression show other symptoms as well. Many teenagers suffering from depression change their eating habits, and they might gain or lose an inordinate amount of weight. The teenagers who are affected also withdraw from their friends and family at times.

Teen depression sometimes leads teenagers to alcohol or drug abuse which can be most distressful to their families. These teenagers also have trouble in school at times. Children who were enthusiastic about their school work and those who excelled at their work often become lazy and unproductive at school because of depression. There is not a single cause of depression in teenagers. There could be several factors that affect these young people. There is treatment that can help them. Psychotherapy is often helpful and this can be accomplished with the help of an excellent professional. There are also drug treatments that can make a significant difference for these young people. Several drugs are available, and each parent and their teenager should look carefully at those available for this condition.

Teenage depression can be very disruptive to the lives of young adults who are experiencing many challenges in their lives. Teenage depression affects a group of people who are going through many changes in their lives. There are many hormonal changes that take place during the teenage years as well as other types of challenges. Many of these teenagers experience different types of schools during their adolescent years. They leave the comforts of the home and comfortable classroom to enter larger schools with new curriculums. Many parents are shocked when their very obedient, pleasant children suddenly become irritable and depressed. They do not realize the cause of the changes in the personality of their children.

Other symptoms of teenage depression might also startle parents with adolescent children. Teenage depression might cause temper tantrums in children who were always pleasant. Teenage depression might cause adolescents to lose interests in any type of activity. A depressed adolescent might gain or lose weight suddenly. Teenagers suffering from depression might want to sleep excessively and lose interest in going to school. All teenagers might exhibit the symptoms of teenage depression for short time periods. If these symptoms persist, the teenager should consult with a physician to get the necessary help.

Teenage Depression Can Be Alleviated

Teenagers suffering from depression need to have assistance from medical experts. These experts will first examine the young adult to see if there are any physical problems that cause the symptoms of depression. Fatigue could be from depression or from a physical problem. This should be determined to ensure proper treatment. If the expert decides that the problem is teenage depression, they will take the appropriate steps for the good of the teenager. Once physical problems are ruled out, the physician will probably refer the teenager to a mental health expert.

The mental health expert will spend time with the young person to arrive at a treatment strategy. A teenager with depression will benefit from the treatments recommended to depressed adults with some modifications. Psychotherapy is often recommended to treat depression. Young adults with depression often benefit most from treatment with a psychotherapist who has experience with young people. Sometimes it is a good idea to include other family members in the therapy sessions. Medications are also available for those young adults with depression. There are several excellent medications that can provide great help to young people suffering from depression. Thoughtful treatment can be effective in helping teenagers cope.

It is natural to feel low sometimes. This is different from being depressed though. Usually depression is brought on by events that occur in a person’s life that are both difficult and painful. For this reason depression and mood swings can be distinguished from one another.

Of course, an external event does not have to trigger the symptoms of depression. This is what makes depression difficult for both patients and their families to understand. These families definitely tend to suffer right alongside of the one that they love. Since there is not any external catastrophe that can be identified as the cause for the symptoms of depression the patience of these loved ones is often stretched to the limit.

Thankfully, psychotherapy can be used to treat most types of depression, including unipoloar, bipolar and winter depression. In this therapy the doctor will try to help the patient to work through the events that have caused them to have these symptoms of depression or they may teach the patient how to completely avoid these things altogether.

The Symptoms Of Depressions

As was aforementioned, there are various forms of depression. Each of these different types of depression brings along with it its very own symptoms of depression. For instance, the symptoms of Unipolar Depression include feeling very low in the morning, waking up quite early, having insomniac tendencies and feeling depressed overall. Then there is Bipolar Affective Depression and the symptoms of depression here include delusional thoughts about their own capacities. Next, there is Winter Depression whose symptoms of depression include signs of depression that start in the fall or winter and then disappears in spring, meaning that this form of depression only lasts for up to 6 months. During this time there is a lack of physical energy.

It is also important to understand that some prescription drugs are also able to cause a person to have the symptoms of depression. These medicines are usually those that have a high element of cortisone, beta blockers and contraceptive pills.

Of course, there are other some common symptoms of depression. These include feeling quite low overall. This may be seen in a pronounced lack of interest in normal activities. A person may also experience the loss of appetite, which will result in the loss of weight. Of course, sometimes a person may have an increased appetite, which will result in weight gain. A depressed person will also be unable to sleep well, be unable to concentrate, be indecisive, have a lower sexual drive, lack energy, and have a tendency of obsessing with thoughts of death. These thoughts can also result in suicidal tendencies and attempts at suicide as well.

Some of the most typical signs of depression are those that show that a person has changed the way that they view themselves. For instance, they may tell you that they are lacking energy or they may point out all of their physical faults to you. Of course, a person who is suffering from depression may also change the way in which they feel or act as well.

What The Most Common Signs Of Depression Are

There are some general signs of depression that a person may show. One such sign is that the person is continually sad or feels empty or helpless. These feelings may seem as though there is no cause for them. Along with these feelings may come a loss of interest or pleasure in doing the ordinary everyday activities that they use to enjoy doing.

Another one of the signs of depression has to do with the person’s sleep pattern, which will more than likely increase whenever they are depressed. However, they will be more fatigued than usual, even though they are getting more sleep. They will also have a hard time concentrating and making decisions.

Of course, depression has psychological roots. As such, a person may experience feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness. They also may become more irritable than normal, which you can see because of their excessive crying. In the end this may make them feel completely hopeless. This may then lead them to have thoughts about death or suicide. These people may also attempt suicide.

If someone shows several of these signs of depression for 2 weeks or more, then they should really think about talking to their doctor.

More Information About The Signs Of Depression

While these signs of depression may come on gradually, you will still be able to tell that the depressed person is different from the way they use to be. As such, the depressed person may be a successful businessman who thinks that he is on the brink of bankruptcy or the devoted mother who wants to abandon her children. This is because a person who suffers from depression will avoid pleasure instead of seeking it.

Of course there are also some people who do not show the usual signs of depression. Instead these people may complain of physical discomfort, start drinking more than usual or become addicted to drugs. Therefore, it is important to keep an eye on your loved ones if you think that they may be depressed.

Depression is the most common mental health condition for which sufferers seek treatment. Fortunately, it is also the most successfully treated mental health condition as well. Without medical treatment, depression feels like the end of the world. Severe depression may well be the end of the world since this is when most patients commit suicide.

Like all physical and emotional illnesses, depression can range from the presence of minor symptoms like feeling sad and “down” every day, to moderate symptoms involving feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and a lack of concentration, to severe depression that usually involves suicidal thoughts and plans. Another type of severe depression consists of psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and/or delusions. Regardless of the severity of the depression, medical and mental health treatment are essential.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Severe Depression?

Sometimes depression is so severe that the patient’s mind is too clouded to recognize that he or she is in a serious health crisis. Depression in all forms involve feelings of perpetual sadness, shame and guilt, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, disturbances in sleep and appetite, inability to concentrate or focus, chronic fatigue, and inability to take pleasure in normal activities.

Since depression is a disorder of chemical imbalances in the brain, how severe these symptoms become depend upon each individual. In severe depression, all of these symptoms are greatly increased, sometimes to the point where the sufferer cannot get out of bed and function in life roles. It may take a friend or family member to notice the severity of the depression. If thoughts of suicide are present, this is a medical emergency; the sufferer should be taken to the ER immediately.

How is Severe Depression Treated?

As distressing and sometimes life-threatening severe depression can be, the good news is that this condition responds extremely well to anti-depressant medication and therapy. Medications to treat severe depression are called “SSRIs” (Selected Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). These drugs bring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters back into the correct balance. Prozac, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Effexor are among the most commonly prescribed antidepressants.

With severe depression that involves suicidal ideation and/or psychotic symptoms, more serious treatments are considered. The patient should be hospitalized to prevent suicide, and given antipsychotic medication such as Resperdol. Antipsychotics will eliminate hallucinations and delusions, but some have unpleasant side effects such as extreme sedation. A patient on antipsychotic medication needs to be treated as an inpatient and examined at least daily by a psychiatrist.

Finally, with a severe depression that does not respond to medications and the patient continues to be at risk for suicide, electro-convulsive therapy is the treatment of choice. ECT or “shock treatments” are extremely effective in breaking the cycle of depression in brain chemicals. ECT is nothing like it was in the “old days.” The patient is under general anesthesia and the seizure, or convulsion, cannot even be seen except for perhaps curling of the toes. The patient has no recollection of the treatment and is not at all traumatized by it.

If you ve ever had a case of the winter blues or if you ve ever found yourself feeling down as the winter months stretch out, then chances are you ve been a sufferer of seasonal depression at one time or another. While not usually serious, there are instances where seasonal depression has been so severe that hospitalization has been required. By learning about how seasonal depression affects people, we can better prevent and treat it.

Causes

The most common cause of seasonal depression is the lack of light in the wintertime. Part of the theory behind this disorder is that the lack of light slows down the internal clock that regulates many of the body s moods, sleep patterns, and so on. Because of this, seasonal depression is more common in the northern United States, where days are shorter, than in the lower latitudes where more sun is received.

Treatment

One of the most effective treatments for seasonal depression is the use of light therapy. In light therapy, a person is exposed to a very bright fluorescent light for a set period of time each day, exposed to the brightness while relaxing or eating a meal. Although light therapy has been shown to be effective in treating seasonal depression, though, patients often complain that the treatments, though done at home, are inconvenient, and sometimes discontinue that treatment. Light therapy is most effective in the evening, and is probably best used after the sun goes down.

Prevention

Unsurprisingly, one of the best ways to prevent seasonal depression is to increase your exposure to light. By getting outside a little each day, even when it s cloudy, the light will help you to feel better and less depressed. Researchers also suggest using light therapy before seasonal depression sets, ensuring that you never start to feel the symptoms of the disorder.

Other preventative measures are similar to those used to treat other forms of depression. For instance, 30 minutes of exercise a few days a week will keep you healthy and feeling better. Exercise is important because it s tied to self-image, to helping your body regulate your systems better, and because it creates endorphins that give a natural sort of high after exercise.

Another way to help prevent seasonal depression is to ensure that you have activities that get you out of the house and with friends. One of the problems with this disorder is that it often makes people want to withdraw and stay inside their homes, which merely makes the problem worse. By working to combat seasonal depression, however, you will find yourself feeling better during those long winter months.

Postpartum depression affects a new mother with great sadness at a time that should be filled with joy. Many women suffer from postpartum depression soon after they give birth to a baby. Any new mother has additional responsibilities and chores when taking care of a newborn infant. The new baby does not sleep through the night, and a responsible adult should care for the newborn when he or she awakes. A mother who is nursing her baby cannot even give some of these responsibilities to other people. She must be awake to nurse her baby.

Postpartum depression brings feelings of rejection toward the new baby, and these feelings are very disturbing to a new mother. When they want to love this new child, they sometimes feel that no love for this small, vulnerable child. Postpartum depression also makes women feel very alone and afraid although other people are close by and they are in a secure location. Many women with postpartum depression feel upset, but they are not sure why. Women with postpartum depression feel guilty about their feelings. The feelings of postpartum depression can be mild or very disturbing.

Postpartum Depression Does Not Always Require Medical Intervention

Sometimes the feelings do not last for an extended period of time, but sometimes the feelings last for a long time. Many women overcome postpartum depression without any help from an outside source. Other women are extremely troubled by this condition and have great difficulty coping with the symptoms. Any woman who is troubled by this depression for more than a few days should seek help from a medical expert who has experience helping new mothers cope with depression. Some women feel an urge to hurt their baby or themselves. These mothers should seek immediate help.

There is treatment for those with postpartum depression to help new mothers with a serious condition. New mothers can take some steps to help themselves. The responsibilities are new and demanding when caring for an infant. Often new mothers have people willing to help including their spouses, parents or in-laws. New mothers should take advantage of those willing to help when and if they feel overwhelmed by the duties and responsibilities. A good doctor who delivers new babies will have others with the same challenges. There are support groups of women with similar feelings. The doctor can often suggest a support group for a struggling new mom. The doctor will also be able to suggest strategies for coping that have worked for others. Sometimes medications are necessary to help new mothers overcome the feelings of depression.

Postnatal depression is considered as being a depressive illness which occurs in a woman after she has a baby, and it is actually surprisingly common as to just how many women end up suffering from postnatal depression, and this can really range in severity from a mild and basically normal mood disturbance to being much more serious, and even to the most severe and rarest problem, which is known as postnatal psychosis.

The Symptoms of Postnatal Depression

There is really an array of symptoms that can come from postnatal depression, and they include: feeling low or miserable for no apparent reason, feelings which for the most part will persist all the time, although they may be worse at certain times of the day, particularly in the morning; being unable to enjoy yourself, and this may be particularly prominent in new mothers who feel that they are not enjoying being a mother as they thought they would; irritability either with yourself, other children or your partner.

As well, you may experience sleep disturbance, although given that you have a new baby you are obviously apt to have less sleep than normal, however with postnatal depression you will most likely notice that you find it hard to get going in the morning even if you do get a lot of sleep; appetite is often affected, with mothers not being interested in food, and this can be a particular problem since new mothers really need all the energy that they can get to look after their new baby.

Treatment

There are quite a few different forms of treatment that are available for this type of depression, and the first step that you need to take here is to speak to your doctor about your symptoms, as they will have to take a close look at your particular case, since not every method is as successful for one person as the next.

There are antidepressants which are available to help with this type of depression, although since they are medications they can interfere with such things as breastfeeding. If you are concerned with this then make sure that you talk to your doctor about the natural alternatives that are available, and as long as your case is not overly serious then there should be no problem with you choosing these types of options for your ailment.

Remember to think positively, and to know that no matter how badly you feel at the time, there is help out there for you which will help you to feel better.

The first thing to understand about using ozone therapy for depression is that this is not a scientifically proven method of treatment and it should not be the sole method of treatment for major or clinical types of depression. People, who find themselves severely depressed or who are having significant long term depression, need to consult their physician or other health care practitioner for decisions regarding the best course of treatment. Depression can be a very serious health care condition that can lead to further serious issues.

This being said, there are several alternative treatments including ozone therapy for depression that can be useful for treating minor depression or can be used with other medical treatment for more severe depression. If a person has any concern over their depression being more severe they can consult a doctor, otherwise, the alternative methods of treatment may prove very beneficial and may provide the cure that is required.

How Does Ozone Therapy For Depression Work

Ozone therapy is essentially oxygen therapy that has been used for many years around the world to treat a variety of ailments. The ozone is a more concentrated source of oxygen which is beneficial to all the cells of the body increasing the ability to function and work more effectively to make the body healthier and to defeat bad cells and elements. In using ozone therapy for depression the thought is that the increased oxygen to the brain will help it to function more effectively and that the hormones and chemicals that are so critical will be balanced out to healthy levels. As the hormones and chemicals are balanced the person will feel more balanced and the depression will lift.

How To Get Ozone Therapy For Depression

Since ozone therapy has become more popular in the western world there are several ozone therapists that offer services to the public. A person seeking ozone therapy for depression should be sure that the therapist they choose is a licensed professional and is fully trained and qualified. It is completely acceptable for a patient to inquire about the training of a professional. A person can also ask for references from other professionals and other patients before investing their time, money and health in the therapist.

There are also several home ozone therapy units that may prove useful to a person seeking ozone therapy for depression. These units can be found on the internet at a variety of sites. There are also several internet sites that discuss the different methods of ozone therapy and what works best for different health concerns.

People who have open heart surgery have a variety of other medical concerns as well. Because the heart is a vital part of the body s complete function any treatment of the heart is bound to affect other body parts. Cardiologists and surgeons are becoming more and more aware of the issues that will face the patient undergoing surgery and look for these other complications. One such issue is the frequency of open heart surgery and depression.

Physicians and other health care professionals are not completely sure why open heart surgery and depression seem to go hand in hand. For several years the depression was misdiagnosed as a condition known as pump head. Pump head is caused by the pump that a patient is put on during surgery which can cause small particles to be circulated to the brain where they will in turn cause a small amount of brain damage. Advances in medical technology have immensely reduced the chances of pump head occurring. The problem in the past with pump head was that many of the symptoms mimicked the symptoms of depression and the physicians would fail to diagnose and treat the depression.

Now physicians do recognize that open heart surgery and depression can occur together and look for ways to address and treat the depression issue. Treating depression occurring with open heart surgery is complicated because many of the medications for depression have side effects that can cause damage to the heart. The physician will look carefully at two issues and determine the best way to manage the situation.

Information For The Patient And Family

The patient and family can be proactive in acquiring information on open heart surgery, depression, and other issues. There are several publications available that discuss all aspects of open heart surgery. For a patient who is going to undergo surgery these books will help prepare them for the event. For a patient who has undergone surgery the books can help them to understand what has happened and what the long term consequences are.

One book, Coping with Heart Surgery and Bypassing Depression: A Family s Guide to the Medical, Emotional, and Practical Issues by Carol Cohan, June B. Pimm, and James R. Jude offers a complete look at open heart surgery and depression and ways to avoid it and to treat it. This book is available in paperback and cost under thirty dollars. Many people who have read this book have found it very useful in understanding open heart surgery and depression.

Another book that has received good reviews from readers is The Cardiac Recovery Handbook: A Complete Guide to Life After Heart Attack or Heart Surgery by Paul Kligfield, MD. This book offers information about all aspects of cardiac recovery including open heart surgery and depression. This book costs fewer than twenty dollars.

There are several other books available to a patient concerned about open heart surgery and depression. These books will help a person to become knowledgeable about their situation and ways to cope and get treatment.

You may be surprised at just how many new treatments for depression there are now, particularly if you prefer natural alternatives as opposed to more traditional medicines and prescriptions, because over recent years there have been great improvements in the field of medicine overall, especially in the area of such ailments as depression, and so there have been many different treatments which have been proven to work positively for depression.

New Treatments for Depression

One of the new treatments for depression is Cytomel, which is a thyroid stimulator which is used to treat low thyroid function, and it is also used to treat or prevent various different types of goiters, as an aid to diagnose certain thyroid conditions, or to treat patients who are allergic to other thyroid medicines, for instance. Now it is also used as one of the new treatments for depression.

Another one of the new treatments for depression is hormone therapy, which is actually the more commonly used new treatment, and it should be known however that hormone treatment for depression requires that you see a knowledgeable neuroendocrinologist and that you also undergo a hormone profile, having your levels of progesterone and estrogen measured at both the beginning and end of the month.

Before Using any Treatment

Before you start using any type of treatment for your depression, regardless of whether it is a new type of treatment or not, you absolutely must speak to your doctor. This is because what works for one person may not work for you, and as well you may be allergic to some types of treatment and thus if you took these types it could even be potentially life-threatening.

Depression is a serious and incredibly common problem, but you need to know that it can be treated and that there are plenty of options out there that can be used in order to make you feel normal and happy and back to your normal self once again. Working together with your doctor is the most crucial step of all here, as only with the help of a licensed and experienced medical professional will you be able to get the most positive results that you possibly can.

If you are one of the many people who find themselves suffering from the problems and symptoms of depression, then just remember to keep your head up, and know that with the right diagnosis and treatment you will be back to your old self in no time at all.

There is no doubt that just within the past century, medical science has made leaps and bounds delving into the causes and cures of countless diseases, disorders and syndromes. If you’ve got it, chances are there’s a pill for it. Or a surgical procedure. Or a lotion, injection, salve or liquid solution. This, of course, is a good thing because the relief of suffering is always on a physician or medical researcher’s mind. If no one had asked, “what is this fungus?” we wouldn’t have penicillin.

Did you know that the great majority of medicines we use today are derived from plants, leaves, fungi, bark and flowers? We just extract the active ingredient, combine it with stabilizers, and the result is that pill you take every morning. This is why a natural remedy for depression may work well for you; many natural or herbal compounds are used for a wide variety of medical conditions.

How to Use a Natural Remedy for Depression

First, before you do anything else, if you believe you are depressed, see your family practice physician or psychiatrist right away. Don’t try a natural remedy for depression unless you have been professionally diagnosed with this illness. Together, you and your physician will decide the best way to treat your depression. If you would like to try a natural remedy for depression, your physician can advise you of the pros and cons of this approach and provide you with educational reading material about natural remedies for depression.

St. John’s Wort is the best-known natural remedy for mild to moderate depression. This includes seasonal affective disorder (a form of depression that occurs in the wintery, darker days), anxiety, and insomnia, both of which are associated with depression. St. John’s Wort is a wild-growing plant with orange petals; it also has anti-viral properties. As a natural remedy for depression, it is thought to work the same way that prescription anti-depressant medications called Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs work; by elevating the levels of the brain neurotransmitter, serotonin, that governs moods, sleep, appetite and other body functions. Prozac, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, and other SSRIs should never be taken with St. John’s Wort; it is a choice of one over another. You always have a choice. If St. John’s Wort does not work for you, you can try one of the prescription anti-depressants.

Many natural remedies have side effects when combined with other herbs, plants or prescription drugs. St John’s Wort can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives and the AIDS medication Indinvir, and the triptan class of migraine relievers. It can cause miscarriage and uterine bleeding and sensitivity to sunlight.

Other natural remedies for depression that don’t appear to work as well as St. John’s Wort are Valerian root, a natural sleep aid and sedative, soy lecithin, wild oats, and the California poppy. It should be noted that the seeds of the California poppy are not the same as the opium poppy, the seeds that produce the narcotics opium, thebaine, and codeine. The California poppy acts as a mild sedative, relieving the anxiety commonly associated with depression.