Question: Can depression be caused by an incorrect balance of the hormones ?
Depression is a common problem in women who are passing through the menopause, and can become extremely distressing to both the woman and her family. Hormone replacement therapy is designed to do what its name implies— replace the hormones that are lost during the menopause, and therefore prevent the complications of the menopause.
During menopause women suffer from hot flushes, irregular menstruation, breast tenderness and loss of libido as well as depression. The lack of female hormones after the menopause leads to an increase in the incidence of osteoporosis, heart attacks and strokes.
Every woman’s hormonal balance is different, and sometimes it takes a considerable time, and numerous changes in both the hormone form and dosage to get just the right balance for a particular woman.
If depression is a continuing problem, it may be that the hormone replacement therapy you are taking is not quite the right balance for you, or you may require some specific anti-depressant medication. Write down exactly how you feel regarding your depression, and how the menopause is affecting you, and take the list to your general practitioner to discuss it further. Almost certainly, you will be able to receive furthet assistance with your problems.

Question: What is the best treatment for depression? Should I keep taking drugs all the time?
Depression may be due to an imbalance of chemicals that normally occur in the brain to control mood, and it is necessary for doctors to alter this balance, by giving medications that can control the production or activity of the depressing chemicals.
The worst problem with untreated depression is suicide, and this can be seen as a desperate plea for help in many people. The disease may not be detected or treated until a radical attempt to end life has occurred.
Medication and counseling by a general practitioner or psychiatrist will control the vast majority of cases.
The other form of treatment used is shock therapy. This has been surrounded by some controversy in the past, but is a very safe and often very effective method of giving relief to patients with severe chronic depression.