Wiener klinische Wochenschrift
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Although the phrase "no suicide without depression" may not be quite correct in this extreme wording, it must be stressed that the connection between depression and suicide is close and that the contribution of depression towards suicide is very large. The task of the examining physician is twofold. In the first place he has to judge from the phenomenological-psychopathological point of view to which extent the patient shows signs of the so-called "pre-suicidal syndrome", consisting of multi-dimensional narrowing in, inhibited and self-directed aggression, and increasing suicidal fantasies. ⋯ Endogenous depression, senile depression and neurotic depression have to be taken into consideration and the extent of the risk of suicide depends, not least, on the type of depression. As to therapy, neurotic depression requires psychotherapy, senile depression calls for socio-therapeutic measures and endogenous depression necessitates the administration of antidepressives. In all cases, however, the foundation for successful therapy rests on the achievement of a harmonious and genuine doctor-patient relationship.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Feb 1985
[Biologico-pharmacologically oriented methods of treating depression with special reference to the state of medical practice].
Following a discussion of the diagnostic preconditions that are essential to any treatment of depression, this paper deals with the biologically-based therapies that recommend themselves in psychotherapy. Of chief interest here are the pharmacotherapeutic possibilities and above all the indications of the various antidepressants - many of them new - which are listed together with their German, Austrian and Swiss brand names in Table 8. ⋯ The main types of chronobiological therapy discussed are sleep deprivation and the use of light in the treatment of depression. Finally, there is a brief outline of shock therapy; for non-medical reasons, this no longer plays an important role today, but is nevertheless an extremely effective method of treating depression.