Depression
What is Depression?
Depression is a mental disorder. It is characterized by a “low” mood and lower self esteem. Usually the persons affected by depression also lose interest in otherwise enjoyable activities of daily life. It is a disabling condition affecting an individual’s family and work life, sleeping and eating habits and general health.
In the fields of pathology and psychiatry, the term depression refers to chronic or high levels of sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, perceived helplessness and other related emotions and behaviors. The disorder is often found to accompany other emotions such as anxiety, despair, anger, fear, guilt, apathy, and/or grief
People suffering from depression may have repetitive episodes of the disorder. The longevity of the episode may vary from person to person, from a month long episode to concurrent episodes happening for the whole life.
The disorder is harmful for the body and can interfere with the proper functioning of the brain. Individuals affected with the disorder are often seen to have lower levels of productivity and output due to the abnormal functioning of the brain.
Depression, in medical terms, is also known as major depressive disorder, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression and major depression etc.
Symptoms of Depression
There are various symptoms of depression, varying from person to person. The most common symptom, however, is a depressed mood. The person affected by depression may feel sad and cry more often. Irritability in children and adolescents may also be a symptom of depression. Usually, the levels of sadness are far higher than a normal person although the person affected might not realize it.
Diminishing interest in day to day activities is also considered as a major symptom of depression. A depressed individual may show very low interest levels in daily activities and may shy away from otherwise enjoyable subjects or human activities.
Frequent gain or loss of weight is also indicative of depression. A gain or lose of 5% or more weight in a month is considered to be a major sign of major depressive disorder. In children, failure to gain expected weight may be a symptom of depression as well.
Other significant symptoms of depression may include sleep disturbances, psychomotor agitation and retardation and fatigue. The affected individual may also have feelings of being worthless or guilt and diminished ability to think and concentrate. Constant thoughts of death and suicidal tendencies are also major symptoms of depression.
Diagnosis of Depression
Currently, there are no medical or laboratory tests available to diagnose depression. Thus, the diagnosis is made depending upon the elaboration about various symptoms by the patient, through interviews by the doctor and depending upon the medical history of the patient or any other member of the patient’s family.
The general questions that are used in the interview include the following;
1. What are your symptoms?
2. Have you had these symptoms before?
3. How long have you had these symptoms?
4. How severe are your symptoms?
5. Have you been treated for depression before?
6. If so, what treatments were you given and which worked best? Etc.
Causes of Depression
Behind depression, usually, there is a combination of genetic, environmental and psychological factors. It is found that depression, especially the bipolar disorder may run in families thus showing the genetic reasons involved in the disease. Neurochemicals are also affective enough to cause depression. It is found that too little or too much of neurochemicals in the brain may lead to depression. The psychological formation of an individual, such as pessimism, low self-esteem and stress, can also contribute to depression. Apart from these, various other environmental and health factors such as serious loss, chronic illness, pregnancy, childbirth, difficult relationships may also be a reason behind depression. Additionally, alcohol, drug abuse and medications and financial problems, unwelcome changes in life patterns etc. can also start an episode of major depressive disorder.
Depression may be a result of various medical reasons as well. For example, some sedatives and heart medications are found to trigger depression. However, with the removal of these medications the signs of depression usually go away.
Types of Depression
Depressive disorders can be divided into three categories — major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder and depressive disorder not otherwise specified. The last category includes disorders which are absent in the first two cases, such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Depressions in this type may include atypical depression and psychotic depression. The major symptoms of atypical depression includes overeating, over-sleeping, feeling of happiness and weight gain etc. Psychotic depression patients often start to hear and see imaginary things.
Moreover, depression may also be a part of bipolar disorder which entails alternating periods of depression and mania. Depression may lead to mania in which the patient may feel increased energy levels, increased sexual desire, poor rational abilities etc.
Treatment of Depression
Usually, treatment of depression is a long time affair, meaning, it might take some time to treat the disorder completely. There are various treatment options available and the doctor may prescribe a special option after scrutinizing the history of the patient.
The most common way to treat depression is by prescribing antidepressants. These drugs usually show delayed onset of action and hence are prescribed for weeks, months and sometimes for years. In some countries, the herb St. John’s wort is also used as antidepressant. Sometimes, the term antidepressant is also used for any therapy that is used to treat depression.
Sometimes, antidepressants are prescribed with psychotherapies. These therapies are usually used to understand the behaviors, emotions and ideas of the patient. Sometimes, psychotherapies are also undertaken to know the exact reason for depression. It may be also used to regain the sense of control and pleasure in life. Moreover, it is helpful in learning the coping techniques and problem solving skills for the patient.
In cases where the other treatments fail, Electro Convulsive Therapy may be used. It is also called electroshock therapy and uses the aid of electrical shocks to treat the condition.
The major medicines that are prescribed to treat depression include antidepressants and mood stabilizers. However, the effectiveness of the medicines depend upon the biological make up of the patient and sometimes, failure of treatment is also noticed. In many instances, several antidepressants are prescribed to find out the best suitable medicine for the patient.
Living with Depression
Although it is not easy to live with depression, constant tries can make it far better than usual. The first step in living with depression may be joining a support group as the experiences of others may be useful for the patient.
The next thing to do is to reduce the stress levels in work and daily life. Remember to take a break when your mind is working too hard.
The sleep hygiene should be maintained properly to enjoy a healthy lifestyle in depression. Moreover, the eating habits should be changed to adapt to the new condition. Healthy eating habits impart a due effect on the condition.
The other areas to look into while suffering from depression include avoiding negative thoughts, beating procrastination, keeping the surroundings clean and having a benevolent attitude towards events etc.
Prevention of Depression
Preventing recurrent phases of depression requires immediate intervention of the patient. Taking the medications regularly is the first step. Then, the patient should continue taking medications for at least six more months after the condition improves. This will stop any further episodes. Continuing with the cognitive behavioral therapy should be considered next, even after the medications have been stopped. Moreover, the patient should take medical help as soon as it is realized that the condition is worsening.
Taking proper sleep is one of the most important subjects in dealing with depression. Maintaining a regular sleep pattern helps prevent any new episode of depression. The last and one of the most important steps is to stop taking drugs and alcohol to keep depression away.
Although it is hard to stop the first episode of depression, following these steps one can prevent any recurring episodes positively.
