What Is Depression?

WHAT IS DEPRESSION

Major depressive disorder, sometimes known as depression, is a frequent and significant medical condition that has an adverse impact on your feelings, thoughts, and actions. Thankfully, it can also be treated. Feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in past interests are symptoms of depression. It can impair your capacity to function at home, at work, and in general since it can cause a wide range of emotional and physical issues.

 

From moderate to severe, depression symptoms might include:

·        Experiencing sadness or depression

·        Loss of enjoyment or interest in once-enjoyed activities

·        Appetite changes, weight loss or increase unrelated to diets

·        Inability to sleep or excessive sleeping

·        Energy loss or increased fatigue

·        Increased unintentional movement (such as pacing, hand wringing, or inability to sit still) or delayed speaking (these behaviors must be severe enough to be noticed by others)

·        a sense of worthlessness or guilt

·        Having trouble focusing, thinking, or making decisions

·        Suicidal or death-related ideas

 

For a diagnosis of depression, symptoms must persist for at least two weeks and must indicate a change from your pre-existing level of functioning.

Additionally, medical issues like thyroid issues, brain tumours, and vitamin deficiencies can mirror the symptoms of sadness, so it's crucial to test out any general medical diseases.

In any given year, depression is thought to afflict one in 15 adults (6.7%). In addition, 16.6% of the population will experience depression at some point in their lives. Although it can strike at any moment, depression typically first manifests itself in late adolescence to mid-life. Depression is more common in women than in males. According to some research, one-third of women will go through a significant depressive episode at some point in their lives.

SADNESS, GRIEF ANF BEREAVEMENT ARE DIFFERENT FROM   DEPRESSION

An individual must suffer terrible experiences in order to move on, such as losing a loved one, a career, or a relationship. In such circumstances, it is common for people to experience melancholy or grief. Many times, those who have experienced loss may label themselves as "depressed."

Though being depressed is different than being sad. Everybody's grieving process is individual and natural, and it has some similarities to depression in terms of its characteristics. Intense sadness and withdrawal from routine activities can be symptoms of both mourning and depression. In addition, they differ in several key ways:

When someone is grieving, unpleasant emotions frequently come in waves and are blended with pleasant recollections of the deceased. For the majority of two weeks, mood and/or interest (pleasure) are diminished in serious depression.

Self-esteem is typically preserved during mourning. Feelings of worthlessness and self-hatred are frequent in serious depression.

When contemplating or fantasizing about "joining" the deceased loved one, ideas of death may come to mind. Due to feelings of worthlessness, undeseringness of life, or inability to handle the pain of melancholy, thoughts of suicide are common in serious depression.

Depression and loss may coexist. Some people experience depression as a result of a loved one passing away, losing their job, becoming the victim of physical violence, or experiencing a big tragedy. When depression co-exists with grief, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief alone.

 

It's crucial to distinguish between grieving and depression because doing so can help people get the support, care, and treatment they require.

Factors at Risk for Depression

Even those who seem to lead relatively ideal lives might suffer from depression.

The following things may contribute to depression:

Ø Biochemistry: Variations in a few brain chemicals may be a factor in the manifestation of depressive symptoms.

Ø Depression may run in families due to genetics. For instance, if one identical twin develops depression, there is a 70% probability that the other would also get the condition at some point in life.

Ø Personality: It seems that those who have low self-esteem, are easily stressed out, or are usually gloomy are more prone to suffer from depression.

Ø Environmental factors: Some people may be more susceptible to depression if they are constantly exposed to violence, neglect, abuse, or poverty.

In what ways is depression treated?

One of the most manageable mental illnesses is depression. Eventually, between 80% and 90% of depressed individuals respond favorably to therapy. Almost all patients have some symptom alleviation.

A health care provider should carry out a thorough diagnostic evaluation that includes a physical exam and an interview before making a diagnosis or starting treatment. A blood test may be used in some situations to rule out medical causes of depression, such as thyroid issues or vitamin deficiencies (treating the underlying medical disease would relieve the depression-like symptoms). In order to provide a diagnosis and determine a course of action, the examination will pinpoint particular symptoms, examine medical and family histories, as well as cultural and environmental factors.

Chronic Depressive Illness

A person with persistent depressive disorder, also known as dysthymic disorder, is depressed for the most of the day on the majority of days for at least two years. The mood must last for at least a year and might be either irritated or melancholy in children and adolescents.

Symptoms, in addition to a depressed mood, include:

·        Overeating or having a poor appetite

·        Hypersomnia or insomnia

·        Lack of vigor or weariness

·        Low sense of self

·        Having trouble focusing or making judgements

·        Sense of helplessness