Depression is a major depressive disorder. It is very common and serious mental illness that negatively effects on a person that how a person feels, the way he/she thinks and how he/she acts. Fortunately, it is also treatable. In depression, a person has a feeling of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. The person has to face a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder related to cognition (a mental process that is involved in understanding or interpretation). A schizophrenic patient understands the reality in an abnormal way and in many cases, it involves hallucinations, delusions, speech disorganization, and dispersed thoughts, resulting in functional abnormalities. Schizophrenia can only be treated symptomatically and no proper recovery is possible.
How depression is different from sadness or grief?
Depression and sadness are two different things. There are some difficult experiences for every person’s life to endure, like the death of a loved one, loss of job or ending of a relationship. It is normal feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Most of the people experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being “depressed.”
But sadness is not the same as having depression. The grieving is a natural process and unique to each person and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may have involvement of severe sadness and withdrawal from usual activities, but they are also different in important ways:
- In grief, a person experienced painful feeling that come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. But in major depression, mood or pleasure feelings of a person are decreased for most of two weeks.
- In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common but in grief, morale is usually maintained.
- some people think that the death of a loved one can bring on major depression. Losing a job can lead to depression for some people. When grief and depression exist at the same time, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression. Distinguishing between depression and grief can help people get the help, support or treatment they need.
Types of depression
There are different types of depression. Some events in our life cause some, and chemical changes in our brain cause others.
Whatever the cause it is, our first step is to let our doctor know how we are feeling. He may refer us to a mental health specialist to help diagnose the type of depression we have. This diagnosis is important in deciding the right treatment for us.
1. Major Depression
Doctor may call this disorder as a "major depressive disorder. This type might have present if someone feels depressed most of the time for most days of the week.
What could be the symptoms of major depression?
A person with major depressive disorder must also experience 5 or more of the following symptoms in the 2-week period:
- Feelings of sadness or irritable most of the day, nearly every day.
- Have less interest in most activities that once enjoyed.
- Suddenly loss or gain of a weight or have a change in appetite.
- Have trouble falling asleep or want to sleep more than usual.
- Experiencing feelings of restlessness.
- Feeling of tiredness and have a lack of energy.
- Feeling of worthless or guilty, often about things that wouldn’t normally make him/her feel that way.
- Have difficulty in concentrating, thinking, or making decisions.
- Thinking about harming themselves or suicide.
What are the causes major depressive disorder?
The exact cause of Major depressive disorder is not known. However, there are many factors that can increase the risk of developing the condition.
Brain chemistry can be effected by the combination of genes and stress and it may reduce the ability to maintain mood stability.
Changes in the hormonal balancing might also contribute to the development of major depressive disorder.
Major depressive disorder may also be caused by:
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Use of alcohol or drugs
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Several medical problems, such as cancer or hypothyroidism
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Specific types of medications, including steroids
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Any type of abuse during childhood
Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder
This disorder is often treated with medication and psychotherapy. Adjustments of some lifestyle can also help ease certain symptoms.
People who have severe major depressive disorder or who have thoughts of harming themselves may need to stay in a hospital during treatment to protect them from harm. Some patients might also need to take part in an out patient treatment program until unless symptoms improve.
Medications
Primary care providers often start treatment for this disorder by prescribing antidepressant medications.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
SSRIs are often prescribed type of antidepressant. These inhibitors work by helping inhibit the breakdown of serotonin in the brain, which result in higher amounts of this neurotransmitter.
Serotonin is a chemical of brain that is believed to be responsible for mood. Serotonin may help improve mood and produce healthy sleeping patterns.
People with major depressive disorder are often thought to have low levels of serotonin. An SSRI can relieve symptoms of this disorder by increasing the amount of available serotonin in the brain.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is also known as psychological therapy or talk therapy. It can be an effective treatment for people with major depression. It involves meeting with a Psychotherapist on a regular basis to talk about condition and related issues.
Psychotherapy can help us in:
- adjusting to a crisis or other stressful event
- replacing negative thoughts and behaviors with positive and healthy ones
- Improving communication skills
- finding better ways to cope with challenges and problem solving
- increasing self-esteem
- regaining a sense of satisfaction and control in life
2. Persistent Depressive Disorder
If the depression lasts for 2 years or longer than it is called persistent depressive disorder. This term is used to explain two conditions previously known as dysthymia and chronic major depression.
people with persistent depressive disorder may have symptoms such as:
- Appetite change i.e. not eating enough or overeating
- Too much sleeping or too little
- Lack of energy or feeling of tiredness
- Low self-esteem
- Facing trouble in concentrating or making decisions
- Feeling of hopelessness
Treatment
This disorder may be treated with psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of the two.
3. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar depression is also known as manic depression. In this disorder, patient has a mood episodes that range from extremes of high energy with an “up” mood to low “depressive” periods.
Treatment
In this disorder medication can help bring mood swings under control. Whether the patient are in a high or a low period, doctor may suggest a mood stabilizer, such as lithium.
Three medicines are approved by FDA to treat the depressed phase:
- Seroquel
- Latuda
- Olanzapine-fluoxetine
4. Psychotic Depression
People with this depression may have the symptoms of major depression along with psychotic symptoms such as:
- Hallucinations (to see or hear those things that aren’t there)
- Delusions including false beliefs
- Paranoia, wrongly believing that someone is trying to harm you
Treatment
Antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs can treat psychotic depression. ECT may also be an option.
5. Situational Depression
This term is not technical term in psychiatry. But a person can have a depressed mood when he/she is having trouble managing a stressful event in his/her life, such as a death in family, a divorce, or losing your job. Doctor may call this stress response syndrome.
Treatment
Psychotherapy can often help to get through a period of depression that’s related to a stressful situation.
6. Atypical Depression
This type of depression is different than the persistent sadness of typical depression. It is considered to be a “specifier” that describes a pattern of depressive symptoms. If
a person has atypical depression, a positive event can temporarily improve his mood.
Other symptoms of atypical depression are:
- Increased appetite
- Oversensitive to criticism
- Sleeping more than usual
- Feeling of heaviness in arms and legs
Treatment
Antidepressants can help this disorder. Doctor may suggest a type called an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) as the first-line treatment.
7. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder have depression and other symptoms at the start of their ■■■■■■■■■■■■.
Besides feeling depressed, women may also have:
- Mood swings
- feeling of irritability
- Feeling of anxiety
- Feeling of trouble in concentrating
- Fatigue and heaviness in arms and legs
- Change in appetite or sleep habits
- Feelings of being overwhelmed
Treatment
Antidepressant medication or sometimes ■■■■ contraceptives can treat Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the real cause of depression?
According to the research, there are many suggestions that depression doesn’t come from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many other possible causes of depression in which faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems are included.
- What is the meaning of anxiety and depression?
Depression and anxiety disorders are different, but people who have depression may often experience symptoms similar to those of an anxiety disorder, such as nervousness, irritability, and problems sleeping and concentrating. But each disorder has its own causes and its own emotional and behavioral symptoms.
- How does depression affect human behavior?
People who suffer with milder forms of depression, this mild disorder can effect many facets of their life. Clinical depression can complicate serious health conditions such as heart disease or cancer. Depression may also lead to problems with pain, sexual desire and performance, and sleep.
- Does depression age your face?
Psychological distress, as experienced by person with depression, has a large long lasting impact on the ‘wear and tear’ of a person’s body, resulting in accelerated biological aging.
- What is the biggest cause of depression?
It is complicated question as there are multiple causes depression. Factors including genetic vulnerability, severe life stressors, substances you may take (some medications, drugs and alcohol) and medical conditions can affect the way our brain regulates moods.
Conclusion:
If we have been diagnosed with depression, we need to get proper treatment in order to get better. we should not suffer needlessly when depression is a highly treatable illness. In fact, between 80% and 90% of people who get treatment feel better. Treatment usually includes medication, counseling, or a combination of the two.
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