Depression

Depression is something that is known throughout the world yet there is not much knowledge given to what it actually is. Grieving or feeling sad about trying circumstances in life, such losing your job or being divorced, is natural. Depression, on the other hand, differs in that it lasts for at least two weeks, nearly every day, and itself in more symptoms than just melancholy.

Depression can define as - "Depression (also known as major depression, major depressive disorder, or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working" ( National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). It is also define as - "Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in things and activities you once enjoyed" (Cleveland Clinic, 2017).

Most people think that this disorder is nothing and does not exist at all. However, it is very real and so are the feelings and thoughts that occur during the condition. The depressive state at which a person is at concludes that this condition persists almost more than two weeks without any break; almost like the feelings of sadness are constant.

Types of depression

1. Major depression - signs of depression or boredom that interfere with everyday activities and often last for at least two weeks.
2. Persistent depressive disorder - also known as dysthymia or dysthymic disorder, this type of disorder is characterized by milder depressive symptoms that persist for a longer period of time—usually at least two years.
3. Perinatal depression - is postpartum or pregnancy-related depression. Prenatal depression is depression that starts during pregnancy, while postpartum depression is depression that starts after the baby is delivered.
4. Seasonal affective depression - is a kind of depression whose symptoms ebb and flow with the seasons, usually beginning in the late fall and early winter and ceasing in the spring and summer.
5. Depression with symptoms of psychosis - is a severe kind of depression marked by psychotic symptoms such delusions (unsettling, incorrect fixed beliefs) and hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that other people do not hear or see).

Symptoms

Several signs of major depression can occur. Both your body and your emotions may be impacted by certain. It's also possible for symptoms to be sporadic or continuous. The symptoms and signs depend on the type of depression.

The general symptoms

Different people who have depression will have different symptoms. The degree, frequency, and duration of symptoms can all differ. If a person experiences the following symptoms and signs for over more than two weeks, they may be living with depression:

• Feeling sad, anxious, or “empty”.
• Crying a lot.
• Feeling hopeless and worthless.
• Difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping.

Therefore, it depends on the depressive states at which the symptoms are shown; males, females, teenagers, and young children may all experience the symptoms of depression in various ways.

The depressive moods and behaviors related to it, lead to other changes in behavior including:

• Increased anger or irritability.
• Greater impulsivity.
• Problems with sexual desire and performance.
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs.

Causes

• Brain chemistry - depression may develop as a result of an unbalanced neurotransmitter system, including serotonin and dopamine. Mood, cognitive, sleep, appetite, and behavior-controlling areas of the brain in depressed persons. These parts of the brain play a major role in how a person live their lives, and the neurotransmitters used to make a person happy under certain circumstances. If there is an unbalance between any of the activities, then it could lead to a person having depression.
• Brain structure - if the frontal lobe of your brain is less active, depression is more likely to occur. There are certain brain regions that regulate moods; depression is significantly influenced by nerve cell interactions, nerve cell development, and neural circuit activity. Scientists are unsure of whether this occurs prior to or following the beginning of depression symptoms, though.
• Genetics - people are around three times more likely to experience depression than the overall population if you have a first-degree relative who has it (a biological parent or sibling). A family history of depression is not necessary to have depression, though.
• Medical conditions - a person may be more vulnerable if they have certain illnesses, such as cancer, Parkinson's disease, chronic sickness, sleeplessness, or chronic pain. These illnesses may also lead to depression. Along with that, there are certain medications that may lead to depression or increase the risk of a person having depression as a side effect. Alcohol use is one substance that may either induce depression or exacerbate it.

Treatment

Medications

There are several medications that be prescribed to help with depression. But it also helps with the fact on how severe the depression is. The brain chemistry that underlies depression can be altered with the aid of prescription drugs referred to as antidepressants. Finding the right antidepressant for an individual may take some time because there are several varieties available. The adverse effects of several antidepressants frequently become better with time. Some of the medications include -

1. selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) ,
2. serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) ,
3. tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).

Therapy

1. Psychotherapy - a person engages in psychotherapy, commonly referred to as "talk therapy," when they want to discover and learn how to deal with the things that contribute to their mental health condition, such as depression. people with depression can benefit from various forms of psychotherapy, commonly known as talk therapy or counseling, by learning new ways to think and act as well as how to break bad patterns that fuel despair. Frequently, pharmacological therapy is combined with psychotherapy. There are several varieties of psychotherapy, and some patients react better to one variety than others.
2. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - a therapist will work with the client in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to elucidate dysfunctional thinking patterns and determine how they can be resulting in negative behaviors, responses, and self-perceptions. May be a given "homework" by their therapist where they must practice changing the negative ideas into more optimistic ones may help them lower their symptoms of depression.
3. Psychodynamic therapy - this is a type of talk therapy called that can assist in understanding and managing a person's daily life. Psychodynamic therapy is predicated on the notion that a person's unconscious experiences as a kid have an impact on their current reality.
4. Brain stimulation therapies - although brain stimulation therapies are not as often utilized as medicine and psychotherapy, they can be quite effective in treating mental problems in patients who do not respond to conventional forms of treatment. People who suffer from severe depression or depression coupled with psychosis may benefit from brain stimulation treatment. Electroconvulsive treatment (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are a few examples of brain stimulation therapies.

Summary

Millions of individuals worldwide experience depression each year, which is recognized to be a widespread ailment. Despite having received proper therapy, the sickness is treatable but recurs sometimes. It might be difficult to treat depression for a long time since it frequently doesn't go away. The type of depression a person has depends on what happened in the past, which eventually led them to have depression. However, having depression may cause a workload of stress to others and to those who have it. It may make a huge impact into how they deal with their everyday lives and later on how they may deal with problems. There are many causes to how depression comes to be, but it is still under heavy research by scientists.

The symptoms may be easier to manage with the current medication, even if depression is typically not healed. Finding the ideal drug and treatment combination is necessary for managing the symptoms. The depressed individual may distinguish between several factors.

However, a person may be able to turn their lives around and find a healthy and happy environment with the right diagnosis and therapy. That is if they receive the proper care and assistance from those around them and lots of love from their loved ones.

References:

NHS (2019). Overview - Clinical depression. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/clinical-depression/overview/ [Accessed: 13 Jun. 2023].

National Institute of Mental Health (2023). Depression. [online] National Institute of Mental Health. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression [Accessed: 13 Jun. 2023].

Cleveland Clinic (2017). Depression Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment . [online] Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9290-depression [Accessed: 13 Jun. 2023].

Higuera, V. (2023). Everything You Want to Know About Depression. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/depression#and-alcohol [Accessed: 13 Jun. 2023].

Harvard Health Publishing (2022). What causes depression? [online] Harvard Health. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/what-causes-depression [Accessed: 13 Jun. 2023].