What is Depression?
Depression is the feeling of sadness, unhappiness or being miserable. Of course everyone feels like this occasionally, but with depression these feelings are intensified over an extended period of time. The lives of people with depression are meddled with in numerous ways. They begin to lose interest in things they enjoy like exercise, going out with friends & loved ones, or even work. When a person is just sad, they are usually able to function normally in their life, fulfill duties and tasks or daily activities, eat, sleep, and coexist with others.
Depression is the feeling of sadness, unhappiness or being miserable. Of course everyone feels like this occasionally, but with depression these feelings are intensified over an extended period of time. The lives of people with depression are meddled with in numerous ways. They begin to lose interest in things they enjoy like exercise, going out with friends & loved ones, or even work. When a person is just sad, they are usually able to function normally in their life, fulfill duties and tasks or daily activities, eat, sleep, and coexist with others.
Who's at risk?
Although anyone can get depression, , it's more likely to show up between the ages of 45 to 65. Depression is twice as common in women as it is in men. This is mainly due to female hormones but men are less likely to report depression compared to women. Many studies show that depression can be passed down through genetics. If one of your parents has or has had depression than you would have a 25% chance of getting it. If you have an identical twin with depression, you have a 50% chance of having it, too.
Although anyone can get depression, , it's more likely to show up between the ages of 45 to 65. Depression is twice as common in women as it is in men. This is mainly due to female hormones but men are less likely to report depression compared to women. Many studies show that depression can be passed down through genetics. If one of your parents has or has had depression than you would have a 25% chance of getting it. If you have an identical twin with depression, you have a 50% chance of having it, too.
What are some types of depression?
- Major Depressive Disorder- MDD is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive and persistent low mood which is accompanied by low self-esteem and by a loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Major depressive disorder is a disabling condition that adversely affects a person's family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. In the United States, around 3.4% of people with major depression commit suicide, and up to 60% of people who commit suicide had depression or another mood disorder. The diagnosis of major depressive disorder is based on the patient's self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives or friends, and a mental status examination. Typically, patients are treated with antidepressant medication and, in many cases, also receive psychotherapy or counseling, although the effectiveness of medication for mild or moderate cases is questionable. Hospitalization may be necessary in cases with associated self-neglect or a significant risk of harm to self or others. The course of the disorder varies widely, from one episode lasting weeks to a lifelong disorder with recurrent major depressive episodes. Depressed individuals have shorter life expectancies than those without depression, in part because of greater susceptibility to medical illnesses and suicide. It is unclear whether or not medications affect the risk of suicide.
- Dysthymia (Chronic Depression)- sometimes also called neurotic depression, dysthymic disorder, or chronic depression, is a mood disorder consisting of the same cognitive and physical problems as in depression, with less severe but longer-lasting symptoms. According to the diagnosis manual DSM-IV's definition of dysthymia, it is a serious state of chronic depression, which persists for at least 2 years (1 year for children and adolescents); it is less acute and severe than major depressive disorder. As dysthymia is a chronic disorder, sufferers may experience symptoms for many years before it is diagnosed, if diagnosis occurs at all. As a result, they may believe that depression is a part of their character, so they may not even discuss their symptoms with doctors, family members, or friends. Dysthymia often co-occurs with other mental disorders. A "double depression" is the occurrence of episodes of major depression in addition to dysthymia. Switching between periods of dysthymic moods and periods hypomanic moods, is indicative of cyclothymia, which is a mild variant of bipolar disorder.
- Atypical Depression- Atypical depression is depression that shares many of the typical symptoms of the psychiatric syndromes major depression or dysthymia but is characterized by improved mood in response to positive events. In contrast, people with melancholic depression generally do not experience an improved mood in response to normally pleasurable events. Atypical depression also features significant weight gain or an increased appetite, hypersomnia, a heavy sensation in the limbs and interpersonal rejection sensitivity that results in significant social or occupational impairment. Atypical depression is two to three times more common in women than in men. Individuals with atypical features tend to report an earlier age of onset in their depressive episode, which also tend to be more chronic and only have partial remission between episodes. Younger individuals may be more likely to have atypical features, whereas, older individuals may more often have episodes with melancholic features.
- Bipolar Disorder- Individuals with bipolar disorder experience episodes of an elevated or agitated mood known as mania alternating with episodes of depression. Mania can occur with different levels of severity. At milder levels of mania, known as hypomania, individuals appear energetic, excitable, and may be highly productive. As mania becomes more severe, individuals begin to behave erratically and impulsively, often making poor decisions due to unrealistic ideas about the future, and may have great difficulty with sleep. At the most severe level, individuals can experience very distorted beliefs about the world known as psychosis. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes; some experience a mixed state in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time. Manic and depressive episodes last from a few days to several months.
- Cyclothymia- Cyclothymia is a type of chronic mood disorder widely considered to be a milder or subthreshold form of bipolar disorder. Cyclothymia is characterized by numerous mood disturbances, with periods of hypomanic symptoms alternating with periods of mild or moderate depression. An individual with cyclothymia may feel stable at a baseline level but experience noticeable shifts to an emotional high during hypomanic episodes with symptoms similar to those of mania but less severe, and emotional lows involving depressive symptoms that do not meet the criteria for a major depressive episode. To meet the diagnostic criteria for cyclothymia a person must experience this alternating pattern of emotional highs and lows for a period of at least two years with no more than two consecutive symptom free months. For children and adolescents the duration must be at least one year.
- Postpartum Depression- Postpartum depression is a type of clinical depression which can affect women, and less frequently men, typically after childbirth. Although a number of risk factors have been identified, the causes of PPD are not well understood. Many women recover with a treatment consisting of a support group or counseling.
What are the symptoms?
Major Depressive Disorder-
Depressive Episodes:
Includes but isn't limited to:
Major Depressive Disorder-
- Depressed people may be preoccupied with, or ruminate over, thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt or regret, helplessness, hopelessness, and self-hatred.
- A person having a major depressive episode usually exhibits a very low mood, which pervades all aspects of life, and an inability to experience pleasure in activities that were formerly enjoyed.
- Other symptoms of depression include poor concentration and memory, withdrawal from social situations and activities, reduced sex drive, and thoughts of death or suicide.
- Insomnia is common among the depressed. In the typical pattern, a person wakes very early and cannot get back to sleep.
- A depressed person may report multiple physical symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, or digestive problems; physical complaints are the most common presenting problem in developing countries.
- Appetite often decreases, with resulting weight loss, although increased appetite and weight gain occasionally occur.
- Low energy and drive, low self-esteem, and a low capacity for pleasure in everyday life. Mild degrees of dysthymia may result in people withdrawing from stress and avoiding opportunities for failure. In more severe cases of dysthymia, people may even withdraw from daily activities
- Suicidal behavior is also a particular problem with persons with dysthymia. It is vital to look for signs of major depression, panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, alcohol and substance misuse and personality disorder.
- Mood reactivity (i.e., mood brightens in response to actual or potential positive events)
- At least two of the following:
- Significant weight gain or increase in appetite;
- Hypersomnia (sleeping too much, as opposed to the insomnia present in melancholic depression);
- Leaden paralysis (i.e., heavy, leaden feelings in arms or legs);
- Long-standing pattern of interpersonal rejection sensitivity (not limited to episodes of mood disturbance) that results in significant social or occupational impairment.
Depressive Episodes:
- Difficulty making decisions, problems concentrating, poor memory recall, guilt, self-criticism, low self-esteem, pessimism, self-destructive thinking, constant sadness, apathy, hopelessness, helplessness and irritability.
- Also common are quick temper, poor judgment, lack of motivation, social withdrawal, appetite change, lack of sexual desire, self-neglect, fatigue, and insomnia.
- Unusually good mood or cheerfulness, extreme optimism, inflated self-esteem, rapid speech, racing thoughts, aggressive or hostile behavior, lack of consideration for others, agitation, massively increased physical activity, risky behavior, spending sprees, increased drive to perform or achieve goals, increased sexual drive, decreased need for sleep, tendency to be easily distracted, and inability to concentrate.
Includes but isn't limited to:
- Sadness.
- Hopelessness.
- Low self-esteem.
- Guilt.
- A feeling of being overwhelmed.
- Sleep and eating disturbances.
- Inability to be comforted.
- Exhaustion.
- Emptiness.
- Anhedonia.
- Social withdrawal.
- Low or no energy.
- Becoming easily frustrated.
- Feeling inadequate in taking care of the baby.
- Decreased sex drive.