Depression
What Is Depression?
Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.
Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:
Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Loss of energy or increased fatigue
Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others)
Feeling worthless or guilty
Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
Thoughts of death or suicide
Symptoms must last at least two weeks and must represent a change in your previous level of functioning for a diagnosis of depression.
Also, medical conditions (e.g., thyroid problems, a brain tumor or vitamin deficiency) can mimic symptoms of depression so it is important to rule out general medical causes.
Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can occur at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression. Some studies show that one-third of women will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime. There is a high degree of heritability (approximately 40%) when first-degree relatives (parents/children/siblings) have depression.
Depression can make it tough to enjoy life, especially when feelings of despair and hopelessness always persist. Blogs can put you in touch with health professionals, associations, and individuals who are sharing a similar experience. We have selected the best depression blogs.
Depression is fairly common, affecting more than 15 million adults in the United States. Depression is also the leading cause of disability among U.S. individuals aged 15 to 44 years.
With treatment and support, most individuals with depression can fully recover. Eating a healthful diet and partaking in physical activity can make a significant difference to your recovery time, as well as improving your general health.
Many organizations offer support groups, counseling, and other resources that may help with depression. It is important that you try to participate in social activities to avoid becoming isolated.
Medical News Today have located the 10 best depression blogs that help to connect you with others that are sharing their experiences while facing similar challenges, educate you on the most effective ways to relax and manage your stress, and provide useful tips and information on how to cope with depression.
When treating alcoholism, medical professionals will look at the core reasons a person drinks. If it turns out the person has depression, then a dual diagnosis treatment plan will be necessary. A dual diagnosis treatment plan works by addressing and treating the mental health condition, which led the person to drink in the first place. By doing this, the person gains freedom from drinking and resolves mental health disorders too.
At healing centres, doctors specialize in mental health dual diagnosis treatment plans. Their philosophy is to treat the core issues that plague a person and lead that individual to self-harm. Through therapy programs, they help clients break free from the cycle of alcohol abuse and mental health suffering. They offer a variety of different treatment methods and therapies to help you recover, including the following:
- Holistic therapy
- Family therapy
- Group therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- Art Therapy
- EMDR Therapy
- Equine Therapy
- Fitness Therapy
Do not let alcoholism and depression control your life. You can overcome these challenges by going to a quality drug rehab center and getting help from professional treatment providers
Sadness, feeling down, and having a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities are familiar feelings for all of us. But if they persist and affect our lives substantially, the issue may be depression.
Depression is the main cause of disability Trusted Source worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It can affect adults, adolescents, and children.
In this article, learn what depression is and what causes it. We also describe the types, their treatments, and more.
Definition
A person with depression may experience persistent sadness.
Depression is a mood disorder that involves a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It is different from the mood fluctuations that people regularly experience as a part of life.
Major life events, such as bereavement or the loss of a job, can lead to Trusted Source depression. However, doctors only consider feelings of grief to be part of depression if they persist.
Depression is an ongoing problem, not a passing one. It consists of episodes during which the symptoms last for at least 2 weeks. Depression can last for several weeks, months, or years.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of depression can include:
In females
Depression is nearly twice as commonTrusted Source among women as men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Below are some symptomsTrusted Source of depression that tend to appear more often in females:
Also, some typesTrusted Source of depression are unique to females, such as:
In males
Around 9% of men in the United States have feelings of depression or anxiety, according to the American Psychological Association.
Males with depression are more likely than females to drink alcohol in excess, display anger, and engage in risk-taking as a result of the disorder.
Other symptoms of depression in males may include:
The medical community does not fully understand the causes of depression. There are many possible causes, and sometimes, various factors combine to trigger symptoms.
Factors that are likely to play a role include:
Treatment
Psychotherapy may help a person manage their symptoms of depression.
Depression is treatable, and managing symptoms usually involves three components:
Support: This can range from discussing practical solutions and possible causes to educating family members.
Psychotherapy: Also known as talking therapy, some options include one-to-one counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Drug treatment: A doctor may prescribe antidepressants.
Medication
Medication
Antidepressants can help treat moderate-to-severe depression.
Each class acts on a different neurotransmitter or combination of neurotransmitters.
A person should only take these medications as their doctor prescribes. Some drugs can take a while to have an impact. By stopping the drug, a person may not experience the benefits that it could offer.
Some people stop taking medication after symptoms improve, but this can lead to a relapse.
Raise any concerns about antidepressants with a doctor, including any intention to stop taking the medication.
Here, learn more about antidepressants and how they can help.
Medication side effects
SSRIs and SNRIs can have side effects. A person may experience:
Find out more about the possible side effects of antidepressants here.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requireTrusted Source manufacturers to add warnings to the packaging of antidepressant drugs.
The warnings should indicate that, among other risks, these medications may increase suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults within the first few months of treatment.
Natural remedies
Some people use natural remedies, such as herbal medicines, to treat mild-to-moderate depression.
However, since the FDA do not monitorTrusted Source herbal remedies, manufacturers may not be truthful about the quality of these products. They may not be safe or effective.
The following are some of the more popular herbs and plants that people use to treat depression:
St. John’s wort: This is not suitable for people who have or may have bipolar disorder. Learn more here.
Ginseng: Practitioners of traditional medicine may use this to improve mental clarity and reduce stress. Find out more here about ginseng.
Chamomile: This contains flavonoids that may have an antidepressant effect. For more information about chamomile, click here.
Lavender: This may help reduce anxiety and insomnia. Learn more here about lavender.
It is essential to speak to a doctor before using any type of herbal remedy or supplement to treat depression. Some herbs can interfere with the action of drugs or otherwise make symptoms worse.
Supplements
A person may take the herbs above as supplements to treat symptoms of mild-to-moderate depression. Other types of supplements may also help treat these symptoms.
It is important to remember that the FDA do not monitor supplements to ensure that they are effective or safe.
Nonherbal supplements that may help treat depression include:
S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe): This is a synthetic form of a natural chemical in the body.
5-hydroxytryptophan: This may help boost serotonin, the neurotransmitter in the brain that affects a person’s mood.
Some research has suggested that SAMe may be as helpful as the prescription antidepressants imipramine and escitalopram, but more investigation is necessary.
Learn more about how herbs and supplements may help relieve depression.
Food and diet
Eating a lot of sugary or processed foods can lead to various physical health problems. Results of a 2019 studyTrusted Source suggest that a diet that includes many of these types of food could affect the mental health of young adults.
The study also found that eating more of the following foods helped reduce depression symptoms:
fruit
vegetables
fish
olive oil
Can other foods worsen or improve depression symptoms? Find out here.
Psychotherapy
Psychological, or talking, therapies for depression include CBT, interpersonal psychotherapy, and problem-solving treatment, among others.
For some forms of depression, psychotherapy is usually the first-line treatment, while some people respond better to a combination of psychotherapy and medications.
CBT and interpersonal psychotherapy are the two main types of psychotherapy for depression. A person may have CBT in individual sessions with a therapist, in groups, over the telephone, or onlineTrusted Source.
Interpersonal therapy aims to help people identify:
emotional problems that affect relationships and communication
how these issues also affect their mood
how all of this may be changed
Exercise
Aerobic exercise raises endorphin levels and stimulates the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which is linked with mood. This may help relieve mild depression.
Brain stimulation therapies
Brain stimulation therapies are another treatment option. For example, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation sends magnetic pulses to the brain, and this may help treat major depression.
If depression does not respond to drug treatment, the person may benefit from electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT. This may be effective if psychosis occurs with depression.
Thankyou.