|
|
Depression
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders, affecting individuals across all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. No one is immune to its impact. While everyone experiences periods of sadness or low mood, depression is more than "feeling down" or having a temporary case of the blues.
Depression is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities. These symptoms last for weeks or months and often interfere with relationships, work, and overall quality of life. It is not a condition that someone can simply "snap out of" on their own. Professional support and treatment are often necessary for recovery.
Depression is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities. These symptoms last for weeks or months and often interfere with relationships, work, and overall quality of life. It is not a condition that someone can simply "snap out of" on their own. Professional support and treatment are often necessary for recovery.
Treatment and Hope
The good news is that depression is highly treatable. A variety of evidence-based clinical treatments are available, and new therapies continue to be developed. Despite this, many individuals never seek help. Research show that fewer than 30% of people living with depression receive treatment.
Barriers to Care
Several factors prevent individuals from seeking help:
Stigma and discrimination- According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), people with depression may still face bias in areas such as employment and housing.
Lack of awareness- Many do not recognize the symptoms of depression in themselves. Sadness is only one possible sign; symptoms can also appear in more subtle or surprising ways, such as changes in sleep, appetite, energy levels. or concentration.
Key Takeaway
Depression is a serious but treatable condition. Understanding the symptoms and reducing stigma are crucial steps in encouraging individuals to seek support. With the right treatment, people living with depression can experience relief and regain a sense of hope and well-being.
Barriers to Care
Several factors prevent individuals from seeking help:
Stigma and discrimination- According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), people with depression may still face bias in areas such as employment and housing.
Lack of awareness- Many do not recognize the symptoms of depression in themselves. Sadness is only one possible sign; symptoms can also appear in more subtle or surprising ways, such as changes in sleep, appetite, energy levels. or concentration.
Key Takeaway
Depression is a serious but treatable condition. Understanding the symptoms and reducing stigma are crucial steps in encouraging individuals to seek support. With the right treatment, people living with depression can experience relief and regain a sense of hope and well-being.
Common symptoms of Depression include:
- Persistent feelings of sadness- Having a crushing feeling of sadness which doesn’t go away after a couple of weeks could be a sign of depression. We all feel sad from time-to-time but with depression, this feeling of sadness prevents you from doing the things that you normally do, like going to work or school. You may engage in unhealthy behaviors such as binging on junk food to bring up your mood or drinking alcohol to numb the persistent feeling of sadness.
- Difficulty making decisions- When depressed, it can be very hard to make even simple decisions. Small things you don’t normally think about become hard — like deciding whether to have cereal or oatmeal for breakfast.
- Social isolation- Depression can cause you to become isolated from friends and family. Many individuals with depression may seem distant and isolated.
- No interest in enjoyable activities- In depression, you may no longer care about doing the activities you used to enjoy. If going to working out used to be the highlight of your day and you haven’t been in weeks or you no longer care about your favorite television show, depression may be the cause of your disinterest in these things you used to love.
- A crippled sense of self-worth- Depression causes one's self-esteem and feelings of self-worth to plummet.
- Unexplained physical problems- Chronic pain and constant head or stomach aches with no physical cause can be a sign of depression.
- Significant weight gain or loss- Significant amount of weight loss. You may have lost your appetite and/or no longer enjoy eating. A lack of appetite is common in depression causing weight loss. Conversely, depression can cause some individuals to overeat which may lead to weight gain.
- Irritability- Agitation and irritable mood are a common sign of depression, especially in children, adolescents and teenagers.
- Restlessness or agitation- Depression may result in increased agitation and restlessness. If you are depressed, you might feel wound up or fidgety. These sensations can make it hard to relax and may result in the interruption of sleep.
- Exhaustion- When one is depressed, even minor exertion can result in extreme fatigue. Depression may make it hard to even get out of bed in the morning.
- Sluggishness- Psychomotor retardation is another sign of depression. Psychomotor retardation may cause a person to move slower than normal. It may take longer to perform tasks. Psychomotor retardation may also affect speech by causing a person to speak softer or slower.
There are different types of depression, each with unique causes, effects, and symptoms. Treatment for depression will depend on the type of depression and knowing the type of depression one has is the first step in helping to manage symptoms. A therapist will conduct an assessment to determine which kind of depression a patient has and then develop an individualized treatment plan to address it. Clinical disorders of depression include:
Major Depressive Disorder
When most people talk about depression, they are usually referring to Major Depressive Disorder. This diagnosis is made when an individual experiences five or more symptoms for at least two weeks:
These symptoms cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Furthermore, these symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance such as drug or alcohol abuse, a medication, or is not part of a medical condition.
When most people talk about depression, they are usually referring to Major Depressive Disorder. This diagnosis is made when an individual experiences five or more symptoms for at least two weeks:
- Depressed mood: For children and adolescents this may manifest as an irritable mood
- Diminished interest or loss of pleasure in almost all activities which is referred to as anhedonia
- Significant weight change or appetite disturbance: in children this may be a failure to achieve expected weight gain
- Sleep disturbances such as insomnia or hypersomnia
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Diminished ability to think or concentrate, indecisiveness
- Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, having a specific plan for committing suicide, or attempting suicide
These symptoms cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Furthermore, these symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance such as drug or alcohol abuse, a medication, or is not part of a medical condition.
Subtypes of Major Depressive Disorder include:
- With seasonal pattern.: This subtype of major depression is often referred to as (SAD) seasonal affective disorder. Individuals with this type of depression only experience symptoms during one part of the year, typically during fall or winter. These symptoms then go away during the rest of the year.
- With peripartum onset: Depression with peripartum onset refers to depression which begins sometime during pregnancy and may last up to four weeks after delivery. This type of depression is also known as Postpartum Depression.
- With psychotic features: Depression with psychotic features is a type of depression which also includes symptoms of psychosis, such as extreme paranoia, delusional thinking (or false beliefs) and/or hallucinations, which refers to seeing or hearing things that are not real.
- With anxious distress: This type of depression also features symptoms of anxiety. An individual must have at least two of the following symptoms of anxiety to be diagnosed with this type of depression: feeling on edge or keyed up, difficulty concentrating because of worry, feelings of restlessness, and fear of losing control.
- With atypical features: This is also at times called atypical depression and this subtype includes specific symptoms such as: increased appetite or weight gain, sleeping too much, feeling weighed down, and being really sensitive to criticism or rejection.