 |
|
|
Recent Posts Depression is a difficult thing... DepressionBackground on Depression Depression is the most common mental disorder in the world and affects nearly 10% of the entire adult population every single year. Like most mental disorders, nearly half of all people suffering from depression are not diagnosed with this disease and do not get help from their doctor. Depression can be a devastating disease and can interfere with peoples’ lives just as much as diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, etc in terms of social and occupational (work) functioning. The severity of Depression can be anywhere from mild to very severe and similarly the amount of time people actually have symptoms can range from very brief to life-long. Symptoms of Depression can present alone or also along with other mental disorders. It is important to note that Depression, like all mental illness, should be thought of as a disease and not something that should not happen to “normal people.” Anyone could develop depression, just as they could cancer, heart disease or diabetes. You should not feel ashamed and avoid getting treatment, but rather should look at Depression as a medical illness and something you can get help for. What causes Depression It has been found that patients suffering from depression have low levels of chemicals in their brains called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are simply the signals your brain cells use to communicate with each other. In depression, it has been found that patients have low levels of three in particular: serotonin, dopamine and nor epinephrine. The names of these signals do not really matter for your understanding of what causes depression. Just understand that for a reason that is not known, your brain does not have the levels it needs of some of these signals it uses to run normally. Some things that put people at a greater risk of getting depression are: 1. Female gender 2. Being unemployed or in poverty (low income, no money) 3. Low education 4. Relationship status: single people are more likely then married people to be depressed. 5. Personal or family history of depression: People with parents or brothers and sisters with depression are much more likely to become depressed themselves. 6. Post partum state (after having a baby). 7. People suffering from a long term or severe disease such as diabetes, dementia, heart disease and cancer to name a few are more likely to become depressed. What are some things people with Depression experience 1. Depressed mood. This may be something you yourself notice or at the same time something that other people bring to your attention. 2. Decreased interest and or pleasure in the things you do during your day. 3. Big changes in your weight. This can be weight lost (especially if you are not trying to lose weight) or weight gained. Also changes in your appetite can be a symptom; increased or decreased hunger. 4. Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much. 5. Feeling as if you are moving slowly or unable to move at all during the day. 6. Loss of energy. 7. Feeling as if you are worthless or have a lot of inappropriate guilt. 8. Decreased ability to think or concentrate. 9. Recurring thoughts about death or suicide. How is Depression diagnosed? In order to diagnose depression you have to have 5 or more of the above 9 listed symptoms for a period of at least 2 weeks. The symptoms have to be present nearly every day and nearly all day during this time period and they have to cause you significant distress and interfere in your social life, occupational life or other areas of functioning. This is the criteria that was agreed upon by all of the psychiatrists (doctors who specialize in mental health) in the country and is what all doctors use to determine if someone has depression.. Some of the questions your doctor will ask will be to make sure these symptoms are not really from another cause such as drug use, another medical condition (such as hypothyroidism) or normal grief (bereavement after the loss of a loved one). How is Depression treated In order to treat depression, your doctor may recommend medications or therapy. It has been found that intensive therapy is just as effective in treating depression as medications if you are someone who does not like taking pills. In severe depression, however, both medications and therapy are usually recommended. Patients who are given medications to treat their depression are usually started on a single drug. The drug of choice depends on the patient, doctor, side effects of the medication, type of insurance, etc. However you should rest easy as most of the medications for depression work the same and are equally effective. It is important to take your medication every day (or exactly as your doctor or pharmacist prescribed it) and also it is equally important to understand that it may take up to 2-4 weeks before you feel any better on the medication. It takes some time for these medications to increase those signals in your brain and to get your brain cells working and communicating like they are supposed to. If you are interested in reading about your specific depression medication, please see our medications link. The goals of treatment are to have you return to a completely normal state within 6-12 weeks. If you are on medication, your doctor will likely have you continue for around 9 months, as it has been found people who stop right after feeling better quickly return to a depressed state. After this 9 month period, your doctor will likely recommend stopping your treatment and seeing what happens. Around half of the people who stop are fine and around half will become depressed again at some point down the road. These people will then require long term (years to life) treatment. | |
|
Health Tips - BMI Calculator - Links - Add Link - Link To Us - Contact - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy Maintained by Interfuse - © 2009 - 2012 Abc MD Clinic - All rights reserved. |
