Depression, also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a mood disorder whose symptoms include persistent sadness or lack of interest in life.
Most of us feel sad, lonely, or depressed at times. This is a normal reaction to loss, struggles in life, or damaged self-esteem.
But when intense sadness—which includes feeling helpless, hopeless, and worthless—lasts from days to weeks and prevents you from living a normal life, it may be more than just sadness. This is when you should seek medical help.
Your doctor can test you for depression and help manage your symptoms. If your depression goes untreated, it can get worse and last for months or even years. It causes pain and can lead to suicide, occurring in 1 in 10 people with depression.
Recognizing symptoms is key. Unfortunately, about half of people with depression are never diagnosed or treated.
Depressive symptoms
They can include:
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness
- Pessimism and despair
- Insomnia, waking up early, or sleeping too much
- Irritability or irritability
- Restless
- Loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable, including sex
- Overeating or loss of appetite
- Pain, headache, or cramping that doesn’t go away
- Digestive problems that do not improve even with treatment
- Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or ’emptiness'
- Having suicidal thoughts or attempts
- Loss of joy in life
Although these symptoms are common, not everyone with depression will have the same symptoms. They vary in severity, frequency, and duration.
Your symptoms may also occur with regularity. For example, depression may accompany seasonal changes (formerly known as seasonal affective disorder).
If you suffer from depression, it can also cause you to experience physical symptoms. These may include joint pain, back pain, digestive problems, sleep problems and changes in appetite. You may also slow down your speech and movements. The reason is that brain chemicals associated with depression, specifically serotonin and norepinephrine, play a role in both mood and pain.
Depression in children
Depression in children is different from the normal blues and everyday emotions that most children feel. If your child feels sad, it doesn’t mean they have depression. But when they feel sad day after day, depression can be a problem. Disruptive behavior that interferes with normal social activities, interests, school work, or family life may also be a sign of depression.
Teen Depression
Many teenagers feel unhappy or moody. However, if your child’s sadness persists for more than 2 weeks and they have other symptoms of depression, something may be wrong. Notice if they withdraw from friends and family, have poor academic performance, or use alcohol or drugs. Talk to your doctor to see if your child may have depression. As people age, there is an effective treatment that can help them escape depression.
Causes of depression
Doctors haven’t pinpointed the exact cause of depression. They believe it may be a combination of factors, including:
- Brain structure. The brains of people with depression appear to be biologically different from those of people without depression.
- Brain chemicals. Chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters affect your mood. When you suffer from depression, it may be because these chemicals aren’t working as well as they should.
- Hormones. Your hormone levels can change due to pregnancy, postpartum issues, thyroid issues, menopause, or other reasons. This can trigger depressive symptoms.
- Genetics. Researchers haven’t discovered a gene that may cause depression, but if you have a relative with depression, you’re more likely to develop it.
Types of depression
Different types of depression that your doctor can diagnose include:
- Unipolar major depression
- Persistent depressive disorder, also known as dysthymia, occurs when depression persists for at least 2 years.
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, when children and adolescents become very irritable, angry, and have intense outbursts that are more severe than typical reactions
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, when you have severe mood problems before your period, which is more severe than typical premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Substance-induced mood disorder (SIMD), when you develop symptoms while using drugs or alcohol or after you stop drinking
- Depression caused by another illness
- Other depression, such as mild depression
Your depression may have other specific characteristics, such as:
- Anxious distress. You are very worried about what might happen or losing control.
- Mixed features. You have both depression and mania—periods of high energy, talking too much, and high self-esteem.
- Atypical features. You’ll feel great after a happy event, but you’ll also feel hungry, need a lot of sleep, and be sensitive to rejection.
- Psychopathic traits. You believe things that are not true, or see and hear things that do not exist.
- Catatonia. You cannot move your body normally. You may be motionless, slow to react, or have uncontrollable movements.
-Perinatal depression. Your symptoms start during pregnancy or after delivery. - Seasonal mode. Your symptoms can get worse as the seasons change, especially during the colder, darker months.
Other conditions that cause depressive symptoms
Depression can be a symptom of other health conditions. It is important to get the correct diagnosis and the best treatment. Some conditions that can cause depression include:
- Bipolar I and II disorders. These mood disorders include swings from highs (mania) to lows (depression). Differentiating between bipolar disorder and depression can be tricky.
- Circulatory disorders. This involves milder mood swings than bipolar disorder.
- Other depression. These include depression caused by the use of recreational drugs, certain prescription medications, or other medical conditions.
Depression diagnosis
To determine if and what type of depression you have, your doctor will use:
- Physical examination. They’ll check your overall health and see if you’re dealing with another condition.
- lab testing. You may have blood tests to check certain hormone levels.
- Psychiatric evaluation. Your doctor will check on your mental health. They will ask you about your thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns. You can also fill out a questionnaire.
- ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ (DSM-5). The American Psychiatric Association outlines criteria for depression in this manual. Your doctor may use it to help make a diagnosis.
Related tests - SDS Self-Rating Depression Scale Free Online Test: https://psyctest.cn/t/NydagK56/
Can depression be cured?
There is no cure for depression. Over time, your symptoms may go away, but the condition will not. But with care and treatment, you can achieve remission and enjoy a long, healthy life.
What other diseases can depression cause?
People who are depressed also have other medical or mental health problems, such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, phobias, substance use disorders, and eating disorders. If you have symptoms of depression or other mental illness, talk to your doctor. Treatment can help.
Depression during pregnancy
Research shows that 7% of American women experience depression during pregnancy. Research suggests the rate may be even higher in low-income countries.
Because depressive symptoms, such as changes in sleep, energy levels, appetite, and sex drive, are common in anyone who is pregnant, your doctor may miss your depression during pregnancy.
You are at higher risk for depression during pregnancy if you:
- anxiety
- Life stress
- History of depression
- Lack of social support
- accidental pregnancy
- Intimate partner violence
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends getting screened for depression and anxiety at least once during pregnancy. During that screening, your doctor will ask you questions about your mood and anxiety.
But if you think you have depression, don’t wait for routine screening. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor immediately. They may recommend that you undergo psychotherapy or combine psychotherapy with antidepressants.
Depression Treatment
If you have symptoms of depression, talk to your doctor. They can evaluate you and provide you with treatment or refer you to a mental health professional.
The type of treatment they recommend for you depends on your symptoms and their severity. You may need one or more of the following:
- Medications. Antidepressant medications (used alone or with psychotherapy) are effective for most people with depression. There are many types of antidepressants. You may need to try several before you find the one that works best for you. You may need a combination of both. Or your doctor may also prescribe another medication to help your antidepressant work best, such as a mood stabilizer, antipsychotic, anti-anxiety medication, or stimulant medication.
- Psychotherapy. Regularly discussing your depression and other issues with a mental health professional can help treat your symptoms. Methods include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a common form of talk therapy.
- Hospitalization or hospitalization. If your depression is severe enough that you are unable to care for yourself, or you are at risk of harming yourself or others, you may need psychiatric treatment in a hospital or residential facility.
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In this treatment, electrical current is passed through your brain to help your neurotransmitters work better. Typically, you wouldn’t get this treatment unless antidepressants don’t work or you can’t take them for other health reasons.
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Your doctor usually only recommends this if antidepressants don’t work. This therapy uses coils to send magnetic pulses through your brain to help stimulate nerve cells that regulate your mood.
Are there other treatments for the symptoms of depression?
Yes. Another treatment is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). It involves using a non-invasive device that is fixed above your head to create a magnetic field. It targets specific parts of the brain that may trigger depression.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is another treatment option. A pacemaker-like device is surgically implanted under your collarbone to provide regular pulses to your brain.
A drug called ketamine may also be used for difficult-to-treat depression. It is administered by infusion or nasal spray.
Home Remedies and Lifestyle Changes for Depression
Some lifestyle habits can help you manage depression and reduce its symptoms. They include:
- Exercise regularly. Physical activity including aerobics, tai chi, yoga and weight training have been shown to increase the body’s production of endorphins, hormones that can improve mood. Research shows that aerobic exercise, such as walking and swimming, is as effective as antidepressants in reducing depression. Those who continue to exercise are less likely to suffer from depression again.
- Avoid alcohol. While you can drink alcohol to relax and unwind, it can lead to problems like depression and anxiety. Alcohol is a depressant that interferes with neurotransmitters that control mood.
- Avoid caffeine. It can exacerbate your anxiety by increasing your stress hormone cortisol.
- Drink water. Even mild dehydration can worsen your mood and increase your anxiety. Experts recommend that men drink 15 glasses of water a day and women drink 11 glasses of water a day. 80% of this should come from drinking water and 20% from the food you eat.
- Take good care of yourself. Get enough sleep, set boundaries in your personal and professional life, eat healthily, and practice stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness. These can help you better cope with life’s challenges without becoming depressed.
In addition to these steps, ask your doctor about supplements, vitamins, or herbs that may help relieve the symptoms of depression you suffer from.
Depression Prevention
Not all types of depression can be prevented. But there are things you can do to help avoid it or reduce symptoms.
Research shows that if you’ve had depression before, you may be more likely to get it again. But once you’ve experienced it, you can help prevent it by understanding which lifestyle habits and treatments work best for you.
Some helpful tips include:
- Don’t stop treating your depression.
- Reduce your stress as much as possible.
-Build strong relationships with others.
Depression and Suicide
Depression carries a high risk of suicide. Warning signs include:
- A sudden shift from sadness to extreme calmness, or an expression of happiness
- Always talking or thinking about death
- Increasingly severe clinical depression (extreme sadness, loss of interest, difficulty sleeping and eating)
- Taking risks that could result in death, such as running a red light
- Post comments about hopelessness, helplessness or worthlessness
- Sorting things out, such as wrapping up things or making changes to your will
- Say things like ‘It would be better if I wasn’t here’ or ‘I want to get out’
- Talk about suicide
- Visit or call close friends and loved ones
When should you ask for help?
If your depressive symptoms are causing problems in your relationships, work, or home—and there are no clear solutions—you should see a professional. Talking to them can help prevent things from getting worse, especially if your symptoms persist.
When to get emergency help
Anyone who thinks or talks about harming themselves should be taken seriously. It’s time to take action now.
If you are considering harming yourself or attempting suicide, or if you know someone who is at risk of suicide, call 110 or your local emergency number immediately.
If you have suicidal thoughts:
- Dial 110 at any time day or night.
- Call your doctor or mental health professional.
- Ask a close friend or loved one for help.
- Connect with a pastor, spiritual leader or someone else in your faith community
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