Depression is a mental illness. It is not be confused with temporary emotional distress, anxiety attacks or feeling low even though these may be constituents of depression. Anyone can feel low for a brief period of time or have the occasional anxiety attack. That does not mean they are suffering from depression.
When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and for those around you. Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness, loneliness, grief, uselessness, and emotional pain. Depression is a serious illness. If not treated at the right time, it can lead to a person turning suicidal. Many people with a depressive illness never seek treatment. But the majority, even those with the most severe depression, can get better with treatment.
There are several forms of depressive disorders:
- Major depression: severe symptoms that interfere with one’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy life.
- Persistent depressive disorder: depressed mood that lasts for at least a few years; termed Psychotic depression, which occurs when a person has severe depression plus some form of psychosis, such as having disturbing false beliefs or a break with reality (delusions), or hearing or seeing upsetting things that others cannot hear or see (hallucinations).
- Postpartum depression: is much more serious than the “baby blues” that many women experience after giving birth. When hormonal and physical changes, and the new responsibility of caring for a newborn overwhelm the mother.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): characterized by the onset of depression during the winter months, when there is less natural sunlight. The depression generally lifts during spring and summer. SAD is generally observed in countries located in the earth’s extreme latitudes.
- Bipolar disorder: also called manic-depressive illness, is not as common as major depression or persistent depressive disorder. Bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes—from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression).
Causes 🔗
Most likely, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors. Depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. The parts of the brain involved in mood, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behaviour are different.
Depression can be genetic, or caused by trauma, loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, or any stressful situation. Other depressive episodes may occur with or without an obvious trigger. People with depressive illnesses do not all experience the same symptoms. The severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness.
Signs and symptoms may include 🔗
- Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings.
- Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism.
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.
- Irritability, restlessness.
- Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex.
- Fatigue and decreased energy.
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions.
- Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping.
- Overeating, or appetite loss.
- Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts.
- Aches, pains, headaches, cramp, or digestive problems.
My therapeutic approach to depression is to make the treatment effective, and help patients recover from their disruptive mental state. I listen to the client, understand, analyze and evaluate the problems, then categorize the depression level to define the treatment path to follow. Depression is treatable, and there are many effective treatments available.