What is depression
Everyone occasionally feels blue or
sad. But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of
days. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain
for both you and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness.
Many people with a depressive
illness never seek treatment. But the majority, even those with the most severe
depression, can get better with treatment. Medications, psychother-apies, and
other methods can effectively treat people with depression.
signs and symptoms of depression
Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty”
feelings
Feelings of hopelessness or
pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness.
Irritability, restlessness
Loss of interest in activities
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 or pains, headaches, cramps,
or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment.
What causes depression
Most likely, depression is caused by
a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
Depressive illnesses are disorders
of the brain. Longstand-ing theories about depression suggest that important
neurotransmitters—chemicals that brain cells use to communicate—are out of
balance in depression. But it has been difficult to prove this.
Brain-imaging technologies, such as
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people who have
depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of
the brain involved in mood, think-ing, sleep, appetite, and behavior appear
different. But these images do not reveal why the depression has occurred. They
also cannot be used to diagnose depression.
other factors, trauma, loss of a
loved one, a difficult relationship, or any stressful situation may trigger a
depressive episode. Other depressive episodes may occur with or without an
obvious trigger.
How is depression diagnosed and
treated
Depression, even the most severe
cases, can be effectively treated. The earlier that treatment can begin, the
more effec-tive it is.
The first step to getting
appropriate treatment is to visit a doctor or mental health specialist. Certain
medications, and some medical conditions such as viruses or a thyroid
disor-der, can cause the same symptoms as depression. A doctor can rule out
these possibilities by doing a physical exam, interview, and lab tests. If the
doctor can find no medical condition that may be causing the depression, the
next step is a psychological evaluation.
The doctor may refer you to a mental
health professional, who should discuss with you any family history of depres-sion
or other mental disorder, and get a complete history of your symptoms. You
should discuss when your symptoms started, how long they have lasted, how
severe they are, and whether they have occurred before and if so, how they were
treated. The mental health professional may also ask if you are using alcohol
or drugs, and if you are thinking about death or suicide.
Once diagnosed, a person with
depression can be treated in several ways. The most common treatments are
medication and psychotherapy.
antidepressant medications are
available to treat depression such as:
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Citalopram (Celexa)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Paroxetine (Paxil)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro).
