EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT DEPRESSION
Depression is a common but serious mental illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and home. Depression is different from sadness or grief. While being sad may be described as being depressed, depression is more than just a temporary feeling.
It is relatively long-lasting, and can get worse over time. If depression goes untreated, it can increase overtime and lead to isolation and thoughts of suicide and death. There are various things that cause depression such as family history, your personality, serious medical illnesses, and drug and alcohol use. There are ways to improve your depression through medication, lifestyle changes, and therapy.
Someone who struggles with depression can deal with really bad lows that mentally and physically do not allow them to function properly. Some people will stay in bed all day feeling numb to everything around them, and some become irritated and short tempered. It all depends on the person. For some, they result to forms of self-harm because they want to feel some sort of emotion. It's common for people with depression to feel down and numb to things that they once found joy in.
Depression is not something that you can get overnight. It is the result from a combination of genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological factors. Different life events such as long-term unemployment, living in an abusive or uncaring relationship, long-term isolation or loneliness, and prolonged work stress, are more likely to cause depression. There are also personal factors that can play a role in the development of depression.
Depression can run in families which results in an increased genetic risk but does not always mean their experiences will be the same. Some people may be at a higher risk due to their personality, particularly if they have a tendency to worry a lot, have low self-esteem, are perfectionists, are sensitive to personal criticism, or are self-critical and negative. Having a serious medical illness can also lead to depression due to the stress and worry of coping with a serious illness such as long-term management and/or chronic pain. Drugs and alcohol use can both lead to and result from depression.
This type of depression results in feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness almost all the time, most days of the week.
This depression is one that lasts for two years or longer. It is often referred to as dysthymia and chronic depression which is a mild, long-lasting depression that can experience periods of major depression which is then called “double depression.”
someone with manic depression which is also referred to as bipolar disorder, has mood episodes that range from extremes of high energy with and up mood to low depressive periods which have the symptoms of major depression.
SAD is a period of major depression that most often happens during the winter months, when the days grow short and you get less and less sunlight. It typically goes away in the spring and summer.
People with psychotic depression have symptoms of major depression along with “psychotic” symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.
This depression occurs weeks before after a woman has given birth due to emotional lows that come with the massive hormonal changes taking place in your body during pregnancy and post-pregnancy.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) can be considered a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Both PMS and PMDD are characterized by unpleasant physical and psychological symptoms that occur in the second half of a woman's menstrual cycle, most commonly in the days preceding the menstrual period.
This isn’t a technical term in psychiatry but you can have a depressed mood when you’re having trouble managing a stressful event in your life, such as death in your family, a divorce, or losing your job. Your doctor may call this “stress response syndrome.”
This depression is different than the persistent sadness of typical depression. It is considered to be a “specifier” that describes a pattern of depressive symptoms. If you have atypical depression, a positive event can temporarily improve your mood.
After meeting with a doctor, they may prescribe a medication that will help balance the chemicals in the brain that affect mood and emotion. These medications can help improve mood, help with sleep, and increase appetite and concentration. There are many different kinds of antidepressants that have been developed due to the many different factors that cause depression. This means that if prescribed a medication, it may take a few different tries to find the one that works best for your situation.
Lifestyle change is necessary for treating depression. Depression can tear down structure in a person’s life and it’s important to put importance and accountability back in check. This can mean getting back into a routine by making a daily schedule while setting small goals for yourself that will lead to larger ones. Exercising is one of the most effective ways to improve depression. The chemicals released while working out are the same chemicals that contribute to your mood and emotions. It’s important to exercise daily even if it’s just a walk outside for a few minutes. Eating healthy while exercising will not only improve your performance, but will make the body all around feel better. Getting enough sleep by going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday will help keep up energy levels throughout the day.
A psychologist specializes in the human mind and the way it functions. They are able to pinpoint and work through the problems that cause depression. A therapist is not there to judge someone for what they’ve done, they are there to help people understand their feelings and assist them with changing their behavior. Talking to a therapist can seem scary because they are a stranger asking a lot of serious, personal questions. Some people find it hard to get started and stay in therapy. Selecting a therapist is a highly personal matter. Just like medication, One psychologist may work well with one individual, but may not be a good fit for another person.
