DEPRESSION

A mental disease called depression can be minor or severe. Depression is a persistent state of
melancholy and disinterest that prevents you from engaging in your regular activities.
Depression affects one in six women and one in eight men at some point in their lives.

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

Thinking, feeling, and behavior are all impacted by depression. Depression makes day-to-day
living more challenging and interferes with relationships, employment, and school. If a
person has felt gloomy or unpleasant most of the time for longer than two weeks, or if they
have lost interest in or enjoyment from most of their typical activities, they may be depressed.

Feelings caused by depression:
A person with depression may feel-

Sad
Miserable
Unhappy
Irritable
Overwhelmed
Guilty
Frustrated
Lacking in confidence
Indecisive
Unable to concentrate
Disappointed

Thoughts caused by depression-
 ‘I’m a failure.’
 ‘It’s my fault.’
 ‘Nothing good ever happens to me.’
 ‘I’m worthless.’
 ‘There is nothing good in my life.’
 ‘Things will never change.’
 ‘Life’s not worth living.’
 ‘People would be better off without me.

Behavioral symptoms of depression-
 Withdraw from close family and friends
 Stop going out
 Stop their usual enjoyable activities
 Not get things done at work or school
 Rely on alcohol and sedatives

Physical symptoms of depression-
 Being tired all the time
 Feeling sick and ‘run down’
 Frequent headaches, stomach or muscle pains
 A churning gut
 Sleep problems
 Loss or change of appetite
 Significant weight loss or gain

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

Depression does not result from a single event, but from a combination of biological,
psychological, social and lifestyle factors.
Personal factors that can lead to depression
Personal factors that can lead to a risk of depression include:

 Family history- depression can run in families and some people will be at an
increased genetic risk. However, this doesn’t mean that a person will
automatically experience depression if a parent or close relative has had the
condition.

 Personality- some people may be more at risk because of their personality,
particularly if they tend to worry a lot, have low self-esteem, are perfectionists,
are sensitive to personal criticism, or are self-critical and negative.

 Serious medical conditions- these can trigger depression in two ways. Serious
conditions can bring about depression directly or can contribute to depression
through the associated stress and worry, especially if it involves long-term
management of a condition or chronic pain.

 Drug and alcohol use- can both lead to and result from depression. Many people
with depression also have drug and alcohol problems.

Life events and depression
According to research, ongoing challenges like long-term unemployment, being in an abusive or
neglectful relationship, living alone for an extended period of time, experiencing stress at work,
or long-term isolation can all raise the chance of developing depression. such as being laid off
from a job, going through a divorce or separation, or receiving a terrible sickness diagnosis.

Changes in the brain
Depression is not simply the result of a chemical brain for example because a person has too
much or not enough of a particular brain chemical.
Factors that can lead to faulty mood regulation in the brain-
 Genetic vulnerability
 Severe life stressors
 Taking some medications, drugs and alcohol
 Some medical conditions

TYPES OF DEPRESSION
Major Depression:
Depression can be described as mild, moderate or severe.

Melancholia:
Melancholia used to describe a more severe form of depression with a strong biological basis. Fr
example, one of the major changes is that the person can be observed to move more slowly, or to
be experiencing significant changes to their sleep pattern and appetite.

Dysthymia:
The symptoms of dysthymia are similar to those of major depression, but are less severe and
more persistent. A person has to have this milder depression for more than two years to be
diagnosed with dysthymia.

Psychotic depression:
People with a depressive condition can lose touch with reality. This can involve hallucinations
(seeing or hearing things that are not there) or delusions (false beliefs that are not shared by
others), such as believing they are bad or evil, or that they being watched or followed or that
everyone is against them.

Antenatal and postnatal depression:
Women are at an increased risk of depression during pregnancy (known as the antenatal period)
and in the year following childbirth (known as the postnatal period). The cause of depression at
this time can be complex and are often the result of a combination of factors. Depression is
longer lasting and can affect not only the mother, but her relationship with her baby, the child’s
development, the mother’s relationship with her partner and with other members of the family.