Depression

Understanding and Treating Depression

In this article:

The cost of depression

The symptoms of depression

What causes depression?

What can be done?

Psychotherapy

Links to related articles

Tips for dealing with depression

Additional online resources

You don't seem to recognize the person you've become anymore. You used to be outgoing and fun-loving. Now, you're constantly irritable and withdrawn. Your family, friends and co-workers don't understand what's happened to you. Personally, you find little pleasure in the things that used to bring you joy and your outlook for the future has become increasingly pessimistic. There is a good chance you are wrestling depression. And its time you stop wrestling it alone --- because help is available. And because without that help there could be serious physical, emotional and financial consequences.

The Cost of Depression

It is estimated that more than 9% of Americans - about 19 million people - deal with depression each year. By some estimates, depression costs the U.S. over $65 billion a year in medical costs and lost productivity, putting it on a par with heart disease. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) depression ranks "third by prevalence and sixth in terms of economic burden" among diseases and medical conditions.

The Symptoms of Depression

Depression is a medical condition that anyone can get. It is not a personality flaw or weakness. In terms of prevalence, women are almost twice as likely as men to become depressed. Estimates range from 10% to 25% of all women will be depressed during their lives. Men, while their risk is lower, are much more likely to allow depression to go untreated.

A report of the Surgeon General on Childhood Depression indicates "that at any one time between 10 and 15 percent of the child and adolescent population has some symptoms of depression" and that "major depression among all children ages 9 to 17 has been estimated at 5 percent. Among the elderly, estimates of depression range from eight to 20 percent of those living at home and up to 37 percent in primary care settings.

According to the DSM IV, the primary diagnostic reference of Mental Health Professionals in the United States, people diagnosed with major depression have one or more episodes lasting at least two weeks with a depressed mood or loss of interest in nearly all activities accompanied by at least four other symptoms of depression. These symptoms include:

  • Frequent feelings of sadness lasting most of the day
  • Loss of interest
  • Feelings of hopelessness, unworthiness or guilt
  • Loss of self-esteem
  • Sleep problems
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Change in appetite and weight
  • Restlessness
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

What Causes Depression?

Depression does not have a single cause but often is the result of a combination of factors. It is related to physical change in the brain connected to an imbalance in the chemical neurotransmitters that carry signals in the brain. Some of the factors involved in depression are:

  • Family history - depression can run across generations
  • Stress or trauma - personal problems, death, separation, and other changes can cause depression
  • Physical conditions - Chronic or acute medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and HIV can contribute to depression
  • Psychological disorders - Anxiety disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders and schizophrenia often appear with depression

What Can be Done?

The good news is that depression is treatable. Most patients show improvement after receiving treatment. Standard treatments for depression are medication management and psychotherapy.

Medication

Antidepressants work by balancing the chemical neurotransmitters in the brain. Today's medications have fewer side effects and are easier to tolerate. However, they can take some time to effectively change a patient's mood. Frequently patients don't stay on the medication long enough. It is important to give it the necessary time, often up to four weeks, to begin to work and talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your medication.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or counseling can help you identify and change the thought and behavior patterns that contribute to depression. It can teach you the skills to react differently to negative thoughts. For some people, especially those with mild to moderate depression, counseling alone may be effective. However others, particularly those who have been diagnosed with major depression, may require a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

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For further information, support, and help on Depression, you may try the following:


Top Articles Top Tips for Dealing With Depression
  1. Realize that there is a distinct difference between "the blues", Seasonal Affective Disorders and the various levels and types of depression.
  2. The Blues are and intense and unsettling state of sadness that may occur around holidays or be related to a specific event or emotional fatique.
  3. One of the major differences between occasional sadness (the blues) and depression is the duration, frequency and intensity of the symptoms.
  4. Seasonal Affective Disorders (persistent sadness related to seasonal changes) can begin in the early Fall and last well into the Spring.
  5. There is usually a distinct and predictable pattern of recognizable symptoms occurring each year at the onset of SAD which end when the seasons change.
  6. Not all depression is related to one disorder or illness, there can be many different illnesses which are all associated with depressive symptoms.
  7. Depression is a clinical diagnosis of cognitive, behavioral, and medical symptoms severe enough to interfere with normal functioning.
  8. Seek immediate medical attention for symptoms of depression which may include feeling persistently sad or tired, hopeless, irritable, suicidal, empty or numb.
  9. Some possible causes for sadness and depression include physical illnesses, hormonal changes, emotional difficulties, and substance abuse.
  10. There are many options for treating Depression, SAD, or the Blues and many individuals suffer needlessly with these issues because they do not seek help.
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