People experience depression in differentways. It may interfere with your daily work, resulting in lost time and lowerproductivity. It also can influence relationships and some chronic healthconditions. Conditions that can get worse due to depression include:
- arthritis
- asthma
- cardiovasculardisease
- cancer
- diabetes
- obesity
It’s important to realize that feelingdown at times is a normal part of life. Sad and distressful events occur ineveryone’s life. However, feeling miserable and hopeless on a consistent basisis not normal. Depression should be treated as a serious medicalcondition.
Left untreated, depression may last formonths or years. It can worsen over time. Yet, those who seek treatment oftensee improvements in symptoms in just a few weeks.
Types of depression
Depression ranges in howserious it is. Some people experience mild and temporary episodes of sadness.Others experience severe and ongoing depressive episodes. Your doctor can helpyou come up with a treatment plan based on what type of depression you have. Thereare two main types: major depressive disorder and persistent depressivedisorder.
Major depressive disorder
Major depressive disorder is the mostsevere form of depression. It is characterized by persistent feelings ofsadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness that do not go away on their own. Youmust experience five or more of the following symptoms over a two-week periodto be diagnosed with clinical depression:
- feelingdepressed most of the day
- loss ofinterest in most regular activities
- significantweight loss or gain
- sleeping toomuch or not being able to sleep
- slowedthinking or movement
- fatigue or lowenergy most days
- feelings ofworthlessness or guilt
- loss ofconcentration or indecisiveness
- recurringthoughts of death or suicide
Thereare different subtypes of major depressive disorder, including:
- atypical features
- peripartum onset,during pregnancy or right after giving birth
- seasonal patterns
- melancholic features
- psychotic features
- catatonia
Persistent depressive disorder
Persistent depressivedisorder (PDD) used to be called dysthymia. It’s a mild, but chronic, form ofdepression. Symptoms often last for at least two years. PDD can affect yourlife more than clinical depression because it lasts for a longer period. It’scommon for people with PDD to:
- lose interestin normal daily activities
- feel hopeless
- lackproductivity
- have lowself-esteem
People with PDD may beregarded as critical and unable to have fun.
Other forms of depressionand mood disorders may have unique characteristics or develop under specificcircumstances, making them difficult to classify. A few examples are describedbelow.
Causes of depression
There are several possiblecauses of depression. Early childhood trauma can cause depression. This is becausesome events impact the way the body reacts to fear and stressful situations. Somepeople develop depression because of their genetics. You are more likely todevelop it if you have a family history of depression or another mood disorder.
Other common causesinclude:
- brainstructure: there's a greater risk for depression if the frontal lobe of yourbrain is less active
- medicalconditions, such as a chronic illness, insomnia, chronic pain, or attention deficithyperactivity disorder
- a history ofabusing drugs and alcohol
Many other people willhave no discernable cause for their depression.
About30 percent of people who have a substance abuseproblem also experience depression. In addition to these causes, other riskfactors for depression include:
- low self-esteem or being self-critical
- personal history of mental illness
- certain medications
- stressful events, such as loss of a loved one, economic problems,or a divorce
Diagnosing depression
Thereisn’t a single test to diagnose depression. However, your doctor can make adiagnosis based on your symptoms and a psychological evaluation. In most cases,your doctor will ask a series of questions about your moods, appetite, sleeppattern, activity level, and thoughts.
Becausedepression can be linked to other health problems, your doctor may also conducta physical examination and order blood work. Sometimes thyroid problems or avitamin D deficiency can trigger symptoms of depression.
Donot ignore symptoms of depression. If your mood doesn’t improve or gets worse,seek medical help. Depression is a serious mental illness with risks ofcomplications. Depression not only affects you, but also your loved ones. Ifleft untreated, complications include:
- weight gain or loss
- physical pain
- substance abuse problems
- panic attacks
- relationship problems
- social isolation
- suicidal thoughts
- self-mutilation
Treatment for depression
Living with depression canbe difficult, but treatment can help you cope. Talk to your doctor aboutpossible options. You may successfully manage symptoms with one form of treatment.It is also common to combine conventional and lifestyle therapies, includingthe following.
Medications: Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants, antianxiety, orantipsychotic medications.
Psychotherapy: Speaking with a therapist can help you learn skills to cope with negativefeelings. You may also benefit from family or group therapy sessions.
Light therapy: Exposure to doses of white light can help regulate mood and improvesymptoms of depression. This therapy is commonly used in seasonal affectivedisorder (which is now called major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern).
Alternative therapies: Ask your doctor about acupuncture or meditation.Some herbal supplements are also used to treat depression, such as St. John’sWort, SAMe, and fish oil.
Talk with your doctorbefore taking a supplement or combining a supplement with prescriptionmedication. Doing this will help prevent complications and side effects. Somesupplements may worsen depression or reduce the effectiveness of medication.
Exercise:Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity three to five days a week. Exercise canincrease your body's production of endorphins, which are hormones that improve yourmood.
Avoid alcohol and drugs: Drinking or using drugs may make you feel betterfor a little bit. But in the long run, these substances can worsen depression andanxiety symptoms.
Learn how to say no: Feeling overwhelmed can worsen anxiety anddepression symptoms. Setting boundaries in your professional and personal lifecan help you feel better.
Take care of yourself: You can also improve symptoms of depression bytaking care of yourself. This includes getting plenty of sleep, eating ahealthy diet, avoiding negative people, and participating in enjoyableactivities.
Sometimes depressiondoesn't respond to medication. Your doctor may recommend other treatmentoptions if your symptoms don’t improve. These include electroconvulsivetherapy to stimulate thebrain and treat major depression, or transcranialmagnetic stimulation tostimulate nerve cells and regulate your moods.
Outlook for depression
Depression can be temporary,or a long-term challenge. Treatment doesn’t always make your depression go awaycompletely. However, treatment often makes symptoms more manageable. Stick withyour doctor’s recommended treatment plan, and regularly discuss your progresswith your doctor. Controlling symptoms of depression involves finding the rightcombination of medications and therapies. If one treatment doesn’t work, youmay have better results with a different one.