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DEPRESSION CAUSES SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT


Depression: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments





Researchers are developing blood tests to diagnose depression, removing the subjectivity and stigma of a depression diagnosis.

Depression, or major depressive disorder, is a mental health condition marked by an overwhelming feeling of sadness, isolation and despair that affects how a person thinks, feels and functions. The condition may significantly interfere with a person's daily life and may prompt thoughts of suicide. Depression isn't the same as sadness, loneliness or grief caused by a challenging life experience, such as the death of a loved one.

Depression can affect people of all ages, races and socioeconomic classes, and can strike at any time. The condition is found in twice as many women as men, according to the NIMH. ( National Institute Of Mental Health )

In a recently published report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers found that women between 40 and 59 have the highest rate of depression (12.3 percent) of any group based on age and gender in the United States.
People with depression may experience a variety of symptoms, but most commonly, "a deep feeling of sadness or a marked loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities," according to the American Psychiatric Association. Other symptoms of depression may include:
  • Irritability, agitation or restlessness
  • Lower sex drive
  • Inability to focus, concentrate or make decisions
  • Insomnia or sleeping too much
  • Change in appetite and/or weight, eating too much or too little
  • Tiredness and lack of energy
  • Unexplainable crying spells
  • Unexplainable physical symptoms such as headaches or body aches
  • Feeling hopeless or worthless
  • Withdrawal from social situations and normal activities
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
The causes of depression are not fully understood, but scientists think that an imbalance in the brain's signaling chemicals may be responsible for the condition in many patients. However, there are several theories about what this imbalance actually is and which signaling chemicals are involved. Moreover, a variety of distressing life situations are also associated,....(1)  Including early childhood trauma, (2)  A job loss, (3) the death of a loved one, (4) financial troubles..(5)  divorce.
Most likely, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors, according to the NIMH.
Certain medical conditions may also trigger depression, including an underactive thyroid gland, cancer, heart disease, prolonged pain and other significant illnesses. Hormonally induced depression can arise after childbirth or at menopause as well.
Additionally, some sedatives, such as sleeping pills, and high blood pressure medications are linked to depression, according to the NIH.
To diagnose a person with depression disorder, doctors may ask patients about their family health history, mood and behavior patterns (such as eating and sleeping), and thoughts of suicide. They may also ask patients to report their depression symptoms on a printed questionnaire.
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is a mental health guidebook for doctors published by the American Psychiatric Association, to diagnose a person with major depressive disorder, the person must show five or more of the symptoms (listed above) for at least two weeks. The person must also exhibit a depressed mood, or loss of interest or pleasure.
It must also be ruled out that the symptoms are not caused by another medical condition, such as a thyroid problem, or due to the direct effects of a drug or medication. So doctors may do a blood test, or test the thyroid to make sure it's functioning properly.....
And lastly, doctors look at whether "the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning," according to the DSM.( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders)........
  Major depression can set off a chain of social, emotional and health consequences that add to patients' overall stress, these include alcohol or drug abuse, anxiety, social isolation and relationship conflicts, work or school difficulties, or suicide.
Depression treatment may involve (1) psychotherapy therapy. (2) medications, or a combination of the two.

Medication: Prescription drugs, called antidepressants, help alter mood by affecting naturally occurring brain chemicals. There are several categories of antidepressants, but doctors often start with a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and may try other medications if the patient's condition didn't improve.
SSRIs target the brain's serotonin, a signaling chemical (neurotransmitter) that studies have found to be involved in depression.

Psychotherapy: Also known as talk therapy or counseling, this treatment has been shown to help some patients with depression. Several studies have suggested that combining psychotherapy and medication together works best for treating people with severe depression. Different types of psychotherapy include cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps a person change negative thought patterns and replace them with healthier ones, as well as interpersonal therapy, which is designed to help someone understand and work through difficult relationships, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Another form of psychotherapy is problem-solving therapy, which involves coming up with realistic solutions to cope with stressful situations.
 

Different Forms of Depression In Women....

Major Depression

Major depression is a severe form of depression where a woman loses her ability to find pleasure in activities once considered enjoyable. In addition, it affects a woman’s ability to work, sleep, and eat in normal and effective manners and usually negatively impacts interpersonal and social relationships. With major depression, also known as major depressive disorder, your depressed state may persist for an extended period of time and is often accompanied with low self-esteem.
Postpartum Depression

This is a special form of depression that occurs after the birth of a baby – often referred to as the “baby blues.” Typical symptoms of depression begin in the months following birth, while in some women, they can occur while still pregnant.
Persistent Depressive Disorder

Considered a milder form of depression, this is an extended depressed mood that lasts for two years or more. Major depressive episodes (i.e., more severe forms of depression) may still occur during persistent depressive disorder.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Depression that is tied to a woman’s menstrual cycle. In this form of depression, severe mood swings, anxiety, and negative thoughts present themselves in the week prior to the start of menstruation and dissipate once the menstrual period begins. Depressive symptoms are severe enough to negatively impact interpersonal relationships and interfere with daily activities.
Some of the distinguishing factors  in how depression differs between women vs. men include:
  • Women feel anxious and scared; men feel guarded
  • Women blame themselves for the depression; men blame others
  • Women commonly feel sad, worthless, and apathetic when depressed; men tend to feel irritable and angry
  • Women are more likely to avoid conflicts when depressed; men are more likely to create conflicts
  • Women turn to food and friends to self-medicate; men turn to alcohol, TV, sex, or sports to self-medicate
  • Women feel lethargic and nervous; men feel agitated and restless
  • Women easily talk about their feelings of self-doubt and despair; men hide feelings of self-doubt and despair-considering it a sign of weakness

What Causes Depression in Women?

There are a multitude of genetic, hormonal, psychological, and social factors that come into play when citing the cause of depression in women.
Biology and Hormones
Biologically speaking, depression runs in families – with scientific evidence that some genetic makeups are more prone to depression, whereas some genetic makeups are more resistant to it. Though, environmental factors are thought to interact with genetic predispositions. That is, just because you may be more prone to depression because of your genes, healthy family and social relationships can increase resilience.
Other biological and hormonal factors are also likely to increase your chances of suffering from depression. Issues with pregnancy, fertility, perimenopause, menopause, and menstrual cycles increase women’s risk factors of developing depression. Most of these are due to hormonal imbalances and rapid fluctuations in reproductive hormones. Health problems, in general, especially those of chronic illness or disability can prompt depression in women, as can medical life changes – such as frequent dieting and smoking cessation.
Psychological Causes
Women are more prone to psychological causes of depression than men. With a tendency to be more emotional, women are more likely to rehash negative thoughts during bouts of depression. While it is a normal response to cry, talk with friends, and rehash why it is you are in your depressive state, research has shown that ruminating about depression can cause it to last longer and even make it worse. In contrast, men tend to distract themselves from their depressive state – which has been shown to reduce the duration of symptoms. Additional psychological factors that tend to affect women over men are negative body images and stress-induced depression. Women are more prone to stress than men because their increased levels of progesterone have been shown to prevent stress hormones from leveling out. Negative body image issues usually begin in adolescence and seem to be correlated with the onset of puberty in women.
Social Causes
Coping skills, choice of relationships, and lifestyle choices affect women differently than men. As a woman, you are more likely to develop depression from marital or relationship problems, work-life balance issues, financial troubles, and stressful life events, including the loss of a loved one.
In addition to the biological, psychological, and social causes of depression mentioned above, the National Institutes of Health indicate the following are also increased risk factors of depression in women:
  • Death of a parent before age 10
  • Job loss, relationship problems, divorce
  • Physical or sexual abuse during childhood
  • History of mood disorders
  • Use of certain medications

How to Recognize a Depressive Episode

It’s not always easy to recognize when depression is a problem, particularly if a person has experienced trauma. If you or someone you know answers “yes” to several of the following questions, then depression may be the root cause:
  • Unable to sleep or sleep too much
  • Unable to eat or stop eating
  • Constantly feeling helpless or hopeless
  • Having negative thoughts constantly surface despite best efforts
  • Not able to concentrate, with previously easy tasks being now difficult to do
  • Experiencing increased irritability, aggression or short-temperedness
  • Consuming alcohol or other substances to numb feelings
  • Having suicidal thoughts (seek immediate assistance).

Complete the following Goldberg Depression Test to get an assessment on your level of depression.


Little interest or pleasure in doing things.
Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Feeling tired or having little energy
Poor appetite or overeating
Feeling bad about yourself - or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down
Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed
Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself
If you've had any days with issues above, how difficult have these problems made it for you at work, home, school, or with other people?


























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