Depression

What is Depression?

Depression is a severe mood disease that has an impact on every aspect of your being, including your thoughts and mood. Every aspect of your life is impacted. It’s critical to understand that despair is not a sign of frailty or bad character. Your brain’s chemical equilibrium is off, and that needs to be corrected.

Causes of Depression?

An imbalance in brain chemistry is the root cause of depression. There are additional considerations at play. Additionally, it often runs in families. Events in life or particular disorders might cause depression. It may also develop if there is no obvious cause.

Symptoms of Depression?

These are the most typical signs of depression, however each person may experience them in a different way:

  • persistent sadness, anxiety, or feeling of emptiness
  • loss of interest in practically all activities
  • changes in appetite and weight
  • alterations in sleep habits, such as difficulty falling asleep or excessive sleep
  • Slowing of movement, speech, and thought OR agitation, increased restlessness, and irritability
  • practically daily loss of energy, fatigue, or sense of “slowed down”
  • persistent emotions of worthlessness and/or excessive guilt
  • having trouble focusing or making decisions
  • Frequently thinking about death or suicide, longing to die, or making an attempt at suicide (Note: This requires immediate medical attention)

 

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Treatment of Depression?

Treatment for depression may include one or a combination of the following:

  • Medicine. Antidepressants work by affecting the brain chemicals. Know that it takes 4 to 6 weeks for these medicines to have a full effect. Keep taking the medicine, even if it doesn’t seem to be working at first. Never stop taking your medicine without first talking to your healthcare provider. Some people have to switch medicines or add medicines to get results. Work closely with your healthcare provider to find treatment that works for you.
  • Therapy. This is most often cognitive behavioral and/or interpersonal therapy. It focuses on changing the distorted views you have of yourself and your situation. It also works to improve relationships and identify and manage stressors in your life.
  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This treatment may be used to treat severe, life-threatening depression that has not responded to medicines. A mild electrical current is passed through the brain. This triggers a brief seizure. For unknown reasons, the seizures help restore the normal balance of chemicals in the brain and ease symptoms.

Depression can make you feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. It’s important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and do not reflect reality. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. Meanwhile, consider the following:

  • Get help. If you think you may be depressed, see a healthcare provider as soon as possible.
  • Set realistic goals considering the depression and don’t take on too much.
  • Break large tasks into small ones. Set priorities and do what you can as you can.
  • Try to be with other people and confide in someone. It’s usually better than being alone and secretive.
  • Do things that make you feel better. Going to a movie, gardening, or taking part in religious, social, or other activities may help. Doing something nice for someone else can also help you feel better.
  • Get regular exercise.
  • Expect your mood to get better slowly, not right away. Feeling better takes time.
  • Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
  • Stay away from alcohol and drugs. These can make depression worse.
  • It is best to delay important decisions until the depression has lifted. Before deciding to make a big change –change jobs, get married or divorced — discuss it with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation.
  • Remember: People don’t “snap out of” a depression. But they can feel a little better day-by-day.
  • Try to be patient and focus on the positives. This may help replace the negative thinking that is part of the depression. The negative thoughts will fade as your depression responds to treatment.