What are the Depression Symptoms, Causes and Treatment?

Depression is the most commonly heard concept in today’s world though we only know only little about it. Depression can affect continuously your low mood cycle over a long time, affecting both mental and physical health.

Definition

"Depression is a medical condition that causes mood and behavioral changes and changes one’s thought pattern."

Approximately 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression (Source: WHO). It is different from day to day mood fluctuations we face in our daily lives.  The symptoms last for two weeks, for each day and are cynical, and may come and go through a period of time.

Symptoms

Some significant symptoms are noted below which may vary from person to person:

Mood Changes

One suffering from depression goes through various episodes of

• Constantly Feeling Sad
• Angry
• Guilty
• Hopelessness
• Pain
• Fatigue
• Weakness.

Behavioral Changes

Behavioral changes include

• Social withdrawal
• Lack of energy
• Loss\gain of appetite
• Feelings of demotivation
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Poor concentration

Thought Pattern

One’s thoughts are most affected by depression.

• Poor elf-esteem
• loss of interest
• Feeling suicidal

Depression may be more than just feeling sad and grief for a short period of your time rather it is the constant downfall in a person’s mood, behavior, and thoughts.  Ignoring noticeable signs for a protracted time can worsen the condition

 Factors that contribute to Depression

Contributing factors are mainly a combination of social, psychological, and biological factors. People with traumatic past and people who have experienced adverse life events recently like unemployment, job stress, and family problems may develop depression symptoms. Depression and some diseases are also interrelated which can worsen the condition on both ends. Conditions that can get worse due to depression include:

• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Obesity

Treatment for Depression

One can cure depression through various types of treatment. It can be one form of treatment or may include combinations. It also depends on the severity and the type of depression. One can find out which works for him\her the best. Treatment includes

• Through medication: A specialist or professional may prescribe antidepressants like

1. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
2. Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
3. Tricyclic and Tetracyclic Antidepressants
4. Noradrenaline and Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors
5. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
6. N-methyl D-aspartate Antagonists

• Through therapy: One can try therapy by consulting a trained therapist or psychiatrist. In therapy one talks to identify and try to cope\cure their condition. It is the most effective and popular treatment for depression in today’s world. It can be used alongside medication treatment to help get better. There are different types of therapy and one can find which suits best.

Sometimes medication and therapy do not have an effect on depression and your doctor may recommend other treatment options like Electroconvulsive therapy or Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to help with depression.

• Meditation: Meditation can help overcome feelings of anger, anxiety, and stress by changing how your brain responds to them and helping you calm down, reducing the chances of depression relapse. Yoga and breathing exercises are most common.
• Acupuncture and pressure points: In these, the professional practitioner uses needles or hands to stimulate certain points in the body for treatment.
• Exercise: Exercising can help certain hormone production like endorphins which can help improve mood.

Avoiding alcohol and substance use can also help, it may make you feel good for a little bit, but this can worsen the situation. Taking care of yourself, having plenty of sleep, having a healthy diet, surrounding yourself with positive people, doing activities that make you feel good, and doing all the things that give you a good mood can help with depression.

Some supplements like Vitamin B, D, and Omega-3 fatty acids can also help. There are also online therapy sessions to help one who can’t do repetitive trips to the psychiatrist.

Sometimes treatment does not always make your depression go away entirely but it makes the symptoms manageable and makes the condition better.

Summary

Talking with people who have dealt or are dealing with depression can help with understanding depression much better and also increase the chances of improving it. Depression is not a normal mood-off situation, and comparing both is not right.

 

One cannot simply “snap out of it”, it is not only up to the person suffering from depression but also to the people that surround them, words from them matter too, and words of encouragement can help the suffering person to take a step towards helping themselves.