What is Depression?
Depression is the most commonly found disorder among all mental illnesses that are treatable. It is found that every fourth woman and every tenth man is suffering from depression. However, 80-90 % of those people are able to get rid of this illness with help of effective treatment plans.
Most of the people do not recognize their mental illnesses and continue to live with them without even knowing it. This lack of knowledge increases the intensity of their illness. Most commonly, if a person is feeling sad, suffering from eating or sleeping disorder then it is related to flu. But if we give importance to these symptoms some and analyze them collectively, then we will know that it is depression.
The term ‘depression’ sometimes becomes confusing because it also describes normal emotional reactions. This makes it difficult to diagnose. It has symptoms that are easily mixed up symptoms of other common diseases that are also curable. People do not want others to know that they are suffering from depression. This attitude leaves depression untreated that causes further problems.
It is not necessary that all the depressed people have feelings of sadness. Other feelings include hopelessness, irritation and helplessness.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
There are many signs and symptoms of depression. Some of them are listed below:
* Depressed people suffer from change in their appetite. There is a possibility of gaining or losing weight that would not be attributed to diet.
* Depressed people suffer from change in their sleeping pattern. It may be their inability to sleep or they sleep too much; they have fitful sleep or they awake early morning.
* Ongoing sad, worried, or empty moods are some common symptoms of depression. Depressed people worry about things that are not to be worried about.
* Feelings of hopelessness and gloom. Depressed people think that they do not have anyone who loves them or cares for them.
* Feelings of guilt and worthlessness. They become over conscious about their guilt. They feel that they have nothing in them to make them valuable.
* Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities.
* Decreased energy or feelings of being tired or slowed down. Their work progress slows down gradually and sometimes suddenly too as their feelings of loneliness and worthlessness increase.
* Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions. They start forgetting important things too. Their decision power decreases. They even hesitate concentrating on things as they feel that they would not be able to remember anything.
* Restlessness or irritability. They do not feel comfortable. Something inside them makes them restless and their feelings of depression increase.
* Ongoing physical pain not caused by an illness or injury.
* Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts.
The symptoms increase to such an extent that such people do not want to go to the doctor and discuss their problem because they think that nothing good can happen to them. They also get advice from their family, co-coworkers and family but they refuse to take any offer of help.
There is no age limit for depression treatment. But it is found that children and adolescents have the best chances to get rid of this illness. Depression can also appear late in life. It becomes difficult to diagnose depression in older ages because some symptoms of depression such as slow movement, memory impairment and slowed speech are also found in the patients of stroke or senility.
Depression Treatment
Many drugs are used for treatment of depression. The newer drugs are found to have fewer side effects. Some therapies are very effective for the treatment of depression.
Among the effective psychotherapies are Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). These therapies become more effective when they are used in combination with antidepressant drugs.
source : http://www.always-health.com/
Depression is the most commonly found disorder among all mental illnesses that are treatable. It is found that every fourth woman and every tenth man is suffering from depression. However, 80-90 % of those people are able to get rid of this illness with help of effective treatment plans.
Most of the people do not recognize their mental illnesses and continue to live with them without even knowing it. This lack of knowledge increases the intensity of their illness. Most commonly, if a person is feeling sad, suffering from eating or sleeping disorder then it is related to flu. But if we give importance to these symptoms some and analyze them collectively, then we will know that it is depression.
The term ‘depression’ sometimes becomes confusing because it also describes normal emotional reactions. This makes it difficult to diagnose. It has symptoms that are easily mixed up symptoms of other common diseases that are also curable. People do not want others to know that they are suffering from depression. This attitude leaves depression untreated that causes further problems.
It is not necessary that all the depressed people have feelings of sadness. Other feelings include hopelessness, irritation and helplessness.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
There are many signs and symptoms of depression. Some of them are listed below:
* Depressed people suffer from change in their appetite. There is a possibility of gaining or losing weight that would not be attributed to diet.
* Depressed people suffer from change in their sleeping pattern. It may be their inability to sleep or they sleep too much; they have fitful sleep or they awake early morning.
* Ongoing sad, worried, or empty moods are some common symptoms of depression. Depressed people worry about things that are not to be worried about.
* Feelings of hopelessness and gloom. Depressed people think that they do not have anyone who loves them or cares for them.
* Feelings of guilt and worthlessness. They become over conscious about their guilt. They feel that they have nothing in them to make them valuable.
* Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities.
* Decreased energy or feelings of being tired or slowed down. Their work progress slows down gradually and sometimes suddenly too as their feelings of loneliness and worthlessness increase.
* Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions. They start forgetting important things too. Their decision power decreases. They even hesitate concentrating on things as they feel that they would not be able to remember anything.
* Restlessness or irritability. They do not feel comfortable. Something inside them makes them restless and their feelings of depression increase.
* Ongoing physical pain not caused by an illness or injury.
* Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts.
The symptoms increase to such an extent that such people do not want to go to the doctor and discuss their problem because they think that nothing good can happen to them. They also get advice from their family, co-coworkers and family but they refuse to take any offer of help.
There is no age limit for depression treatment. But it is found that children and adolescents have the best chances to get rid of this illness. Depression can also appear late in life. It becomes difficult to diagnose depression in older ages because some symptoms of depression such as slow movement, memory impairment and slowed speech are also found in the patients of stroke or senility.
Depression Treatment
Many drugs are used for treatment of depression. The newer drugs are found to have fewer side effects. Some therapies are very effective for the treatment of depression.
Among the effective psychotherapies are Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). These therapies become more effective when they are used in combination with antidepressant drugs.
source : http://www.always-health.com/
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