Depression is a common term that describes many different states. A
person who has never suffered a severe depression may have a hard time
understanding and sympathizing with the lack of motivation of a person
with a severe biochemical depression.
People talk about depression when they are feeling sad about not getting
a call back from last Friday's date or when they are bored and have
no one to talk with. Sometimes a person feels depressed due to a decrease
in blood sugar.
On the other hand, depression can be the deep sense of loss or grief
over the death of a partner/spouse/child/ companion animal. It can also
be biochemically caused by changes in the amount of neurotransmitters
that the brain produces. ^Top
Some people have a problem where depression alternates with manic periods
when they feel great, full of energy, are very talkative and restless,
but may also do impulsive or engage in self harmful things like gambling,
becoming hypersexual, spending way to much money. These folks may also
feel like their thoughts are racing (speed brain) and like they can
not slow them down. This manic state can start out feeling really good
and/or creative but become one of irritability, aggression, or loss
of control with hallucinations (visions, voices, experiences that are
not existing in the real world).
Vulnerability to some depressions and to bipolar or manic depression
is genetic and can be traced from genera tion to generation. There is
a high concordance in rates of depression in identical twins.
^Top
Symptoms of a major depression, as described in the American
Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual include
at least five of the following during a two week period:
- Depressed
or irritable or sad mood most of the day on a daily basis
- Lack of
interest or pleasure in activities that are usually enjoyed
- Significant
weight lose (5% + of body weight) when not dieting (other people gain
weight during depression)
- Problems
with sleeping too much or being sleep deprived and unrested
- Feeling physically
slowed down or agitated
- Fatigue and
loss of energy most days
- Constant
feelings or bouts of worthlessness or guilt
- Difficulty
thinking, making decisions, or concentrating
- Recurrent
thoughts about death or suicide ^Top
In addition
to major depression, there are categories of depression that are related
to changes in a person's life, long stretched out times of depression
that does not meet the above criteria, grief, depression after the birth
of a child, depression caused by illness or medications, depressions following
recovery from substance abuse, etc.
For less severe depressions, cognitive therapy alone seems to be helpful.
However, with more severe depressions, recovery is quicker if therapy
is combined with medication.
Sometimes depression becomes so bad that hospitalization is recommended,
especially if a person is having suicidal or homicidal thoughts. However,
most people can recover from depression without hospitalization.
There are a number of good self help books about depression. In addition,
visit the web resources I have listed on
my web page. ^Top
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