The following information is for information purposes only. It is not designed or intended to be used as a diagnostic tool. Please consult your health care practitioner for personal diagnosis and treatment.
What is Major Depression?
Major depression is also referred to as major depressive disorder, biochemical, clinical, endogenous or biological depression. According to the American Psychiatric Association, in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), the persistent presence (one month or longer)of at least five of the following eight symptoms may be an indication of clinical depression. (Some people with several of these symptoms may be experiencing a temporary and short-lived sadness). This does not mean that someone with only four of these symptoms does not have depression, but rather would be indicative of what is known as a sub-clinical depression.
Poor appetite with weight loss, or increased appetite with weight gain
Insomnia or hypersomnia
Psychomotor agitation or retardation
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, or decrease in sexual drive
Loss of energy and feelings of fatigue
Feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach or inappropriate guilt
Diminished ability to think or concentrate
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
Depression can also affect children, adolescents and older people; however, the signs of the disorder may be somewhat different in these groups.
Children
Loss of appetite or refusing to eat favorite foods
Sleeping problems such as having nightmares
Problems at school with behaviour or poor grades where there had been no significant problem before; and
Significant change from usual behaviour such as becoming withdrawn, sulking or being aggressive
Adolescents
Using alcohol and drugs
Falling grades, poor attendance, or behavioural problems at school
Withdrawing from friends and family
Having chronic and serious conflicts with parents after long-standing good relations; and
Anti-social behaviour or problems with the law
Older Adults
Personal losses such as the death of a spouse or friend
Declining physical health and resulting mood disturbance
Reacting to drugs prescribed for various physical problems;and
Isolating from others
In many cases depression is a normal response to a life event and does not require medical intervention. In these circumstances time and reassurance that one's feelings are normal are often of great comfort.
In addition, there are several sub-types of major depression.
Melancholia is very severe, having a number of major physical symptoms such as sleep and appetitie disturbances, weight loss and withdrawal.
Psychotic depression is also sever with the physical symptoms like those above as well as hallucinations or delusions.
With atypical depression, a person experiences a great deal of anxiety along with panic attacks.
Chronic depressive symptoms (or dysthymic disorder) is a longterm, mild depression that lasts for at least two years. It often begins in adolescence, spans several decades and can have an adverse effect on personality.
Another depressive disorder is Bipolar disorder, also called manic depression. With this cyclical illness moods can fluctuate between extreme happines and frantic activity (the manic phase) to profound depression.
So What Causes Depression
A specific cause for depression has not yet been identified, but here are some of the factors likely to be involved.
Heredity
Physiology
Psychological Factors
Early Experiences
Life Events
Medical Conditions
Childbirth
Alcohol or Drug Abuse
Living with a Depressed Person
Prescription Drugs (including birth control)
So what should you do if you think you or someone you know has major depression?
SEEK MEDICAL INTERVENTION and/or TREATMENT.
Depression is a serious illness, that can be treated successfully, but may result in death if left untreated.
The above information is for information purposes only. It is not designed or intended to be used as a diagnostic tool. Please consult your health care practitioner for personal diagnosis and treatment.
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