Depression

Depression is a common mood disturbance that can be mild or severe. This person may withdraw from people, experience loss of pleasure in life, and may have physical discomfort (such as aches and pains). Depression is a common problem that can affect anyone at any time.

Causes

There may be one or several reasons that lead to depression:

• There may be physical reasons, such as low vitamin levels or abnormal functioning of the thyroid.
• People who are very hard or critical of themselves may experience depression. If these individuals are passive and not able to speak up for themselves or depend too much upon other people for their own happiness, they may be at risk for developing depression.
• Depression may be inherited, and it is more likely that if one family member suffers from depression another may also suffer from depression.
• Any change in life (either expected or unexpected) can lead to depression, such as a change in job, or a change in social or family environment. Expected or unexpected losses such as the death of a loved one or the end of a relationship can precede depression.
• If individuals feel they are neglected or alone, this may help precipitate depression.

Symptoms

Symptoms may range from mild to severe. Sometimes individuals describe depression as “the blues.” In many cases, there may well be a chemical imbalance underlying the depression. The symptoms of depression most often include all or some of the following:

• Inability to think clearly
• Loss of appetite or increase of appetite with a possible weight loss or weight gain
• Inability to take care of responsibilities such as job, family, and personal appearance
• Poor memory – “Can’t concentrate”
• Irritability or agitation
• Feelings of emptiness – “Don’t care about anyone or anything”
• Feelings of guilt and low self-esteem
• Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much (hypersomnia)
• Physical complaints with no apparent causes, such as fatigue, headaches, backaches, nausea, or indigestion
• Feelings of hopelessness and/or suicidal thoughts.

Treatment

When treatment is begun early enough, it may be more effective. If depression goes untreated, then an individual may start to feel so bad that he or she becomes suicidal. There are two main components in treating depression. First of all, medication is often very important. Anti-depressants can help correct imbalances of certain chemicals in the brain. Anti-depressants do work somewhat slowly, so it may take a few weeks before there is a noticeable improvement in the depression. Sometimes, other medications such as mild tranquilizers are used to treat anxiety that may accompany depression. The second component of treatment is psychotherapy. The therapy may include individual counseling, group therapy, educational groups (such as problem solving), stress management, and assertiveness training. The goal of all therapies is to help alleviate symptoms and allow an individual to identify problems, find solutions to those problems, and develop appropriate support systems.

Conclusion

Sometimes depression can be managed as an outpatient with medication and individual therapy. However, if the depression is so severe that an individual is no longer able to function on a minimal basis or has developed thoughts of suicide, hospitalization may be required. Hospitalization, along with the appropriate administration of medications, individual therapy, and group therapy, can provide for a safe environment until the crisis has passed. While hospitalized, the individual will have a complete physical examination, including lab work, to rule out anything physical that might be a cause or contributing factor to the depression. It is very important to remember that getting help for depression is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength and good judgment. Depression is the most treatable of all mental illnesses.

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