What is Depression?
Depression is defined as sadness, loss, or anger that interferes with a person’s daily activities. Though depression and grief share some characteristics, depression is distinct from grief experienced after the death of a loved one or sadness experienced after a traumatic life event. Depression frequently involves self-loathing or a loss of self-esteem, whereas grief does not.
People experience depression in a variety of ways. It may disrupt your daily work, resulting in lost time and decreased productivity. It can also have an impact on relationships and certain chronic health conditions.
Symptoms of Depression
You may have depression if you have some of the following signs and symptoms nearly every day for at least two weeks:
- being depressed, anxious, or “empty”
- feeling hopeless, unimportant, and pessimistic
- Crying frequently, feeling bothered, annoyed, or angry, and losing interest in hobbies and interests that you once enjoyed
- fatigue or a loss of energy
- difficulty concentrating, recalling information, or making decisions
- Slower movement or speech, difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping, changes in appetite or weight
- Chronic physical pain with no discernible cause that does not improve with treatment (headaches, aches or pains, digestive problems, cramps)
- Suicidal ideation, suicide, self-harm, or suicide attempt
Causes of Depression
Depression can be caused by several factors. They can be biological or situational.
Typical causes include:
- Chemistry of the brain. In people who suffer from depression, there may be a chemical imbalance in parts of the brain that control mood, thoughts, sleep, appetite, and behavior.
- A family tree: If you have a family history of depression or another mood disorder, you are more likely to develop it.
- Trauma in childhood: Some events have an impact on how your body reacts to fear and stressful situations.
- Use of drugs: A history of drug or alcohol abuse can increase your risk.
- Pain: People who experience long periods of emotional or chronic physical pain are substantially more likely to develop depression.
Depression, if ignored and untreated, can last for months, if not years, and have a wide range of negative consequences in a person’s life.
Different types of depression necessitate distinct treatments. Mild symptoms may be alleviated by:
- learning about the condition and making lifestyle changes (such as regular physical exercise)
- Psychological therapy can be obtained from a mental health professional or through online e-therapies.
- Medical treatments, in addition to these other treatments, are likely to be required for moderate to severe depression.
- Seeing your doctor should be the first step in treating depression. To rule out other conditions, your doctor may ask you to complete a screening questionnaire or undergo some tests.
