Depression
It’s impossible to escape from life’s ups and downs. Feeling unhappy or sad in response to disappointment, loss, frustration or a medical condition is normal. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but that is really situational depression, which is a normal reaction to events around us.
The general definition of depression is a psychological disorder that affects a person's mood changes, physical functions and social interactions. Depression is a serious condition that affects the total person. In addition to feelings, it can change behavior, living habits, physical health and appearance, academic performance, and the ability to handle everyday decisions and pressures.
Depression is not caused by a virus like a cold or the mumps. There is no blood test that declares the presence of depression. There are many theories on the causation of depression but unfortunately none have been conclusively validated. Depression can affect anyone, its effect may vary depending on your age and gender.
Depression affects approximately 19 million Americans, or 9.5% of the population in any given one-year period. At some point in their lives, 10%-25% of women and 5%-12% of men will likely become clinically depressed. It is estimated that depression exacts an economic cost of over $30 billion each year, but the cost of human suffering cannot be measured. Depression not only causes suffering to those who are depressed, but it also causes great difficulty for their family and friends who often do not know how to help.
In order to know how to treat depression in any one, specialists must understand the core causes of it for the particular individual. Depressive symptoms vary from person to person as well as do the causes. As a result, depression treatment methods are varied and depend on the fundamental philosophy of each medical or psychological professional. Intensive research into the depression has resulted in the development of medications, psychotherapies, and other methods to treat people with this disabling disorder.
Episodes or Types of Depression
There are several episodes of depressive disorders. A major depressive episode is characterized by the presence of a severely depressed mood that persists for at least two weeks. Episodes may be isolated or recurrent and are categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. The main episodes of depression are as below.
Major Depression is probably one of the most serious and common forms of depression. One thinks about him/herself and the world in negative ways. It impairs a person's ability to work, sleep, eat, and function as he or she normally would. It keeps person from enjoying activities that were once pleasurable. A major depressive episode occurs with symptoms that last for most of the day, nearly every day for at least two weeks.
Dysthymic Depression is a long-term level of depression that persists for at least two years, and often longer. Symptoms do not occur for more than two months at a time. Generally, this type of depression is described as having persistent but less severe depressive symptoms than Major Depression.
Manic Depression is also known as Bipolar depression. This type includes both high (mania) and low (depression) mood swings. Cycling between these two conditions can be rapid or only mania can be present without any depressive episodes. A manic episode consists of a persistent elevated or irritable mood that is extreme, which lasts for at least one week. One who suffers from manic depression has an extremely high rate of suicide.
Some types of depressive disorder exhibit slightly different characteristics than the ones described above, or they may develop under unique circumstances. Few of them are Psychotic depression, Postpartum depression, Seasonal affective depression (SAD), Cyclothymic depression.