Depression

Depression is an emotional state in which people experience extreme sadness,distress,unable to experience any pleasure in life and often find difficult to get out of bed and move around.



Depression refers to emotional disturbance characterized by feeble responses to stimuli , low initiative and sullen or despondent attitudes. The serious clinical syndrome called depression is different from normal sadness. It is an affective mood disorder in which a person feels unhappy and often has trouble eating, sleeping and concentrating.

It is not a single disease but a combination of  causes, mechanisms and symptoms.



Depression affects people of all ages. Children, even infants may also become depressed. Women are 2 to 3 times more affected than men.



Number of associated psychological and physiological symptoms accompany clinical depression. The most commonly diagnosed and severe depression is called a major depressive episode. The DSM- IV criteria indicate an extremely depressed mood state that lasts at least 2 weeks and includes cognitive symptoms such as feelings of worthlessness and indecisiveness, disturbed physical symptoms such as altered sleeping patterns, significant changes in appetite and weight.



Individuals who experience either depression or mania are said to suffer from a unipolar mood disorder.

Almost all depressed patients are anxious, but not all anxious patients are depressed. This is because the core symptoms of depression are not found in anxiety. The core symptoms are inability to experience pleasure ( anhedonia), and a depressive slowing of motor and cognitive functions.

Depression has a strong genetic base.



It is higher in close relatives of depressed patients. Many forms of depression result from biochemical sensitivity and life stresses. Some stresses are physical such as bodily illness, changes in the central nervous system and effects of various drugs.



Others, however are psychological, including, changes in family structure, gender discrimination and relationship difficulties.

Treatment of depression varies from severity and type of depression. Antidepressants help to control symptoms and restore neurotransmitter functioning. For severe depression ECT ( Electro convulsive therapy) is used. Usually this treatment has temporary side effects such as memory loss and lethargy. Psychological treatments such as cognitive – behavioral therapy is used to help depressed to learn to replace negative thoughts and attributions with more positive ones. Also it help to cope with behaviors and skills. Interpersonal psychotherapy is used to focus on the social and interpersonal triggers (such as loss of job or loved one).  Counseling help the depressed person to make changes in the thinking pattern, to deal effectively with the relationships and to understand the factors that lead to depression.