Depression

Depression

Introduction and Definition:

Depression refers to the disorder of mood which is a lingering feeling of regret and sadness. It’s way different than mood swings which are usually experienced by people on a regular basis in life.

Some events of life, like losing a job or bereavement, may progress to depression but doctors usually take into account the feelings of pain as depression only if it persists for prolonged period of time.

It is not a temporary issue and keeps going for prolonged time. There are episodes in which signs persist for about fifteen days. Depression may keep going for a very long time, like months.

Signs and symptoms:

Depressed patient usually show following signs:

• Mood swings
• Loss of interest in hobbies
• Sexual activities are suppressed
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of weight or uneven weight gain
• Disturbed sleep pattern
• Pace is even unusually up or down
• Ability of speech is disturbed
• Energy level is down
• Guilty feelings
• Loss of concentration
• Difficulty in making decisions
• Suicidal thoughts

Causes

The causes of depression are not fully understood by medical society. There can be a variety of factors which may be causing depression or adding to it.

Following may be primary or secondary causes of depression:

• Family history
• Variation in the levels of chemical neurotransmitters
• Surroundings
• Social activities
• Bipolar issues
• Psychological disorders

Treatment:

In some conditions, only one kind of treatment is enough to overcome the situation but in other cases two or more treatment strategies are combined to get the optimum results.

Following are different medicines and other options to treat depression:

Medicinal approach:

Following drugs are usually prescribed by doctors to overcome or cope with the condition:

• Serotonin and nor epinephrine reuptake inhibitors: These are generally utilized in the treatment of depression. They increase the level of nor epinephrine and serotonin in your brain.
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: These are one of usually prescribed drugs and belong to antidepressant class. They lower side effect profile and are abbreviated as SSRIs. They increase the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter, in the brain.
• Antidepressants: These are used for the treatment of depression. They increase the level of the norepinephrine and serotonin neurotransmitter in the brain. Antidepressant used for this purpose for TCAs are tricyclic and tetracyclic. They have much more side effects as compared to SNRIs and SSRIs. Never use Tricyclic antidepressants and tetracyclic antidepressants along with monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Be cautious in case of having narrow angle glaucoma.

Psychotherapy:

Conversing with a specialist can assist you with creating abilities for managing negative sentiments. You can likewise profit from family or gathering treatment meetings. Psychotherapy, which is also named as talk therapy, includes addressing a certified advisor to recognize and figure out how to oversee factors that add to one’s emotional well-being, like depression.

Talk therapy or psychotherapy has proven beneficial against depression. It helps people improve symptoms. Usually psychotherapy is done along with medications. Various types of psychotherapy approaches are available; however response in some patients against one type of option is better as compared to other.

Natural remedies and lifestyle tips:

• Taking exercise regularly: Take exercise five times in a week for almost half an hour. It will boost up the level of endorphins in your body which are best for mod improvement.
• Do not drink: Alcoholism might help you to improve mod a bit, but in the end, it may cause depression and anxiety disorders.
• Self-care: Self-care is beneficial in the management of symptoms. You should sleep properly, keep your diet healthy, avoid company of pessimists, and take part in extracurricular activities.

Conclusion:

Some patient may recover from depression early but in others, it may persist for prolonged time. Treating the depression is not an absolute option because it may come back. Treatment helps you to cope with the symptoms. If you want to overcome the symptoms then you should get combined treatment options. In case a strategy is not working then you should opt the other one by discussing with your doctor. They will help you in choosing another plan for treatment which might work well in the management of your issue.