The American Heritage Dictionary describes depression as being “a psychiatric disorder characterized by an inability to concentrate, insomnia, loss of appetite, anhedonia, feelings of extreme sadness, guilt, helplessness and hopelessness, and thoughts of death.”

Depression is the common cold of mental disorders — most people will be affected by depression in their lives either directly or indirectly, through a friend or family member. Confusion is commonplace about depression, for example, about what depression exactly is and what makes it different from just feeling down.

The facts

If you are depressed, you may have feelings of extreme sadness that can last for a long time. These feelings are severe enough to interfere with your daily life, and usually last for weeks, or months, rather than days.

Depression can affect people of any age, including children. Studies have shown that 2% of teenagers in the UK, are affected by depression.

Symptoms

generally, the symptoms of depression include:

• Feeling sad, hopeless and despairing

• A loss of interest and pleasure in normal activities

• Loss of appetite or weight

• Loss of sex drive

• Sleeping problems, such as an inability to get to sleep or early waking

Types of Depression

Major Depression

When you hear the term clinical depression, it merely means the depression is severe enough to require treatment. When a person is badly depressed during a single severe period, he or she can be said to have had an episode of clinical depression. More severe symptoms mark the period as an episode of major depression (also known as unipolar depression and major depressive disorder). Many mental health experts say the key to judging this gradation lies in the amount of change a person undergoes in his or her normal patterns along with a loss of interest and a lack of pleasure in them. An almost-daily tennis player, for instance, who began to break her court dates frequently, or a regular bridge player who lost interest in weekly games, might be edging into an episode of major depression. The more severe the depression, the more it is likely to affect its sufferer’s life.

Dysthymia is another mood disorder. People who have it may feel mildly depressed on most days over a period of at least two years. They have many symptoms resembling major depression, but with less severity.

Symptoms of depression may surface with other mood disorders. They include seasonal major depression (also known as seasonal affective disorder), postpartum depression, and bipolar disorder.

Atypical Depression

We think of depression as one thing. It’s not. In this in-depth article, leading depression experts tell WebMD about the many forms of depression.

Psychotic

Psychotic depression is a less common type of depression and its symptoms include an even more severely depressed mood, more severe psychomotor disturbance, and psychotic symptoms (either delusions or hallucinations), and over-valued guilt ruminations. Psychotic depression has a very low spontaneous remission rate. It responds only to physical treatments (such as antidepressant drugs).

Cyclothymic disorder

Cyclothymic disorder is when a person has mild and alternating mood swings of elation and depression occurring over a long time period. Because the mood swings are mild, and the elation is often enjoyable, frequently people with cyclothymic disorder do not seek medical help.

The periods of elation and depression can last for lengthy periods, such as a few months. Often, a person with cyclothymic disorder has a relative with bipolar disorder, or they may develop bipolar disorder themselves.



Thanks to Peter sams for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

How To Treat Depression

When people talk about depression, they usually mean a person who is feeling down and lethargic, and who has generally lost interest in life. Most people don’t realize that there are many different types of depression a person can be suffering from, with each type often showing different symptoms.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here is a quick overview of the most common forms of depression.

Mild/Minor Depression is the least severe form of depression. Usually the symptoms aren’t so severe that they have a major impact in the life of the sufferer, although the depression can still cause distress and disruption. Many people who are suffering from mild depression never seek treatment - they don’t believe the symptoms are severe enough.

Dysthymic Disorder is a long-term form of mild depression (lasting two or more years). Like mild depression, most sufferers never seek help as they don’t believe their symptoms are severe enough. Also like mild depression, the symptoms of dysthymic depression don’t usually have a huge impact on the sufferers day-to-day life. But when the long-term results from the depression are considered, the impact can be huge. People who suffer from dysthymic depression often can’t remember a time when they weren’t depressed.

Moderate Depression fits somewhere between mild depression and major depression. The symptoms of moderate depression are more severe and numerous than mild depression, and they begin to have an impact on the work, home and social life of the sufferer. While mild depression and dysthymic depression can go unnoticed by others, the symptoms of moderate depression are usually noticeable. If left untreated, people suffering from moderate depression can slip into major depression.

Major Depression (also known as clinical or unipolar depression) is what most people think of when they think of depression - the individual seems to have totally given up on life, and has a large number of obvious symptoms. It is unlikely that someone suffering from major depression could function normally in a work, social or home setting - their symptoms are too pronounced. Suicide can be a huge risk with major depression, and professional help needs to be sought to treat the depression.

Bipolar Depression (BPD) is sometimes known as manic-depression, and is characterized by the sufferer having large mood swings from very upbeat and energetic to extreme lows. Both periods normally last for several weeks at a time. Bipolar depression is usually categorized into a number of sub-categories. While there is no firm consensus on how many sub-categories there are, the four most common are Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar I Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder and Bipolar NOS.

People with bipolar I disorder have the most extreme mood swings. Their low moods can be classified as major depression, while in their positive moods they can engage in crazy, outrageous and even dangerous activities. During this ‘mania’ state they may even suffer from paranoia or hallucinations.

People with bipolar II disorder have much less extreme mania periods. Indeed, many bipolar II sufferers go untreated because people mistake their ‘mania’ phase for simply getting over their depression. People with bipolar II don’t suffer from paranoia or hallucinations.

Cyclothymic disorder is a milder but much more long-term version of bipolar disorder (usually lasting for two or more years). Like bipolar II the mania phases are relatively minor, but in addition their depressive phases aren’t so severe that they classify as major depression. If left untreated, cyclothymic depression can develop into bipolar II depression.

Finally, Bipolar NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) is a catch-all category for people who have some of the symptoms of bipolar, but those symptoms don’t allow the person to be neatly categorized in one of the three other categories. For example, the sufferer may have fast cycling between the manic and depressive states, or manic states without depressive states.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) that affects between 3% and 8% of women. Symptoms of depression appear around a week prior to menstruation, and disappear within a few days of menstruation beginning.

Postnatal (Postpartum) Depression can occur any time in the first 12 months after a baby is born. Some form of postnatal depression affects over 80% of new mothers, although most who are affected only have a very mild form of depression that usually passes naturally with rest and the support of family and friends. However around 15% of mothers get a more severe form of postnatal depression, and like major depression the sufferer needs treatment and support to overcome the illness.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression caused by the changing light levels throughout the year. The most common for of SAD is caused by the low-light levels of winter, but a much rarer form of the disorder is triggered by the high-light levels of summer.

As you can see, depression comes in many different forms - each type of depression has different triggers and symptoms associated with it, and each type of depression also responds better to different treatments. By being aware of the different forms depression can take, you can be much more prepared to help a friend of family member.



Thanks to Jason Anderson for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

How to Make Money Online

Learn how to differentiate between types of depression, signs, causes and treatment. This is the first step toward understanding depression, getting the appropriate treatment and taking that step.

Alcohol Depression

As the name implies, alcohol depression is the lows that follow periods of excessive drinking. Guilt, remorse, and shame play a huge part in this type of depression, and nothing short of a long period of sobriety can begin the alleviate it. With alcohol depression, the normal hangover is much more than not feeling well.

Anxiety Depression

Anxiety depression oftentimes is indicated by profuse sweating, shaky hands and voice. Persons suffering from anxiety disorder are generally pessimistic, always expecting the worse. They also tend to go through long periods of time where they are afraid to leave their homes or participate in social activities.

Bipolar Depression

This type of depression was formerly called manic depression. Bipolar depression occurs in cycles, hence the ‘bi’ in its name. Persons who are bipolar have changing periods of great sadness and immense joy.

Clinical Depression

This is when the depression reaches the stage where the person needs some sort of treatment. Clinical depression is a diagnosis and the result of the patient taking a depression quiz administered by a professional.

Major Depression

This type of depression is the most extreme. Almost all the symptoms of depression are exhibited. Major depression can occur suddenly or over time after a series of less intense depressive episodes. This is believed to be one of the most common types of depression.

Menopause and Depression

For many women, this period of change can be very stressful. Factors such as marital problems, empty nest (children leaving home) and loss of their reproductive abilities are all linked to women and menopause.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression affects about ten percent of new mothers. Although this type of depression follows the birth of a baby it does not mean that the woman hates or does not want her child. This type of depression results from a hormonal imbalance.

Pregnancy Depression

Although pregnancy is normally a period of great joy, about ten percent (10%) of pregnant women experience prolong periods of great sadness. Although hormones are a factor in pregnancy depression it is not the lone cause.

Psychotic depression

Persons who suffer from psychotic depression report hearing voices, seeing things and people that no one else can. At this stage, the person needs immediate medical attention.

Reactive Depression

This type of depression is normally a reaction to some specific trigger. In many instances this type of depression is short-term.

Seasonal Depression

Also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), seasonal depression is most common during the winter months when the days are darker. This is believed to be linked to lessening of sunlight leading to some people becoming sad. Most sufferers of SAD see their mood lighten and they become happier as spring arrives.

Severe Depression / Chronic Depression

This type of depression is also known as dysthymia.

Chronic depressions main feature is the fact that it lasts over a long period of time, from a few months to years. Persons who suffer from severe depression can appear to function normally for a long period of time although they tend to be perpetually sad.



Thanks to Jonathan Sapling for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

Anxiety Depression Disorder

Teen suicide is becoming more common every year in South America. In fact, only car accidents and homicides (murders) kill more people between the ages of 18 and 30, making suicide the third leading cause of death in teens and overall in youths ages 14 to 22 years old.

Thinking About Suicide It’s common for teens to think about death to some degree. Teens’ thinking capabilities have matured in a way that allows them to think more deeply - about their existence in the world, the meaning of life, and other profound questions and ideas. Unlike kids, teens realize that death is permanent. They may begin to consider spiritual or philosophical questions such as what happens after people die. To some, death, and even suicide, may seem poetic (consider Romeo and Juliet, for example). To others, death may seem frightening or be a source of worry. For many, death is mysterious and beyond our human experience and understanding.

Thinking about suicide goes beyond normal ideas teens may have about death and life. Wishing to be dead, thinking about suicide, or feeling helpless and hopeless about how to solve life’s problems are signs that a teen may be at risk - and in need of help and support. Beyond thoughts of suicide, actually making a plan or carrying out a suicide attempt is even more serious.

What makes some teens begin to think about suicide - and even worse, to plan or do something with the intention of ending their own lives? One of the biggest factors is depression. Suicide attempts are usually made when a person is seriously depressed or upset. A teen who is feeling suicidal may see no other way out of problems, no other escape from emotional pain, or no other way to communicate their desperate unhappiness.

The Link Between Depression and Suicide

The majority of suicide attempts and suicide deaths happen among teens with depression. Consider these statistics about teen suicide and teen depression: about 1% of all teens attempts suicide and about 1% of those suicide attempts results in death (that means about 1 in 10,000 teens dies from suicide). But for adolescents who have depressive illnesses, the rates of suicidal thinking and behavior are much higher. Most teens who have depression think about suicide, and between 15% and 30% of teens with serious depression who think about suicide go on to make a suicide attempt.

Keep in mind that most of the time for most teens depression is a passing mood. The sadness, loneliness, grief, and disappointment we all feel at times are normal reactions to some of the struggles of life. With the right support, some resilience, an inner belief that there will be a brighter day, and decent coping skills, most teens can get through the depressed mood that happens occasionally when life throws them a curve ball.

But sometimes depression doesn’t lift after a few hours or a few days. Instead it lasts, and it can seem too heavy to bear. When someone has a depressed or sad mood that is intense and lingers almost all day, almost every day for 2 weeks or more, it may be a sign that the person has developed major depression. Major depression, sometimes called clinical depression, is beyond a passing depressed mood - it is the term mental health professionals use for depression that has become an illness in need of treatment. Another form of serious depression is called bipolar disorder, which includes extreme low moods (major depression) as well as extreme high moods (these are called manic episodes).

Though children can experience depression, too, teens are much more vulnerable to major depression and bipolar illness. Hormones and sleep cycles, which both change dramatically during adolescence, have an effect on mood and may partly explain why teens (especially girls) are particularly prone to depression. Believe it or not, as many as 20% of all teens have had depression that’s this severe at some point. The good news is that depression is treatable - most teens get better with the right help.

It’s not hard to see why serious depression and suicide are connected. Serious depression (with both major depression and bipolar illness) involves a long-lasting sad mood that doesn’t let up, and a loss of pleasure in things you once enjoyed. It also involves thoughts about death, negative thoughts about oneself, a sense of worthlessness, a sense of hopelessness that things could get better, low energy, and noticeable changes in appetite or sleep.

Depression also distorts a person’s viewpoint, allowing them to focus only on their failures and disappointments and to exaggerate these negative things. Depressed thinking can convince someone there is nothing to live for. The loss of pleasure that is part of depression can seem like further evidence that there’s nothing good about the present. The hopelessness can make it seem like there will be nothing good in the future; helplessness can make it seem like there’s nothing you can do to change things for the better. And the low energy that is part of depression can make every problem (even small ones) seem like too much to handle.

When major depression lifts because a person gets the proper therapy or treatment, this distorted thinking is cleared and they can find pleasure, energy, and hope again. But while someone is seriously depressed, suicidal thinking is a real concern. When teens are depressed, they often don’t realize that the hopelessness they feel can be relieved and that hurt and despair can be healed.

What Else Puts Teens at Risk for Suicide?

In addition to depression, there are other emotional conditions that can put teens at greater risk for suicide - for example, girls and guys with conduct disorder are at higher risk. This may be partly because teens with conduct disorder have problems with aggression and may be more likely than other teens to act in aggressive or impulsive ways to hurt themselves when they are depressed or under great stress. The fact that many teens with conduct disorder also have depression may partly explain this, too. Having both serious depression and conduct disorder increases a teen’s risk for suicide.

Substance abuse problems also put teens at risk for suicidal thinking and behavior. Alcohol and some drugs have depressive effects on the brain. Misuse of these substances can bring on serious depression, especially in teens prone to depression because of their biology, family history, or other life stressors.

Besides depressive effects, alcohol and drugs alter a person’s judgement. They interfere with the ability to assess risk, make good choices, and think of solutions to problems. Many suicide attempts occur when a teen is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Teens with substance abuse problems often have serious depression or intense life stresses, too, further increasing their risk.

Life Stress and Suicidal Behavior

Let’s face it - being a teen is not easy for anyone. There are many new social, academic, and personal pressures. And for teens who have additional problems to deal with, life can feel even more difficult. Some teens have been physically or sexually abused, have witnessed one parent abusing another at home, or live with lots of arguing and conflict at home. Others witness violence in their neighborhoods. Many teens have parents who divorce, and others may have a parent with a drug or alcohol addiction.

Some teens are struggling with concerns about sexuality and relationships, wondering if their feelings and attractions are normal, if they will be loved and accepted, or if their changing bodies are developing normally. Others struggle with body image and eating problems, finding it impossible to reach a perfect ideal, and therefore having trouble feeling good about themselves. Some teens have learning problems or attention problems that make it hard for them to succeed in school. They may feel disappointed in themselves or feel they are a disappointment to others.

All these things can affect mood and cause some people to feel depressed or to turn to alcohol or drugs for a false sense of soothing. Without the necessary coping skills or support, these social stresses can increase the risk of serious depression and, therefore, of suicidal ideas and behavior. Teens who have had a recent loss or crisis or who had a family member who committed suicide may be especially vulnerable to suicidal thinking and behavior themselves.

Guns and Suicide Risk

Finally, having access to guns is extremely risky for any teen who has any of the other risk factors. Depression, anger, impulsivity, life stress, substance abuse, feelings of alienation or loneliness - all these factors can place a teen at major risk for suicidal thoughts and behavior. Availability of guns along with one or more of these risk factors is a deadly equation. Many teen lives could be saved by making sure those who are at risk don’t have access to guns.

Different Types of Suicidal Behaviors

Teen girls attempt suicide far more often (about nine times more often) than teen guys, but guys are about four times more likely to succeed when they try to kill themselves. This is because teen guys tend to use more deadly methods, like guns or hanging. Girls who try to hurt or kill themselves tend to use overdoses of medications or cutting. More than 60% of teen suicide deaths happen with a gun. But suicide deaths can and do occur with pills and other harmful substances and methods.

Sometimes a depressed person plans a suicide in advance. Many times, though, suicide attempts are not planned in advance, but happen impulsively, in a moment of feeling desperately upset. Sometimes a situation like a breakup, a big fight with a parent, an unintended pregnancy, being harmed by abuse or rape, being outed by someone else, or being victimized in any way can cause a teen to feel desperately upset. In situations such as these, teens may fear humiliation, rejection, social isolation, or some terrible consequence they think they can’t handle. If a terrible situation feels too overwhelming, a teen may feel that there is no way out of the bad feeling or the consequences of the situation. Suicide attempts can occur under conditions like this because, in desperation, some teens - at least for the moment - see no other way out and they impulsively act against themselves.

Sometimes teens who feel or act suicidal mean to die and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes a suicide attempt is a way to express the deep emotional pain they’re feeling in hopes that someone will get the message they are trying to communicate.

Even though a teen who makes a suicide attempt may not actually want or intend to die, it is impossible to know whether an overdose or other harmful action they may take will actually result in death or cause a serious and lasting illness that was never intended. Using a suicide attempt to get someone’s attention or love or to punish someone for hurt they’ve caused is never a good idea. People usually don’t really get the message, and it often backfires on the teen. It’s better to learn other ways to get what you need and deserve from people. There are always people who will value, respect, and love you - sure, sometimes it takes time to find them - but it is important to value, respect, and love yourself, too.

Unfortunately, teens who attempt suicide as an answer to problems tend to try it more than once. Though some depressed teens may first attempt suicide around age 13 or 14, suicide attempts are highest during middle adolescence. Then by about age 17 or 18, the rate of teen suicide attempts lowers dramatically. This may be because with maturity, teens have learned to tolerate sad or upset moods, have learned how to get support they need and deserve, and have developed better coping skills to deal with disappointment or other difficulties.



Thanks to Dr. Guillermo Pecci Saavedra M.d. for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

Signs Of Clinical Depression

Depression is not a passing feeling of unhappiness, natural expected feelings of sadness from a difficult or painful event. It is a very real and sometimes even dangerous mental illness. Depression most often presents itself as feelings of sadness, but sadness is not necessarily depression.

Depression sufferers often have feelings of complete despair, hopelessness and a lack of purpose in life and enthusiasm for the world around them.

Depression may be one part of another condition or it may be its own concern apart from any other illnesses. It is a symptom of bipolar disorder, but not the entire disorder, depression is a very large part of manic depression and other associated illnesses but not the whole of manic depression.

Although depression may have a trigger in many cases, it is wrong to assume that some event may cause it.

Certainly stress and unfortunate life events may cause depression. It may present itself after an inability to achieve an individual’s goal or desires, but should not be confused with natural feelings of disappointment or sadness.

Depression may strike an individual who experiences hormonal imbalance, which explains why women who face menopause are often a statistic of depression studies. Scientific research has also found a link to a gene fault that controls serotonin levels to the brain.

Some depression sufferers have also been recorded to be affected by weather conditions. Further investigation has found a vitamin deficiency in these sufferers. Much the same as statistics reveal depression is common in alcoholics due to a vitamin B1 deficiency.

Certainly depression sufferers feel unhappy most of the time, but someone who may not appear unhappy, or an individual who may rarely experience unhappiness may suffer from depression. As with many illnesses not all signs and symptoms have to be evident for the condition to be present.

Below are some of the signs and symptoms of depression. Again I will stress that signs and symptoms may not be obvious or evident for each individual.

. Unhappiness

. Lethargy in life, loss of interest in sex and/or other life joys

. Difficulty with decision making

. Feelings of drowsiness

. Restlessness, anxiety, and agitation

. Eating problems, either a loss of appetite, or excessive binge eating

. Feelings of inadequacy and/or a lack of self confidence

. Suicidal or self destructive thoughts

Please remember that not all depression sufferers entertain thoughts of suicide either by expression or in their own private thoughts. In fact, depression sufferers are not helped with the natural assumption from others that they must be suicidal. This is a serious sign and unfortunately, very common among sufferers and must be addressed, but this is not the ‘be all’ of the condition of depression.

Depression may also present with physical signs and symptoms, these include: headaches, joint aches and pains, dizziness, cramps or belly aches.

The good news is that depression help is available and can start right away by taking back control. A depression sufferer must take a deep breath and be bold in taking a step forward. A few of the things you may do for depression help is to establish a healthy eating plan, implement a natural sleeping pattern and change ‘habits’, certainly a change in routine is good for us all from time to time, on the occasions our routines, and routine thought patterns become stagnant or even harmful we may make a conscious effort to turn them into positive routines and thought patterns.

A depression sufferer should consciously praise themselves and establish a positive affirmation in reflection of their good qualities.

Most important, depression help must consist of self confrontation and talking to someone. Talk is essential for recovery, you are not alone. Most depression sufferers feel quite alone in their pain, actively seeking someone to share your concerns with does help depression.

While it is an important process towards wellness to take a proactive step towards recovery and practice self help I must recommend that you should seek professional advice if you experience the signs and symptoms of depression. Do not be fooled into the belief that depression is all in your head. Often, depression may be a symptom of another illness or an undiagnosed condition.

Depression help means discussing your concerns with a qualified practitioner. If perhaps you have been unfortunate enough to come across a GP who does not understand depression and who may not evaluate your condition to your satisfaction seek a second opinion. Although the medical world has come a long way in the past decade in the understanding of depression some doctors may not be quite up to date. Professional depression help is available; depression is a real condition and must not be ignored.



Thanks to Alex Olson for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

Why Am I Depressed