Depression is a mental illness that affects many millions of people around the world. According to Johns Hopkins expert Andrew Angelino, M.D- director of psychiatry at Howard country general Hospital- Depression is not just a mood its also a disease that affects every aspect of a person's life.
Everyone has bad days, it's perfectly normal to feel low when something bad happens (e.g you break up with your boyfriend/girlfriend or fail an exam) some which can lead to you feeling life is not worth living. Although they can be a lot of confusion when people use the word 'depression', sometimes the word is used to mean almost any type of negative feeling (unhappy, lonely, sad, demoralized), when a health provider uses the word 'depression', they don't mean a mood that last for few days or months, they mean a mental disorder- more like Bipolar.
There are more than 50 different symptoms of major depression, ranging from crying and those who might not be completely associated to depression such as anger, workaholism and pain. Depression can also be sometimes caused by job issues, health problem, financial challenges, abuse, bullying, poor relationship and stress.
TYPES:- Major depression disorder (Clinical depression)
Persistent depression disorder (dysthymia)
Seasonal affective depression disorder
Peripartum depression disorder (postpartum)
WHO predicts that by 2000, depression will be the second leading cause of disability in the world, just behind cardiovascular disease. An estimate also shows depression to be deadly when one out of five people with depression will attempt suicide at some point. Suicide which is the second leading cause of death in young people. A major cause of suicide is mental illness which is a very common depression. people feeling suicidal are overwhelmed by painful emotions and see death as the only way out, losing sight of the fact that suicide is a permanent 'solution' to a temporary state- most people who try to kill themselves but live later say they are glad they did't die-- According to research.
Bullying which is also another cause of depression among children, also affects both the victim and the bullies. A study by US National institutes of health reported by Reuters, found that victims of cyber bullying showed more sign of depression than the other bullying victims. This may be because cyber bullying can be more relentless and more frightening or discouraging, especially if the bully is anonymous.
Research on the physiology of the nervous system suggests that the level of activity of neurotransmitters, such as nor-epinephrine and serotonin , changes in longstanding depression: Antidepressant medicines probably work by correcting a 'chemical imbalance' of this kind, one kind one type of imbalance is associated with bipolar disorder (previously called Mani depression). Characterized by dramatic mood swings from depression to irritability and other symptoms. A number of physical illness can lead to depression.
____ WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT
Friends and family may provide all support that is needed in mild cases of depression. Having someone who is willing to listen and ask concerned questions can make all the difference in cases e=where the depression is severe seek professional help, each type of professionals has their own perspective and expertise and practitioners of all kinds having experience dealing with depression. Some moderate and most severe depression respond to antidepressant medications.
SOURCE :- #student health center
Thinking out loud- is depression actually a mood or a disease?