A prolonged sense of sadness and loss of interest are symptoms of depression, a mood illness. Clinical depression, also known as major depressive disorder, affects how you feel, think, and behave and can cause a number of emotional and physical issues. You can find it difficult to carry out your regular daily tasks, and you might occasionally think life isn’t worth living.
Depression is more than just a case of the blues, and you can’t immediately “snap out” of it. Long-term treatment may be necessary for depression. But resist giving up. With medicine, counseling, or both, the majority of depressed persons get improved symptoms.
Symptoms
Although you might only experience depression once in your lifetime, most people experience many bouts. During these episodes, symptoms can include any of the following and may last for the majority of the day:
- Sadness, tears, emptiness, or a sense of futility
- Irrational behavior, irritation, or frustration, especially about trivial issues
- Loss of enjoyment or interest in the majority of everyday activities, including sex, hobbies, and sports
- Sleep disorders, such as excessive or insufficient sleep Fatigue and lack of energy, making even little activities more difficult
- Weight loss and decreased appetite, or weight gain and increased desires for food
- A feeling of unease, anxiety, or worry
- Sluggish speech, posture, or other body movements
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness, a fixation on mistakes made in the past, or self-blame
- Problems with memory, concentration, decision-making, and thought
- Thoughts of suicide, death, or other suicidal behavior on a regular basis or repeatedly
- Undiagnosed physical issues like headaches or back pain
Many depressed individuals typically experience symptoms that are severe enough to interfere with daily activities including job, school, social interactions, or interpersonal relationships. Some people may experience widespread misery or unhappiness without truly understanding why.
Depression in children and adolescents
Although there may be some distinctions, the typical signs and symptoms of depression in adolescents and teenagers are comparable to those in adults.
- Depression in young children might manifest as melancholy, impatience, clinginess, concern, aches and pains, refusal to attend school, or underweight.
- Teens may experience symptoms such as sadness, irritability, feeling down and unworthy, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school, feeling misunderstood and overly sensitive, using alcohol or drugs recreationally, eating excessively, engaging in self-harm, losing interest in regular activities, and avoiding social interaction
Depression in senior citizens
Depression is never to be taken lightly because it is not a typical aspect of aging. Unfortunately, older persons with depression frequently go undetected and untreated, and they may be hesitant to get care. Older persons may experience various or less noticeable signs of depression, such as:
- Memory issues or character alterations
- Physical discomfort
- Symptoms of exhaustion, anorexia, insomnia, or loss of desire in sex that are not brought on by a disease or medication
- Frequently preferring to stay in rather than leave the house to interact with others or try new things
- Especially with elderly men, suicidal thoughts or feelings
Causes
What specifically causes depression is unknown. Many different causes could be at play, just like with many mental disorders, including:
Biological variations. There are visible physical changes in the brains of those who are depressed. Although the importance of these changes is still unknown, they might eventually point to their root causes.
Mind chemistry. Neurotransmitters are organic brain substances that probably contribute to depression. Recent studies suggest that alterations in these neurotransmitters’ effects and interactions with the neurocircuits responsible for preserving mood stability may have a substantial impact on depression and its treatment.
Hormones. Depression may be brought on by or triggered by changes in the hormone balance in the body. Hormone shifts can occur during pregnancy, in the days or weeks following delivery (postpartum), and as a result of thyroid issues, menopause, or a variety of other diseases.
Inherited characteristics. People with biological relatives who also have this illness are more likely to experience depression. Researchers are looking for genes that might contribute to depression.
Prevention
There is no foolproof method to stop depression. However, these methods might be useful.
- Take action to manage your stress, build your resilience, and improve your self-esteem.
- To get through difficult times, reach out to family and friends, especially during times of crisis.
- Get help as soon as a problem arises to stop depression from getting worse.
- To assist prevent a return of symptoms, think about receiving long-term maintenance treatment.
