Archive for the ‘Recognizing Depression and Support’ Category

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Types of Depression

When we think of depression, we think of being sad or “blue”, but there are in fact several kinds of depression, with quite variable symptoms. It is even possible to be depressed without an overwhelming feeling of sadness. The most appropriate way to classify depressive syndromes remains hotly debated.

Primary or Secondary Depression?

Often depression occurs as a clear reaction to a life event, such as trauma, physical illness or bereavement. Psychologists may distinguish this (also called reactive depression) from depressions that have no obvious cause, though this isn’t always clear. Categorizing this way is helpful because, if an obvious trigger exists, that can then be addressed.

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Unipolar or Bipolar Depression?

Some people with depression just feel ‘down’, but in manic depression (bipolar disorder) sufferers alternate between sadness and agitated highs. Distinguishing them is crucial because bipolar disorder is treated differently, with effective medications to stabilize mood.

Dysthymia: Personality-Linked Depression

Some people suffer from long-term, mild depression that is part of their personality makeup or style, rather than a bout of depressive illness. Again, this affects modes of treatment.

Psychotic or Neurotic Depression?

This distinction, based on supposedly distinct sets of symptoms, is not much used these days, but was commonly used to separate depressions linked to medical conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder from those caused by psychosocial factors.

Major or Minor Depression?

Though the severity of a depressive episode is obviously important, this classification is less used now. For one thing, depression is a spectrum, with severity not an indicator of a different disease. Also, to label someone as suffering from ‘minor’ depression tends to trivialize their suffering.

Other Types of Depression

Numerous types of depression have been identified, including “atypical” types. For example, people may have the symptoms of depressive disorder without feeling depressed. People suffering from anxiety can also be diagnosed as suffering from depression, even though it is not the primary symptom.

Debates continue, but the important thing is not classification but appropriate treatment for sufferers of depression.

An Introduction To Anti-Depressants

Much has been made of ‘happy pills’, with drugs such as Prozac becoming a household name in the 1990s. Antidepressant drugs have been around for half a century, with new types regularly being developed. They are as controversial as they are widely used.

Apart from potentially unpleasant side effects, they have been described as overrated and over-prescribed. A key criticism is that they target the symptoms of depression without addressing the causes. That is certainly true, but antidepressants have their uses in modern medicine and mental health treatments, although many professionals no longer use them as a first line of defense against depressive illness.

Types of Antidepressants

Although there are many classes of antidepressants, three are most commonly used. All work in much the same way, by affecting the chemicals known as neurotransmitters. Those chemicals include serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine (noradrenalin), which are all implicated in mood regulation.

• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)

are the oldest kind, dating back to the 1950s. They have largely been replaced by newer kinds with fewer side effects and lower overdose potential. Imipramine, clomipramine, trimipramine and amitryptiline are all TCAs (brand names include Anafranil, Tofranil, Surmontil). They are still occasionally prescribed when the need arises.

• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

These are now rarely prescribed because of negative interactions with other drugs and with foods containing tyramine (including red wine, some cheeses, Marmite/Bovril/Vegemite).

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

The most used these help to build up serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is linked to mood as well as appetite, and low levels have been implicated in chronic pain syndromes. Well known SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil/Seroxat) and sertraline (Zoloft).

Antidepressants are often in the headlines due to real and supposed side effects and questions about their effectiveness. Some argue that they are little better than placebos. Anyone opting for antidepressant drug therapy should discuss the pros and cons with their doctor. Antidepressants alone may not solve the problem and are often taken as one arm of a wider-ranging treatment program that can include counseling and lifestyle changes.

Depression – Being Aware Of The Condition…

Depression is an illness. As such, you may be at risk for it in your life. This doesn’t mean that you will develop depressive symptoms, but that you might want to increase your awareness of the condition.

Depression has been characterized as feeling the “blues” but that is not an accurate description. The “blues” can be chalked up to having a bad day or the aftermath of an argument. Neither of these situations has anything to do with depression. Once you have a pep talk or shake off the feeling, your mood and attitude returns to normal. With depression, it does not.

If you are a woman, guess what? You are more at risk for depression. No one knows why in particular. Women are prone to postpartum depression after giving birth. Since many women also chalk their feelings up to “the blues,” the number of depressed people of the female sex is probably higher that reported.

Another risk factor is socioeconomic status. It is believed that if you are poor, you are more likely to develop depression. That is not to say that everyone who is of below average means will also have this issue. There are other factors surrounding your financial status that play a part.

Substance abuse plays a part in developing many conditions not the least of which is depression. It could be the side effect of the drugs or the aftermath of getting clean when you realize how you have lived while abusing drugs. The term “drugs” here is not just illegal substances but also abuse of prescription medications such as narcotics and sleeping pills.

Now, we come to family history. You have a greater risk if someone in your family has suffered or is suffering from a depressive condition. But, that is not set in stone. Simply being aware of your risk can help you fight it.

Are you at risk? Talk to your family doctor to find out more and what you can do to help yourself.

Why Should I Learn About Depression?

For many, depression is a mystery. What causes it? Am I at risk? To find out, take the necessary steps to educate yourself.

If you think you might be depressed, find out more. You can check out books at the library or visit your local bookstore. They have lots of magazines and a section on medical conditions. The first step to helping yourself is to find out all the information you can. What you believe is depression might actually be a reaction to something else going on in your life.

If you have been diagnosed with depression, the doctor can help you with the preliminaries. But, to be sure that you fully understand your condition, there is nothing wrong with reading all about it. Knowledge is power and learning all about depression can answer your questions. There are too many misconceptions floating around not to get facts.

The good thing about knowledge is that it gives you confidence. Along with finding out what depression is, you also learn how to deal with it. Besides the traditional treatments of antidepressants, there are also complementary therapies and alternative medicine to consider. You can ask your doctor about these things once you know more about them.

Literature on depression also gives you access to resources. Find out about local support groups, national foundations and websites dedicated to the subject of depression. Forums give you a chance to connect with others and also remain anonymous if you wish.

Education is good for your family as well. They may be just as much in the dark about depression as you were. This way, you can share what you know so all of you can learn together. This way, those who love you will know how to support you as you deal with your diagnosis.

Depression can be a disheartening diagnosis but it doesn’t have to be lonely or shrouded in mystery. Take the initiative to educate yourself and others.

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Symptoms Of Depression

People who may be suffering from depression actually show each and every kind of symptom doctors will tell you depressed people have. Sometimes it’s actually quite easy to overlook such symptoms, thinking they are just regular ‘blues’ or fatigue.

Here are some common examples of symptoms of depression:

Prolonged period of sadness or not feeling “up to it”. People who are always coming up with excuses to avoid activites they once enjoyed, or whom would much rather stay at home alone than do anything else is one of the prime symptoms of depression.

Feeling hopeless while having a pessimistic attitude about a variety of things is another common warning sign. When a person feels they having nothing to look forward to, or speak frequently in a negative view of themselves is also indicative of potential depression disorders.

Whenever a person feels guilty over everything, you have on your hands one very sad person who feels like he or she doesn’t deserve to be happy. Thus, the loss of self-worth comes into play. Perhaps the person in question feels as if he or she isn’t worthy of being happy or enjoying one’s self; a clear tell-tale symptom of depression.

If someone who once took interest or pleasure from hobbies or certain activities suddenly quits everything, this is not a very good sign. This could be yet another indicator that depression might be the culprit. This lack of interest in activites could also cause a variety of other health issues.

A person having trouble concentrating, having bad memory and is suddenly very indecisive can be another set of indicators of depression. Their lack of interest in regards to the outside world, or anything for that matter, can result in the depressed individual becoming very inattentive, and seemingly out of sorts.

While there are many other signs of depression, these simple indicators are enough to warrant a trip to a physician. Neglecting to receive medical attention for any type of depressive disorder can result in a variety of secondary health issues, and can be dangerous for the person in question.

Simply put, the answer to ‘Is it depression?’ should be clearly answered if negative feelings are eating at the mind and heart.