| The main symptom of depression is sadness or low | | | | straining will simply wear out the nervous system or |
| mood level, but many other mental and physical | | | | deplete the organism from nutrient necessary for the |
| symptoms also occur. Here are symptoms, causes | | | | nervous system to work properly. |
| and treatment options explained. | | | | 2. Endogenous depression |
| Depression is a complex of psychological and physical | | | | When there has not been any period of stress, |
| symptoms. Low mood level or sadness is often the | | | | straining or lack of rest that can explain the condition, |
| most prominent symptom. The common property of | | | | the condition is often called endogenous depression. |
| these symptoms is a decreased activity level in parts | | | | Inheritance is thought to be a part of the cause. |
| of the brain. | | | | 3. Depression by physical disease |
| THE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION | | | | Depression or depressive symptoms may be a |
| Depression may give one or more of these | | | | symptom of physical disease. This is perhaps the most |
| symptoms: | | | | common cause of depression. |
| -Low mood level or sadness. | | | | Diseases often associated with depression are: Heart |
| -Lack of joy or interest in activities that were joyful | | | | disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, hypertension or |
| before. | | | | Cushing's syndrome. |
| -Pessimism. | | | | Mononucleosis or flu may trigger depression that |
| -Feel of guilt of something without any substantial | | | | continues after the infection has gone. |
| reason to feel so. | | | | By lack of thyroid hormones, hypothyroidism, the |
| -Inferiority thoughts. | | | | metabolism in the whole body is slowed down, including |
| -Irritability. | | | | the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. |
| -Slowness in the thought process. | | | | Therefore depression is an important symptom of |
| -Slowness in interpreting sensorial stimuli. | | | | hypothyroidism. |
| -Slowness of digestion or other internal physical | | | | 4. Depressive symptoms as a consequence of |
| processes, and symptoms caused by this slowness, | | | | unsound lifestyle |
| for example inflated stomach, constipation or difficulties | | | | A general unsound lifestyle with too less exercise, too |
| by urination. | | | | much of stimulants like alcohol, coffee or tea, too less |
| -Slow physical reactions. | | | | of important nutrient and too much of sugar and fat |
| Depression can be a mild disease that only causes | | | | may give depressive symptoms, as well as physical |
| some annoyance in the daily life, but can also get very | | | | problems. |
| serious and make a person totally unable to work and | | | | 5. Postnatal depression |
| unable to participate in social life. By depression of | | | | Women will often have a period of depression after |
| some severity, there is also a greater risk of suicide. | | | | pregnancy and berth of the baby Pregnancy and |
| Depression can occur in all age classes. In teenagers | | | | berth is physically and mentally exhausting, and may |
| lack of interest in school work, withdrawal from social | | | | drain the body for nutrient. This in turn can cause |
| life and difficult mood can be signs of depression. | | | | depressive symptoms. |
| THE PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT PRODUCE | | | | 6. Seasonal affective disorder |
| THE SYMPTOMS | | | | Depression can occur in cold and dark periods of the |
| By depression there is a decreased amount of | | | | year and go away in warm and light periods. Light |
| neurotransmitters in parts of the central nervous | | | | stimulates brain activity, and lack of light is a causative |
| system, mainly deficiency of serotonin, but also to | | | | factor. |
| some extend of noradrenalin, acetylcholine, dopamine | | | | TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION |
| or gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA), or the nerve | | | | Serious or prolonged depression is often treated with |
| cells do not react properly by stimulation from | | | | anti-depressive medication. Medicines used against |
| neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter is a signal | | | | depression generally increase the level of |
| substance that transmits the nerve signal through the | | | | neurotransmitters like serotonin in the central nervous |
| junctions between two nerve cells. | | | | system, or they mimic the neurotransmitters. |
| Serotonin and noradrenalin cause nerve cells to send | | | | The medications mostly used today increase the |
| impulses along to other nerve cells, and thus increase | | | | serotonin concentration by decreasing the removal of |
| the activity in the brain. Deficiency of these substances | | | | serotonin from the space around nerve cells. |
| causes slowness in parts of the brain, and that again | | | | Examples of this medication type are: Fluoxetine |
| causes the depressive symptoms. | | | | (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), |
| The role of GABA is the opposite, namely to slow | | | | escitalopram (Lexapro, Celexa), sentraline (zoloft). |
| down some nerve impulses, mainly those causing | | | | By bipolar disorder in the manic face, heavy |
| anxiety and panic response. Lack of GABA causes | | | | tranquilizers (neuroleptica) are used to stop the manic |
| higher anxiety and easier panic response. Yet, lack of | | | | symptoms. By bipolar disorder, lithium salts are |
| this transmitter also seems to cause depressive | | | | sometimes used to stabilize the condition, and prevent |
| symptoms. This is because a too high activity in some | | | | new outbreak of depressive or manic faces. |
| brain processes may slow down other processes. | | | | Psychotherapy is sometimes used by depression, |
| There are many causes and subtypes of depression | | | | usually in combination with medication. |
| with different physiological mechanisms involved. | | | | Sometimes serious depression is treated by applying |
| TYPES OF DEPRESSION | | | | electric shock through the head, electroconvulsive |
| Depression is often divided into subtypes according to | | | | therapy. The shock induces epileptic eruption of nerve |
| exhibited symptoms. | | | | signals through the brain and this gives cramps |
| 1. Mono-polar depression and dysthymic disorder | | | | throughout the body. The cramps are alleviated or |
| By mono-polar depression there are pure depressive | | | | stopped by applying anaesthesia before the |
| symptoms. Mild cases of mono-polar disorder that do | | | | electroshock. This form of treatment is controversial, |
| not affect a persons ability to work and to participate | | | | since it can cause memory loss and is suspected of |
| in social activities are often called dysthymic disorder. | | | | causing brain damage. The possibility of brain damage |
| 2. Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disease) and | | | | is however denied by most psychiatrists. |
| cyclothymic disorder | | | | By seasonal depression, light therapy maybe useful. |
| In this condition there are periods with symptoms of | | | | Adjustment of lifestyle should always be considered |
| depression - the depressive phase, alternating with | | | | by depression or depressive symptoms. Lifestyle |
| periods of elevated mood level with increased mental | | | | measures can sometimes be enough to cure |
| and physical activity - the manic phase. In the manic | | | | depressive symptoms before a serious depression |
| phase, the affected person also sleeps poorly and has | | | | develop. Lifestyle adjustments can be: |
| concentration difficulties. A mild form of this disease is | | | | - To slow down a stressful life with too much work or |
| called cyclothymic disorder. | | | | activities. |
| 3. Manic disorder | | | | - Enough rest and sleep. |
| This condition is characterized by abnormally elevated | | | | - A good diet with enough of necessary nutrients. |
| mood, by unrealistic optimism, by lack of sleep and by | | | | - Some physical exercise. |
| hyperactive behaviour. Many psychiatrists think that this | | | | - Meditation. |
| disorder is simply the same disease as bipolar disorder | | | | - Supplement of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lecithin, |
| where the depressive face has not yet occurred. | | | | amino acids and essential fatty acids. |
| 4. Depression with mainly physical symptoms | | | | - Stimulants like coffee or tea may help against |
| Sometimes the physical symptoms of depression are | | | | depressive feelings in moderate amount. However, if |
| alone or dominant, as for example: Digestive problems, | | | | you are a heavy user of these stimulants, you should |
| constipation, difficulties with urination, slow response to | | | | cut down on your consumption. |
| sensorial stimuli or slow physical reactions. | | | | There exist nutritional products in the marked to help |
| CAUSES OF DEPRESSION | | | | against depressive symptoms. These contain |
| Two or more factors can have an effect | | | | ingredients that the brain uses as building blocks for |
| simultaneously to cause depression. Depression can | | | | neurotransmitters, for example amino acids and lecithin. |
| be an independent disease, or a part of other disease. | | | | They also often contain vitamins and minerals that the |
| Depression is also divided into different subtypes | | | | brain uses as tools to produce neurotransmitters, |
| according to cause. | | | | especially vitamin B6. |
| 1. Reactive depression | | | | Supplements may further contain herbal extracts that |
| This disease is simply a result from psychological | | | | trigger higher brain activity much like anti-depressive |
| stress, physical struggle or mental straining without | | | | medications, but may have fewer side effects. |
| proper rest or sleep over a long time period. The | | | | |