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