Depression Disorder

Depression Disorder
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Depression Disorder
Depression disorder is a type of illness that involves the body, thoughts, and mood. Thus it interferes with a person daily life as well as normal functioning besides, it causes pain to the person suffering from the disorder and the caregiver. Having depression disorder is no sign of weakness neither is it a condition of self-will. It is a mood disorder that comes along with a persistent feeling of sadness as well as loss of interest. Failure to seek medical attention can cause the symptoms of this disorder to last for months or even years. Despite the fact that depression is common it is a serious illness and people suffering from such condition needs treatment to get better.
Types of Depression Disorder
Just like any other illness, there are different types of depression disorder the three common types of depression disorder include; dysthymic depression also known as dysthymia this type of disorder involves long-term over two years and less severe symptoms. The symptoms do not incapacitate a person rather they subvert normal functioning. At some point, people suffering from this type of disorder may experience “major depressive episode”. Psychotic depression is another type of depressive disorder, this occurs when severe depression goes along with different forms of psychosis, like hallucinations, and delusion. Postpartum depression is another type of depression disorder this type of disorder is mostly diagnosed when the mother develops depressive episodes within a span of a month on delivery (Blatt, 2004).

There is no particular identifiable source of depression disorder rather the illness is as a result of a combination of different factors such as biochemical, genetics and psychological factor. Studies indicate that depressive illness is brain disorders. The new technologies such as brain imaging show that the brain of people suffering from depression looks different from the brain of people who are not depressed (Fox, & Raichle, 2007). The brain part that is responsible for regulating thinking, sleep, mood, behaviors as well as appetites appear to function aberrantly. There are other types of depressive disorder that run in families such are linked to genetic factors. This does not mean that depression cannot occur in people without families’ histories of this disorder. Genetics studies show that the risk of contracting depression may be as a result of influence of various genes acting alongside other factors such as environment
Symptoms
The different forms of depressive disorder may have distinct symptoms, however, the following are the major symptoms and signs of depression disorder;
Empty mood or persistent anxious, sad
Feeling of pessimism or hopelessness
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, or helplessness
Loss of pleasure or interest in activities and hobbies that one enjoyed once including sex
Decreased energy
Fatigue
Difficulties in remembering, concentrating or even making decision
Oversleeping or insomnia
Insomnia
Weight gain due to overeating
Suicidal attempts
Irritability, restlessness
Not everyone who suffers from depression disorder experience all of the above-stated symptoms. Depending on the type of the disorder one is suffering from some may experience a few of the symptoms while others may experience many of the above symptoms.
Treatments
Regardless of the severity of the depression disorder, it is treatable and just like with any other illness the treatment is effective when it starts early. To provide appropriate treatment of the disorder patient of the disorder are subjected to physical examination. Some medical disorders like thyroid can have similar symptoms with depression hence, the need of conducting a physical examination to rule our out such possibilities. When physical causes are ruled out then psychological evaluation is conducted this involves mental study exam. When diagnosed with depression disorder different treatment method can be employed. The most common methods of treatment are psychotherapy and medication.
Antidepressants are used to normalize neurotransmitter a naturally occurring brain chemical most often the norepinephrine and serotonin. SSRIs “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors” is the most popular and newest form of medication. This medication includes citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac) sertraline (Zoloft) among many others (Fain, & Gad, 2014). Medication, however, affects different people differently this implies that “no one-size-fits-all” methods of medications. In some cases, stimulants are used alongside antidepressant most often when the patient has co-existing physical or mental disorder. Just like with any other medication antidepressants can cause temporally mild side effects such include constipation, dry mouth among many others side effects.
Psychotherapy is another method of treatment there are many different forms of psychotherapy. Depending on the need for an individual therapy can be short-term or long-term. There are two common types of psychotherapies namely CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) and (IPT) interpersonal therapy. The two are effective in the treatment of depressive disorder. CBT help in training new ways of behaving and thinking and thus, it helps patients to change their negative way of behaving and thinking. On the other hand, IPT help patient suffering from this disorder to recognize and work through upset personal relations that can cause or worsen their depression. Psychotherapy is the best treatment for mild and moderate depression.
References
Blatt, S. J. (2004). Experiences of depression: Theoretical, clinical, and research perspectives. American Psychological Association.
Fain, J., & Gad, S. E. (2014). SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors).
Fox, M. D., & Raichle, M. E. (2007). Spontaneous fluctuations in brain activity observed with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Nature reviews neuroscience, 8(9), 700.