What is Depression?

I easily feel sad once something bad happened to me, its normal, whether emotionally, mentally or physically or sometimes I  wake up and I suddenly feel sad with no reasons.Its normal to feel sad but did you know that once you can't cope with that sadness it can easily lead to a whole new level which is depression. There are a lot of people who suffers depression and most of them are not aware that they are already experiencing it, but what can be the causes of depression?

Depression is an emotion that defines a feeling of things not going your way, when you experience pain associated with disadvantage, loss, despair, helplessness and rage. According to the dictionary, depression is  condition of mental disturbance, typically with lack of energy and difficulty in maintaining concentration or interest in life. Depression can be caused by a lot of factors. One of these factors can immediately trigger depression. Personal experience can be one of the major factor that can cause depression to a person. Depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Some depressions tend to run in families.

In an article written by Angela Carter titled, "What's The Difference Between Being Sad and Being Depressed?" (http://coastalhealthinfoservice.com/2011/04/12/whats-the-difference-between-being-sad-and-being-depressed/)  she stated that "If you have a loss of interest in life, in your daily activities, job, relationships or socializing for more than about two to three weeks and your mood is out of character, then a visit to the doctor would be in order. Some of the main symptoms of depression are:

• Tiredness/lethargy or inability to sleep (insomnia)
•  Loss of interest in social activities and sexual relations
•  Contemplating death and/or suicide
•  Lack of self-worth and inappropriate guilt
•  Significant weight changes
•  Lack of focus

Anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder, often accompany depression. PTSD can occur after a person experiences a terrifying event or ordeal, such as a violent assault, a natural disaster, an accident, terrorism or military combat. People experiencing PTSD are especially prone to having co-existing depression.Alcohol and other substance abuse or dependence may also co-exist with depression. Research shows that mood disorders and substance abuse commonly occur together. 

Depression comes in many shapes and forms. The different types of depression have unique symptoms, causes, and effects. Knowing what type of depression you have can help you manage your symptoms and get the most effective treatment.

Major depression is characterized by the inability to enjoy life and experience pleasure. The symptoms are constant, ranging from moderate to severe. Left untreated, major depression typically lasts for about six months. Some people experience just a single depressive episode in their lifetime, but more commonly, major depression is a recurring disorder. However, there are many things you can do to support your mood and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Dysthmia is a type of chronic “low-grade” depression. More days than not, you feel mildly or moderately depressed, although you may have brief periods of normal mood. The symptoms of dysthymia are not as strong as the symptoms of major depression, but they last a long time (at least two years). These chronic symptoms make it very difficult to live life to the fullest or to remember better times. Some people also experience major depressive episodes on top of dysthymia, a condition known as “double depression.” If you suffer from dysthymia, you may feel like you’ve always been depressed. Or you may think that your continuous low mood is “just the way you are.” However, dysthymia can be treated, even if your symptoms have gone unrecognized or untreated for years.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is characterized by cycling mood changes. Episodes of depression alternate with manic episodes, which can include impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, rapid speech, and little to no sleep. Typically, the switch from one mood extreme to the other is gradual, with each manic or depressive episode lasting for at least several weeks. When depressed, a person with bipolar disorder exhibits the usual symptoms of major depression. However, the treatments for bipolar depression are very different. In fact, antidepressants can make bipolar depression worse.

There have been reports that people suffering from depression are often discriminated. According to an article titled "Most Depression Patients Report Discrimination" written by Sarah Glynn (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/251703.php),  there was a team of scientists from  King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry headed by Professor Graham Thornicroft who surveyed 1082 people in 35 different countries who were receiving treatment for their depressive symptoms. The subjects were asked to answer detailed questions regarding their history of discrimination. Results indicated that:

• 34% of volunteers had been avoided by other people because of their mental health issues
• 37% expected discrimination, which stopped them from forming a close relationship with another person
• 25% did not apply for work at one point because they were anticipating discrimination

According to Professor Graham Thornicroft: "Previous work in this area has tended to focus on public attitudes towards stigma based on questions about hypothetical situations, but ours is the first study to investigate the actual experiences of discrimination in a large, global sample of people with depression.  Our findings show that discrimination related to depression is widespread, and almost certainly acts as a barrier to an active social life and having a fair chance to get and keep a job for people with depression." 

Also included in the article, according to Dr. Anthony Jorm at the University of Melbourne in Australia,"Further research could provide much needed input into the design of anti-discrimination interventions - such as public education about human rights and the effect of discrimination on the person with depression; action from health services to help overcome anticipated discrimination as a barrier to help seeking; and the incorporation into treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy of techniques to address anticipated discrimination and symptoms."

According to another article written by Rheyanne Weaver titled "Depression and Discrimination: Where There’s One, the Other Often Follows" (http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-discrimnation-stigma-bias-1030127), a clinical psychologist named Viola Drancoli quoted that  "friends and family members of people with depression might exhibit discriminatory behavior with them because they may feel drained from being around someone who expresses sadness, pessimism, irritability, and a lack of motivation." She also quoted  that “The social isolation often starts a vicious cycle in which the (client’s) negative outlook on life is reaffirmed, they feel let down by family and friends, and symptoms may worsen,” Drancoli said. “This is especially dangerous for individuals who have suicidal ideations and need support and monitoring.”

We have no right to discriminate those people who suffers depression, I don't understand why people should do that. People suffering from depression has been through a lot and the society should just accept and understand them for who they are. Depression can be really serious once not treated properly. For me, in order to avoid depression, I always keep myself busy and I always ensure that I'm being surrounded by people who makes me happy. Being optimistic can also help avoid being depressed. Always think positive, think that there is always a brighter side to everything that will happen, that's one way to  cope with depression.