Depression - Research Paper Example

? Depression Introduction Depression refers to a mood disorder whereby feelings of sadness, frustration, loss, or anger impede everyday life for a long period. It is among the most common and most debilitating mental ailments (Eisenberg, 1992). Types of depression Torpy (2010) outlines the different types of depression. To start with, an individual who frequently feels sad, loses interest in usual activities or has inexplicable crying spells may be suffering from major depression. This grave medical condition should be differentiated from ordinary temporary feelings of sadness following a loss, for instance, the death of a friend or relative. Other types of depression include dysthymia, a mild kind of depression whose symptoms last for a minimum of two years, and bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic-depressive disorder), which points to the occurrence of major depression episodes as well as incidents of unusually elevated mood referred to as mania while it is severe or hypomania while it is less severe. There is also Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a major kind of depression that occurs frequently in periods with low natural sunlight. It is characterized by depression onset during the winter months. Generally the depression subsides during summer and spring. (Rohan, et al., 2004). Another type of depression is postpartum depression, which refers to the depression of a mother/father that takes place following the birth of their child (Torpy, 2010). Altshuler, Hendrich and Cohen (1998) explain that postpartum depression is much more severe than the ‘baby blues’ that numerous women go through after they give birth, when physical and hormonal changes in addition to the new role of care of an infant can be overwhelming. Approximately 10-15% of women exhibit signs of postpartum depression after delivery. Causes of depression Depression is results from of a blend of genetic, biological, psychological, chemical, environmental and social factors. In most cases, it is an indication that some physical, mental and emotional aspects of an individual’s life are out of proportion. Depression may also result from serious and chronic diseases such as cancer or heart disease. Other contributors of depression include major life stressors (e.g. loss of a job or the death of a loved one), other significant transitions, as well as factors that bring about a loss of self-esteem or self-identity. Since some causes of depression are not directly obvious at all times, the disorder calls for cautious evaluation and diagnosis by a qualified mental health care expert. At times, a person may have little or no control over the situations involved in depression. However, at other times, depression takes place when individuals are not able to perceive that they in fact have choices and that they can bring about a transformation in their lives (Abrahamson, Hornyak & Rehm, 2010). Symptoms Depression is usually identified when patients display straightforward psychiatric symptoms. However, many patients suffering from depression only have physical symptoms whose biologic cause cannot be found, and yet others display symptoms out of proportion to their medical states’ severity (Eisenberg, 1992). A person who is suffering from depression exhibits extreme despair or sadness that lasts for a minimum of two weeks, agitation or being slowed down, and difficulty concentrating or thinking. Such a person is also inclined to feel hopeless and helpless and to blame himself/herself for having these feelings. Moreover, depression hampers such daily life activities as working/concentrating on tasks, or even sleeping and eating – the person’s appetite changes with weight gain or weight loss. Other depression symptoms include increased or decreased sleeping, chronic pain, stomachaches or headaches, energy loss or fatigue. Some people may experience long periods of restlessness or anger. Additionally, individuals with depression may withdraw from friends and family, they may become exhausted and overwhelmed and cease taking part in some daily activities altogether. Some people suffering from depression may also have recurring thoughts of suicide or death (Abrahamson, Hornyak & Rehm, 2010 and Torpy, 2010). Diagnosis and Treatment More often than not, primary care physicians deal with depression. Frequently, the psychiatric problem regrettably goes unrecognized, and most patients are under-treated and go on suffering even when the right diagnosis is made (Eisenberg, 1992).Eisenberg (1992) explains that the treatment of patients suffering from depression is labor and time intensive and that the assessment of psychiatric status has no shortcuts. He also makes it clear that there exists a working alliance between patient and the physician to keep an eye on side effects and offer needed reassurance, adherence to treatment with antidepressants will certainly be poor. Such counseling methods as cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy are useful as antidepressants – in randomized controlled trials; they have proved effective and essential in social function enhancement as well as in minimizing recurrence. Patients with persistent unipolar depression require long-term treatment – they need considerable dosage of antidepressants and when their physicians combine interpersonal psychotherapy with drugs, these patients benefit even more. In ordinary medical practice, the prescription of antidepressants is usually in homeopathic doses, and treatment courses are generally far too brief. Despite strong evidence of its effectiveness, problem-centered psychotherapy is hardly ever provided. It usually takes antidepressants several weeks to work, and well before relief is attained, their side effects are eminent. The patient may get discouraged and stop taking the medication before attaining a full therapeutic effect – he/she therefore requires strong motivation. Moreover, whether antidepressants function as well for a mild depression as they do for a major one is not clear (Eisenberg, 1992). Torpy (2010) also explains that other treatments for depression include daily exposure of the patient to bright light, which can be useful for Seasonal Affective Disorder, and electroconvulsive therapy, which includes a series of treatments that involve passing electric current through the patient’s brain while he/she is under anesthesia. This often relieves even severe kind of depression. It is important to note that although light therapy may efficiently take care of Seasonal Affective Disorder, almost half of SAD patients do not improve with light therapy alone. psychotherapy and antidepressant medication can reduce its symptoms, either on their own or together with light therapy (Rohan, et al., 2004). Several kinds of ‘talking therapies’ (psychotherapy) have also been shown to be helpful in the treatment of depression. These entail assessing and changing the thoughts, relationship problems and attitudes that are linked with depression. Depression patients usually receive these treatments about three times every week for a number of weeks. It is very important for anybody exhibiting depression symptoms to see a doctor for treatment and evaluation. These are particularly crucial to prevent suicide because depression is the most frequent cause of suicide. Even though people with depression mostly develop the feeling that nothing can assist them, effectual treatments are obtainable (Torpy, 2010). Conclusion Apparently, depression can critically impair the ability of an individual to function in everyday situations. However, for persons with depression who obtain proper specialized care, recovery prospects are good. The improvement of this condition’s recognition as well as management is therefore a worthy goal (Eisenberg, 1992). Most importantly, there is need for families and friends of the affected persons to get involved and provide them with assistance and support. They should monitor them closely and encourage them to go on with treatment and to put the problem-solving skills and coping techniques learnt through psychotherapy into practice. References Abrahamson, Daniel J., Hornyak, L. M. and Rehm, L. P. (2010). The American Psychological Association. Retrieved from http://www.apapracticecentral.org/outreach/depression.pdf Altshuler, L.L., Hendrich V., Cohen L.S. (1998). Course of mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; 59:29. Eisenberg, L. (1992). Treating Depression and Anxiety in Primary Care – Closing the Gap between Knowledge and Practice. The New England Journal of Medicine, 326:1080-1084. Rohan, K.J., et al. (2004). Cognitive-behavioral therapy, light therapy and their combination in treating seasonal affective disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 80:273–283. Torpy, J. M. (2010). Depression. The Journal of the American Medical Association. 303(19). Read More