Depression: Definition, Symptoms, Researchers and Treatment - Essay Example

?(Add (Add (Add Depression: Definition, Symptoms, Researches and Treatment Introduction Human mind is a complex combination of emotional and intellectual elements related to the daily life that demands a great level of balance to ensure the perfectness of actions and their results in the desired angle. Any overweight imposed on mind surely has a negative impact on the regular life pattern and the imbalance occurring thereby can be a serious reflection of mental as well as physical disorder. The depressed mood factor is a challenge in the growth of an individual in his personal and professional life; and with more and more stress factors are involving in the present day’s urbanized life, the young generation is on the threat of lacking productivity. However, the impact of depressive disorder was a reference even in the early histories; ancient medical references suggest that the royal families and the clergy men had their doctors to treat the symptoms of this problem. Later, in the modern history of psychological studies, many scholars like Freud related this condition to conflicting conditions of mind from severe losses occurred in an individual’s life. Ever since the scientific thought evolved in the treatment of depression, many clinical researches have been made for finding the unknown facts behind this complicated health condition. Symptoms of Depression Depression is a very common illness among people with a tragic effect on their overall active life. This is more than a disease, because, it is in most cases, a persistent condition of prolonged sadness and irritability even without identifiable reasons. The failure of continuous personal efforts for eliminating depression and the uselessness of trials for making oneself happy make it a really miserable situation. Paolucci and Paolucci have identified that the individuals with a depressed condition reflect the symptoms such as an extremely low mood level, continuous sadness, general disinterest and displeasure, irritability at mingling with people at workplace or home, disordered sleeping and eating, cognitive demerits, extremity of feelings like anxiety, guilty or worthlessness and more dangerously, a recurring suicidal tendency in some people (1). The strong prevalence of these symptoms make the normal functions of an individual significantly low and the remedial measures to treat him becomes difficult as he may not respond well to the medical experiments. Depression is not merely a mental dysfunction; it has clear impact on the physical health of a person. Continuous sessions of sleeplessness and eating disorder results in severe headache, body pains and a regularly upset stomach, which all make the life all the more miserable. This sickness is very common among people with a higher vulnerability among females to grab its intensity than males across the world. When the developing countries face the problem of a depressed labor force, the economic position of the entire world is at stake and it may have drastic impact on the coming generations. Researches in Depression Researchers have been on their continuous effort to develop new mechanisms to cure the cases of depression for a long time. Several people consider medication along with spiritual guidance to motivate the patients as a promising tool to handle it. In most of the cases, the studies focus mainly on the family circumstances and the personal life of the individual for the development of experimental evaluation of their conditions. Some findings based on the family studies reveal that “children on depressed parents appear to be at increased risk for developing depression as well as other disorders” (Hammen , 60). Family line of genetic and behavioral transmission is a definite factor that contributes parental traits to off-springs. Environmental influences during the developmental stages of young kids are generally accepted stimulants for accumulated stress, which may result in depression in the later stages. As such, it is evident that identical twins as well as adopted kids may have the risk of contracting the effect of depressed ambience. Mostly all the studies base on the possible aspects of family based risk factors, and in such studies, both genetic and physiological aspects are given equal consideration for finding the factors that lead to the depressed mood of the individual. As the more it goes, experts opine that continuous courses of certain medicines as well as serious neurotic injuries can also contribute to the disturbed conditions of the order of life. Although no specific reason can be identified for depression in the severity stage, it is better to have the treatment taken in the initial identification of the symptoms of general mental health for the early relief. Treatment Strategies The menace of depression is so alarming that the productive human efforts are declining of its value with the present trend of increasing cases of depression affected issues. As this illness is more than the sphere of scientific approach, a greater amount of concern is required from both healthcare and economic factors associated with the social life of individuals. Physicians and psychiatrists have their emphatic role in the guidance and regular medication of the patients. As a result of the new developments, treatment for anxiety and related behavioral disorder decorates a pivotal importance in the treatment of depression in the recent past. According to Greist and Jefferson, physicians are required to thoroughly follow the reports of the physical and laboratory tests conducted on patients before selecting the best model of treatment as this can help them conduct an overall analysis of the condition of the depressed individual (52). As such, majority of the treatment styles requires continuous trials of medication with facilities for post-treatment assistance from the clinical experts for the betterment of the patient’s conditions. Conclusion After duly considering the impacts of depression on personal lives of individuals and its socio-economic ill-effects, it can be seen that the illness is a relatively riskier challenge for the society to deal with. The scholarly approach to this critical psycho-physical disorder in the recent past has, however been of great promise to the world with new techniques and treatment mechanisms coming into practice. Moreover, the recognition of depression as an illness beyond a commonly perceived mental disorder is a benchmark in the development of studies related to the effective treatment of depression related issues, whereby the society is expected to become economically stronger with the productive involvement of the young generation. Annotated Bibliography 1. Paolucci, Susan L & Paolucci, Stephen J. Depression FAQs. Canada: PMPH-USA, 2007. Print. The book ‘DEPRESSION FAQs’ compiled by joint authors Susan L. Paolucci, MD and Stephen J. Paolucci, MD deserves great honor as it makes a quantitative assessment of possible queries about the wide angle of depression and its treatment methodologies. The most important feature of this book is its easily comprehensible literature and the precise way of answering the frequently asked questions. For a learner, this book can be one of the greatest reference materials about depression. 2. Hammen, Constance N. Depression. UK: Psychology Press, 1997. Print. One of the best readings can be found about the factors contributing to the depression and related health disorders in the book “DEPRESSION” written by Constance L. Hammen. This 1997 book makes accurate expression about the scientific reasons behind the persistent restlessness of the individuals as being seen from various angles of life experience. Moreover, it can be seen as one of the most dependable source for the knowledge about the psycho-analytical sides of depression. 3. Greist, John H & Jefferson, James W. Depression and its Treatment. USA: American Psychiatric Pub, 1992. Print. The great research literature “DEPRESSION AND ITS TREATMENT” by John H. Greist, MD and James W. Jefferson, MD provides a vast research material on treatment methods of depression. It is doubtlessly one of the best books to refer the details about the required fields of medical treatment of depression in a great volume. Further, it guarantees the reading related to the importance of granting greater consideration for treating depression with medicine as well as psychotherapeutic methods. Read More