Depression

Depression 

 Home Health & Medicine Conditions & Diseases Mental Disorders depression psychology Alternate titles: mental depression 

Edit History FAST FACTS 2-Min Summary depression, in psychology, a mood or emotional state that is marked by feelings of low self-worth or guilt and a reduced ability to enjoy life. A person who is depressed usually experiences several of the following symptoms: feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or pessimism; lowered self-esteem and heightened self-depreciation; a decrease or loss of ability to take pleasure in ordinary activities; reduced energy and vitality; slowness of thought or action; loss of appetite; and disturbed sleep or insomnia. Prozac Prozac See all media 

 

Key People: Viktor Frankl

 Related Topics: postpartum depression seasonal affective disorder Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale Beck Depression Inventory major depressive disorder

  Depression differs from simple grief or mourning, which are appropriate emotional responses to the loss of loved persons or objects. Where there are clear grounds for a person’s unhappiness, depression is considered to be present if the depressed mood is disproportionately long or severe vis-à-vis the precipitating event. The distinctions between the duration of depression, the circumstances under which it arises, and certain other characteristics underlie the classification of depression into different types. 

Examples of different ttypes of depression include bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder (clinical depression), persistent depressive disorder, and seasonal affective disorder. 

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 Characteristics and causes of depression Depression is probably the most common psychiatric complaint and has been described by physicians since before the time of ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who called it melancholia. The course of the disorder is extremely variable from person to person; it may be mild or severe, acute or chronic. Untreated, depression may last an average of four months or longer. Depression is twice as prevalent in women than in men. The typical age of onset is in the 20s, but it may occur at any age. Depression can have many causes. Unfavourable life events can increase a person’s vulnerability to depression or trigger a depressive episode. Negative thoughts about oneself and the world are also important in producing and maintaining depressive symptoms. However, both psychosocial and biochemical mechanisms seem to be important causes; the chief biochemical cause appears to be the defectidefective regulation of the release of one or more naturally occurring neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly norepinephrine and serotonin. Reduced quantities or reduced activity of these chemicals in the brain is thought to cause the depressed mood in some sufferers. Depression is also associated with disordered rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. A region of the brain known as the amygdala contains neurons that project into the brainstem and appear to be involved in modulating REM sleep. The amygdala is also associated with processing negative thoughts and may be enlarged, hyperactive, or otherwise dysfunctional in some depressed persons. Although the significance of these associations is yet to be defined, the link between depression, disordered REM sleep, and abnormalities of the amygdala has led to new avenues of research into the neurobiology and treatment of depression. Research suggests that depression is also linked to physical activity, whereby physical activity may lower a person’s risk of developing depression. Individuals who exercise typically report better mental health and are less likely to be depressed, compared with individuals who do not exercise. Types of depression Bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and persistent depressive disorder are the primary types of depression. A person who experiences alternating states of depression and mania (abnormal elevation of mood) or hypomania (distinct, though not necessarily abnormal, elevation of momood) is said to suffer from bipolar disorder. Major depressive disorder is characterized by severe symptoms that disrupt the individual’s daily life, typically with effects on appetite, sleep, work, or the ability to enjoy life. Episodes of major depression can occur at any age and may occur once or multiple times in an affected person’s life. Persistent depressive disorder involves symptoms that last two or more years, sometimes marked by episodes of major depression. Other types of depression include postpartum depression, psychotic depression, and seasonal affective disorder, each of which develops under specific circumstances. Postpartum depression develops in women in the period following childbirth. Symptoms include anxiety, a lack of interest in caring for the infant, and feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or inadequacy. Postpartum depression is longer-lasting and more severe than the “baby blues,” a common condition among women after childbirth that typically involves mood swings, feelings of sadness, and crying spells. Psychotic depression arises against a background of psychosis, which may involve symptoms of delusions, hallucinations, or paranoia. Seasonal affective disorder is characterized by the onset of depressive symptoms in autumn and winter, which are alleviated with increased exposure to natural light in spring and summer.