* Appetite changes. Your interest in eating dwindles and you lose weight and energy. In some cases depression may cause you to overeat and you gain weight quickly.
* Sleep disturbances. You wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning and can't fall back to sleep. Oversleeping is another problem you may sleep 12 to 14 hours at night but still not get out of bed the next morning or else return to bed very quickly.
* Changes in energy. You may feel slowed down, as though you were carrying a heavy weight around with you. Even the simplest tasks getting dressed, making breakfast seem like enormous obstacles. Some depressed people feel abnormally restless and are unable to sit still or relax their bodies.
* Sexual problems. If you enjoyed sexual activity before, you now feel a lack of interÂest and desire.
Emotional Effects
* Loss of pleasure. You no longer enjoy what used to give you pleasure hobbies, conversations with friends, a visit from someone you love.
* Increased anxiety. You feel nervous much of the time and may spend many hours worrying about your health or other problems in your life.
* Sadness. You feel despondent and often feel like crying. There may also be feelings of worthlessness and guilt.
Cognitive Effects
* Changes in concentration. You seem unable to focus on what you're doing and have difficulty making even small decisions.
* Impaired judgment. You have trouble making accurate assessments and tend to exaggerate your own faults, blaming yourÂself for your illness. This loss of judgment may cause you to "catastrophize," turning minor events into major upsets.
What Causes Depression?
Although the exact cause of depression is unclear, there's good evidence that depressed people have abnormal levels of certain brain chemicals called "neurotransmitters." These chemicals, which transmit signals between brain cells, playa vital role in how you feel, think and behave. However, doctors still don't know if abnormal brain chemistry actually causes depression, or if this chemistry is merely the result of depressive illness.
It's unlikely that depression stems from a single cause. Most experts now think that certain factors such as heredity or childhood influences predispose you to the illness, while an event or combination of events for example, stress caused by loss or change actually triggers the symptoms. Here are some factors that have been implicated in depression.
Characterized by sudden and extreme changes in their mood, Manic depression is said to be called as such because manic = mania refers to the 'ups' while depression refers to the 'downs'. A lot of people actually experience erratic changes in their moods, some times, these so-called mood swings may not just be caused by PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) or stress. Doctors actually have diagnosed mood swings as a common symptom of depression.
But when these so-called mood swings have gone to utmost absurdity, from getting irked even by the littlest or simplest of thins like not getting your favorite ice cream flavor, this may not be just a sign of brattiness, but when getting irked means you'll cuss and swear on the ice cream vendor and throw absurd tantrums, this may already be the start of Manic depression.The so-called 'manic' or 'ups' in Manic depression is described as to be the times when a person suffering from Manic depression may experience overly high periods, consisting of heightened energy, a sudden outburst of euphoric mood, extreme irritability, thoughts racing as well as aggressive behavior. According to therapists, someone suffering from Manic depression may have these so-called manic 'periods' wherein sudden outbursts of euphoric and elevated mood swings may actually go through this for as long as not just a day, in can actually go on for as long as one week, even longer than that.
When it comes to the so-called 'low' or 'down' periods, as its name suggests can actually bring someone who is suffering from Manic depression may experience very similar symptoms to those who are suffering from actual depression. People who are suffering from Manic depression may actually experience episodes showing a depressed state of mind - a feeling of worthlessness and being unloved may start to corrupt the individual's mind. Various symptoms, showing guilt, extreme sadness, anxiety attacks, feeling of not belonging, extreme pessimism and obvious loss for pleasure. According to therapists, an individual who is depressed. consistently for more than a week can officially be diagnosed as someone who is suffering from Manic depression.
In spite of being one of the most common, yet severe type of depressive disorder, Manic depression, according to doctors can actually be treated. There's no reason to worry too much about it, just follow the proper procedures that the therapist will instruct you to do, take the proper prescribed medications as well as the proper dosage in order to help you (or your friend or love one) overcome Manic depression before it becomes too late. Also, individuals who are suffering from Manic depression should always be able to see their therapists on a regular basis so as to be able to release their pent up emotions to some one who can interpret and understand what they're going to a lot better as compared to "normal" people.
Both Pattrick Jhonson & Reginald Curtis are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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