It is a severe illness with disabling effects. It affects 10 million Americans every year. Depression affects more women than men.
Unipolar depression should not be mistaken for the other form of depression that is more violent - manic depression. Manic depression is associated with suicidal tendencies and violence towards other people.
Unipolar depression causes a person to be disinterested in normal activities and to feel unhappy. Normal activities like sleeping and eating too are affected.
It is a chronic disease - meaning it is a long term disease or condition. Once a person has this condition it will recur at least once in their lifetime. For some others it will recur many times. Depression episodes can last from 6 to 9 months when they recur in a chronically ill person.
Such a depression occurs across all age groups and no socio-economic background is exempt. However, it occurs more commonly in those between 25 and 44 years of age.
What causes unipolar depression? In some people it is spontaneous and independent of any specific event. In other it arises from trauma or severe shock.
Some scientists also believe genetics are involved. Moreover it can be brought on by improper nutrition, hormonal imbalances and social factors and finally medications for other illnesses. There are anecdotes of patients experiencing depression after a major surgery as well like simultaneous double knee joint replacement.
How would you recognize this disease in a person? The checklist below possibly indicates someone suffering from unipolar depression. #A lack of interest in the simple pleasures of life #Irritable and always sad #Drastic changes in your eating and sleeping habits #Loss of appetite and do not like any kind of food #Can't sleep and constantly tense #Unable to concentrate or think clearly #Feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness #Guilty feelings for no reason. #Suicidal tendencies #Frequent fatigue
These intense feelings may result in severe headaches and other chronic pain which may not respond to any form of treatment. People suffering from this type of depression may exhibit one or a few of these symptoms.
Common myths surrounding depression are: #That it is the elderly who are solely prone to it #It is caused by flaws in a person's character #It is a state of the mind and therefore treatment is not needed
Possible treatment options that a doctor may prescribe include: 1.Antidepressant drugs 2.Cognitive therapy 3.Psychotherapy 4.Electroconvulsive therapy 5.Lifestyle modification like diet, exercise and quitting smoking.
Teen depression is a common and growing problem. Teen depression can be found in more than 8% of the teenage population. Teen depression often occurs with other illnesses, including anxiety and disruptive behavior. Abuse of drugs or alcohol is common among those with teen depression. Teen depression varies in severity and may be triggered by many factors, such as a traumatic experience, stress or even a change in seasons. Teen depression affects people in every socioeconomic group. One reason for taking teen depression seriously is that it may increase the risk of suicide. Research supported by the NIMH found that among those who develop teen depression, as many as 7% may commit suicide in their young adult years. Teen depression may also result in various stress-related diseases. People who have depression are sad and often express their sadness by crying. They may have feelings of worthlessness and helplessness. They may be indifferent or feel extreme guilt, and may withdraw from activities they previously enjoyed. However, teen depression does not always manifest itself in the same way as adult depression. There are many different kinds of depression, too: melancholia, endogenous depression, exogenous depression and reactive depression.
Depressed teen may be agitated and irritable, instead of seeming sad and hopeless. Teen depression causes a variety of serious problems and can affect any teen at any time. Any teen male or female can be depressed. Teens of every race, gender, ethnic heritage, and religion can be depressed. Even teens that come from rich, famous, or successful families can go through severe depression that can lead to a teen suicide.Teen depression is growing at an alarming rate. About 18 million Americans or more experience depression. Anywhere between 112,000 and 2,324,000 of them are teens. Some mental health professionals believe that as many as 20 percent of high school students are deeply unhappy or have some kind of psychiatric problem. Teens who seem continually sad, angry, confused, misunderstood, or rebellious are probably depressed. Teen depression affects more young people today than ever before.An individual with teen depression may have headaches and stomachaches, and may have difficulty sleeping. Other signs of teen depression include an inability to concentrate, a change in appetite and loss of energy.
Twenty years ago depression in children was almost unknown. Now the fastest rate of increase in depression is among young people. Again, this backs up the fact that most depression is not caused by chemical imbalances, whether in adolescents, teenagers or adults. Researchers believe teen depression is caused by a combination of factors. It is often triggered by a major loss, such as through death or divorce, but abuse of alcohol or drugs can cause or complicate teen depression. Girls are twice as likely as boys to develop teen depression. Recent studies have linked depression, including teen depression, to genetics resulting in an imbalance in the chemicals that allow brain cells to communicate. Close relatives of people with teen depression are more likely than the general population to develop depression. Depression in adolescents may be difficult to spot because sulkiness, irritability, antisocial behaviour, negativity and withdrawal often go hand in hand with growing up.
Causes of Teen Depression
1.Genetics probably play a role in who gets depressed.
2.Losing a loved one can also be enough to trigger depression in some people.
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