Depression

Depression

It is more than just feeling sad. It’s a mental illness that can be tremendously debilitating. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the US, with 7.3 million (or 7.1%) adults suffering from it. While depression is slightly more common in women than men (8.7% versus 5.3%), depression doesn’t discriminate by gender, age, or race.

Symptoms include depressed mood, feeling “numb,” loss of interest in normal activities, trouble eating and sleeping, decreased energy and decreased self-esteem. You are commonly diagnosed with depression if you have experienced these symptoms for two weeks or more. Suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm are also possible and may warrant emergency care.

Although someone who lives with depression may feel resistance to the idea, treatment for depression is typically very successful. Certain lifestyle choices like exercising and limiting alcohol intake can be helpful, but usually therapy — possibly in conjunction with medication — is considered most effective. Cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, and interpersonal therapy are among the treatments most commonly used to manage depression.

Types of depression :

There are several different types of depression. Understanding the differences can make it easier to identify and treat the illness in the most effective way. Usually, the various types are understood based on the symptoms and the severity:

1. Clinical depression: This is the term used when a doctor gives a diagnosis of depression. It can include depressive episodes that are labelled as mild, moderate, or severe. 

2. Recurrent depressive disorder: Those that have at least two episodes of depression are said to have this condition. 

3. Reactive depression: This term is used when difficult events in a person’s life, such as a bereavement, trigger a depressive episode. 

4.Dysthymia: Those who experience continuous, mild depression lasting over two years are said to have this disorder, which is sometimes known as chronic depression. 

5. Bipolar disorder: This is a different disorder to depression and was previously known as manic depression. Those who are suffering from bipolar disorder experience extreme elation as well as periods of depression.

6. Prenatal or postnatal depression: New parents (both men and women) can experience postnatal depression after the birth of a child. When it occurs during pregnancy, it’s known as antenatal or prenatal depression. 

7. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Some people experience depression during particular seasons, often in winter.

8. Psychotic depression: In some cases, episodes of depression are so severe that the sufferer experiences hallucinations or delusions known as psychosis.