DEPRESSION DISORDER

What is depression?

Depression is a mental health disorder that is marked by persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and a general lack of interest in everything. According to the World Health Organization, 800,000 people take their own lives and 300 million people are suffering from depression worldwide. Depression is more than just feeling sad, it is constant feelings of sadness as if a dark cloud is always hanging around you. Depression can affect adults, adolescents and even children. Due to the stigma attached to it, many don't seek help and it is often mistaken as moodiness, laziness and introversion and this perpetuates the impact of experiencing it.

General symptoms of depression

Having depression is marked by intense, persistent feelings of sadness that last for over 2 weeks and are out of proportion to the circumstances you are experiencing in your life. It is important to seek immediate professional help from a doctor or a mental health advisor if you are experiencing the symptoms mentioned below:-
  • Constant feelings of sadness, emptiness and unworthiness.
  • A sense of hopelessness and helplessness.
  • Constant fatigue/ easily getting tired.
  • Easily annoyed or irritated.
  • Changes in sleeping habits( sleeping too little or too much).
  • Changes in appetite( eating too little or too much).
  • Loss of interest in your daily activities.
  • Unexplained pains and aches e.g headaches, migraines. 
  • Trouble concentrating.
  • Frequent thoughts of death or suicide. 
  • Digestive issues and bowel problems. 

Types of depression

There are different forms of depression and they include:-

Clinical Depression/ Major depressive disorder

This is the most common and severe type of depression that is characterized by intense feelings of sadness that lasts for at least 2 weeks. Other symptoms include a loss of interest in daily activities, sleep problems and changes in appetite.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

This is a form of mild depression that lasts for at least 2 years. However, its symptoms are not as severe as major depressive disorder. 

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)

DMDD causes outbursts of anger and irritability in children from the ages of 10 years and above. 

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

With PMDD, you still experience symptoms of Premenstrual Menstrual Syndrome (PMS), however, in PMDD, the symptoms are intense and include extreme anger, anxiety and depression. 

Depressive disorder as a result of another medical condition.

Many medical conditions can alter how the body functions and may cause depression e.g hyperthyroidism, heart disease, Parkinson's disease.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

This is a type of depression that comes and goes away in seasons e.g being depressed during the cold season.

Prenatal and Post Partum Depression

Prenatal depression occurs during pregnancy while post partum depression develops within 4 weeks of delivering a baby. 

Atypical Depression

People with atypical depression are those that have first experienced depression at a young age especially adolescents. 

Causes of depression

There is no single identifiable cause of depression but there are reasons that increases the chances of an individual developing depression at some point in their life. Some of this reasons are:-

i) Genes- A family history of depression predisposes one to develop depression later in life. 

ii) Major life events- Going through unexpected life experiences such as loss of a job, relationship breakdowns, grief can cause one to develop depression.

iii) Personal problems- Issues such as experiencing loneliness, being isolated due to having mental health problems or being ostracized by family or a group increases one's likelihood of developing depression.

iv) Abuse- Experiencing abuse in any form such as physical, emotional, sexual or mental can make you susceptible to developing depression later in life.

v) Physical illness- Some physical illnesses can trigger depression e.g diabetes, hyperthyroidism.

vi) Conflict- Having conflicts with family or friends increases the risk of developing depression. 

vii) Substance Abuse- Alcohol and drug abuse increases the risk of developing depression. 

Other risk factors 

- Having a family member experiencing depression.
- Having once experienced depression in the past.
- Having being diagnosed with other mental health disorders such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis.

Treatments for depression

Treatment options include:- 

Psychotherapy

Reach out and talk to a professional therapist or counselor who will actively listen to you and help you to identify negative thought patterns and behaviors and transform them to healthy ones. They will also help you to understand your problems on a broader perspective and offer you guidance on maintaining good mental health. 

Medications

Depression isn't a curable illness but the good news is that there are medications that can help you manage its symptoms such as antidepressants that balances the brain chemicals responsible for happiness and mood stability.

Lifestyle factors

There are things that you can do and activities that you can perform while at home to improve depression such as:- 
- Exercising regularly.
- Eating a balanced diet and drinking enough water.
- Getting enough sleep and rest.
- Avoiding alcohol and recreational drugs.
- Staying close to people that love and support you.

Take out 

Depression isn't just about being sad and one cannot just snap out of it. When we become physically ill, we schedule an appointment with the doctor as should be the case when we have a mental illness because depression is an illness like any other and should be treated as such. Having depression is not a sign of weakness and it is good to understand that it's okay not to be okay. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, seek immediate help from a professional therapist or counsellor. 

Article by, 

Therapist Faith Chepkwony

Reach out to me on my email at chepkwonyfaith13@gmail.com





















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