Depression
Depression is an illness caused by biochemical imbalance in the brain. It is characterized by persistent feelings of anxiety; sadness; helplessness; hopelessness; worthlessness; pessimism; guilt; restlessness; irritability; drastic loss of interest in pleasurable or routine activities; reduced sex drive; fatigue; difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions; body aches not caused by physical illness; weight gain or loss; and often suicidal tendencies. In clinical depression, these and other negative emotions are out of proportion to the individual's life situation and can be so profound that the sufferer loses interest in life. In severe or prolonged depression, the individual may be unable to get out of bed for days and a time, and their ability to perform even the most routine activities is drastically impaired. Depressive illness differs drastically from the usual moods and emotions experienced by most people, such as sadness, "the blues", or grief after losing a loved one. It is one of the most common and destructive illness in the United States. Often misunderstood by sufferers and their families alike, it is highly treatable with modern medications by well- trained experts.
Official diagnosis of a major depressive illness is based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association. Now in its fourth version, this handbook officially recognizes the following types of clinical depression: normal depressed mood and grief, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, mild depression (dysthymia), major depression, bipolar disorder (manic- depression), atypical depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and post-partum depression. Disorders can be short- or long-term and range from relatively mild to severe. Researchers estimate that associated costs, which include loss of productivity at work, hiring new personnel, medical expenses, and stress placed on families, may range from $15 to 35 billion a year.
Unrecognized and untreated depression can cause extreme suffering, not only to the patient, but to his or her loved ones. It can begin for no apparent reason and plunge the individual into a downward spiral of despair. It is a true illness, like cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure, which can become incapacitating. An estimated 35 to 40 million people in the United States are expected to suffer a major depressive illness during their life-time; 25 percent of these will attempt suicide within five years of onset. Anyone talking about suicide should be taken seriously and medical assistance sought immediately. Depression in children often goes unrecognized: suicide is the second greatest cause of death in children and adolescents.
One truly unfortunate aspect of depression is that, frequently, sufferers tend to blame themselves, and neither they nor their families recognize it as an illness. Even if they do, they may not realize the necessity of appropriate treatment. This lack of understanding can cause alienation, which only adds to the pain, loss of self-esteem, and guilt feelings already caused by the depression. Depressed individuals cannot "pull themselves up by the bootstraps," and this lack of understanding only increases the patient's suffering.
Causes of depression are many and varied. Researchers believe hereditary factors predispose certain individuals to depressive illness. In some individuals, traumatic life situations such as the break-up of a relationship, loss of a loved one, or loss of employment, is the trigger. Lack of light in winter brings about Seasonal Affective Disorder, the severity of which ranges from mild to debilitating, and biochemical or hormonal changes appear to trigger post-partum depression in some women following childbirth. Cyclic antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, and "third generation" medications help more than 80 percent of people treated and, in difficult cases, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be useful. Appropriate psychotherapy and counselling combined with medication is often extremely helpful.
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